something beautiful » tony jones

St. Peter’s Brewery now available on Amazon

Jonathan D. Blundell — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:40:06 +0000

Jonathan’s novel is now available on Amazon. Both in print and for the Kindle.

For those of you who haven’t ordered your copy of the book yet (or want to order 5 copies for your mother), we’ve got a little pointer on how to get free shipping with Amazon.

Simply buy $25 worth of products and Amazon will ship (standard shipping) for free.

So, order Jonathan’s book, St. Peter’s Brewery – add on Tony Jones‘ The Teaching of the Twelve: Believing & Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community (which our good buddy Trucker Frank contributed to) and Jason C. Dukes‘ book Live Sent: you are a letter — and get three great books for only $35.95 and free shipping to boot!

Does it get much better than that?!

Well – it could… if you’d prefer to only order St. Peter’s Brewery, you can order it directly from the printer and get a 24% discount code. Now through Dec. 24 you can save 24% on the book if you order it through CreateSpace.

Simply use 3YK4MGUP in the discount code box and the savings will be applied to your order.

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trucker frank :: 1.19.2

Jonathan D. Blundell — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:59 +0000

Trucker Frank

it’s time for another something beautiful combo package.

we bring together the two parts of our interview with “former pastor turned trucker” Frank Schutzwohl (aka Trucker Frank). Frank talks about his life in the institutional church and how he’s found his faith outside those walls with other free-range believers.

Trucker Frank has become an inspiration as well as a bit of a celebrity after being highlighted in Tony Jones’ latest book, “The New Christians” as well as the promotional videos for the book.

if you prefer, you can still listen to the original part 1 and part 2 episodes in their entirety.

related ::
the “video’s with Tony” ::

frank on twitter
frank facebook
frank’s youtube channel
wayne jacobsen – the God journey podcast
wayne jacobsen – lifestream
david fredrickson – family room media

music ::
DJsiah – spy
dr dog – say something
solomon’s porch – mightier than
the welcome wagon – sold to the rich man

trucker frank :: 1.19.2 is a post from: something beautiful

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Transforming Theology

Jonathan D. Blundell — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:16:43 +0000

Tripp Fuller, Tony Jones and a whole list of of other folks are taking off on a pretty interesting journey.

I’m playing catchup after a week off but as I’ve briefly gathered, there will be a conference in mid-March as well as several others throughout the year and briefly, “The mission of the Transforming Theology network is to tighten the bonds between theology and transformative action in the church and the world.”

Transforming Theology Mission ::

Our goal is an ambitious one: to create the intellectual framework for a progressive religious vision. By forming a broad alliance between the leading scholars and organizations in Christian religion today, we aim at nothing less than to “reclaim the progressive voice.” There are movements on the ground, active in various denominations and schools. Up to this point, however, what has been missing is a uniting intellectual and theoretical vision, comparable to what has emerged from the conservatives…

Beliefs orient communities; they create a sense of common cause; and frequently they motivate persons to sacrificial action. Motivating beliefs of this sort go by many names. They have been called ethical principles, rationales for action, ideologies, and worldviews. In the three Abrahamic traditions they are called “theologies”: beliefs about the world and the religious ultimate that suggest how one should live in the world. In order to guarantee that our project remains pluralistic and non-partisan, we will speak only of “theological models.” We claim that the loss of theological reflection represents a major crisis for the identity of religious communities and for their effectiveness as agents of social change, and we believe that concrete steps can be taken to reintroduce transformative reflection that leads to transformative action. We focus on Christianity, not because it is “truer” than other traditions, but because it is the tradition we know best and on which we can have the greatest influence. Thus our title: “Rekindling Theological Reflection: Transformative Thought for Progressive Action.”

The goal is not to talk about beliefs for belief’s sake. Yet religious beliefs will undeniably play a crucial role if progressive religion is again to impact the world on behalf of social change. The goal is not theory for theory’s sake. But some theoretical framing is required if progressive forces are to have the vision and the sustained commitment to move forward. In the past, progressive religion in America was able to move fluidly from theological models to transformative action, and from praxis in the world to new and richer theological models. We believe it is time to rekindle the organic interplay of religious thought and action. Renewing the justification for action will have general impact on local congregations, denominations, and a variety of progressive networks focusing on social change.

There’s a number of videos and blog posts over on the site and they’re also looking for your input.

In fact, Tripp and Tony are looking for your most pressing Ã¢â‚¬ËœGodÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ question to ask the gathered theologians in March. You can submit them via the comments section on the blog, email, youtube, etc.

And they’re even awarding the most active participants, including a travel stipend to be a special corespondent at a conference in September 09.

Click here to view the embedded video.

So, what is your most pressing ‘God question?’ Share it here and over at Transformingtheology.org.

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the first Christmas sermon ever preached

Jonathan D. Blundell — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:06:58 +0000

This comes from Tony Jones as part of the Emergent/C Newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter by emailing :: newsletter@emergentvillage.com

Envy not the pastor who has to preach another Christmas sermon this year. I don’t. Even the thought of coming up with something beautiful and profound for this Christmas update has eluded me for four days. To sum up the yearÃ¢â‚¬â€replete with joys and sorrowsÃ¢â‚¬â€and reflect on the Incarnation? in an email? Color me stumped.

So, instead, allow me to quote, in full, the first Christmas sermon ever preached, by St. John “The Golden Throat” Chrysostom in 386. The Antiochian Christans were the first to celebrate the Incarnation with its own feast day, December 25, and here’s how Chrysostom addressed those assembled on the morning of the Christ Mass:

I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn.

The Angels sing!
The Archangels blend their voices in harmony!
The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise!
The Seraphim exalt His glory!

All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side the Sun of Justice.

And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, he had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in obedience to God.

This day He Who Is, is Born; and He Who Is becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became he God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassibility, remaining unchanged.

And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.

Yet He has not forsaken His angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor because of His Incarnation has he departed from the Godhead.

And behold,
Kings have come, that they might adore the heavenly King of glory;
Soldiers, that they might serve the Leader of the Hosts of Heaven;
Women, that they might adore Him Who was born of a woman so that He might change the pains of child- birth into joy;
Virgins, to the Son of the Virgin, beholding with joy, that He Who is the Giver of milk, Who has decreed that the fountains of the breast pour forth in ready streams, receives from a Virgin Mother the food of infancy;
Infants, that they may adore Him Who became a little child, so that out of the mouth of infants and sucklings, He might perfect praise;
Children, to the Child Who raised up martyrs through the rage of Herod;
Men, to Him Who became man, that He might heal the miseries of His servants;
Shepherds, to the Good Shepherd Who has laid down His life for His sheep;
Priests, to Him Who has become a High Priest according to the order of Melchisedech;
Servants, to Him Who took upon Himself the form of a servant that He might bless our servitude with the reward of freedom;
Fishermen, to Him Who from amongst fishermen chose catchers of men;
Publicans, to Him Who from amongst them named a chosen Evangelist;
Sinful women, to Him Who exposed His feet to the tears of the repentant;

And that I may embrace them all together, all sinners have come, that they may look upon the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sins of the world.

Since therefore all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice. I too wish to share the choral dance, to celebrate the festival. But I take my part, not plucking the harp, not shaking the Thyrsian staff, not with the music of pipes, nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ. For this is all my hope, this my life, this my salvation, this my pipe, my harp. And bearing it I come, and having from its power received the gift of speech, I too, with the angels, sing: Glory to God in the Highest;
and with the shepherds: and on earth peace to men of good will.

To that I can only add: thank God for all of you, and Happy Christmas.

Tony Jones is the former national coordinator for Emergent Village. He is the author of a number of books, including The New Christians.

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something beautiful :: 1.19 :: trucker frank pt. 1

Jonathan D. Blundell — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:59:14 +0000

this week we talk with “former pastor turned trucker” Frank Schutzwohl (aka Trucker Frank) about his life in the institutional church and how he’s found his faith outside those walls.

also we talk about the new something beautiful podcast weight loss challenge.

UPDATE: Listen to the full interview with Trucker Frank in episode 1.19.2

related ::
the “video’s with Tony” ::

UPDATE: frank on twitter
frank facebook
frank’s youtube channel
get DJsiah’s new EP for FREE

music ::
DJsiah – 21st century
DJsiah – spy
if we all get together
DJsiah – keep dancing

something beautiful :: 1.19 :: trucker frank pt. 1 is a post from: something beautiful

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something beautiful » tony jones

St. Peter’s Brewery now available on Amazon

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trucker frank :: 1.19.2

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Transforming Theology

Transforming Theology Mission ::

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the first Christmas sermon ever preached

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something beautiful :: 1.19 :: trucker frank pt. 1

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