a new life and a new light

I am trying to get into the swing of working 8-5.  Emily and I have been getting up at 5:30 which gives her some time to prepare spiritually for her day filled with 9th and 10th graders.  I get up and read blogs, post comments, and try to peel my eyelids open.  I have been getting to work at 7:15, where I sit in the coffee shop until 8 doing some morning reading. Lately I have been reading Karl Barth’s commentary on Romans.   I am fascinated by Barth, and as always I think “how can Barth speak to Quakerism.”  It is surprising how much he has done that is helpful to us.  I must confess I am much different than other Quakers because I love systematic theology, Biblical studies, Philosophy and Missiology.  There is little of this written by Quakers (I know our fear of systematic theology – but we can get over it) in the way of these fields, its out there but hardly compares to all the history that has been done.  The problem with so many history books is that they don’t offer the interpretations from then to today.  This is the job of the other fields, and this is (in my mind) not being done or done well.

I have begun (only barely) by creating a wiki, called “New-Light Quakerism.”  I intend for this to be a large group project by many voices, hopefully those who are serious about their tradition and faith – though as in good Quaker fashion dissenting views are also welcome.  I will post more on this later.