Imago Dei

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Dec 12th, 2007 by Amanda

Last week I sent this email to several people I know:

Greetings!

I’ve been in a somewhat creative mood for the last few weeks, and, in trying to find an outlet for it, thought of a great idea (I think, anyways).

One of the things I’ve been mulling over recently is how Paul affirmed truth wherever he found it. This tells me that believers shouldn’t be afraid to look and learn from nonbelievers. I’m a big fan of online collaborative efforts like Wrecked for the Ordinary or Burnside Writers Collective, but I’m interested in one that isn’t exclusively Christian. I want to see an online community emerge full of people from all walks of faith (or no faith) that agree that all humanity is worthy of compassion, generosity, and mercy.

I don’t know if this is possible. I don’t know if it’s possible to put these kinds of people together and not have them trying to convert one another. But I’d like to try. I’d like to see people put aside their differences for the greater good. I’d like to see us learning from one another and inspiring one another and encouraging one another.

Would you like to join me? If you would be interested in participating in this joint effort, let me know. If you’re not, but you know someone else who might be, feel free to pass this email along to others.

I still don’t really know what this will look like. There have been folks who have expressed interest, and I’d definitely like to get moving on this. Essentially, what I’m thinking at this point is that each week there would be a topic/issue and people would write about it from their own perspective (whatever it may be). This would not be an opportunity for debate or argument. There would, of course, be forums where discussion could take place, but the main site would not be an appropriate place for finger pointing and the like.

All of this is open to discussion, of course. Any suggestions or ideas are also completely welcome.

10 Responses to “Idea for Community”

on 13 Dec 2007 at 8:00 am1Carl Holmes

You REALLY want to check out Samir Selmanovic and Faithhouse Manhattan. Google it or it is on the side bar at my blog. They are doing a great job with inter faith dialogue. It is in it’s infancy and it is wonderful.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 11:45 am2Berlzebub

Perhaps it could be done as a blog circle, with a different contributor hosting it each time. We’d have to figure out what subject we’d be writing about, but we could probably communicate that through email.

Should we call it something like “Common Ground” since that seems to be the basic premise behind it?

This would not be an opportunity for debate or argument.

How about dicussion? I’m pretty sure that would be inevitable, anyway.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 1:44 pm3ontheedgeofmyseat

I’m happy to help in any way I can.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 6:22 pm4Amanda

I like the idea of calling it Common Ground, but I’m not sure I want it to be like a carnival. I envision it in a permanent place as an actual website. Of course, I don’t make the decisions dictator-style.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 6:57 pm5techskeptic

Of course, I don’t make the decisions dictator-style.

Why not? Not everything has to be a democracy. Its your idea, and you will probably need to lead the effort to some degree.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 7:01 pm6Musicguy

yeah, having too many cooks in the kitchen equals chaos. You’re going to have to be a dictator every now and again. The beginning is as good a time as any.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 7:19 pm7Amanda

Too many cooks does equal chaos - but there’s only a handful of people interested at this point, and I don’t think a handful of people (especially grown people) would equal chaos.

I do plan to “take the lead” when necessary. But I don’t want to take over either - the whole point is to be collaborative. A community.
on 13 Dec 2007 at 7:53 pm8IAMB

I threw the same idea around a while ago, but it never got much interest. However, I’d be up for it. I have to go with my original blog name, though: Talking Across the Fence (it would have to have a banner with a picture of Tim the tool man talking over the fence to his neighbor).
on 14 Dec 2007 at 6:25 am9Berlzebub

Amanda:

I don’t think a handful of people (especially grown people) would equal chaos.

You even have more faith in people than I do, Amanda.

IAMB:
I like your idea, but I’m not sure that it would fit well with (what I think is) Amanda’s ultimate goal for this. The reason I thought of Common Ground was the way Amanda described it. She seems to want us to focus more on our similarities than our differences. So, a fence wouldn’t be very symbolic of what she wants to try to accomplish. (If I’m incorrect, let me know, Amanda.)

Re: “Too many cooks…”
I actually agree with Techskeptic and Musicguy. Although, I wouldn’t say dictator. I’d think of it as you having a controlling interest. It is your idea, and you should have the final say in how it’s all done.
on 14 Dec 2007 at 11:38 pm10Kristen

This actually sounds right up my alley. I’d be interested to see how it unfolds…