Another Integral Explorer

INTEGRAL means comprehensive, inclusive, balanced, not leaving anything out. -Ken Wilber-

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Location: Portland, OR, United States

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Generous Orthodoxy continuing half-baked ponderings:

On Friday Nov. 4th the morning session was permeated with the sweet incense of Deborah Loyd’s story, up to her journey of currently ministering in Portland at The Bridge Community Church. Following the workshops, where I continued to hear from Deborah and her husband Ken about their work with street people in my home town, the next general session presentation was David Ruis, an engaging and humorous speaker whose topic was “Why the Church Needs the Poor.”

The main impact that I took away from David, was the distinction he made between ‘sharing’ as quite distinct from ‘giving’. He said it’s much easier to give than to share. An example he made was giving your house away, or sharing your house with someone else and the crux is that we cannot be truly generous without giving up personal space.

I found this interesting as I ran across a blog by Andrew Jones, Tall Skinny Kiwi, where he talks about a gift economy, and giving as a way of commerce. And on the first take of these perspectives they might seem at odds, an either/or, like giving vs. sharing. But upon further reflection I began to see how these perspectives are a both/and when seen, for example, in the 4 quadrant model of Ken Wilber. I wont go into detail on explaining Wilber’s work, (if you have questions email me and I’ll send you resource info) but Andrew’s reference articles primarily approach the gift economy from quadrant IV a third person structural view of economic social institution, and David is talking about the overlap between quadrants I and III, where the inner singular and plural are working themselves out between the intentional of an individual and a community.

The simple message here is that giving and sharing are not only generous, but a central facet of the orthodoxy of our Christian tradition and faith.


Monday, November 07, 2005

Generous Orthodoxy conference

First of all let me say Woo-Hoo! This month marks one year of blogging! I really didn’t think I’d last this long.

What was the most impactful thing that happened for you at the recent Generous Orthodoxy conference in Seattle? You ask? lol

What impacted me most was meeting people, wonderful and gorgeous people who at least entered my sphere of acquaintance and now holds out the possibility for deeper friendships.

Thanks Chris Archer from Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston, TX, I enjoyed our conversations and thanks again for the Cola at lunch. Mathew Gamble of 24/Seven Ministry Center in Renton, WA, I enjoyed meeting you and learning about what you are doing in your ministry. Sheila Bartlett of George Fox Evangelical Seminary, thank you for your delightful conversation at lunch on Friday, and I’ll seriously consider taking classes for audit at the Tigard center. Charlie Wear of Next Wave, I can’t believe that you actually read my blog, wow that meant a lot to me, thanks. Chuck Conniry of George Fox Seminary, isn’t it funny that we both have friends in Jesus and Jason Clark? Small World indeed! Brian from Texas who was visiting friends and considering helping with a church plant in Olympia, I enjoyed meeting you. Bryan from the Portland Urban Grind Vineyard church, I hope to see you sometime when I visit your community, and I’ll pass along your hello to Trissa. Jeremy a fellow Maineiac (someone who is from or who has lived in the state of Maine), don’t get too home sick dude, enjoy the warmer winters, I enjoyed meeting and talking with you. And to all the bloggers that I met face to face; Justin Baeder and Aaron Ogle from Radical Congruency, you guys are a lot more easing going in person than in print. Dwight Friesen, I love your blog, and in person your sense of humor shines brightly, I wish I lived closer to Seattle so I could get to know you better, I immensely enjoyed meeting you in person! Rachelle of Monkfish Abbey, I read your blog, and enjoyed your workshop even if I didn’t get a chance to talk with you individually. Brian McLaren, always a pleasure. And to all those whose names I cannot remember, please forgive my aging memory it’s not what it used to be, your faces are there but I can’t quite get the names, you impacted me just as much, and meeting you all was such a blessing.