IoG Day 2 journal: Peacewalls, Funeral by Tillich, some Christians are pricks, & Jay Bakker’s broken record of scandalous Grace.

Observation #4:  My own Peacewall

I learned today that walls separate many of the neighborhoods in Ireland. Kind of like walls around a castle.  Each time a conflict between communities would happen and some peace would be declared, they would build a wall between the communities.  The term “Peacewall” is kind of an oxymoron to me…. But in many ways it is really symbolic of how when we avoid building relationships with the other, but instead isolate ourselves from people with different views… we don’t grow understanding we just have temporary isolation from the conflict.

I have to call myself out on this… in yesterday’s post I admitted to my “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” policy with respect to sharing my doubts with my loved ones in mainstream Christianity.  I just avoid the conflict with my own peacewall.

Observation #5:  Two sides of the same wall

Some of the peacewalls are huge.  Here is a photo of one of the walls.  This side contains an art mural for the future and the other side is a memorial of the past. Will holding onto the past limit forward progress?  Will creating art on the wall cause something that must be curated, rather than simply taken down?

Are our fundamentalist brothers holding onto murals of legacy Christianity?

Are our emergent brothers curating an identity around philosophy and art?

Are we building walls rather than community?

Observation #6: Paul Tillich just hosted my funeral

The IKON event was interesting.  The shared experience was about death and decay.  It isn’t really possible to convey a shared experience of performance art.   The closest thing to explain it is Paul Tillich’s book “A Courage to Be”.

Another observation… Irish people can be deeply depressing.

Observation #7:  Christian’s can be pricks to each other

Jay Bakker shared stories of his childhood.  I really felt for him when he was sharing the loss of his childhood.  When Pat Robertson auctioned off his childhood possessions, when his friend “Tommy” left.  When Christians idolized his parents and wanted to spend time with them, but then the political bomb went off and treated them like pariahs.  He was left home to watch it on television.

Observation #8:  Grace wins

In the way Rob Bell would say “Love Wins”… Jay Bakker is living evidence that “Grace Wins”.  He was grilled by award winning BBC reporter William Crawley.  Grilled. Regardless of the backstabbing Jay experienced from Christians in his childhood he is a broken record when it comes to grace.  He is open with his doubt (even referencing Bart Ehrman and some less superficial stuff).  He was open with his lack of understanding.  Jay holds on to Jesus and holds on to Paul and shares his doubts about God.  He was openly doubtful...  At one point Jay was asked by Crawley, "Why don't you just become a civil rights activist?" ... his response was "Grace keeps pulling me back in."  One thing Jay was clear about… Jay clearly believes in a radical grace.  A grace that transcends theology.


The interview isn't done... I'm sure more brilliance will be shared but I've got to shut down... the laptop battery is about dead and I have to go to the bathroom to return a Guinness I have rented.