The Institute for Cultural Engagement, an official program of Multnomah University and Biblical Seminary
Author: Beyth Hogue Greenetz
As the Administrative Coordinator for New Wine, Beyth has the unique privilege of having found the “sweet spot” where her skills and passions meet. She brings a history of event planning, an educational background in both theology and sociology, a fascinated interest in culture, and a restless heart for community.
The privilege of being kingdom-bearers is perhaps the most humbling and transformative opportunity in our Christian lives. Beyth praises God for the divine reality he manifests through New Wine and she eagerly awaits what he will reveal in the midst of our usually-willing hearts.
Outside of talking theology, Beyth loves to travel and see the way life is lived outside of Portland’s trendy enclave. But her heart always brings her happily back to Portland, yearning for a good cup of coffee and the embrace of loving community.
In this podcast series, New Wine Director Dr. Paul Louis Metzger interviews various individuals who will be speaking at the Church & State conference on October 27 at Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
In this first installment our guest is David Austin. David is the Program Director for Mercy Corps’ operations in North Korea. Talk about an interesting job! David also serves on the New Wine Advisory Council and leads us well in the area of Christian diplomacy. He gave the keynote address at the 2012 New Wine banquet and famously confessed that the work our New Wine community engages in on 82nd Avenue during Friday Franks intimidates him more than the work he does in North Korea. We aren’t so sure about that, but we hope to learn from David’s conflict resolution skills in how he engages very complex and tense political situations.
New Wine Director Dr. Paul Louis Metzger talks with District Manager for Pagan Federation London Mike Stygal and Foundation for Religious Diplomacy Evangelical Chapter Director John W. Morehead. They discuss matters of religious diplomacy between Christians and Pagans and explore why the two groups generally have a hard time interacting with one another.
How often do you CONNECT with others who are across the religious and political DIVIDE? Do you model hospitality or hostility? Inquisitiveness or inquisition? As difficult as it is to reach out across the divide, it is worth the risk to do so.
On Monday, September 3rd at 7:30 PM, Powell’s City of Books (1005 W. Burnside in Portland) hosted an interfaith dialogue/exchange between evangelical theologian, Paul Louis Metzger (Ph.D., King’s College London), and Zen Buddhist priest, Kyogen Carlson (ordained Shasta Abbey; certified teacher, Dharma Transmission and inka).
Dr. Metzger and Abbot Carlson talked about Dr. Metzger’s newest book, Connecting Christ: How to Discuss Jesus in a World of Diverse Paths (Thomas Nelson, 2012) and how it relates to their longstanding relational connection. They spoke about how they approach one another through their respective faith traditions and seek to model civil discourse during times of severe tension and distrust in political and religious affairs involving the left and right in America today.
Photo by Jennifer Brinkman, Tricycle Magazine
Dr. Metzger and Abbot Carlson are close personal friends and partners in interfaith discourse and civic affairs. Their work together has been featured in various settings, including the Buddhist magazine, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and the Christian journal, Cultural Encounters: A Journal for the Theology of Culture. In addition to Prof. Metzger’s exchanges with diverse religious leaders in his Connecting Christ volume, Abbot Carlson responds to Dr. Metzger’s essay on Buddhism in the book. They recently wrote an op-ed article in The Oregonian that focused on how religious leaders and politicians can and should connect with one another over the common good rather than crash into one another and burn through heated rhetoric. Dr. Metzger and Abbot Carlson recently concluded a year-long study on hospitality and neighborliness through a grant provided by the Association of Theological Schools and which involved constituents of their respective communities, Multnomah Biblical Seminary and Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland.
Here are 12 thoughts that Dr. Metzger and Abbot Carlson engaged at the event:
#12 What can an Evangelical Christian theologian and a Zen Buddhist priest learn from one another?
#11 What do a Zen Buddhist priest and an Evangelical Christian theologian have to teach us?
#10 Are “odd couple” relationships key to living normal lives? Buddhist priest and Evangelical theologian say “Yes.”
#9 How did the Evangelical theologian and Buddhist priest cross the road to get to each other’s side?
#8 Buddhist priest and Evangelical professor declare: We’ll all lose if we try to win at the other side’s expense.
#7 Evangelical professor and Buddhist priest assert: It’s more “difficult” to be thoughtfully moderate than to be on the far right or left.
#6 Evangelical professor and Buddhist priest discuss how religion has a vital place in the public square.
#5 Buddhist priest and Evangelical theologian agree: Without tradition we are like a tree without roots; we will soon fall down.
#4 Evangelical professor and Buddhist priest claim: we are losing the art of compassionate living.
#3 Buddhist priest and Evangelical theologian share: For the sake of all beings, be self-aware.
#2 Evangelical theologian and Buddhist priest exclaim: be inquisitive, not inquisitional in approaching the religious other.
#1 Buddhist priest and Evangelical theologian discuss how “tolerance” can be a cop-out for the hard work of compassion.
If you couldn’t make it to Powell’s on September 3, check out the audio (linked above) and let us know what you think in the comments!
On Wednesday, June 28, Dr. Paul Louis Metzger spoke on the subject of God’s family table (taken from 1st Corinthians 11 and Galatians 2) at Life Change Christian Center. LCCC is pastored by Mark Strong, a partner in the John 17:23 Network.
Pastor Mark Strong has a forthcoming book called Church for the Fatherless: A Ministry Model for Society’s Most Pressing Problem. (It is available for pre-order and will be available wherever fine books are sold.) Addressing fatherlessness is a major focus of the John 17:23 Network and the network has been shaped in part by Dr. Metzger’s teaching on “the table”.
In this podcast series, New Wine Director Dr. Paul Louis Metzger interviews various individuals who will be speaking at the Church & State conference on October 27 at Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
