Peter Rollins's Blog, page 59

The Crucifixion is Real

The Crucifixion in Real

This is a talk I gave in Grand Rapids in February 2011. Here I explore how the Crucifixion has been reduced to a mythology and approach it as the incoming of the Real. For a brief reflection upon this idea click here.

Suspending Identity

This is a clip from a talk I gave in Grand Rapids which touches on the experience of lossing ones various political, cultual and religious identities.

Liturgy of Doubt

This is a clip from a talk I gave in Grand Rapids in which I explore the idea of rituals which invite us into the experience of doubt, complexity and ambiguity.

Life in the Resurrection

This is a clip from a talk I gave in Grand Rapids in which I talk about the transition from God as Wholly Other to God as a presence in the midst.

Giving up Atheism for Lent (Interview)

Homebrewed Interview

This is an interview I did for Homebrewed Christianity. At the beginning Tony Jones challenges me to give up "atheism" for Lent. The audio in this short section is a little sketchy, but it gets much better after the first couple of minutes. You can read about Tony's challenge here and my response to the challenge here.

To Hell with Jesus

The blog Impractical Theology just posted up this parable from my book The Orthodox Heretic and I thought I might pass it along to you. If you find it helpful there are thirty-two more parables like it in the book. So please do consider spending your hard earned cash on a copy, otherwise I will have to go ahead with my plans to build a life sized model of St Peter's Basilica with the unsold copies.

You sit in silence contemplating what has just taken place. Only moments ago you were alive and well, relaxing at home with friends. Then there was a deep, crushing pain in your chest that brought you crashing to the floor. The pain has now gone, but you are no longer in your home. Instead, you find yourself standing on the other side of death waiting to stand before the judgment seat and discover where you will spend eternity. As you reflect upon your life your name is called, and you are led down a long corridor into a majestic sanctuary with a throne located in its center. Sitting on this throne is a huge, breathtaking being who looks up at you and begins to speak.

"My name is Lucifer, and I am the angel of light."

You are immediately filled with fear and trembling as you realize that you are face to face with the enemy of all that is true and good. Then the angel continues: "I have cast God down from his throne and banished Christ to the realm of eternal death. It is I who hold the keys to the kingdom. It is I who am the gatekeeper of paradise, and it is for me alone to decide who shall enter eternal joy and who shall be forsaken."

After saying these words, he sits up and stretches out his vast arms. "In my right hand I hold eternal life and in my left hand eternal death. Those who would bow down and acknowledge me as their god shall pass through the gates of paradise and experience an eternity of bliss, but all those who refuse will be vanquished to the second death with their Christ."

After a long pause he bends toward you and speaks, "Which will you choose?"

Applied Theology, Canada

A discussion exploring the issues raised during the previous sessions. This will run from 8:00pm to 9:00pm. For more information contact St Stephen's university.

Transformance Art, Canada

In this talk I shall be exploring the theory and praxis of the ikon collective in Belfast. The talk will run from 3:00pm to 4:30pm. For more information contact St Stephen's university.

The place of Creeds

This video is part of a promo series for the new book Church in the Present Tense. I have written two chapters for the book entitled: 'The Worldly Theology of Emerging Christianity' and 'Tranformance Art: Reconfiguring the Social Self'

Christ and the End of Meaning

Here is a fascinating book that I am currently reading that explores how the loss of meaning is central to the Christian experience.