Rev. Dr. James Alison to Speak at Living Table on March 22, 2023
by The Office
James will share his thoughts on "Beyond Individualism" and how the church might reshape itself in the future. This post contains details - read, share, and save the date!
You won’t want to miss this opportunity to be in conversation with James Alison. Living Table UCC is honored to host James for an evening of envisioning a new future for church. Mark your calendars now (March 22 @630pm Central) and share this post to invite your friends!
Beyond Individualism
What might it mean to recover “catholicity” (small c) as institutions crumble? And can Christianity be reimagined as something that helps us, both socially and individually to deal with shame, rather than reproduce and magnify it? James will share something of how he is getting a sense of “where we are now” and ask us where we would like to take it.
About James Alison
James Alison is a Catholic Priest, theologian and author. He earned his doctorate from the Jesuit Faculty in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. James has lived in many countries and works as an itinerant preacher, lecturer and retreat giver. His professional life has been dedicated to the interpretation for theology of the thought of René Girard, and he has a number of books to show for it. Over the years James has firmly but gently faced down Church authority on matters gay and lived to tell the tale. Learn more about James and his writing on the author’s website. When not on the road he lives in Madrid with the French Bulldog, Nicholas.
How to Attend
This will be a hybrid event starting at 630pm Central time, with James and others in the small sanctuary at New Branches and the Living Table interactive Zoom technology providing access for remote attendance. You can attend either in the room or on Zoom. If you have a verified account, sign in for the Zoom passcode in your dashboard.
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About The Office
Posts from the office are composed by church staff and leadership at Living Table United Church of Christ in Minneapolis, on behalf of the church membership. We are so glad that you are here. Welcome.
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The old Spirit of the Lakes UCC got to host/hear James many years ago, and he’s “the real deal”! I look forward to see where his thinking and experience have taken him nowadays.
Doug, I am also looking forward to what he has to say!
I’m not able to attend. Is there any way this can be taped and added to our private site? Perhaps not with copyright issues.
Char
Char, You’re right re: copyright issues. This event is not going to be recorded.
I would like a zoom password for the Allison talk tonight. Thank you
There is a request form here to get it. I also emailed you the passcode. Peace.
I need the password please!
For all of you who are members, you can sign in and get this (and any) Zoom passcode for yourself, in the dashboard area.
The link to sign-in in on top of every page. Once you sign-in, you will be automatically redirected to the dashboard.
For guests/non-members, fill out the Zoom passcode request form.
James’ talk was interesting and insightful.
I was especially interested in his thinking that as the Church became “Empire-ized” (sorry, but I love to make up words), the idea that “God” is at the top of a power pyramid and hands down moral dictates and then we’re supposed to “be good” and earn God’s love–well, Alison says that’s all screwed up. That the power and drive for moral behavior is right here “at the bottom” of where relationship happens–it doesn’t come down to us from “on high.” Relational power moves through and between all of us, right here and now–goes out laterally rather then up/down.
These are my own interpretations of part of what he was saying. But I have to say, he’s alot more hopeful about the institutional church than I am. So be it.