1. Loving to Know: Covenant Epistemology, by Esther L. Meek
2. The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture, by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
3. God and the Art of Happiness, by Ellen T. Charry
4. Recovering the Commons: Democracy, Place, and Global Justice, by Herbert Reid & Betsy Taylor
5. Christ the Key, by Kathryn Tanner
6. The Pastor: A Memoir, by Eugene H. Peterson
7. The End of Evangelicalism? Discerning a New Faithfulness for Mission: Towards an Evangelical Political Theology, by David E. Fitch
8. Practicing the Way of Jesus: Life Together in the Kingdom of Love, by Mark Scandrette
9. Migrations of the Holy: God, State, and the Political Meaning of the Church, by William T. Cavanaugh
10. Missional Spirituality: Embodying God’s Love from the Inside Out, by Roger Helland & Leonard Hjalmarson

Chelle is also a regular blogger and you can follow her writings on her own site, where she posts great photos like these:

Below is a recording of each student’s presentation and a link to some of their final papers.

A.W.E. Carlson presents his paper, “Subversive Liturgy: Recovering a Social Imagination in the Work of the People.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Download Andy’s Paper.

Richard Kim presents his paper, “Multicultural Engagement in a Postmodern Age.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Mark Mielbrecht presents his paper, “Being the Imago Dei in the World: Is it Possible to Live as the Image and Likeness of God?” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Abigail Vizcarra Perez presents her paper, “The Poetics of Children’s Ministry: The Role of Metaphor in Early Stages of Faith Formation.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Download Abigail’s paper.

Jen Roach presents her paper, “Programed to Death: Why Churches Fail to Bring Life.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Eden Smith presents her paper, “Via Feminina: The Way of the (Young) Feminine.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Isaac Unseth presents his paper, “Hospice Care for Dying Churches: Initiating End-of-Life-Issues Conversations with Congregations – An Organization-Development and Pastoral Approach.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Download Isaac’s Paper.

Hayden Wartes presents her paper, “Trauma and the Body: of Christ.” from Mars Hill Graduate School.

Download Hayden’s paper.

After a long and draining day of classes a friend asks, “are you staying for the ministry and counseling conversation?”

“Uh…sure.” And just like that I decided to extend my long day another hour.  Although I only heard of this conversation five minutes prior, there really was no question in my mind whether or not I would stay.  I decided to attend MHGS because I desire to see an integration of ministry and counseling.  Specifically, I want to bring counseling into a church setting where myself and others are imperfect examples of God the Counselor. The panel of men and women were phenomenal and each provided great insight into this ever growing conversation.

Dr. Caprice Hollins made a comment which resonated with part of my life story and was a large part of how I came to be here.  She said, “there are so many leaders with a distortion of what it means to lead.” Amen.  My interactions with churches in my past have often lead me to believe I was only a leader if I lead in a very specific fashion, doing very specific tasks.  Having no other leadership role possibilities, I often felt I was inadequate as a leader because I did not possess the “abilities,” but in actuality the desire, to lead in the specific way outlined.

When Dr. Hollins said those words I remembered all of the pastors, church leaders, teachers, and coaches who had such little understanding of what it means to lead, and lead well. My hope is not to condemn those who have taught me blindly for I, too, am still wrestling with what leading looks like for myself; rather, my deepest hope is for people to use their desires to become leaders regardless of if they fit into the “leader” mold.  I do not want people to feel confined in their exploration of who they can be as a leader but that they would find freedom and beauty in the discovery of their own leadership qualities.

There are many leaders who have led poorly, yet conversations like these, schools like MHGS, and friends from across the country have helped me to hope for richness and beauty in the leadership of the Church and how counseling can be part of it.

Jenny Wanty is a first year MACP student emerging from America’s High Five – Michigan. With music ceaselessly boppin’ in her head, she often finds time to bust a move especially 30 minutes prior to exams. This mid-west woman loves her Chaco’s, a good cup of coffee (with cream and sugar), drawing, and all things that involve play.

As a good “High Church” boy, experiencing forty minutes of intense charismatic worship bracketed by a Spirit-wielding prayer-warrior pastor/preacher slaying congregant after congregant in the Anointing of the Spirit was, shall we say, not a typical worship experience for me. Nevertheless, that is how I joyously spent my time at the 2011 Society of Vineyard Scholars Annual Conference here in Seattle, Washington.

During the Conference weekend, the celebration of the Eucharist was void of the pomp, circumstance, and vestments with which I was familiar, and was instead filled with laughter, eye-contact, and a cheese and wine buffet. Instead of singing the traditional and enduring hymns I knew by heart, we sang fresh melodies with passion, fervor, tears and dance. The setting was charming, the speakers were stirring, the symposiums were challenging, and the mood was easy. It was a spectacular weekend!

Despite my lack of familiarity with Vineyard’s distinct style of worship and liturgy, I quickly came to learn that their passion and desire to experience the Triune God was matched that weekend equally by their intellectual vigor and thirst for theological excellence.

I was given the privilege of presenting my own work in non-violence, atonement, and pop-culture, alongside scholars from Kings College, Yale School of Divinity, Princeton Theological Seminary, Fuller Seminary, and Regent University. Their level of scholarship was exceptional, and I was honored to be a part of the dialogue!

Two highlights: First, Dr. Bob Ekblad shared with us a handful of stories from his work as a Skagit County Prison Chaplain, his years in South and Central America teaching sustainable farming and assisting in the formation of grass-roots community Bible Studies, his time in France as a Th.D. student and political activist, and some of his experiences surrounding becoming an itinerant faith-healer.

And second, one of my favorite American cultural exegetes and Reformed theologians, Dr. James K. A. Smith, delivered a profound lecture inviting the Vineyard’s scholarly community to think through what a particularly Vineyard-y “charismatic epistemology” could look like (Dr. Smith’s lecture can be found here, and it is well worth the time!).

Needless to say, experiencing first-hand the blend of evangelical charisma and passion for theological creativity and excellence gave me great hopes for the future of the Vineyard Church.

Click to read “YHWH, Batman, Popeye, and Jerry Falwell: Questioning the Myth of Redemptive Violence, An Exploration of Nonviolent Atonement Motifs throughout the Biblical Text” By Jev Forsberg

Jev Forsberg is a 3rd year MDiv student.  He has been married to the love of his life for 3 years; he loves that she’s smarter than him, and hates that she’s smarter than him.  And when he’s not reading comic books or watching the SyFy channel, he digs theology, crafting, motorcycles, and all things of mythical proportions.

It was Wednesday night, and Sacred Space was gathered for our bi-weekly realm meeting.  We were discussing themes, words, stories, etc. that might guide us and our community into the season of lent.  Someone suggested the story of the woman with the alabaster jar in Luke 7.  Another team member looked puzzled for a moment, and said he didn’t remember that story.  Now, it happened that I did remember the story. But even more so, I knew the story.

In fact, I had memorized the fourteen verses from Luke 7:36 to 50 the week before in order to tell this very story to a group of my peers in New Testament Genre class. This was an assignment option by which we were invited to engage the Scripture in the oral form in and for which it would have originally been given and received. Before this assignment, I did not know that the gospels were written down for people who would actually have performed the stories for others! This knowledge has opened up a whole new (old) category for me in how I will read these stories!

And so, in response to my teammate I said, “Well, I can tell you the story! Like, actually tell you. I learned it for class last week. Luke 7: 36-50.  I acted it out and everything.” At this, my team was bewildered and intrigued. They insisted that I perform it for them. Shy at the start, I said, “Well, I’m not going to act it out for you entirely, but I will tell you the story.” This moment felt strange in all of its meaningful spontaneity. Beginning was awkward. And yet as I proceeded, “One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him…” I looked at the faces circled around me listening and saw delight and wonder. We were on holy ground. The story beckoned, inviting me to lose myself in it again. By the end of the telling, my whole self was engaged; I was in fact performing it. To feel the words of Scripture continuing to grow in my body and to have the opportunity to actually give them to others in this way was a gift of immeasurable proportions. These might just be the moments that I live for.

Becca Shirley is a second year MDiv student.  A transplant from the suburbs of Philly, she loves making her home in the Pacific Northwest.

For example, I cannot speak of psychology without the conversation leading back into a theological realm. These two are not mutually exclusive of each other, and to speak of one without speaking of the other comes across as a blatant disregard of reality. How can I speak of attachment theory without acknowledging the deep interconnectedness in which God seems to have created us for relationship with others? Can I really talk about having a therapeutic relationship (the relationship between therapist and client) where the issues of God, salvation, evil, and redemption are not addressed? Is it even possible that therapy is only a process of goal setting and not about a holistic experience where the client, regardless of their religious beliefs, finds Truth, Light, and Love? Whether the client will call those things God, I cannot say, but there are as many words for God as there are stars in the sky.

I hope to keep the eyes of my heart open to seeing and enjoying the different shades of color that surround me, to see the beauty in every shade, every brush stroke, and imagine every bit of laughter that must have come from the Creator after a particular picture came into focus. This does not take away the beauty of a gray day but perhaps helps to see the beauty in the ordinary, to be aware that within the shade of gray exists a myriad of other colors used to create what we call ‘gray.’ Watch a sunrise at some point in time, and not just the point where you actually get to see the sun rise but the hour before, when you feel like the world in cloaked in blackness and you get to watch the birth of light to the day; even if the clouds keep the sun hidden you will see the light being brought forth by the decrease of the natural order, put in place by the Creator, and you will bear witness to the beauty of the gray.

Courtney Warren is a second year MACS who hails from Magnolia, Texas (go Bulldogs!). She rode into town in a rented KIA minivan over a year ago and has enjoyed every moment of her life in the Pacific Northwest, but especially loves the changing of leaves in the fall. you can follow her random musings on her blog here or feel free to stalk her on Twitter @_courtneyann_.

Lately I’ve been giving much thought to the wise men who followed the star to baby Jesus. I’m deeply moved by the fact that the wisdom of this world, embodied in the wise men, came and bowed to Wisdom personified–before he could deliberately minister to them. Before the wise men could get much out of Jesus.

The wisdom of big-better-more recognized that ultimate Wisdom was breaking into the world; and the universe, illustrated in the star, was moving toward this Wisdom. Captivated by the celestial movement, these Movers & Shakers were compelled to follow. Wise guys coming to submit their wisdom to Wisdom incarnate. The wisdom of this world coming to worship Wisdom, himself, Jesus Christ.

As I sit with others in spiritual direction, I’m learning to watch. Look. Listen. To pay attention to what is moving and shining before me, like the star that moved and shined before the wise men. And I follow…

Captivated by the present incarnation of Christ in the directee’s life, I often cannot speak. It is enough for my soul to genuflects in the presence of God Almighty  – sweet and tender like a baby. The invitation and space is present for the directee to bow as well, to join me in bending toward transcendent, immanent Wisdom. The God who has so much to offer both of us.

Amen.

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

This is a dialogical move that Dwight Friesen uses frequently. A way of continuing the conversation by making space for the other. I was reminded of this the other day when I was taking a walk and ran into him on bridge across Aurora Avenue.

It was a bright fall day graced by the sun’s long-awaited appearance. Crisp fall air seemed to bring our surroundings into hyperreal focus. Mount Rainier was visible to the south—also a precious experience in the fall, and the Puget Sound was calm to the north all the way to Bainbridge Island and beyond. Because of the beauty of the moment that Dwight seemed to be enjoying as I approached, I was immediately aware of the possibility I might be intruding on some well-deserved solitude. However, even at fifteen paces’ distance, I could see his face brighten as he called a greeting to me. I felt welcomed when I arrived in his presence as he engaged me in a conversation during which he didn’t just impart his wisdom (which, in this situation, one of a student approaching a professor, would’ve been more than appropriate), he challenged me while encouraging my unique viewpoint on the topic.

Fittingly, it is this last sentiment—that of being both challenged to think critically and encouraged to share and develop my particular voice—that lingers as I come away from reading Routes & Radishes (and Other Things to Talk About at the Evangelical Crossroads), a collaborative new publication from MHGS’s own Chelle Stearns (Assistant Professor of Theology) and Dwight Friesen (Associate Professor of Practical Theology).

Written in conjunction with three other young Evangelical authors: Mark Russell (a scholar and missions worker and advocate), Allen L. Yeh (Assistant Professor of History and Theology at Biola University), and Michelle Sanchez (pastor of Christian Formation at Highrock Covenant Church in Arlington, Massachusetts), the book serves as a veritable conversation starter that takes up a long-overdue analysis of the state of the Evangelical Church.

The title is a play on the Latin radix (“root”), the origin of the word radish. In this spirit, the book looks at the roots of Evangelicalism and its present state in order to encourage dialogue about how to collaboratively further its theology and practice in the future. The authors, as ethnically and racially diverse as are their spiritual and vocational backgrounds, bring a well-balanced multiplicity of voices into the discourse while assessing the church with respect to history, Trinitarian theology, missions, the arts, and theological context.

One of the most important features about Routes & Radishes is the practical manifestation of this conversation. Each author entertains his or her topic through the course of two chapters, and the other authors offer critique and commentary alongside the topic at hand. While this sounds like it might lead to clutter and confusion, the layout is actually clean, fresh, and inviting. Further, it is exciting to read the differing opinions on a topic. These scholars are far from agreeing on every point, and not infrequently, a certain assertion will garner several rebuttals and commentary on commentary. The result is a truly thought-provoking and genuine dialogue that enriches the greater conversation immensely.

Importantly, the tone is at once accessible and scholarly. In this regard, I imagine it to be an equally enriching read for the discerning scholar and the interested layperson. The writing is refreshingly clear and comprehensible, and each section advances not only a thesis, but a surrounding body of questions that encourage reflection and discussion. This is where the spirit of the I-don’t-know-what-do-you-think ethic of publication is truly embodied. This is not simply a book of essays. The conversation continues with the reader, and the book’s companion website, routesandradishes.com, seeks to further the dialogue with Christ’s Body at large.

In “Rock Star Worship” and “The Holy Spirit and Worship,” Chelle investigates what the faithful use of music in church might look like. How do we as a Church interface with the arts, and how is that manifest in our services? Where is there room for the uniqueness of our voice—literally and figuratively—as we are brought together in corporate worship? Dr. Stearns, herself a violinist, shares her experience of church worship and offers insight as to how to integrate music as a central part of our faith practices. The power of the Spirit, she argues, brings us into relationship with that which is outside of us. As such, our theologies of the Holy Spirit can bring us into community in a  way that brings the practice of the arts into our overarching spiritual practices.

“Celebrating the Construction Crew Through Our Rearview Mirror” and “Evangelicals Visit the Optometrist,” Dwight’s intriguingly titled chapters, explore how we practice our theology in “storied, local, real-world contexts.” The intellectual landscape of existentialism and pragmatism greatly influences our thought in the modern church. In light of this, Dwight discusses how the Evangelical movement has engaged (and can continue to engage in the future) with culture to fully manifest God’s continuing relationship with God’s people in our own thinking about church’s place in society. According to Dwight, the four impulses of Evangelicalism (personal experience of Christ, the importance on social justice, the authority of the Bible, and the emphasis on the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, collectively known as the Bebbington Quadrilateral), while important, do not suffice to fully encompass what it means to be Christians. Instead, we should seek to locate us in the capacious and ongoing narrative of Scripture, reconciling the Evangelical Movement, the “Emerging Conversation,” and the Ecclesial tradition.

The purpose of the book isn’t to tell you how to think, it’s to get you thinking. What has happened to our theology of the Holy Spirit? What is the relationship of the particularities of the individual and united community—being “related in otherness”—in the Body of Christ? How, in the context of the Evangelical service, or indeed the Evangelical church as a whole, make room for the voices of the Other? What purpose should music serve in church? What does it look like to practice our theology in a cultural context? These and other questions—not necessarily the answers, but truly, the questions in and of themselves—are vital to the health of the Body of Christ. It is in entertaining them and truly seeking a variety of voices with whom to engage them that we will continue the work of the Gospel in our lives and communities.

Routes & Radishes is a fitting and timely catalyst to spark not debate, but dialogue. Its demonstrated commitment to helping the community of Christendom to develop its work of embodying and sharing Christ’s message is a new model that might just help regain the power of the word Evangelical not as simply a kitschy and quaint adjective one might use to describe the “Left Behind” series or the legacy of Jerry Falwell, but rather the vibrant title of the unified Christian community that seeks to answer our call as followers of Christ.

Nick Cox is a 2nd year MACP student. He lives in Queen Anne with his wife Michaela (also a 2nd year MACP student) and their two cats. Nick loves playing the piano, freestyle cooking, and pie. Oh. And LOST. He also loves LOST. You can follow him on Twitter at @editdenantes.