Friday, August 19, 2005

Complimentarity and Perspectives on Alternative Spiritualities in the West

John Drane recently made me aware of a website with some interesting articles with perspectives that dovetail with this Blog. The website was for an electronic publication called The Bible in TransMission produced by the Bible Society in the United Kingdom. The publication issue with the relevant articles may be found here http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/l3.php?id=300.

Three articles are of particular interest. They are part of an exchange between Christopher Partridge and John Drane. Partridge, who's work I referenced in my last post on "occulture", is Professor of Contemporary Religion in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at University College, Chester, U.K. Drane was teaching practical theology at Aberdeen University in Scotland, and is now pursuing full-time writing. I have the utmost respect for both of these scholars, and encourage the readers of this Blog to secure as many of their books and articles as possible. (A few are listed in the Recommended Books link of this Blog.)

Partridge and Drane's exchange referenced above focuses around differing perspectives on the re-enchantment of the West. Partridge comes at the issue from the perspective of a religious and cultural studies scholar pursuing a phenomenological methodology. Drane approaches the topic from the perspective of missiology and theology. In this Blogger's estimation, both authors raise valid issues for consideration, and their differing perspectives and methodologies, rather than being contradictory and exclusionary, support the need for evangelicals to triangulate to their understanding and response to emerging spiritualities and ministry in a pluralistic Western context by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach.

This interesting exchange can be found in these installments:

"Alternative Spiritualities, Occulture, and the Re-Enchantment of the West" by Christopher Partridge
http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/exploratory/articles/partridge05.pdf

"New Spirituality and Christian Mission" by John Drane
http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/exploratory/articles/drane05.pdf

On Kairos Moments, Alternative Spiritualities, and Phenomenology: A Response to John Drane" by Christopher Partridge
http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/exploratory/articles/partridgeresponse05.pdf

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