7/23/12 BLOG: QUESTION, LANGUAGE, PLUS A REQUEST
The Question: “Who is the target audience for your blog, Bob: clergy or laity?” That question came from a guy who is both a respondent to what I have been blogging, and also a very dear friend. He elaborated on the question by reminding me that if I was writing to laity (to him), then I needed to be aware of my use too much confusing theological jargon. Good point!
My answer is that, unequivocally, I write primarily to that 95+% of the church who are God’s people, the laity (Greek: λαος), or “the saints” (of Eph. 4:12), and who are the cutting-edge of the church’s mission through their daily incarnation as the children of Light, whatever and wherever that may be. I also do really want to see the church returned to the laity, and I would like to see the pastor-teacher role re-conceived into its original intent: that of making disciples, of equipping every one of God’s people so that they can function maturely as the sons and daughters of Light, wherever their 24/7 incarnation places them. This is, and has been for a half-century, what motivates me, and comes straight out of that Ephesians 4 description of Christ’s gifting of his church for its mission (along with apostle, prophet, and evangelist – but that’s a whole study in itself).
Language: But, yes, I am a product of the liberal arts and theological academies, which means that I speak the language and use the jargon of “the clergy-seminary subculture” all too much, … and I guess I need to apologize. But then, every geographical, professional, and social sub-culture has its own language and jargon, which always needs translating to those unfamiliar with it. One learns this early on. The summer, during my grad-school days, when I worked in the Firestone regional warehouse in South Philadelphia was the first time I had been outside the South, and I had to learn the colorful jargon of those South Philly warehousemen. (Profanity was an art-form!)
Through years of one-on-one encounters with friends in the medical, engineering, IT, industrial, agricultural, etc. subcultures, and their particular language, … I have learned to understand this reality.
Request: My blessing in all of this has been close friends with whom I have been engaged in significant conversation, and who would sometimes tease me, but then ask for clarification or explanation with tough questions, or responding critically but helpfully to my public teachings, … and so keep me honest, even as I was helpful to them in their quest for faithful discipleship.
Blogs only provide occasion for dialogue as you, my readers, avail yourself to the Comment access on this website.
Primarily, I would cherish a friendship in cyberspace with you when I can be in some dialogue with you, and, to a degree to be a long-distance disciple-maker.
Thanks. I do aspire to be lucid.
