Tag: Radical Discipleship

For What Do We Hope

On By RadicalDiscipleshipIn Subverting Empire, Theological AnimationLeave a comment

Ken SehestedBy Ken Sehested (right with grandchildren), whose fluency tends toward poetic expression, in response to our 2019 question, “What is your definition of radical discipleship?”

 “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone
who demands from you an accounting for the hope
that is in you: yet do it in gentleness and reverence.”
—1 Peter 3:15-16

To your feet, you pilgrims of faith’s long journey! Stand and pledge your allegiance to that nation-supplanting Realm to come.

For what do we hope?

We hope for the Beloved’s Promise to overtake the world’s broken-hearted threat. Continue reading “For What Do We Hope” →

What is Radical Discipleship?

On By RadicalDiscipleshipIn Cloud of Witnesses, Theological Animation1 Comment

John August SwansonBy Ched Myers, excerpted from “What Is Radical Discipleship? An Introduction to the Bartimaeus Kinsler Institute,” Ventura River Watershed, Feb 16, 2015

Radical Discipleship is NOT a dope slogan, or a mobilizing soundbyte, or a hip brand, or an ironic twitter handle. Hell, these terms aren’t even cool anymore. “Radical” is a term as unfashionable today as it was trendy in the 1960s. The notion of “discipleship,” meanwhile, is entirely shrugged off in liberal church circles, and trivialized in conservative ones. So let me explain why this is the handle of this Festival, why we insist on using the phrase. The etymology of the term radical (for the Latin radix, “root”) is the best reason not to concede it to nostalgia. If we want to get to the root of anything we must be radical. No wonder the word has been demonized by our masters and co-opted by marketing hucksters, and no wonder no one in conventional politics would dare to use the word favorably, much less track any problem to its root. Continue reading “What is Radical Discipleship?” →

RadicalDiscipleship Launching September 3

On By RadicalDiscipleshipIn Art as Resistance, Subverting EmpireLeave a comment

I don’t have a minute to hate. I’ll pursue justice the rest of my life.
Mamie Carthan (the mother of Emmett Till)

Tomorrow, on the anniversary of Frederick Douglass’ escape to freedom, Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries and Word & World will be officially launching a daily-updated blog to highlight the unique strand of North American “movement” Christianity. We are committed to being collective (welcoming a multiplicity & diversity of voices), convictional (unapologetically theological), constructive (creating a new world out of the shell of the old) and concrete (covering a range of personal to political practices, from reformist to revolutionary). Continue reading “RadicalDiscipleship Launching September 3” →