The DIVINE MYSTERY which we call “GOD” is BEYOND the BEYOND and BEYOND that also! So, how do we embark on the journey of Lent once we have moved beyond theistic notions of “GOD”? How do we follow the radical teachings, life, and death of Jesus into the wilderness of Lent when we no longer believe in a supernatural being which requires placating? Once you no longer believe Jesus was or is a sacrifice for sin, the various atonement theories which have undergirded so many of our Lenten practices fail to lead us into or out of the wilderness toward RESURRECTION.
Tinkering with our Lenten traditions is NOT enough! Our world is in desperate need. There’s precious little time for wallowing in worship which fails to lead us BEYOND the desert to RRESURRECTION! Radical 21st century theology empowers us to move BEYOND atonement theologies, BEYOND worship which relies on penal sacrificial thinking, BEYOND preaching which pays lip-service to Jesus’ teachings, BEYOND rituals which require insider knowledge, BEYOND singing hymns which inculcate medieval theologies, and BEYOND participating in journey which demands that we suspend reality so that we can tamely follow the church into the wilderness.
Worship is a powerful tool which holds the potential to empower the embodiment of the DIVINE MYSTERY which is the LOVE that IS GOD. Worship has the power to form and to transform worshippers, empowering the radical nature of LOVE to move us BEYOND the wilderness of LENT into RESURRECTION!
So, whether you are a worship leader, a creator of liturgy, a preacher, a teacher, or more importantly, someone who aspires to follow Jesus, this course is designed to nurture and challenge you as together we embark on a Lenten journey which promises to provide resources to inspire RESURRECTION!
Resources for worship leaders, preachers, musicians, and Followers of the Way, will be provided in advance of a weekly Zoom seminar to discuss various empower the embodiment of LOVE in the world.
To sample the kinds of resources which will be offered you can check out the resources provided for Ash Wednesday – Click here
Once you register on the People’s Catholic Seminary teachable platform, (Click here to register) you will have access to resources for the First Week of Lent. Resources will include weekly video lectures together with sample sermons, provided by Dawn Hutchings, who has been developing Lenten liturgies, preaching progressive sermons, and teaching progressive theology for 23 years. Our first Zoom seminar on Tuesday February 21st at 7pm EST, will set the format for opportunities to look ahead to each Sunday’s readings. So, worship leaders, Lenten study facilitators, preachers, and liturgists will have resources with which to inspire RESURRECTION. Those who are simply looking for new ways of understanding as you seek to follow Jesus’ Way of being in the world, will discover resources for your personal Lenten journey.
Good to hear from you again, I missed your emails!
Even though it provides a frame of reference for the subjects under discussion somehow the term “worship” seems terribly inappropriate or at least inadequate.
Thank-you for this comment Michael. It gives me an opportunity to think again about the limitations of language. Years ago progressive theologian Michael Morwood spent some time in the parish I was serving. We had many long conversations about the limits of language during which Michael challenged me to come up with a word to replace “worship” with. To this day, I am unable, despite many attempts to find a word in English which describes what we are doing when we gather to open ourselves to MYSTERY. Yes, “worship does provide us with a frame of reference. Sadly, this frame of reference is built upon generations of imagining the DIVINE MYSTERY as someone out there to which we must bow. Once we give up theistic notions of the DIVINE and begin to speak of this MYSTERY in panentheistic ways, the reality that the MYSTERY is ONE in which we live and move and have our being helps us to see beyond the “other” and open ourselves to the beauty of MYSTERY in, with, through, and beyond ourselves. This changes worship, for me, into an opening as I see all things in the DIVINE and the DIVINE in all things. I can then bow in reverence to ALL. I shall continue to explore other ways of expressing that which is inexpressible. All suggestions are welcome! Shalom, dawn
This is an exciting resource, Dawn! On Tuesdays throughout Lent & until May 9th, I’ll be cofacilitating The Spiritual Exercises Set Free (beyond atonement, without patriarchy and it’s embeddedness in the unconscious). Let’s continue to send one another positive prayerful energy on the Journey we continue to share. Love,
Elaine
Blessings Elaine…I shall hold you in my heart and thereby my prayers. Very interested in how your efforts inspire!
Hi Dawn. I’m interested in this course of study, but live in the UK which means a midnight start. I can’t see in the description how long these sessions last. Is that information available somewhere? Thanks.
Each Zoom session will be 90 min. I will record the sessions and post them for participants. I hope you will be able to join us. I know of 2 people from Australia who are considering joining us and I trust that international participants will add much needed perspectives. Shalom