Buried in another thread Shoshana asked -
But I do have a question for the community in general. How does the emerging community view Satan and his role in tempting us to sin? Not to belittle our responsibility for our choices, but there are some acts that I feel are truely evil inspired.
Thoughts?
Just wanted to let everyone know that times running out to register for A Seat at the Table – Emerging Women East Coast Gathering 2006. We still have a few spaces available and want anyone interested to be able to attend. So if you’ve waited to the last minute to register (or are just now finding out about this) – nows the time to sign up. We have a great group attending and I’m really looking forward to the conversations we will have there.
To register click here . Email me at emergingwomen@gmail.com with any questions. Oh and if you are attending and are looking for a roomate let me know as soon as possible.
Julie Clawson
From the article:
Can we actually see God in the brain? Well, not exactly. But a few enterprising neuroscientists have found ways to detect and measure the varieties of our religious experience. Using brain scanning technology, researchers have been
able to pinpoint which parts of the brain are activated during prayer and meditation. While they can’t answer the biggest question of all — does God exist? –they are probing one of the deepest mysteries in science: the nature of consciousness.
You’ll need to watch a short ad in order to have access to the rest of the article, but IMO it’s worth it. (And yes….I know that Salon.com isn’t an unbiased source of information. 
I don’t agree with everything they publish on the topic of faith but I thought this article was fascinating.)
Was the human brain hardwired to be spiritual, as some claim?
How do we discern the difference between having a “God experience” and reacting to something that may be more biologically based?
How much attention should science give to the more subjective areas in life?
Emerging Women“Filled with compassion, he reached out his hand…” Mark 1:41
Tonight I saw perhaps one of the most Christ-like things I have ever encountered. At a Community Justice Board (a diversion program in our community to help young people who have made a mistake get back on track), I saw a one of the board members interact with a young man who was really struggling to comply with the program (non-compliance = failure and the child is returned to the court system to follow the normal track). As he walked away, I saw her look at him, obviously filled with compassion.
I’ve heard my husband speak on this passage in such a way that I could barely imagine how powerful and overwhelming was the compassion that Jesus felt toward people, but tonight I saw it with my own eyes. For the moment in time that I watched this leader pull herself together (she was fighting back the tears) so she could do her job, I saw Jesus standing there–eyes filling up wtih tears, longing to heal, wanting to bring the kingdom…it was powerful.
And, girls, it was a woman, a mother, a sister, a beautiful person who so embodied God’s love in that moment that I was in awe.
In another time and place I would have simply written this off as no more than a good deed, but unfortunately without the right list of propositional truths it was meaningless. How sad and ironic that we have settled for a cheaper version of the truth–faith based on propositions instead of a dynamic living presence of a holy God who does actually walk among us.
So I know I posted this buried in another thread, but I’ve been encouraged to make a main post about it. Telling these sorts of stories tells the truth. The more people know the harder it is for stuff like this to continue. So…
Calvin Seminary professor Ruth Tucker recently had to resign from her job for basically gender related issues. Read her story here. As a woman trying to serve God stories like this shock me. This is why we still have to fight to have a voice – still have to work for justice.
I responded (albeit a little hot-headedly) to the last post regarding emergent and a statemetn of faith. I just wanted to say how important it is to be sure and always do some research before we believe everything we read on the internet. Only a small portion of the e-mail (I didn’t get an e-mail, but found the blog entry from 5/4/06 on the emergent-us site), which included comments by a former Bethel prof, was actually presented. The whole thing can be found at emergent-us.
I guess the cynic in me finds it very hard to believe that often the very people who scream for absolutes have a hard time giving the absolute whole of anything, especially when just a part can make that something look bad. Geez…isn’t that what frustrates us all about politicians these days? With just a bit of googling I found the blog and I’m glad I did. I’m pretty sure if one were to keep reading, they would find that emergent does actually believe in something…read on…
