Coffeehouse Theology:Reflecting on God in Everyday Life

Coffeehouse Theology: The New Name For My Theology Project

Ed Cyzewski — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:53:32 +0000

Now that Coffeehouse Theology is on its way to publication, I have been working with NavPress on a new name. We have settled on Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life. Previously I was referring to the book as Theology for Everyone and before that Conversations in Context, but of course none of those are all that marketable.

More updates on the book will be coming soon!

Books on the Emerging Church

Ed Cyzewski — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:25:46 +0000

Andrew Jones has quite an extensive list of books and other documents related to the emerging church. Check out his post here.

Where Things Stand

Ed Cyzewski — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:56:05 +0000

At the moment Theology For Everyone in Postmodern Times is under review with a publisher. I’m excited that this important tool for the church is one step closer to publication. I’ll keep posting updates as things progress.

For now you can read my daily theological musings at inamirrordimly.com and find all kinds of articles on the emerging church, theology, and mission on my theological resource page.

The Spirit of God

Ed Cyzewski — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:54:09 +0000

I am reading through Paul’s description in the book of 1 Corinthians of God’s wisdom that is revealed by the Spirit.

Such as . . .

2:6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing.
2:7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.
2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
2:9 But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
2:10 God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.
2:13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.
2:14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2:15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.
2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Courtesy of the NET Bible

On Certainty, Truth and Scripture

Ed Cyzewski — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:54:44 +0000

Notice in 1 Thessalonians how Paul referes to the scriptures and how the believers have certainty.

1:4 We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,
1:5 in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).

and then . . .

2:13 And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.

God Himself validates the truth and gives certainty through the Spirit.

(All scripture is from the NET Bible)

Books and Links

Ed Cyzewski — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:45:18 +0000

There are some new books and links posted on each page now. I’ll be updating them as they become available. I’d like to also have a section with articles from the ooze, next wave, and other news stories about the emerging church.

Most of them are hanging out in my del.icio.us account.

The latest book that I have been reading about ministry in the postmodern/emerging context is Organic Church by Neil Cole. I’ll be reviewing it as soon as I wrap it up. So far it has been incredible.

What Just Laws You Have . . .

Ed Cyzewski — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 02:06:47 +0000

Check out this verse from Deuteronomy:

“And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as justas this whole law that I am about to share with you today?” Dt. 4:8

This is a fairly loaded statement about culture in a small space. We often read the Old Testament, the Torah no less, and are amazed by the laws listed.

There are all kinds of penalties that seem rather harsh to us. Some rules seem oppressive. But in its day, the Mosaic Law was radical. It revealed a merciful and just God.

Obedience to this law taught the nations around Israel about the God of these alien people who appeared out of the desert.

God is always revealing himself in a particular time and place because that is how we are made. He meets us, in many ways, on our own terms so that we can truly get to know him.

Shaking Things Up

Ed Cyzewski — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 01:46:51 +0000

WordPress has generously allowed users to make major modifications to their templates in the free hosted version offered at wordpress.com. This is good for me because I didn’t really like the limitations of their templates, but paying for a static template and a few extra features for a Typepad account wasn’t exactly cutting it either.

So today I began the transition. I will be moving my typepad blog, which covers my theology and culture project, over to this wordpress blog. This little blog started as an experiment and exploration of the benefits of wordpress. I kept it hoping that the day would come that the templates could be modified.

And so there are still bits and pieces of the old blog laying around, but things will start looking more and more like a theology blog around here in the near future.

For now I’m going to stick with the Ambiru theme. I like keeping all of the links down below so that the focus is on the writing.

I hope to have more to share from the Conversations in Context project. I’m currently finishing the proposal and hope to have more up here soon.

Ryan Bolger on Newbigin

Ed Cyzewski — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 12:09:33 +0000

In case you haven’t heard of Leslie Newbigin, Ryan Bolger has a nice little summary of Newbigin’s significance for the emerging church today and the missional church movement in particular.

I have listed a number of Newbigin’s books below on my suggested reading lists, including The Gospel in a Pluralist Society and The Open Secret. Though his works can be a bit dense, they are well worth the investment of time.

Obsessing

Ed Cyzewski — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 13:06:34 +0000

I have probably entered the "obsessing" phase of writing a book. While in-between drafts I have begun to obsess over the title. Is "Beginning Conversations" saying what this book will really be all about??? Hmmm. My latest candidate is "Conversations in Context."

Back when I thought of this project, the idea was provide a tool that would act as a catalyst for theological conversation and consequent action. Hence "Beginning" conversations. But now it seems that these conversations are happening. The issue remains though, that we need some kind of reference point and guide when constructing theology in context.

I can’t leave behind the concept of informal conversations, because that is where I believe theology needs to move and is moving. Whether through blogs, gatherings of friends, or gatherings in churches, the postmodern context demands that we all play our part.

So for now, it’s "Conversations in Context." I’m thinking about changing the header here, but not yet. I don’t want to have musical titles. Of course whoever publishes the book will change it anyway, so why all of the fuss?