God has not only given Christians a story but has included, incorporated, them in it as well; we as a church have been given ample time to tell the story. That we have the time to perform it–not once but repeatedly, inventively, faithfully–is an assurance that arises not from our own abilities as actors and performers but from God, who is the story’s author, playwright, the choreographer, the producer, the composer as well as the conductor of the work.” ~Stanely Hauerwas, Performing the Faith, 103
16 Nov
Posted by M. Jay Bennett on November 16, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Interesting to think of telling the story as a part of the story itself and part of our performing it. Should we include our telling the story as part of the story we tell while we are performing it (which of course includes the telling of the story while as part of the story while we are performing it)? :-)
Posted by M. Jay Bennett on November 16, 2009 at 6:56 pm
*omit the first “while” in the parenthesis
Posted by Wes on November 17, 2009 at 3:27 am
Yes, telling the story is definitely part of our responsibility to perform it. Our sermon at church on Sunday was based on Acts 7 and Stephen’s speech and stoning. At this point, Stephen’s most fitting action was to recount the plot of the theodrama in broad strokes, then putting himself and those to whom he was speaking directly in the story. We too are part of the story we tell, which is why if we are not improvising our part in fitting ways, the story we tell is not nearly as believable.
Posted by M. Jay Bennett on November 17, 2009 at 11:54 am
Sounds like good homiletics to me.