Beginning on
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., Montego Bay Seafood House on 1707 North
Expressway in Griffin will host “Theology on Tap,” an opportunity for people to
get together for informal discussions concerning matters of faith and life.
Relaxed
and casual, this gathering is designed for a variety of people: churched,
unchurched, de-churched, seekers, those who want a deeper understanding of what
they already believe, and even those who are not sure exactly what they believe
but enjoy hearing different points of view.
Interested folk are invited to gather together, enjoy a favorite
beverage, share some food, and converse on topics of mutual interest.
Occasionally there could be a theme or
a special guest. Common topics include
the Bible, Christianity, church history, other world religions, science and
religion, and so on. Sometimes topics
for discussion are unrelated to faith altogether, such as movies, television,
music, or current events. Everyone has
the option to share or simply to listen while noshing on something good.
As your host I welcome everyone with open arms. Living in Barnesville, I'm not bound to any rigid theology of exclusion. As I see it, "Theology
on Tap” is an activity to be experienced as beneficial to seekers of faith and
knowledge in other locations. My life's interests are varied; they extend from fly- fishing to
making beer and everything in between: teaching Biblical Greek, photography,
gardening, blogging, icon painting, serving on the Board of Directors for
support of Chez Moi, a girls'
orphanage in Haiti, working on a potter’s wheel, and book publishing. And, of course, I enjoy good beer and fine wine.
Ecumenical
in mindset, I'm a seminary graduate, having served parishes in New York and Louisiana,
earning an advanced degree in Renaissance literature, I've attended Oxford University and taught for 30 years in places like Kentucky,
Oklahoma, and England. I'm A lover of excellence — the choral work of Griffin
Choral Arts, theology by Baptist Will Campbell, Lutheran martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
and popular Pope Francis (to name but a few), along with novels like The
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and other thrillers in the
Swedish “noir” tradition. I'm privileged to teache a weekly Tuesday morning class in
contemplative prayer at St. John Lutheran Church and have been instrumental in
several ministries there.
Trans-denominational in spirit, I deeply appreciates the way Martin Luther met with his students around tables in his
house to discuss theology informally. Since Luther's wife Katie was a well-known brewmaster, I safely assume Katie and Martin shared a few pints as well. So as this
group gathers at Montego Bay to talk about faith and think theologically, I hopes that the meeting times will be in the spirit of one of Luther's famous
quotes: “I’d rather my people were in the
alehouse thinking of church, than in church thinking of the alehouse.”
Here’s how I envision a somewhat
typical evening at “Theology on Tap.” Those
over 21 years old who wish to do so may order a glass of good beer or wine,
perhaps a bit to eat, and settle in. Any
who prefer sodas or sweet tea also place their orders. At the initial meeting, "tapsters" introduce
themselves and share with their friends how they’d like to see things
develop.
I will take notes as we gather ideas. Because
“Theology on Tap” is not a new idea for me, I will share a list of
possibilities for discussion. These will include provocative topics, a few book
titles, potential guest speakers, DVD discussion starters and an extended
checklist of resources. Here, for
example, are some possibilities:
A
Christian Response to Panhandlers
Hey,
Church, Stop Boring Me!
The
Christian Atheist
What
Would Jesus Brew?
What
I Like and Don’t Like about Christianity
How
Jesus Read His Bible
What
about Evolution?
What’s
the “Q” in GLBTQ?
Wine
Tasting with Jesus
What
about Violence in the Bible?
Is
There Help for My Post-traumatic Church Syndrome?
It's my hope
that before the last sip or nibble at the first gathering, there will be a plan
for future tappings and commitment from an interested, excited group who will
tell their friends and family about "Theology on Tap at Montego Bay."
To keep everyone up-to-date about
events and discussion topics at “Theology on Tap at Montego Bay” meetings, calendar postings will be made
within each bi-monthly issue of the Kitchen Drawer.
If you are
interested in attending meetings of 'Theology on Tap at Montego Bay,' consider
yourself most welcome. You need not be
concerned if you have any labels, a whole bunch of labels, or none at all. Following Jesus’ example, 'Theology on Tap at
Montego Bay' embraces all of God’s people regardless of ethnicity, gender
identity, or economic circumstance. All — and that means All! —are welcome.
