andygoodliff

Baptist Theology: by-Chance or by-Choice?

One of the new blogs I've begun reading regularly is Fernando Gros. He has been posting a series on his experiences of baptist ecclesiology: 1, 2, 3, 4.  In the second post he suggests that many of his fellow ministerial students were 'Baptists-by-chance, rather than Baptists-by-choice'.  I wonder if this reflects most people who belong to a baptist church. He says also that 'it was quite obvious that for most of my contemporaries, being Baptist was secondary or even inconsequential to their theological and ecclesiological identity.'  I find this interesting, it is certainly my experience. Baptist identity is given scant regard by many, either through ignorance or indifference. Which is interesting when attention to baptist history, thought and identity has perhaps never been higher. I've moved form being a baptist-by-chance to being a baptist-by-choice. This does not mean I am not uncritical about baptist theology and ecclesiology, but that it identifies what church should and could be. Fernando says he is going to blog at some point about the baptist ideal versus the baptist reality, which should be good.

Living Out Scripture

I'm started a new 'project' as Maggi has called it, over at the hopeful_imagination blog. After our advent and lent blogs, I'm asking people to blog a scripture verse or story that is important to you. This is an idea I got from David Ford's The Shape of Living, where he writes:

... be alert for some key passages of the bible to inhabit in a special way. Hans Urs von Balthasar has said that often a saint's whole life can be seen as living out just one verse of scripture. One rich verse or story can be essential to our vocation, as we come back to it year after year, and find further dimensions to it. The great words, verses and passages of scripture and the liturgy are like houses which, as we study, pray, suffer and love, are made habitable with our own furnishings, pictures, meals and children ...'

So if you want to join in, let me know.

Ash Goes Global

My good friend Ashley Beck sets off on his travels tomorrow evening. Having completed his a-levels last summer and deferred entry to King's College London for a year, he's been working to finance himself. He's off to India and Nepal for definite and then perhaps where the wind takes him. You can follow his travels here. I'm praying he stays safe and has a brilliant time. I'm also hoping he gets some cool pictures of Buddhist and Hindu stuff to help  me with my RE teaching.

Ashley has been a good theological conversational partner the last few years. He came with Hannah and I on our trip to Edinburgh for the Make Poverty History march and was present on the 18-mile walk I did with some others.