Welcome back to Kairosblog…

Friends, random observers, colleagues, brothers and sisters:

Welcome back to Kairosblog. From the date-stamp on my last post, it looks like we’ve been defunct for almost a year, but in truth it has been longer than that. I’ve, frankly, missed being here, and I’m glad to be back.

The first incarnation of Kairosblog was pseudonymous–by which I mean that I wrote under the pen-name Kairos with the intention of not being plainly overt about who I was. I did this for several conscious reasons: the main being that I wanted the flexibility to be able to blog about things in my ministry in a manner that might not be as free-form if I wrote under my name. I also found it more freeing to speak openly about some contentious issues in my presbytery if I were anonymous. The entire time, I took great effort to be fair and to not use anonymity as an excuse to engage in hyperbole or character attacks or the like. That was never the point, and would have been an abuse of by ordination vows and contrary to the reason I got into blogging in the first place.

Events happen, and I was asked by the presbytery to get involved in some of those issues after they began snowballing, and eventually I became Moderator of what is called a Committee of Counsel for the presbytery in a church court proceeding. Those circumstances led me to put Kairosblog on hold while I worked on our church’s behalf. (If you want to see the result of that work, you can read the pastoral letter I wrote the presbytery or the judgment of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (pdf), which is kinda the Supreme Court of the Presbyterian Church USA in these matters).

In the meantime, my identity became an open secret, and I never had any real desire to be hidden. Secrecy was not the goal; authenticity was.

With the resolution of the GAPJC case behind me, I’m itching to get back into blogging on the things I found so invigorating before. I admire so many friends and colleagues who are blogging right now (including, but not limited to of course, landon, not prince hamlet, jim, carol and brian, bruce (doing a GREAT job as moderator of the PCUSA), jan, mark, adam…the list grows on and on) and I want to be part of that conversation.

I’ve been inspired by eugene cho‘s take on why he blogs, and I crib much of it here: I blog to process my own thoughts, to connect with the larger faith (and non-faith, for those who come here otherwise) community, to record my journey, and so on. And I think eugene is right on with this reason too:

To someone reveal that pastors or Christians aren’t stupid religious people that don’t have the ability to engage in humor, critical thought, or have “regular” lives.  I’m a Christian and a follower of Jesus but I ain’t perfect, saintly, or perfectly holy.  I fart just like you and sometimes, they’re bad.  Really bad.

So I’m ready to re-engage that conversation again. In so doing, please note four things:

1. I’ve decided to import many of the older Kairosblog posts back into this new incarnation (running wordpress now, instead of typepad). Many of the links are old and out of date. Very very few of the pictures transferred over, and have subsequently been deleted. Some of the posts that I feel are not relevant have been removed, as have some of the posts that were appropriate under an anonymous context but are not now appropriate.
2. As before, I am going to be consciously expansive in my linkage policy and in my welcome to any who want to be present here to read. I am clearly a progressive Christian. I see things from that vantage point, that particular stance, and can only write from within it. I do, however, believe deeply in intellectual honesty and good will, and therefore try to read and understand as many different points of view as I can, try to find the merit in all of them, and think that we do better in community discussion than in expression of individual fiat. This is why the first incarnation of Kairosblog linked to all sorts of things, and why this one will likely do so as well.
3. I have a rather tight comment policy. Essentially, it is this: I welcome a diverse articulation of points of view here. I will endeavor to be as lenient as I can with comments. I will not allow comments that are not germane to the particular thread at hand, that are rude, abusive, insulting (of myself or others), or the like. Neither of those relate, necessarily, to the content of the discussion that might be taking place. But, in short: My blog my rules.
4. Finally, this blog is simply and only an expression of my personal opinion (and sometimes my musings, and not even my opinion). It does not in any way represent the views of the church I serve, Southminster Presbyterian Church, which itself is a diverse community that has many views, from liberal to conservative. Nor does it represent the denomination that has granted me ordination, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), or Heartland Presbytery, that grants me membership, or my colleagues in ministry. I know that there are many who will find agreement in what I write, and some who might find offense. I apologize for the latter. But this blog represents nothing but my own thought, which by the Grace of God will be useful in some measure to this broader enterprise we’re engaged in. I take complete responsibility for anything posted here under my moniker, kairos, which I plan to continue to use.

I continue to find Adam Walker Cleaveland‘s blog design compelling, so I’ve (again) taken his lead on themes. He’s a good designer, so check him out. He freelances at Cleave Design.

Thanks for being here. Peace and grace be unto you…