Owner: Shuck and Jive URL:http://shuckandjive.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 10:57:00 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: A Presbyterian minister blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus and lightening up. John Shuck is the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, Tennessee (a liberal ch Site statistics:Click here
God is Green 2006-12-29 03:37:00 I am working my way through a theology for the 21st century. "God" is the subject at hand. If you look to the right you will see various posts on Creation and God. Jesus, Bible, Future are to come and perhaps other categories. For now, God. I tend to think of God as a shorthand word for the ultimate. What is ultimate? It would certainly include the known and unknown universe. God wouldn't be less than that, but could certainly be more. I think God would refer to our highest ideals and draw us toward enacting those ideals, but again, that is a minimum. As a minister I do speak of God but I do so (or perhaps should do so) in hushed tones. What I say about God is my own projection almost exclusively and I am unable to discern when it is not my projection. Others are helpful on that score. Some highlight an authority (such as the Bible or a creed) that supposedly speaks for (or from) God. I am skeptical. I find that these authorities are the authors' and the Read more:Green
Track Santa! 2006-12-24 21:23:00 You can catch the latest updates of Santa
's journey at NORAD Track
s Santa. Watch earlier reports of Santa leaving the North Pole, passing over New Zealand, Australia, and visiting the International Space Station.Follow him live here.I think this is cool. I am going to follow him all day!You can send an e-mail to Santa at NorthPole@OfficialSantaMail.com.I believe he has his laptop with him.Have a great Christmas, Hannakuh, Kwanzaa, Solstice and all the rest!Blog with you in a few days!John
Born of a Virgin? 2006-12-23 23:20:00 If you or someone you love likes books for Christmas, andif you are a non-professional but enjoy reading scholarship of the Bible, andif you have always wondered about how to read the stories of Jesus' birth,then...the perfect gift is Robert J. Miller's Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God. Miller is Associate Professor of Religion at Juniata College and a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar. He is author of The Jesus Seminar and Its Critics and is the editor of The Complete Gospels.In the preface he writes:This book is designed for the general reader. Since it is neither short nor easy, it demands a high level of interest in the subject matter; yet it does not presuppose any specialized knowledge. While I hope this book will make its contribution to the field of biblical studies, and while I hope that my academic colleagues find this book helpful, I have not written it for them. Rather, my goal has been to share the benefits of scholarly work on the infancy narrati Read more:Virgin
Yet in Thy Dark Streets Shineth... 2006-12-22 23:44:00 The Israeli Separation Wall. Photo taken by Joel CarilletJoel Carillet lives in East Tennessee with one of our church members (when he is home). But Joel is on the road a great deal. He travels extensively, taking pictures, meeting people, and writing about his experiences. He shared some of his adventures during our adult Sunday school class a couple of months ago. He also told us about his upcoming trip to the Holy Land. He has been there several times including just recently. Now, home again, he has posted an article, In Words and Pictures: O Little Town of Bethlehem.Wow. A lot has happened since I was in the Holy Land in 1994. Please read all of Joel's article. Well written, passionate, factual. Here is how he begins:For several years now, I've have been unable to lightheartedly sing Christmas carrols containing the word "Bethlehem". That is because in 1996 I went on my first visit to the town, making the acquaintance of people who know what it is to be tortu
Christmas in Elizabethton--the Show! 2006-12-22 07:13:00 Due to popular demand, our Christmas
Show, Christmas in Elizabethton
, is ready for you to view and hear! It is about 12 mb so it could take a minute or two to download. I use windows media player. Turn up the volume to hear the narration. We presented this powerpoint to the congregation at our Christmas dinner. The laughter is our live studio audience!
Secret Lives of Jesus 2006-12-21 23:31:00 The National Geographic Channel is showing "The Secret Lives
of Jesus
" this week. I haven't seen it. I think it is on tonight at 9 p.m. I hope they show it again. I cannot figure out how to work my TV clicker let alone read the menus for where to find these channels. Presumably, ya'll are a great deal brighter than I am. So, if you find the National Geographic Channel, bring me word, so that I too, may worship it.Anyway, an interesting show, this Secret Lives of Jesus. Here is the press release. It is based upon the non-canonical gospels. These were the gospels voted off orthodoxy's island. What amuses me most about all of this is that traditionalists get so upset about it. A reviewer on Fox News offered some hard to follow rant that somehow related this show, Muhammed, Rosie O'Donnell, and gays. He wrote:"Why is it OK for a television network to air a special about the entirely suspect "secret lives of Jesus" based on "ancient documents recently discovered"? A
Christmas in Elizabethton 2006-12-20 20:49:00 If you are roundabout East Tennessee on Christmas
Eve, come visit us. We will go to church twice on Sunday. Once at eleven a.m. to celebrate Mary's Song and then at ten p.m. for our Christmas Eve candlelighting service.At last week's Christmas dinner, the youth and children put on a powerpoint show called "Christmas in Elizabethton
." We will get it on the web page hopefully before Christmas.Here are a couple of pics to whet your appetite:Mary and Joseph getting married.The shepherds and the innkeeper looking with wonder at Baby J.Herod questioning the Wise Women.Herod sending out his soldiers.Mary and Baby J.The singing angelsWhere is the Messiah to be born? Herod checking out the prophecy.
Got Christ? 2006-12-18 17:38:00 Looking for the perfect Christ
mas gift for the hard-to-buy for person who seems to have everything except a life? Give her or him Christ! I'd wear this.Who's your buddy?
Not Another Quiz?!?!!? 2006-12-18 12:14:00 I am having fun with these silly quizzes. From the guy who brought you "Are you a Heretic?' comes "What is Your Theological Worldview?"You scored as Modern Liberal. You are a Modern Liberal.Science and historical study have shown so much of the Bibleto be unreliable and that conservative faith has made Jesusout to be a much bigger deal than he actually was. Discipleshipinvolves continuing to preach and practice Jesus' measure oflove and acceptance, and dogma is not important in today'sworld. You are influenced by thinkers like Bultmann andBishop Spong.Modern Liberal71%Emergent/Postmodern68%Classical Liberal68%Roman Catholic54%Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan43%Neo orthodox39%Charismatic/Pentecostal39%Reformed Evangelical25%Fundamentalist25%What's your theological worldview?created with QuizFarm.com
White Christmas 2006-12-18 04:29:00 It was sunny and 70 degrees today in East Tennessee. It will be a record-breaker tomorrow. This map will show you the likelihood of having a white Christmas
in your neck of the woods. Pretty green in Tennessee.The long range forecast predicts showers on Christmas Day with a high of 49 and a low of 32.But we can dream of a White
Christmas. Maybe if we sing and dream enough?This is a good one. The Drifters with animation by Joshua Held will get you into the spirit. Click on the pic, turn it up, and dance with someone you love (even if it is yourself). Read more:White Christmas
Heresy Anyone? 2006-12-16 05:30:00 Dang! I'm a heretic! I imagine many of ya'll guessed that already. I found this quiz on reverend mommy's blog. This was the result the first time I took it. You scored as Pelagianism. You are a Pelagian.You reject ideas about man's fallen human natureand believe that as a result we are able to fully obey God.You are the first Briton to contribute significantly toChristian thought, but you're still excommunicated in 417.Chalcedon compliant75%Pelagianism75%Socinianism58%Monarchianism58%Monophysitism42%Adoptionist33%Arianism25%Apollanarian25%Docetism25%Donatism25%Albigensianism25%Modalism25%Gnosticism25%Nestorianism25%Are you a heretic?created with QuizFarm.comThat is Pelagius to the left. He was described (by his enemies) as "large in size and slow of gait." I don't want to be that. So I tried again, just to prove that I knew the "straight words" (ortho-doxy). Nirvana! I am Chalcedon compliant. Always nice to be compliant. You scored as Chalcedon compliant.You are Read more:Anyone
, Heresy
Jesus is Lord (part deux) 2006-12-15 22:34:00 This sign and trio of crosses is on the hill that overlooks Elizabethton, Tennessee. It is on private property.What does it mean? Not just the phrase, but what does it mean to have that sign over the town?Positive, negative, neutral. What is (or would be) your reaction? Read more:Jesus
Jesus Was a Punk 2006-12-15 05:34:00 Remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker? They have a son. They reared him right. Well, not totally right. He's a preacher but it's not his daddy's PTL Club. It is called Revolution Church and he is "One Punk Under God." Click on his image for an advertisement for his new television series. He and another Revolution Church staff member, Marc Brown, wrote an article for CNN, "What the Hell Happened to Christianity?" Here is how they begin the article: What the hell happened? Where did we go wrong? How was Christianity co-opted by a political party? Why are Christians supporting laws that force others to live by their standards? The answers to these questions are integral to the survival of Christianity.So far, so good. Then they write: So when did the focus of Christianity shift from the unconditional love and acceptance preached by Christ to the hate and condemnation spewed forth by certain groups today? Some say it was during the rise of Conservative Christianity in the early 1 Read more:Jesus
The ABCs of Michael Adee 2006-12-14 15:24:00 Friend and colleague, Michael
Adee, was interviewed by ABC news. Michael is the field organizer for More Light Presbyterians. I have pasted that article at the end of this post.MLP is a national organization within the PCUSA to change discriminatory policies against glbt people. Here is MLP's mission statment.Overall, the article is good, although I have a couple of critiques. Here is the first sentence:"Michael Adee is one of the very few openly gay elders in the Presbyterian Church. He was ordained by a liberal church in Santa Fe, New Mexico -- a direct violation of church law."I am not sure, but I think that is the opinion of ABC News, not Michael. Openly gay people have been ordained in the PCUSA all over the country, and many church courts have upheld these ordinations.Church law is gray in the PCUSA, especially when it comes to discrimination and prejudice. It is difficult to write discrimination directly into constitutions. You have to hint at prejudice without sayin
Lord, I want to be an ex-Christian in-a-my heart... 2006-12-30 00:19:00 I have been observing the ex-Christian
movement with interest. These folks are atheists and proud of it. A popular religious blog is Ex-Christian.Net that encourages ex-Christians. I found there The Gospel Story Quiz. Take it and see how smart you are!Sam Harris is one of the current intellectual figures of this movement.He wrote The End of Faith and then Letter to a Christian Nation to respond to the letters he received regarding The End of Faith from angry God believers. Here is an excerpt from Letter to a Christian Nation:Forty-four percent of the American population is convinced that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead sometime in the next fifty years. According to the most common interpretation of biblical prophecy, Jesus will return only after things have gone horribly awry here on earth. It is, therefore, not an exaggeration to say that if the city of New York were suddenly replaced by a ball of fire, some significant percentage of the American populatio
Belly Dancing in Johnson City 2006-12-30 18:11:00 Festivities take place at Friday's grand opening of a new Multicultural Center at 100 W. Maple St. (Dave Boyd / Johnson
City Press)Last night the new Multicultural Center held its grand opening with a belly dancing workshop: "The Search for the Goddess Within: Dancing
Her Free" You can read news reports in the Johnson City Press and the Kingsport Times-News.The mulitcultural center is a great addition to the Tri-Cities.According to Alexandra Hafung, this is the first multicultural center in the Tri-Cities, and the organizational meeting launched a search for volunteers and a person to organize activities. Among the activities already planned are an international language club, classes in Persian belly dancing, Japanese tea ceremony, Latin dancing, drama and work by local artists.... "My husband and I originally came from Miami seven years ago and we find that although the Tri-Cities is a culturally diverse area, thanks primarily to the East Tennessee State University Medica Read more:Belly Dancing
Telling Truth in Tennessee 2006-12-30 23:32:00 Inspired by the honesty of Sam Harris and his books Letter to a Christian Nation and The End of Faith, I thought as we contemplate the new year, that honesty in religion is a good policy, now, perhaps, more than ever. I am a member of the Literacy and Liturgy Seminar (formerly the Westar Leaders Seminar) of Westar Institute. The Spring meeting is in Miami, check it out! In the Fall of 2005 I presented a paper regarding preaching in light of historical Jesus scholarship. I would say some things differently today, but overall, it says what I think is important. I invite you to read the paper and answer this question: am I a Christian?Now, I really don't care how you answer that, because it isn't about me. Nor will I be offended or flattered by your answer. Whether or not you consider me a Christian has nothing to do with my personal morality or lack of it. I am curious as to whether I can say and believe what I say and still remain in the Christian faith, particularly t Read more:Telling
, Tennessee
, Truth
3,000 Dead: 66 From Tennessee 2007-01-01 20:06:00 The New York Times has an interactive website of the 3,000 faces of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq. On the last day of 2006, the number reached 3,000. Sixty-six of these soldiers are from Tennessee
. You can see their faces and read about them here. Here are the names of those from the Tri-Cities area:David Louis Potter--Johnson CityAlexander S. Coulter--BristolMark O. Edwards--UnicoiRobbie G. Light--KingsportI offer condolences to their families. With deep appreciation for their sacrifice,Rev. John Shuck
End of the Road for Brewster and Bono? 2007-01-01 18:57:00 Creator of the strip Walking Across America, Paul Peterson, has said that the journey of Brewster
and Bono may end soon for lack of funds. That would be sad as I was hoping they could make it to Elizabethton. Paul is a good friend of mine and has created a clever strip in which his characters walk across the nation and reflect on what they find. I find the strip educational, enjoyable, and includes nice touches of theological, political, and social commentary. Like all starving artists, Paul and his illustrator, Yul Tolbert, are out of bread. Paul is asking for a donation from readers and potential readers to keep the strip going. I have pasted his letter below.Perhaps some of you have ideas for how Paul and Yul can keep this strip going. While I haven't as yet figured out nor desired how to figure out how to get advertising on my blog, I do know that some blogs gain revenue that way. I have no idea how much you can make from that or if that is a direction Walking Across A
3,000: How many more? 2007-01-02 01:13:00 Before moving to East Tennessee, I was pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Billings, MT. Before the invasion of Iraq, two of my clergy colleagues and I drafted a letter and had it signed by over 40 other clergy claiming that this invasion was morally unjustified. It was printed in the Billings Gazette. I also introduced the letter to the Presbytery of Yellowstone and it was passed narrowly, by two votes.I have pasted the letter below after the deaths of 3,000 American soldiers and who knows how many lives of Iraqi soldiers and civilians. Now that Saddam has been hanged and Bush has his pistol, it seems a pretty small prize for the mess that has been made.I honor the lives of all servicepeople who have been wounded and killed. But that does not mean I am not critical of this deceitful decision by our administration. Here is the letter. I don't mean to say, "We told you so," but "We told you so."It is now time to get out of this...As clergy, we believe our faith dictates th
Banning Books for Jesus 2007-01-02 17:46:00 In August, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation published David Griffin's book, The Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11. I read the book and I urge others to read it. In my opinion, it is well written, scholarly, and makes some important challenges that should be addressed. His basic thesis is that the 9/11 Commission Report is flawed and questions behind what happened on 9/11 remain unanswered.The point of this post is not the book itself. I am concerned about the possibility of censorship. The publishers offered their rationale for publishing the book and you can still order it. Pressure from the right has caused the publishers to distance themselves from the book. Christianity Today included these quotes from Kenneth Godshall, the board chair:The CT article states:Kenneth Godshall, chair of the board, explained the decision in a November 11 press release, in which he said the theological reflections of author David Ray Griffin are "helpful and timely," but that t Read more:Banning
, Books
, Jesus
Cowgirls, UFOs, and Jesus 2007-01-03 12:46:00 Author Tom Robbins has published eight novels. I had never read him before this summer when Jitterbug Perfume caught my eye at B&N. Since that mystical experience I have devoured seven of the novels in random order and am now reading Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. I find much of what he writes about life to be inspiring, "word of God" if you will (but you probably won't).Here is an interview with Robbins from 2000 in the Seattle Weekly.Thanks to Robbins I now know why I love UFO stories so much. On page 49-50 of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues he explains UFO encounters. To paraphrase: say you are alone, out on a beer run, and you spot a "whirling disc" with lights, darting right and left. Suddenly it disappears. No matter what you do or think, Robbins offers:"And the significant query here is this: would you not, sooner or later, no matter who or what you are, feel a rise in spirit, a kind of wild-card joy as a result of your encounter? And if this elevation, this joyousne Read more:Jesus
The IRD, You, and Me 2007-01-04 20:01:00 Politics has always been a part of church life. Anyone who has ever served on a committee or the board of their local congregation knows this. The letters of Paul and psuedo-Paul in the New Testament display the political struggles of the early church. It should be no surprise that politics is part of church life today.Political battles for control and direction of mainline denominations are especially heated at this time. Most of us in the church do not like politics that much, so we tend not to get involved and trust that good decisions will be made by our elected leaders. I think that is a good attitude to have.In addition to being gentle as doves, it is important to be wise as serpents, said Jesus. Part of being wise is to know the players. One of the big players in the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, and the Episcopal Church (USA) is an organization called The Institute on Relgion and Democracy or IRD. This organization has three prongs, one fo
Janet Edwards (Possibly) on Trial Again! 2007-01-05 17:52:00 This just in from the Presbyterian News Service: Presbyterian Minister in same-sex marriage case faces new complaint: Accuser to re-file after previous case was dismissed on a technicality.LOUISVILLE — The Rev. JanetEdwards
, a Presbyterian minister in Pittsburgh, could face new charges for officiating at a same-sex union ceremony even though a complaint against her for performing the nuptials was thrown out by a church court last year. The Rev. James C. Yearsley, a Presbyterian minister who filed a complaint against Edwards shortly after she married two women in June 2005, is gathering the signatures of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers and elders who want to join him in pursuing the case. "I am indeed continuing to pursue the case against Janet," Yearsley told the Presbyterian News Service Jan. 3. "I'm going to file a new accusation against her. I will not be the only one filing it this time" (Read More)I have written about Read more:Again
, Trial
Here is today's strip from Walking Across Americ... 2007-01-06 23:10:00 Here is today's strip from WalkingAcross
America. I find myself concerned for our heroes as they approach Louisville, the PCUSA capitol. I hope they won't find that this is such a grand place that they rent an apartment, eventually by a house, and spend the rest of their lives doing maintenance and thus stop walking across America.Don't let moss grow on Brewster and Bono! Pledge your support to keep them walking! Contact Paul with your pledge. For more information about the situation of our bumbling boys, see End of the Road for Brewster and Bono?Here is the latest message from Paul: A pledge drive reminder: Several pledges have been received, for which I am thankful. If you haven't pledged yet, please discern whether you read and enjoy the strip and would like to help keep it alive. No pledge is too small (nor too big). I'll be sending out an email Saturday night about the outcome. Thanks.
Good News from Brewster and Bono! 2007-01-07 23:49:00 Paul Peterson sent an e-mail to subscribers of Walking Across America with good news about the pledge drive to keep the boys walkin'. I am sure that Paul will continue to take pledges. Contact him here. Here is the e-mail and today's strip (click pic to enlarge):Dear Readers, Good news. Enough pledges were received to continue the journey of Brewster
and Bono in their walk across America. Bono may have to change from his gourmet dog food to a store brand, but he'll survive. Thank you for the support, both financially and through the nice notes we receive. Again, all the money raised goes to pay artist Yul Tolbert. He will be graciously working for half of what he should be paid. Yul is an African-American artist who lives in Detroit. He works at McDonalds to try and make a living, since making money through art is very difficult. Illustrating Walking Across America has provided him some extra income, but more importantly, he believes in the strip's long term poten Read more:Good News
Carl Jung Seminar for East Tennessee 2007-01-10 14:35:00 Carl Jung.For a "Cliffs Notes" version to his thought check out Jung 101.Next weekend, January 19-20, First Presbyterian Church will host John and Carolyn Martin as they present The Language of the Soul: The Psychology of Carl Jung. This seminar is a gift to the church and is available for any who want to attend. It will be worth the drive and a stay overnight in beautiful northeast Tennessee
.John and Carolyn are my predecessors at First Presbyterian having served here for thirty-three years. Their ministry has made this little congregation an oasis in our area for freedom of thought and a place of welcome to all people. The congregation also takes pride in its Appalachian heritage and works to preserve its natural beauty.I had never been to Tennessee, but when I was looking for a congregation this one rose to the top of my list and I am grateful that they called me to serve as pastor. I am honored to build on the foundations that John and Carolyn have built. I was immediat Read more:Seminar
Get Aboard the Beagle, Tennessee! 2007-01-10 02:08:00 Charles Darwin's Beagle
.So far, 321 congregations have signed on to celebrate Evolution Sunday on February 11th. Four of those congregations are from Tennessee
'Providence Baptist ChurchCookeville, TNThe Rev. Millissa M. RoysdonSt. Raphael Episcopal ChurchCrossville, TNThe Rev. Ann Markle, RectorFirst Presbyterian ChurchElizabethton, TNThe Rev. John ShuckPleasant Hill Community ChurchUnited Church of ChristPleasant Hill, TNDonald B. ClarkI bet there are many more congregations in Tennessee who will participate. Let your favorite clergyperson know about it and suggest that s/he sign the letter!A friend of mine sent me this (from a version by Atheists of Silicon Valley):Are you a Christian?You are a fundamentalist Christian if...1) You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.2) You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you n
Get Jung in Elizabethton! 2007-01-08 23:29:00 The First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton
, Tennessee is honored to host John and Carolyn Martin as they present a seminar entitled: The Language of the Soul: The Psychology of Carl Jung. Friday and Saturday, January 19th and 20th This seminar is designed for those new to the psychology of Carl Jung; or desiring a refresher course. John and Carolyn comment: The purpose of this seminar is to familiarize participants with the basic concepts of Jungian Psychology. We have discovered that the best way to do this is in terms of a living model of the psyche as it was understood by Jung. The structure of the seminar allows us to do just this. The Life of Jung and The Nature of Symbols We begin by introducing the man himself. We do this with film and personal comments. What we discover in this segment is that for Jung the basic problem for modern men and women is the enormous chasm that has opened up between the conscious and the u
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