I was googling this morning, trying to find a specific Tony Campolo quotation (it's one where his langauge is a tad colourful) and stumbled upon this you-tube clip which seems to me to speak an attempt at 'outrageous generosity'.  I don't know for sure what his take is on this issue (various are reported on the web) but he touches something helpful in this little interview...

I love HymnQuest, I type in the theme or a keyword and it shows me hymns and songs that fit the bill.  Little plug - if your church doesn't already use it, consider buying it, it's fab.

Anyway, this morning I'm starting to look for hymns/songs on the 'outrageous generosity' theme.  So, after looking up generosity as a theme, which was a bit disappointing, nothing very exciting popped up, I used 'outrageous' as a key word and found several hymns/songs I don't know which seemed to connect:

'All will be well' - how to embrace this madness, by Bill Thomas, speaks of outrageous hope

As Christ's body we move forward, by Jill Boyce-Tillman, speaks of outrageous liberty

Come let us enter in now,  by Mike Busbee, Louise Fellingham and Nathan Fellingham, speaks of outrageous grace

Outrageous love, that dares to breach, by Andrew Pratt, speaks (obviously!) of outrageous love

There's a lot of pain, but a lot more healing, by Godfrey Birtill, speaks of outrageous grace

There were three others which used the word 'outrageous' but they didn't quite fit as the use was more conventional!

God's outrageous love and grace gives us outrageous liberty and hope... wow, that's a sermon in a sentence!

These songs/hymns reflect the full breadth of the theolgical spectrum and many different traditions, but each hints at the outrageous generosity of God.

Will I be using any of them?  Probably not, but I've enjoyed reading them.

Here's Bill Thomas' little hymn anyway:

1  'All will be well' - how to embrace this madness
    when earth itself is broken and in pain?
    When daily living overflows with sadness,
    such optimism surely is in vain?

2  For even Jesus (God!) was not protected
    from anguish, torture, and a robber's grave.
    If God's self-revelation is rejected,
    how can we trust that there is power to save?

3  Yet pain and grief can never be victorious,
    despite the grip of doom and stench of hell:
    for Christ is raised from death, ascended, glorious,
    to give outrageous hope: 'all will be well'.

     Bill Thomas (born 1961) © 2001 Stainer & Bell Ltd

Working from home today, on the basis that, with this cold, if I had a 'real' job I would stay home to avoid passing it on to others.

A quick look at HymnQuest turned up this hymn by Percy Dearmer for All Saints Day:

1  Unknown and unrewarded,
    Their very names have died -
    Thy true church through the ages,
    The remnant by thy side:
    These pure in heart did see thee;
    From dross of self refined,
    They spent their lives for others,
    Courageous, peaceful, kind.

2  For many learn the doctrine,
    And lose it in their rules,
    And many drown thy Gospel
    In clamour of the schools;
    But thy true saints have found thee
    In all things as thou art;
    These followed thine example,
    The orthodox in heart.

3  Wise were they all, and simple,
    And meek, and strong, and sane,
    Beloved and loving were they,
    With laughter in their train;
    They turned from fame and riches
    A happier way to choose,
    They understood thy kingdom,
    They welcomed thy good news.

4  O why so few that follow?
    And why are we so far?
    Their gracious way is easy:
    Our dullness makes the bar.
    O king of saints, inspire us
    The love of self to slay,
    Till, all our ranks advancing,
    We throng the narrow way!

    Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

I rather like it... and verse 2 seems to echo some of the ideas about 'outrageous generosity' that gospel can be obstructed by 'right' theology... I guess what the liberation theologians would allude to as the tension of ortho-doxy and ortho-praxis.  The phrase 'orthodox in heart' seems a helpful one as we negotiate our way in a complex and confusing world.

Anyway, as we remember saints official or unofficial, it's good to pause and see where we each fit into the story

'You should be wise as serpents and innocent as doves'

OK, so what does that really mean?  Is it actually possible to be trully savvy, astute, intuitive, thoughtful and wise whilst at the same time being gentle, vulnerable, open-hearted, positive thinking and innocent?

Which is our more natural leaning, and why?

Does 'wisdom' have the potential to slide into cynicism and mistrust, the erection of barriers, of a seige mentality that refuses to take risks?

Does 'innocence' have the potential to slide into gullibility, foolhardiness, abdication of critical faculties, of an attitude that risks all in a foolish way?

How do we respond when our tendency to one or other proves unhelpful?

I wonder, gentle readers, which is your greater tendency - suspicion or gullibility, defensiveness or openness, self-protection or vulnerability?

This post is not a response to one 'event' or 'issue' just me wondering 'out loud' where and when I lean too far to one or other extreme, and why.

Wise AND innocent... that's a tough call!

Archdruid Eileen links this song and wonders about it.  It is, after all, written by a man and takes the 'Jesus is my boyfriend' motif to a whole new level, imo

Carl Beech reflects on his unepxected evening in a gay bar - unexpected as he hadn't realised it was - and asks 'what is good news for a gay person'.  Inevitably, like all of us, he has presuppositions and ideas what that means, and it's hardly a new question, but it is a valid one.

Just wonder what might have happened had he offered them the song, which comes from the Vineyard expression of Christianity...

Sorry, just feeling far too michievous this morning.  (save me a seat near the fire...)