ClarkeComments.com

Hello everyone:

Well, I am somewhat caught up in my Astronomy and Criminal Law classes for today, so I have a minute to sit down and blog.

As I wrote in my last post, I’ve been really busy with school. Work slowed down just about the time school started so that my activity level stayed just about the same. Now that has changed.

I’m still under an overtime freeze at work, but now I’m taking a fire apperatus operators classs for work during work hours. This is taking up some of my time. Also, my wildland fire classes are starting with the first one starting next week, so my schedule is very messed up.

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On the Restoration and Unity fronts, the Stone-Campbell Dialogue has issued a study guide and brochure on how to create a local Dialogue in your own community, in advance of the 2008 anniversary of 200 years of our movement.

This just came out a week or so ago, and was publized today in the Disciples News Service news brief for the week. This comes at an interesting time for me. Back in March or April when Sara and I went to the Stone-Campbell Symposium, I met the Regional Minister for the Disciples in Oregon. I then contacted her via email and we agreed to speak more and work together on something to promote unity within the Restoration Movement. She told me that she would be busy until November or so, but that we could start working on it then.

So, is it coincidence that the S-C Dialogue put this out right when they did, or is it providential? My faith tells me that there is something more than mere coincidence working here.

If the Disciples minister agrees, I want to persue a local S-C Dialogue here in Portland.

So…if you are in the Portland Metro area, or know someone who is a member of a restoration movement church, I’d like to hear from you. This project will take a lot of work. Its likely to get some strong reactions from some churches in the area, and some of those reactions will probably be pretty negative.

And you’ll hear about it here first.

-Clarke

Hello all:

I am finally done with school this term. I don’t have all my grades back yet, but it looks like I’m going to be getting a 4.0 this term. I have never gotten all A’s before…ever. But, its been 8 years since I’ve been in college, and I’m a little more dedicated this time around.

Next term, looks like I’m going to have to get some of my general ed. requirements out of the way, so I’ll be taking Intro to Astronomy for my lab science, plus a health or a math class probably… They are offering World Religions, which fits my schedule, but I’m not sure I’ve be able to handle that class along with a science class and another substantial class.

I have the opportunity to take Restoration History at Northwest College of the Bible for free fall term, but scheduling and work load might keep me from doing this. I’ll keep you updated on school as I know more.

-Clarke

Hello all:

Well, I was supposed to talk about Christianity in North America in class today, but people went so slow that they didn’t get to me, so I am going next week.

However, we’ve now been assigned a final project. We are supposed to select an individual from Church History, and offer some sort of presentation on that person. What the contents of that presentation is is pretty much up to us. The professor likes creativity, and encouraged monologues (or dialogues if you can find someone to work with).

I talked with my instructor about my idea and she approved it.

I selected Thomas Campbell. I will be reading Campbell’s Decleration and Address to the class as if I am Campbell himself. I’m very excited about this, because this gives me the chance to present the Restoration Plea to the people that I’ve been in class with for all these weeks. The majority of my classmates are already believers, and only one person there besides me knows anything about the RM, and he is a member of an Independent Christian Church congregation.

I think one of the things we need to do as members of Restoration churches is to reclaim our claim and appeal for unity, not just inside our movement, but outside. More and more I think the social and religous climate around us is ready for a message of Christian love, discipleship, and unity. We need to take advantage of this climate and renew our plea of the restoration of Christian Unity through going back to Bible basics…this time being more tolerant of those who come to different conclusions on periphial issues.

I hope that this is one such opportunity to do so.

-Clarke

Hello all:

I’m taking a break from homework. I figured I’d write a quick blog post to let everyone know I’m still alive.

I have to give a 20 minute presentation on Christianity in North America to my History of Christianity class. I got assigned North America because I went to the Pepperdine Lectures and the Stone-Campbell Symposium, missing two weeks of class. My professor decided that since I have such an interest in the Restoration Movement that I would be good fit for North America.

The text we are using A World History of Christianity, mentions the Restoration Movement twice. It mentions Cain Ridge and the emotional excesses of the revival, and it mentions Alexander Campbell and the Christian Association of Washington, Pennsylvania.

On page 430, it says this about our movement: “The Christian Association, spearheaded by Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), attempted to recapture the unity of the Christian Community through a form of radical restorationism. Arguing that the New Testament was the only true guide for the Church, they offered as their maxim ‘where the scriptures speak, we speak; where the scriptures are silent, we are silent’. Such movements, however, rather than overcoming the divisions, contributed to them.”

What do you think?

-Clarke