Duane Alexander Miller's Blog, page 12

Jeff Morton reviews Two Stories of Everything

Jeff Morton has recently reviewed my book Two Stories of Everything (Credo House, 2018) for the Journal of Global Christianity.

Here is one section:

Miller’s presentation of Islam’s story is spot on. He offers us a conservative, orthodox, Sunni version of Islam; since this would include the majority of Muslims, it is a wise choice. The heartbeat of each of the two metanarratives, as he sees it, is anthropology. I think this will surprise most readers. Why? One might suppose the doctrine of God is the essential and defining doctrine of any religion. Yet Miller takes an approach that is anthropocentric. It is each religion’s view of human beings that directs the story, he claims. God may have initiated the story, but the object of divine action is humankind – essentially true for both Christianity and Islam. Let the reader not be surprised; I am confident Miller will win you over in the end…

The PDF of the journal is available HERE.

¿Porqué los españoles se convierten al cristianismo evangélico?

El semestre pasado enseñé una asignatura de sociología para el curso masters en la Facultad Protestante de Teología UEBE en Alcobendas. Quise compartir con todos la obra final que entregaron mis estudiantes, con permiso de los estudiantes.

En este proyecto se explora la pregunta: ¿Porqué los españoles se convierten al cristianismo evangélico?

Aquí está:

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Sobre el Bautismo para el ex-Musulman Cristiano: Algunas observaciones pastorales

Originalmente publicada en inglés en el blog de New Wineskins, aquí está la versión en español en La Luz: Pensamiento Anglicano.

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Baptism for the ex-Muslim Christian

I have lately been working on a book on pastoral care for Christians from a Muslim background (CMBs). Rather than write everything and then publish the book, I’m taking a new approach: publishing sections gradually while seeking feedback and comments. So here is my first installment. Do let me know if you have any comments or questions or advice:

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(These were originally published as blog entries at New Wineskins: part 1, part 2.)

House Churches and bishops during the Apostolic Period

I’m enjoying reading an article by Nicholas Taylor in the Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal. I particularly enjoyed his reconstruction of how house churches eventually became congregations that were not just members from one family and the associated slaves or servants, and also of how the local house churches leaders eventually gave birth—early on—to having one house church elder with oversight over other congregations, which is to say a bishop:

It is clear that congregations were, or rapidly became, more than simply the household at worship. As well as itinerant Christian missionaries and other travellers who might temporarily attach themselves to a Christian congregation, and avail themselves of the hospitality of the householders, cities attracted disparate and displaced individuals who, for whatever reason, had temporarily or permanently lost their roots in the household to which they had belonged. If these were converted, they might have attached themselves to an existing church and household, or perhaps have formed a church of their own, apart from the patronage system of household and city. Churches may also have been formed of more than one household, particularly when a person of wealth and status was able to provide a degree of protection and access to Christian teaching not available to a poorer household.

It is precisely at the point at which a church moves beyond the parameters of the household that the emergence of distinctive, defined, and titled forms of hierarchy and ministry should be sought. The most powerful householder in a city or town, who would almost certainly have hosted gatherings of the church, either in his own home or in a public building rented for the purpose, would at this point have emerged as bishop. (p. 32, Volume 2:4, Winter 2018)

The entire journal can be downloaded through academia.edu.

House Churches during the Apostolic Period

I’m enjoying reading an article by Nicholas Taylor in the Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal. I particularly enjoyed his reconstruction of how house churches eventually became congregations that were not just members from one family and the associated slaves or servants, and also of how the local house churches leaders eventually gave birth—early on—to having one house church elder with oversight over other congregations, which is to say a bishop:

It is clear that congregations were, or rapidly became, more than simply the household at worship. As well as itinerant Christian missionaries and other travellers who might temporarily attach themselves to a Christian congregation, and avail themselves of the hospitality of the householders, cities attracted disparate and displaced individuals who, for whatever reason, had temporarily or permanently lost their roots in the household to which they had belonged. If these were converted, they might have attached themselves to an existing church and household, or perhaps have formed a church of their own, apart from the patronage system of household and city. Churches may also have been formed of more than one household, particularly when a person of wealth and status was able to provide a degree of protection and access to Christian teaching not available to a poorer household.

It is precisely at the point at which a church moves beyond the parameters of the household that the emergence of distinctive, defined, and titled forms of hierarchy and ministry should be sought. The most powerful householder in a city or town, who would almost certainly have hosted gatherings of the church, either in his own home or in a public building rented for the purpose, would at this point have emerged as bishop. (p. 32, Volume 2:4, Winter 2018)

The entire journal can be downloaded through academia.edu.

Christmas Greetings: Mi Burrito Sabanero

One of the cute songs they sing here is “Mi Burrito Sabanero” (my little burro from the savannah). It is a Venezuelan Christmas song and the chorus says, “If you see me, I’m on my way to Bethlehem.” Of course, riding the little burro. Here is a completely non-professional version of this from my daughter.

Watch and enjoy. Do drop by the Youtube page and give it your thumbs up. And Christmas blessings on this tenth day of Christmas.

Christmas greetings from Madrid

Blessings on you from Madrid!

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Don Little on Discipleship of ex-Muslims and the Church

Beautiful observation here from Don Little‘s 2009 doctoral dissertation at Gordon-Conwell (p. 122):

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This idea of bringing together both sides of the identity into a new, firm convert identity is really at the heart not only of discipleship but all pastoral care for Christ’s converts from Islam.

A few more photos from South Korea

What good is a blog for if you can’t share photos? And here, a few more pictures from South Korea.

[image error]Looking across the Han River in Seoul
[image error]The Korea War Memorial
[image error]Street Food in Seoul