at the lord’s table: a conversation

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#ATLT: come and see, preston yancey

January 25, 2012 in at the lord's table: a conversation with 3 Comments

Today marks the first day of #ATLT, At the Lord’s Table: A Conversation, a series of over 50 posts from varying authors about the beautiful, mangled Church. Look for at least two new posts every Monday through Saturday between January 25th and February 22nd. Join us in the conversation? See you in the comments.

I have spent the past few weeks avoiding this post. The feeling of responsibility, of setting in motion this remarkable series of guest posts, does not come as an easy task. I suddenly want to say too much, I want to define things, I want to articulate a theology of the Church that is so inclusive and yet remarkable exclusive, that holds doors open wide but is unified alone in the incarnate Word who sang this cosmos into being. So I have avoided this, avoided setting down words to Mystery for fear of not being true. True in the sense of responsibility, in the sense that words spoken into the cosmos are words we shall be held accountable for, words that we shall have to own one day before our God, if not sooner.

I write this in the coffee shop next to campus, sitting near a dear friend, a friend with whom words like sacramentality are as common as reenacting scenes from last week’s 30 Rock. On my way here, I passed by a group of three engaged in a rather forceful conversation. Two against one, the two trying to persuade through rhetorical strategy the other one to accept Christ. I hurried past, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, I want to believe that the Holy Ghost is such that even these moments are brought ultimately to good, that God does not forsake a word sewn in truth, even if the sewer spilled seed instead of planted. But on the other hand, I see in this moment the ache of my soul to intervene, to put myself in their midst and beg for a fuller Gospel, to argue for a larger Story.

But this post is about the beautiful, mangled Church.

I attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church here in Waco for the first time on Sunday, October 4th, 2009. I know the date because it just so happened to be the feast of St. Francis, whom I have spent much of my years in university falling in love with. I wasn’t raised Episcopalian. Baptist in blood, I grew up in the church of fellowship halls and lengthy sermons. And I love that heritage, I love it dearly, but I found myself one morning asking God to give me a place where I could rest for a time, a place where I could hide. I was spiritually worn, chaffed by exhaustion, and asking for Him to reveal Himself in the quiet over all the noise I seemed to feel the need to make. By Providence, my car ended up in the parking lot of St. Paul’s just in time for the morning service. And there I was; there I have been ever sense.

I have grown much since that first Sunday. I have made a life in the words of the saints, have spent hours discussing Simone Weil in conversation with St. Paul, have taken to painting as a form of prayer and writing fiction in the vein of Flannery O’Connor as a sort of praise. What the small, beautiful Episcopal church in the midst of very Baptist Waco did for me by the grace of God was give me the space to wonder, to venture, to explore.

I am not the sort of person inclined to doubt. I have a fierce sort of faithfulness that is rooted deep in my being. But I am the kind of person who does at times wonder about unorthodox things. I ponder the limits of grace. I question where sacrament fits into cosmos. I consider the mercy of God’s reach and how little we surely know about it. What St. Paul’s gave me was the place where I was safe to ask unsafe things. It gave me Creed so that in spite of every question and wonder, it all was held in the tension of, “We believe in one God …”

There is much I disagree with in Episcopalianism as a denomination. I differ on their view of homosexuality for one, the validity of baptizing infants on another. Then there are the issues of property rights for those leaving to join the Anglican Communion, which gives me a headache.

So why do I stay?

It is perhaps that I am too medieval or too Baptist–two extremes that, when it comes to the local church, share more in common than you’d think–in that I do not attend St. Paul’s because it is Episcopal, I attend St. Paul’s because for this season God gave it to me as a home. It exists, for me, outside of the question of its denomination, of the politics to which it belongs. It is a local body. A good, beautiful body.

I live in the rhythm of the liturgy and in the beauty of the stained glass. I grow in reflection upon the meaning of the Eucharist and in the implications of a body hallowed in the incarnation, made to make the sign of the cross as testimony to belief.

When I leave this city, which shall wrench my heart, and I look to journey on, I’m not sure where I shall end up. I don’t think I was formed as the sort of person who finds the need for definitions as given by denominational theology particularly important. I was made to journey, made to live in the rhythm of where I feel God move over where I feel the need to be defined. The Creed gives me definition, the meditation on His Word gives me mooring, the conversation of the saints gives me the fabric of garment with which to be clothed.

This is not true for everyone, which explains why I do not advocate Episcopalianism as the best of all denominations, or suggest that people necessarily come to church with me opposed to a church in which they are already being fed. And with this, I return to the group I passed on the way to the coffee shop. I return to the need to use rhetoric as a means to convert people. And I think about the call of the disciples in the Gospels.

“Come and see.”

These were the words that changed the fabric of time. These were the words that gave us an apostle.

“Come and see.”

What should I say about the beautiful, mangled Church? How do I begin a series of posts where tens of voices unite to sing in harmony of a one, holy, catholic and apostolic Body in and across time, denomination to denomination, praise to praise?

I must say, “Come and see.” Come and see this beautiful Body. Come with us and see Him, He who is real and present in all times and in all places, even unto the end of the age, world without end. Amen.

————

Preston Yancey

Preston Yancey is a senior at Baylor University earning his degree in Great Texts of the Western Tradition with a focus in medieval theology and literature. He has a minor in Political Science, specialized in East Asian foreign and domestic policy, which he contends happened by accident. He hopes to spend the rest of his life somewhere sacred and writing. He makes his home where he can, being found often enough in an airport, coffee shop, or car, on the way to the next destination: from Waco to Austin to Chicago to London to Beijing and beyond. He runs on a diet of caffeine and God’s grace. His book on reading Scripture as a means of seeing the creation as an icon of God is to be published with Rhizome, tentatively forthcoming in January 2012. You can find him on Twitter or, most obviously, on this blog, which you are currently reading.

announcing the #ATLT lineup

January 23, 2012 in at the lord's table: a conversation with 51 Comments

I am thrilled to announce the lineup for the massive blog series At the Lord’s Table: A Blog Conversation (#ATLT on Twitter).

Don’t know what #ATLT is? It’s a simple idea:

I’ve been reflecting for the past few months on a lot of the polemics thrown around in modern Church. We don’t like the word “religion” and ritual seems frightening. We run from “institution” and jump on an idea of faith alone that, at times, loses our actual Lord and Savior in the process.

In praying about how to respond, I realized that a series of vindictive blog posts on my part, while satisfying to my wit, would not further advance the Gospel. However, the other morning in the quiet of praying Lauds, I had a bit of an idea: a series of guest posts written by a whole handful of diverse people, each uniquely expressing their love for the Church as a whole.

And the idea took root. Then the idea blossomed.

From January 25th, which is the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, to Ash Wednesday on February 22nd, my blog shall be taken over in order to host a truly remarkable guest post series.

Over 50 authors are writing over 25 days.

Below you shall find the lineup of nearly everyone participating in the series. A few, like my Father, were unable to send over a bio in time but they shall be posting with us, sure enough. I ask your pardon, also, in that I can be a very poor HTML editor and there were a few funky bits in some of the alignments. Apologies to all.

And now, I give you, the lineup for what shall truly be a unique, diverse, insane blogging experience.

—January 25—

Preston Yancey

Preston Yancey is a senior at Baylor University earning his degree in Great Texts of the Western Tradition with a focus in medieval theology and literature. He also has a minor in Political Science, specialized in East Asian foreign and domestic policy, which he contends happened by accident. He hopes to spend the rest of his life somewhere sacred and writing. In the meantime, he makes his home where he can, being found often enough in an airport, coffee shop, or car, on the way to the next destination: from Waco to Austin to Chicago to London to Beijing and beyond. He runs on a diet of caffeine and God’s grace. His book on reading Scripture as a means of seeing the creation as an icon of God is to be published with Rhizome, tentatively forthcoming in January 2012. You can find him on Twitter or at his blog.

Wylie Wyman

Wylie Wyman is a junior at Baylor University studying Literature and Religion. She is a native Texan and calls Tyler her hometown, although she spent most of her childhood in Houston. She enjoys reading, crocheting, spending time with her family, drinking altogether too much coffee, and will take any excuse to make a pie. Her favorite place is Laity Lodge Youth Camp, where she has worked for the past three summers. Wylie hopes to being researching and writing a thesis dealing with the notion of hospitality in the Christian tradition, and though she doesn’t know where she’ll be headed after she graduates, she anticipates never living more than twenty minutes from a Tex-Mex restaurant.

Christina May Gibson

I live in Waco, which I lovingly call the ugly girl with a good personality. I’m amazing at Ms. Pac-man. I’m in my last semester of seminary and I work in the area of pastoral care at Baylor University. I have a voice crush on Norbert Leo Butz and a mild obsession with whales. I love laughing with my husband and chasing my 2 and 4 year olds. Christina blogs here.

—January 26—

Tyler Braun

Tyler Braun is a 27-year-old INTJ living in Portland, Oregon with his wife Rose. He works full time as a worship leader, while also finding time to study at Multnomah Biblical Seminary in pursuit of a masters degree. Currently Tyler is living the Portlandia dream of commuting to work on a bike while paying off school loans. He has plans to release his first book in August of this year through Moody Publishers. You can find Tyler on Twitter, Facebook, or his blog.

Joy Bennett

I am a writer, thinker, asker of questions, mother, wife, special needs mom, and bereaved parent. I love Jesus, and I’m very much still in process. I’ve been blogging since 2005, writing on faith and doubt, family life (which is often humorous even with the medical spin), grief, and the depression that I only recognized a year after our daughter died at the age of 8. Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of me yesterday (or my church). Joy blogs here and tweets here.

—January 27—

Cory Copeland

Cory Copeland writes about God, Life, and Love on his blog at www.MadtoLove.com. You can find him on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Cory_Copeland.

Cory’s debut novel “These Were the Nights” will be available everywhere this spring.

Margaret Felice

Margaret is a self-described “religion teacher by day and opera singer by night”. She blogs from Boston on spirituality, scripture, family, performing, politics and whatever else crosses her mind. She loves humor, food, and liturgical music. Margaret blogs here and tweets here.

—January 28—

Brittany Hardy

My name is Brittany. I graduated from Baylor University in May 2011. I am now in my second semester at Dallas Theological Seminary, getting a master’s degree in Biblical Counseling. I love reading, writing, and spending time with people.

Danny Webster

Danny Webster loves to read, write and think about how the church can change the world, and how in the mean time we can get to grips with it not always working out that way. Danny blogs at Broken Cameras & Gustav Klimt on the lessons he is learning about faith and failure as he goes through life. During the day time he works for the UK Evangelical Alliance on a range of political and social issues. And when he’s bored or stressed indulges in a little creative baking. Read the blog or follow Danny on twitter @danny_webster

—January 30—

Nish Weiseth

Nish, the author of The Outdoor Wife and founder of Nish Happens, is a wifey, mommy, adventurer, writer, daydreamer, thinker, connector, and believer. She’s a Salt Lake City-dweller and a music snob, a lover of wine and rap music, and putting pen to paper. Most of her time is filled with diapers, laundry, small handprints and chasing her tiny boy, but she finds ways to steal moments, capturing life in word and film. Nish tweets here.

Hilary Sherratt

Hilary is a student of politics, theology and ethics, writer, runner, cupcake-eater and lover of poetry and plays. She chases after what is beautiful and believes that writing it down is the best way to see it. She lingers in coffee shops, trips over almost everything, and loves to make space in her heart for stories. She blogs here and tweets here.

call for guest post submissions: stories of the beautiful, mangled church

January 6, 2012 in at the lord's table: a conversation with 4 Comments

And the idea took root. Then the idea blossomed.

So, from January 25th, which is the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, to Ash Wednesday on February 22nd, my blog shall be taken over in order to host a truly remarkable guest post series:

At the Lord’s Table: A Conversation

The essential idea is that while we all have different perspectives on the Eucharist, on Communion, we all recognize it as the gathering of the one Body of Christ. Our myriad and differing voices come to the same table of the Lord and there we meet, discuss, and marvel at the beauty of the Church, warts and all.

So far, over thirty contributors are already participating, including people well known on this blog and very much beloved, such as Nish Weiseth, Alise Wright, Joy Bennnett, Tyler Braun, Jake Dudley, Cory Copeland, Anna Blanch, and many, many others.

The topics are amazingly diverse, from personal reflections on life within a local church body to larger questions about where the church is headed and the need to return to certain fundamentals. As I explained to the first handful of writers I approached, this could be anything: the denomination someone is currently in, how it has met them where they needed to be met and has supported them on their journey–provided that they don’t try to sell it as the only true denomination. Posts about how someone has felt outcast by the people in the church but still hold to the Church. Really, the door is open.

We have posters talking about growing up in church in India and some planting churches in six hundred year old cathedrals across the world. Posts about the Eucharist seen through the lens of a former charismatic and what it’s like to have a small church heart in the midst of a big church. And the list goes on and on and on, and, as I said, the door is open.

Really, the door is open.

That’s where you come in.

I have already slotted a number of the posts for the series, but since this guest post extravaganza is all about the diversity of experience, I want to open the call to anyone who is interested in contributing. The spots remaining are few, but they are there, and I invite you to consider a topic, something that makes the Church still important to you, a story or event that shaped how and why you love the Church, or what made you feel lost in the small church but found in the whole Church. Or, whatever. And write it. Write it out and submit it here. (And, to keep this disclaimer simple, I’ll borrow the same expression used to explain the openness of the Communion table: all baptized believers are welcome, such is the guiding principle for your posts.)

If you’re interested in possibly contributing a guest post to this series, please submit a 500-800 word original post to me by 5 PM CST on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 to the following email: prestonyancey@mac.com

Posts shall be reviewed and a decision made and emailed to you by 9 PM CST, Thursday, January 12th.

This is a wonderful chance to have an open dialogue about the diverse, beautiful Body of the Church, as well as to have your beautiful words featured to a readership that is pretty amazing in terms of grace and love. (I love my commenters, I do so very much!)

Let’s dig into the wells of our souls and bring up the beauty of the Body: chaotic, vibrant, His.

In the meantime, retweet this post, tell your friends, get people excited? Things are about to get really hectic around here, but it’s going to be a great, loud, righteous mess of praise.

See you in my inbox …