Greetings, WesleyNexus Colleagues,
“Constantine didn’t care one iota about theological nuance. He convened the Council of Nicea to unify Christianity as a bulwark for the unification of the empire. One Lord, one emperor, one creed, one faith, one baptism…. The Nicene Creed has framed the doctrine of most churches ever since….” And in our time, “as grief grows into rage for justice – social, political, economic and ecological – the demand for great change risks great violence. The struggle brings down to earth the Spirit that is always already here: and possibly – just possibly – something somehow like the verdant, loving city once called New Jerusalem opens the gates of our locked-down hope. Even now…. The issue is what we do, how we live together. The Spirit dwells divinely in our togetherness – making it possible. But not making it happen. That is up to us.”
These are the words of Dr. Catherine Keller in one of her numerous books, drawing on her expertise as both a historian of the church and as a prophet speaking to us living in the American empire. Her biblically-based vision bridges the current political and ecological crises of our time. It is a call for justice echoing Isaiah, Jeremiah and Jesus. But she makes it clear that we are the ones who must affirm that vision and answer the call. We will learn more about that challenge on October 21st when she brings her message to us in the second annual Kent Weaver Lectureship on Faith & Science, co sponsored by WesleyNexus and National United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. Details and the registration link are found below.
This month’s newsletter also highlights several other events happening in October that you won’t want to miss. And, if you don’t know what “textjacking” is and why it matters, read on!
Lastly, please consider directing some of your end-of-year philanthropy to WesleyNexus. The programs we host are costly for us, and now is the time for you to show your support as we bring sound theology and compelling challenges to congregations in the metro-DC area and beyond.
Gratefully,
Maynard Moore, Jennifer Secki Shields, and the rest of the WesleyNexus team In this month’s issue:
Oct. 18: Lessons from Sabbath for a Stressed-Out World
Oct. 19: Friends or Enemies? Science and Judaism as Partners in Wonder
Oct. 21: Earth Matters: Generation, Motivation, Eco-civilization at National UMC (DC) Oct. 22: Earth Matters: Generation, Motivation, Eco-civilization at Christ Crossman UMC (VA) Oct. 28: Sixty Percent: How the Faith-Science Relationship Impacts Faith Formation Article: Be Wary of “Textjacking”
The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence (2023). Thomas Jay Oord.
By Maynard Moore
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Lessons from Sabbath for a Stressed-Out World
Wednesday, October 18th, 7:00 PM
via Livestream
The McClendon Scholar Program of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church will host the webinar “Lessons from Sabbath for a Stressed-Out World.” It will feature a panel discussion that focuses on the new film Sabbath which was created for PBS by Martin Doblmeier of Journey Films. In addition to the filmmaker, the panel discussion will also feature Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams and Rev. J. Dana Trent who are two of the scholars who appear in the film. In order to receive the link needed to view the webinar, please register here.
Told as a collection of short stories, Sabbath explores one of the world’s most important spiritual practices and its timeless relevance for a stressed-out, modern world. In order get a sense of the film, please take two minutes and view the trailer here. Although it is not necessary in order to enjoy the webinar, we suggest you view the entire film in advance. It can be accessed here.
Register here.
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Friends or Enemies? Science and Judaism as Partners in Wonder
Thursday, October 19th, 5:00 PM (EST), 4:00 PM (CT)
via Livestream
Presenter: Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson,
Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles
Respondent: Rev. Richard McCullough,
clergy member (retired) in Baltimore-Washington Conference & former Chaplain at The American University
Please join IRAS for the October session of its monthly science, religion, and society webinars.
Presentation Overview: Rather than assuming science and religion are adversaries, we will explore how science and religion, properly understood, can offer complimentary pathways to enhance our humanity, augment our sense of wonder at the world and all it contains, and advance a human commitment to expand knowledge, foster healing, and repair the world.
Presenter’s Background: Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson (www.bradartson.com) holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean’s Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. Rabbi Artson has long been a passionate advocate for social justice, human dignity, diversity and inclusion. He wrote a book on Jewish teachings on war, peace and nuclear annihilation in the late 80s, became a leading
voice advocating for GLBT marriage and ordination in the 90s, and has published and spoken widely on environmental ethics, special needs inclusion, racial and economic justice, cultural and religious dialogue and cooperation, and working for a just and secure peace for Israel and the Middle East.
A member of the Philosophy Department, he is particularly interested in theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He mentors Camp Ramah in California in Ojai and Ramah of Northern California in the Bay Area. He is also dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe. A frequent contributor for the Huffington Post, the Times of Israel, and a Contributing Writer for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, he has a public figure Facebook page with about 80,000 likes. Rabbi Artson is the author of 12 books and over 250 articles, most recently Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit. Married to Elana Artson, they are the proud parents of twins, Jacob and Shira.
The IRAS webinar is free, but registration is required here.
https://starisland-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RUtpzKusRoC1Md7m64ThgA#/registration
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The 2023 Kent Weaver Lectureship on Faith & Science
Earth Matters: Generation, Motivation, Eco-civilization
Saturday, October 21, 2023, 4:00 to 6:00 PM
National United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Memorial Campus (in the Great Hall)
3401 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
WesleyNexus and National UMC will co-host this year’s Kent Weaver Lectureship featuring Catherine Keller, theologian and author of “Facing Apocalypse: Climate, Democracy and Other Last Chances.” Keller is the George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology at Drew University. Her biblically-based vision bridges the current political and ecological crises of our time. It is a call for justice echoing Isaiah, Jeremiah and Jesus. But she makes it clear that we are the ones who must affirm that vision and answer the call.
Dr. Keller will explore with us, “How can we most effectively address the theological implications of existential crises such as climate change, our environment in peril, and our faith commitments as we manifest our call living into the future?” You can learn more about Dr. Keller’s work here.
A light afternoon supper will be available. This event is free, but registration is required. For any questions, please contact us at wesleynexus@aol.com. Learn more and register here.
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And if you can’t make the Saturday event with Dr. Keller…
Earth Matters: Generation, Motivation, Eco-civilization
Sunday October 22, 2023, 12:00 to 1:30 PM
Christ Crossman United Methodist Church
384 N. Washington St., Falls Church, VA 22046
In-person and via Livestream
On Sunday, October 22nd, following worship, Discovery & Faith and Christ Crossman UMC will co-host Catherine Keller, theologian and author of “Facing Apocalypse: Climate, Democracy and Other Last Chances.”
Lunch will be provided. This event is free and open to all, and registration is required. For any questions about the event at CCUMC, please contact connect@discoveryandfaith.org. Learn more and register here.
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Sixty Percent:
How the Faith-Science Relationship Impacts
Faith Formation in Children & Youth
Saturday, October 28, 2023
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
In-person and via Livestream
Hosted by the Frederick District of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Perceptions of conflict between faith and science have long been known to contribute to the loss of 60% of our youth from the both the church and the Christian faith. This workshop will discuss how those perceptions of conflict impair faith formation in children and youth. We’ll explore practical approaches and solutions to this challenge that can be implemented within your existing ministries and budget. Participants will be equipped and resourced to help their students experience a better, healthier understanding of the faith-science relationship.
This workshop will take in-person at Trinity United Methodist Church, 703 W. Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21703. The program is free and open to all. Both in-person and online participation require registration.
https://arenaweb.bwcumc.org/default.aspx?page=4397&event=6338
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Textjacking: What Is It & Why Should You Care?
Understanding and interpretation of Scripture is critical not only to the faith-science
relationship, but to other arenas of human endeavor and experience as well. This CNN article
explores the practice of “textjacking”—twisting the original meeting of some biblical text to
score political points. A perfect autumn read as we head into election season.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/03/us/politicians-bible-verses-textjacking-christianity-cec/index.html
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The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence (2023). Thomas Jay Oord. SacraSage Press.com. 159 pages paperback. ISBN: 9781-9486099-13.
By Maynard Moore
Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, a gifted speaker and is conversant across the lines of traditional disciplines. He is also quite adept (as was the Apostle Paul) at creating new words in the lingua franca to convey new meanings. He has done this in his previous books, but this is the first occasion where the new word appears in the title. “Amipotence” is here coined to convey the characteristic of God as all-loving. As he explains (after 120 pages) amipotence combines two Latin words ami and potens. The first means “love” as in amicable and amity; the second is Latin for power or influence. Oord coins this word to replace the misleading and non-scriptural word “omnipotence” that for centuries conveyed a sense that God is “all-powerful.” That’s what the first 120 pages of the book is about. Oord clearly and convincingly discusses how the notion of omnipotence is a mis-translation of previous Greek and Latin ideas about God – as Charles Hartshorne reminded us 80 years ago, omnipotence is the greatest theological mistake ever made. Think about it: if God might be omnipotent – that is, containing within the Godself ALL power – we have none – zero, and no free will, no foundation for ethics, and no social responsibility. As a concept it undercuts our entire spiritual life. Why would you bother to worship an omnipotent God? All you could expect to do would be to grovel at “his” feet (and it would essentially be a male “god”).
In the earlier chapters, Oord demonstrates that the Bible does not endorse omnipotence. The mistake is grafted in the King James translation where the Hebrew word “el Shaddai” appears in Genesis 17 and is translated “almighty” – but that is not the meaning of the Hebrew at all. The oldest meaning of the word – quite literally – is “breasts” and makes a lot of sense as God is promising Abram that he will “nourish” his descendants. Nourishing does not require omnipotence; rather this is a fertility function. And in later Hebrew scriptures, the word el Shaddai takes on the character of a warrior god – in Samuel, Isaiah, Joel, etc – who will “scatter the enemy kings across the land.” Here a different Hebrew word appears: sabaoth, which again is mistranslated as “almighty” – this word properly means forces, or armies, as in “the Lord of hosts” who will lead the Israelites to victory in battle. All this impels the great Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel to conclude in “Teaching Jewish Theology” that “the concept of omnipotence…is a non-Jewish idea.”
Oord goes on to demonstrate how these concepts were misconstrued in the Septuagint translation into Greek, and later in Jerome’s translation of the Vulgate into Latin. The upshot of the scholarship shows that there is no authentic biblical word, properly understood, that means almighty or omnipotent. The notion gained credence in our times through the work of John Calvin, who was a full-blown determinist in his concept of God, since this God is the only “power” and is the cause of all things, even sin and evil. Somehow in this theology, creatures are supposed to have responsibility, but this just creates a compatibilism that is a conceptual mistake since a God who is omnicause makes no sense. On the positive side, when we say “God is love” we are implying that there are no bounds to God’s love, that it is God’s nature to love, and if it is God’s nature to love, no qualifications are warranted. Thus: amipotence. Whatever additional qualities we attribute to God, amipotence is privileged as basic: the foundation for all the rest. So let us stop praying to an omnipoitent god and accept our own responsibilities for “loving our neighbor as we have first been loved by our God.
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