The Assembly has gathered after committee meetings; Talmage Johnson, an emerti General Superintendent, is currently reading from Psalm 122 to begin the morning. After his "devotional" they will announce the results from the fifth ballot. I have found out a litle about Dr. Duarte. He is a native of the Cape Verde Islands -- a place that had a very strong Nazarene presence from the 1960s on. He was ordained in 1981 and has a Masters in Leadership from Azuza Pacific University. He is the director of the African Region; speaks English, Portugese, and four African languages. He is a very soft spoken and gentle person by all accounts. He seems a wonderful gift to the church.

Continue reading "Live Blogging: The 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene"

Posted by johnwright at 7:07 AM | Comments (1)
Filed under: Reflections

Voting for the General Superintendents has begun. First, resolutions involving the number and nature of the office needed handled. All proposed changes were soundly defeated, about 70% to 30%. Then incumbent GS's were voted upon.

Continue reading "Live Blogging: The 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene: GS Elections"

Posted by johnwright at 5:30 PM | Comments (1)
Filed under: Reflections

This morning the Assembly proper began. After various introductions, formalities, and clarification of rules, the General Superintendents began the Assembly as required by a “State of the Church” address. This address represents the work of the Board as a whole rather than any one GS as in the services and sermons. The address possessed deeper reflection, was more tied in with our tradition, and had more thickness in Christian convictions than the sermons during the convention. It tied together trends over the last decade, and tried at the same to keep the church united in mission and resources. Jesse Middendorf read the address in a measured tone, supplemented by power points. Likewise, the delegates and the observers were measured in their responses.

Continue reading "Live Blogging from the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene: Not Business as Usual: The “State of the Church” Address"

Posted by johnwright at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)
Filed under: Reflections

The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene instructs that General Assembly, held every four years, begins on Sunday with a service of the Lord’s Supper and a full day for worship and devotion. This section of the Manual was read this morning by Jesse Middendorf after a very long, grandiose, loud orchestration piece as the call to worship. We knew it was a call to worship because first announced over the sound system was “Life from the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando Florida” for the internet audience. Until the Manual explanation by Dr. Middendorf, the introduction to the service again seemed very much based on a televised or movie award show that wants to tell its audience that “they” are part of “history” by watching the show.

Continue reading "The 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene: The Sunday Morning Service"

Posted by johnwright at 9:18 PM | Comments (1)
Filed under: Reflections

We arrived at Assembly this morning about 6:15 am, Pacific Standard Time. Yes, I was and am very sleepy. When I returned to my brother’s house last night, my nephew, Danny, and I went on a run; Kathy went right to be, exhausted with her fibromyalgia and the exertion of the day. When we got here today, Kath went immediately to the children’s bible quizzing. The children’s quizzing on the Saturday before the assembly brings many families to the assembly who would not otherwise come – over 1800 quizzers, and 3300 family members this year. Most likely the past success of children’s quizzing in drawing people was one factor that led to Orlando as a site. I wonder how many families will blow off going to the Communion Service tomorrow morning for Disney or Sea World?

Continue reading "Saturday: Live Blogging from the General Conventions of the Church of the Nazarene"

Posted by johnwright at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
Filed under: Reflections

The Friday service has begun. One looks up at the "platform" and can see the influence of Charles Finney and the "awakening" service with its emphasis on "new measures." The room is a convention hall -- concrete floors, stacking padded seats -- and very large. I am impressed by how many are here (in the thousands), but the room swallows us. To keep our eyes fixed on the front there are three lighted circles suspended above the podium -- showing lavender and pink images. MTV, Grammy Award type television shots move larger images in front of us from the platform. In the middle is a "podium"; a 10 person vocalist group leads music (very loud), with live background orchestration. A childrens choir stands off to a side in front. Farther off to the side is a massive cross. Flags from nation-states across the world stand farther to the side.

Continue reading "Live Blogging: 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene: Friday night Service"

Posted by johnwright at 4:12 PM | Comments (0)
Filed under: Reflections

Hello from Orlando, Florida! I'm sitting in the back of the "sanctuary" while the NYI convention votes on various resolutions. Kathy and I arrived last night around midnight local time. We are staying with my brother, north of Orlando. Kathy is now working at the Women's Clergy booth. Interesting, here first contact there was a man who came up and asked her how she could support women in ministry. I hope over the next few days to keep up with the affairs and share my impressions and analysis with the proceedings. Hopefully the wireless network will keep up.

Continue reading "Live Blogging from the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene"

Posted by johnwright at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)
Filed under: Reflections , Reflections

Yesterday was my half century mark. I ran a little; read and proofed Jonathan Tran's superb upcoming book with Blackwell, The Vietnam War and Theologies of Memory: Time and Eternity in the Far Country; we went to an Indian buffet for a late lunch; I napped; taught a class and bible study at church; and had ice cream cake.

It is a little strange turning fifty. I don't feel "that old" but notice that I have memories of events that stretch farther and farther into the past. For instance I remember listening to Oscar Robertson playing NBA basketball for the Cincinnati Royals. More and more persons look younger than I do when I go out in public. It is interesting to realize that I received my PhD 20 years ago now.

Continue reading "Fiftieth Birthday"

Posted by johnwright at 7:38 PM | Comments (2)
Filed under: Academic Articles

Last Thursday was District Assembly. I found it much like joining to an extended family reunion. I walked in and found people whom I had not seen in a long time, but have shared life with in a significant way; I greatly respect the a core of pastors who have been on the district for a long time, faithfully ministering, persons like Tom Taylor, Dwayne Edwards, Steve Rodeheavor, Robyn Hyde. After settling in for while, though, one goes through a different phase as one listens to the discourse going on. One wonders, “Did I show up at the right place? Surely these can’t be my people!?” Then as one listens longer and harder, one hears the family characteristics behind and deeper the newest programs, events, formulas, and languages. One is humbled that God has brought me into such a family, filled with such foibles, some foibles that I fully share, some that I’ve rejected, but other new ones that I’ve developed myself.

Continue reading "District Assembly"

Posted by johnwright at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)

Last night the streets were somewhat sedate. It is the beginning of the month – those with limited income have moved to the Single Room Occupancy hotels for a few nights of rest behind a door – one of the little secrets is that many of the so-called “homeless” are forced to live on the streets part of the month because of the inadequacy of their fixed incomes. The depths of connection with those who have built their own neighborhood around the post office grow – we’re now known as “the sandwich people.” I have come to admire those who live with such dignity in such a situation, and pray to expand our presence there.

Meanwhile I’m heading toward finishing my introductory and concluding chapters to my interviews from years back with George Lindbeck, David Burrell, and Stanley Hauerwas. My reading and reflection in these years have shown me how deeply culture and institutional structures shifted in the 60s to form the current “left-right” continuum, and to make cultural discourse – and theological discourse – about “identity” defined by praxis rather than commitments to the Transcendentals of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness – which, of course, Christians find unified as One in the Triune God.

Continue reading "AAR presidential address and Bonhoeffer"

Posted by johnwright at 1:22 PM | Comments (0)
Filed under: Reflections