SC 32 The Convergence Lectionary Part 2: A Conversation with Dr. Eric Elnes and Rev. Floyd Tompkins

What this episode covers

I hope you had a chance to catch Part 1 of my conversation with these Biblical scholars. In this episode Eric and Floyd get deeper into the details of the Convergence Lectionary. In Eric’s words, here’s what the curriculum with cover: For those of you unfamiliar with the Lectionary, it’s a group of Bible texts that tens of thousands of churches use every week for worship, which means it has a profound influence on the beliefs and actions of millions of Christians. In the case of the Convergence Lectionary, it’s not biblical texts but 6-week THEMES that focus on CRITICAL AREAS that society actively needs to talk about in our day and find higher ground. Here are the 12 six-week THEMES of the Convergence Lectionary, organized according to the Three Great Loves that Jesus himself said were most important:  Christian love of God includes: 1. Walking fully in the path of Jesus, without denying the legitimacy of other paths that God may provide for humanity; 2. Listening for God’s Word which comes through daily prayer and meditation, studying the ancient testimonies which we call Scripture, and attending to God’s present activity in the world; 3. Celebrating the God whose Spirit pervades and whose glory is reflected in all of God’s Creation, including the earth and its ecosystems, the sacred and secular, the Christian and non-Christian, the human and non-human; 4. Expressing our love in worship that is as sincere, vibrant, and artful as it is scriptural. Christian love of neighbor includes:  5. Engaging people authentically, as Jesus did, treating all as creations made in God’s very image, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality, or economic class; 6. Standing, as Jesus does, with the outcast and oppressed, the denigrated and afflicted, seeking peace and justice with or without the support of others; 7. Preserving religious freedom and the church’s ability to speak prophetically to government by resisting the commingling of church and state; 8. Walking humbly with God, acknowledging our own shortcomings while honestly seeking to understand and call forth the best in others, including those who consider us their enemies; Christian love of self includes:  9. Basing our lives on the faith that in Christ all things are made new and that we, and all people, are loved beyond our wildest imagination – for eternity; 10. Claiming the sacredness of both our minds and our hearts, and recognizing that faith and science, doubt and belief serve the pursuit of truth; 11. Caring for our bodies and insisting on taking time to enjoy the benefits of prayer, reflection, worship, and recreation in addition to work; 12. Acting on the faith that we are born with a meaning and purpose; a vocation and ministry that serve to strengthen and extend God’s realm of love. Make sure to follow #SFTSedge on social media for more information. Contact Floyd Thompkins at [email protected] to let him know you’d like to be part of the beta testing for this life-changing resource. Links discussed: * San Francisco Theological Seminary * Darkwood Brew * The Phoenix Affirmations * Gifts of the Dark Wood