Theology in Motion...

The beautiful quadrangle of 'Popes College' (KU Leuven) which was the setting for part of the ISRLC Conference, including the lunches!

I was privileged to be invited to present a paper on what it means to be human - titled 'The Guiding Trajectory of Love: Embodied Creatures caught up in the Trinity' - at the 'Anthropos' (broadly, God's love) section of the 2014 Conference of the International Society for Religion, Language and Culture (Henceforth ISRLC). I had been merrily preparing this paper, when the invitation came again to present a second paper - someone else (unfortunately, a paper I really wanted to hear!) dropped out - in the 'Biblical Studies Section', too. 

The time I spent in Leuven - Belgium's ancient University city - was wonderful, and I will blog more about the conference soon. For now, though, in fitting with the perpetual motion I find myself in (starting new ministries, rolling in and out others, finishing up my MA while thinking about a PhD, and throwing in some travelling...) I present these essentially-unedited-versions of these papers. Both, I think, have legs - that is to say, I will work on them and see if I can find a journal or book do deposit them in - but at the same time I think they throw out a wide salvo of important questions and the odd useful sentence.

The first, that which was very prepared in advance, is a paper broadly of systematic theology, but bridging some gaps. The most important gap it seeks to bridge is that of 'biblical' theology and 'systematic' theology. I sought to use 1 John 4:8 as a 'jumping off point' for the argument of the paper. Further, I attempted to cross some theological bridges, drawing together insights from Karl Barth (Reformed German), Elizbeth Kent (English Methodist) Catherine LaCugna (American feminist Catholic), Jean Hering (French Protestant), Anthony Thiselton (English Anglican) and various others. This echoes my interest in opening up rather than closing down conversations, which I think is quite important for theology. This paper can be read here, at my academia.edu profile.

The second, prepared specifically in a short space of time, is a biblical studies paper following the notion of theological interpretation of Scripture. I make no pretence to be a New Testament scholar - but this paper does echo something of my sustained reading of and dialogue with 1 Corinthians, echoing my first eBook on the Lords' Supper, and thinking about the complex question of what it means to be 'the body of Christ'. Rather than keeping things abstract, I consider the text and specific questions of 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, a passage which raises all sorts of questions for all sorts of people. If you have an interest in sex, food, or relating to other people, you might enjoy reading the paper, which can be found and read here, also at my academia.edu profile.

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I was privileged to connect with some great fellow-thinkers at the ISRLC Conference - and I'd love to continue to connect with folk via Facebook and Twitter. As ever, comments are welcome!