I made it!!!!!
Mood:  happy
Just a quick note to let the world know that I graduated from my Bachelor of Theology from the Australian College of Theology.

This has been the result of three years hard work and sacrifice by myself and even more so from my family. I owe the greatest debt in particular to my beautiful wife who has supported me throughout.

So the question is what's next? Well, next year I shall embark on an honours year at the University of Queensland with a thesis on Marcion, who was an early church heretic.

Regards

Angus

I am presently sitting at home having a break from studying for my exam which is only a week away. This exam is the scariest one for me, firstly because it is Hebrew and second because it is my last one and I have to pass it. Anyway, putting that aside, I shall now share a thought of mine with you.

Like a lot of people today, I have a little collection of blogs that I keep up with. These consist mainly of friends, interested sports and other subjective choices. I do not really read those things that exist outside of my defined world which is my thought today.

Blog's are to be the new communication medium for many people, to enable them to reach more people and a people of different demographics. However, blogs tend to be ideologically driven and read by likeminded people. If you question the position the position of a blog, you are welcome. Therefore, even in the world of the blog, protect ourselves from anyone else who would be different.

So is I ask the question, why blog? Is there any place for real interaction and challenge? I would hope that the answer is yes but unfortunately it seems very hard to find.

Angus

I am Alive!!
Hello all! I am sorry for not blogging for some time. This is due mainly to the demands of college work that is due and the exam that is pending. If all things go to plan I shall be free as of the 19th November with all work completed and exam passed. The result of this is that I shall have completed my Bachelor of Theology. What is next you may ask? Well firstly I shall be attending a little of Schoolies as a SU volunteer. Then I shall take it easy for a few weeks and spend some much needed time with my some what neglected family.

The big news for next year is that I shall be enrolling at the University of Queensland to start my honors year, with the express aim of going straight on to a PhD. So times ahead look full of fun.

My blogging activities shall hopefully increase over the summer, although I do have to learn Latin over the Christmas holidays which as you can guess is going to be some what of a challenge. Well the time is late and I need sleep.

Angus

What sort of Bricks?
Topic: Reconstructing Church
You may wonder why I have entitled this as, "What sort of Bricks?". My reasoning is as follows. Ever since I have gone to church and that feels like forever, it has always been talked of as a building. This sometimes, has refered to people but most often to a material building where the church met weekly.

However, I would like to contend that this is one of the fundementals that we must have in place as we come to understand what church should be. (I do think that the big one is a reconstruction of who Jesus is, ie: not the Western world construct that we have fashioned to support our bigotry and excesses, but that is for when I have more time on my hands than at present).

So the question is what do I mean by bricks and why have I brought it up. One of the concerning trends in Traditional and Emerging churches is the almost blind acceptance of the cell church model. Do not get me wrong, I am not opposed to a form of cell structuring. However, I am oppessed to its present sectarian nature.

Most cell formats work on the premise of getting together with like minded and interested people. Unfortunately this breeds a group of people who become narcissitic, that is self-absorbed, self-loving.

Contrary to this is the Gospel. Jesus did not gather to himself people of like mindedness. He gathered a wide and varied group of people who would not have even liked each other. The difference is that thier unity is founded in the person of Jesus. In the time of Jesus a Tax Collector and a Fisherman would have nothing in common but they do in Jesus. Today, a successful business man has nothing in common with an unskilled low paid labourer, but in Jesus they do.

The church needs to remember that it is Jesus that is thier unifying element not the individuals themselves. But also we need to be a church that is open to all people, not just some. This will make life a little uncomfortable, but that is the gospel.

Angus

Reconstructing the Church Pt 1
What is church? Does it have a place in society? Have we got it all wrong?

There is a ground swell of discontent towards the church. This discontentment has come from the inside, in the forms of the `Emerging Church', `Home Church' and the masses that are leaving the church altogether. The wider world has also lost faith in church, due to the multiple stories of abuses and cover ups.

So the questions above are pertinent for today more then ever before. Especially for those of us, who would claim to be part of the church?

Over the next few weeks and months I am going to attempt to articulate what it means to be church? I will not necessarily get it all right and it is definitely going to be a work in progress. However, I believe that these are questions that we must answer today. The way in which I will attempt to answer these questions is not by stating the negatives, i.e. what the church should not be, for most people would already have a good idea on that. Instead, I shall try to state what I believe it should be.

Please feel free to add your thoughts and ideas to this as I know it only help me and maybe even you.

Angus Cruickshank

Ideology?
Ideology: In simple terms ideology is a system of beliefs that reinforce the values of a particular class or group of people.



During the week I came across the following text from the philosopher, Slavo Zizek.



"it may well be that the `official' ideology of our society is Christian spirituality, but its actual foundation is none the less the idolatry of the Golden Calf: money"



Now I am not an expert on Zizek and have only read very little of him. However, this comment from him awakened my senses quickly. I was not offended by it but rather I was impressed by the insightful clarity of the comment. No longer is our society built on the stalwart of Christian faith that we have held for so many years. Actually, some would say that the world has never been built on a Christian spirituality except for the first 3-4 hundred years after Christ and this was the time of great persecution.



The alternative is that the world is built upon the imagery of the Golden Calf and money. It is hard to argue that we are not totally controlled by money. This is not to say that we should reject money, but that we should recognize it for what it is. While money is to be a tool in the hand of humanity, humanity has become the tool and money the controller. Our lives, jobs and friends are governed by our status in society and this is determined by money.



The greatest indictment here is to be leveled at the church and when I speak of church I shall speak of the Australian church for that is where I am from. In Australia we are on the verge of a National election and the policies are out flowing thick and fast. However, I have not heard the voice of the church speak for the down-trodden, the poor, the homeless, the broken, the sick and the elderly. If we are to be the church of Jesus to the world we must speak for these groups who really don't have a voice. However, the church is more consumed with the politics of Ministerial taxation benefits, Charity benefits that churches can receive. They are more concerned with the funding of private Christian schools where the unmentionables of society cannot afford to send their children, yet the predominantly middle class church can. It is concerned with a doctrine of prosperity for itself and for those who would become like them. Not a doctrine of love and grace to the world around them.



I would encourage the church and that is the people who make it church to consider when they vote how their decision will affect those who need help the most, those for whom the church should take a greater concern. Those who should know that there are a people who love them and care for them as Jesus would.



Thanks



Angus

A Beginning

I have finally succumb to the `blogging' phenomenon. So the question is why blog? I recently asked a friend of mine why he decided to enter the blogging world. Unfortunately, he only provided a veiled answer. I shall try to do a little more then that.



I have decided to enter this world (the blogging world) for the following reasons.



I enjoy the internet and for me this is something new, a challenge.
I believe that we all have something to say and hopefully I shall not only have something to say but that it will also be worth saying.
Blogging gives me the vehicle that is able to propagate my own thoughts to others.
Blogging is cheap and very accessible.


My blog will consist of things that I want to say, that just makes sense. My interests are Christianity and the Church, general news, philosophy, religion, theology, politics and anything else that grabs my attention.



I would be lying if I said I was doing this just for myself. I want people to read my blog and to respond to it. I want to have discussion and even argument (as long as it is constructive). I believe that it is in this cauldron of differing thoughts that we come to know ourselves and know others, to know what we believe and to know why we believe it.



I am new to this world of blogging and this kind of writing so I ask for your patience. I look forward to our discussions.



Regards



Angus