Embracing and arguing with Peter Rollins...

One of the new theologians that I most enjoy - embracing and arguing with him at the same time - is Peter Rollins. He writes about theology, culture, the imperative for Christians to be heretical and so much more...

In a recent blog - www.peterrollins.net/blog - he shares a post-modern tract that he is working on that deserves the WIDEST circulation. And just below this blog, he reflects on one of the most important new - but disturbing - films to be screened at Cannes: "Antichrist" by Lars von Trier. Now there are two things that I want to celebrate about Rollins:

+First, he doesn't' take himself so seriously as to be a pain in the ass. That is, he is honest, flawed, fun, incomplete and totally human. He is a philosopher and theologian by training, but he is also a full person, too. He's the kind of guy you would want to share a beer with and talk about life and God and other stuff, too. In fact, one of the things his small group - Ikon - does is to hold a monthly dinner called "the last supper" where a leading intellectual is invited to share a meal and conversation with the IKON folk. She/he gets to stay around for another month - and another dinner - until such time as they start talking lame - then... it is the last supper! Freakin' brilliant.

+And second, he takes the upside down nature of Christ's kingdom very seriously. He doesn't give a rat's ass about the institutional church - that will have a life (or not) depending upon whether it is faithful or not - rather he is eager to nourish disciples who will be fed by Christ's spirit. And who just might be a source of light and hope for another. Here's how he puts it in a story from his most recent book, "The Orthodox Heretic."

Believe me, I understand that Rollins isn't for everybody - he can really get under your skin - but I resonate with him on so many levels it makes me rejoice! Let's have fun - and let's change the world - like Jesus did! I say, "Let's hoist a pint for Peter Rollins in the spirit of Jesus!"