Shuck and Jive


Friday, June 15, 2007

Why Isn't Stushie in the Consistory?

It has been nearly a year since Shuck and Jive has been on the net. My first post was July 4th, but I really didn't get started until this one in August. Since then I have made a great number of internet friends. (You can see my blogroll of pals on the right, scroll way down).

The internet is a wild world. I love it. Just for fun, I thought I would introduce you to some of my loyal opposition. My favorites are five bloggers who make up "the consistory." I had to look up the word. Here is Wikipedia's definition. These are Presbyterian ministers--or close to it. Here are a few of their posts about Shuck and Jive.

1) Chris is a candidate for ministry in Holston presbytery, where I serve. He thinks I am such a big threat to Christendom that he tattled to my Executive Presbyter and posted the EP's response on his blog!

2) Toby from Texas takes on the world. He has fun with the phrase "the rotting body of Jesus."

3) Here is the guy from the Bayou.

4) Dave has just started to get into the act.

5) Will, who keeps his private life to himself, was one of the first. His blog appears to be off-line.

There are a few others, not in the consistory who deserve honorable mention:

1) Tom, who decided the PCUSA was not conservative enough for his church so he moved it out of the denomination.

2) Alan from Oregon.

3) And the one I am rooting for, Stushie from Knoxville.

I don't know what it takes to be in the consistory, but darn it, Stushie ought to be there. He has worked hard. What's the deal guys? Why isn't he in the club? I vote Stushie for the consistory. Do I hear an "Amen?"

Now guys, you know I love you. I am teasing. Lighthearted, eh?

I think (and I really mean this) that we all ought to get together, pop a couple of sarsaparillas, and talk about theology, the historical/critical method, and hey, the future of life on Earth (what we should really be talking about!)

Peace,
john

12 comments:

  1. Now John, you know these people would rather burn than to sit down with you (or me for that matter).

    I cannot tell you how refreshing I find your blog postings. It is good that there is at least one person who agrees with my theology.

    I will be through the area in August, maybe we could sit down for a lite lunch or something. (Won't be able to stop for long as I will be heading for my brother's wedding, but a visit might be nice nonetheless!)

    You can contact me through my blog.

    Fides et Veritas

    God Bless you my brother and keep up the good work!

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  2. John, I am deeply touched. Not only am I mentioned in dispatches, but make it all the way to the blog title itself. I guess this is my Wharhol fifteen minutes...

    A member of the Consistory? Moi?

    Perhaps I've been a member for a very long time...check out the bottom part of the article with regard to the Ancient and Acceptable Scottish Rite...

    As for turning or burning...I guess 33 degrees would be fine for me.

    Have a great summer, John.

    P.S I tattled to your EP, too, but he won't write back to me...

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  4. Stushie,

    I looked up John's reference...

    "In the Reformed churches, a Consistory is a congregation's governing body of elected officials that include the Elders and the Deacons, thus making the body similar to the Session in Presbyterian churches."

    I think he wants you on his Session!

    Jodie

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  5. Anthony (or should I address you as "Your Holiness"),

    When I read John's blog, I did respond. But after a few posts, I decided the Christian thing to do was to go and sit with him and chat.

    I wanted John to understand that no matter how rotten I think his theology is, this isn't personal. If there are times I have made it personal instead of an attack on his position, then I was wrong in those cases.

    I know that you might not believe me since you are apparently the self-proclaimed patriarch of an autonomous "Ancient Apostolic Church" but our church has a historic and connectional structure. John and I are already accountable to one another. I pray that we'll both manage to be faithful to our confessions, the Scriptures, and the Lord of History that stands behind them all.

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  6. Anthony,

    Sounds great! I will contact you via your blog!
    j

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  7. Chris,

    I appreciated our conversation and your initiative for visiting with me. Let's do it again. Next time you are in JC do call me.

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  8. For honesty's sake, I should also publish that you had no idea I was in town - or how to contact me if you did. I don't want to make it look like I did something reconciliatory that you wouldn't have done, if you'd had the same opportunity.

    I plan on being down in September...maybe.

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  9. I've returned to read this post about 5 times since my husband told me about it earlier today. I am still struggling to wrap my mind around the fact that bloggers contacted your EP. WTF??? I don't even know what to think.

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  10. Hi Alex,

    Welcome! WTF, NS.

    I can't speak for my EP (who by the way is a great guy--and very professional). But I can't imagine that he is tickled pink that his private e-mail response was put on a public blog.

    But, oh well.

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  11. John - your best blog yet!!! Kudo's for shaking the hands of those that critcise you - 'it's a dirty job but someone's got to do it' (Faith No More). I think your attitude here is what makes the world a better place - true friendship in the light of altering circumstances.

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  12. John,

    Just for the sake of historical narrative, the whole 'consistory' solidify a relationship that had been built through the numerous e-mails that some fellow bloggers and I began about a year ago.

    There is no structure or formality, it's just our informal group of reformed and evangelical bloggers who are in the PC(USA) at the moment.

    Stushie is already 'with us' in his theology and can be in the consistory whenever he wishes. But it is a dangerous place..

    And for the record, I would sit down (especially over coffee) with anyone, anytime, anywhere, no matter their theology, religion or lifestyle. I have atheist friends, agnostic-wimp friends, liberal/progressive friends and secular friends, but they know where I stand and I'll not budge one inch, unless they convince my by Scripture that I'm wrong.

    But also this does not mean that I would minimize differences that DO matter--to us, to the world that watches us and to God. Truth matters, at least to me.

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