Academy Meeting in San Diego
January 5-8, 2006
Sidebar Conversations
At the common lunch time on Friday, January 6, there is opportunity for what we are calling sidebar conversations. Tables in our lunch dining area will be set aside each of the formally organized conversations. At this point, there are five such conversations to announce:
Music Conversation
Contact: Scott Weidler
Members of the former music seminar would like to invite anyone interested to meet other musicians in the Academy for this to share what you're working on, your concerns, and so forth. Pick up your lunch, find the music table, and join in the conversation.
Meeting Environment Planning Group
Contact: Carol Frenning
The purpose of the meeting is to gather those willing to help with making our worship and meeting spaces less 'institutional' and more reflective of the Academy—and to do it well on a limited budget.
Advent Project
Contact: William Peterson
This conversation concerns a proposal for a new seminar group focused on reclaiming the celebration of Advent. For a fuller description, see the Advent Project flyer from William Peterson.
Toronto 2007 Local Committee
Contact: Paul Turner
Those who have volunteered to serve on the Toronto 2007 local committee witll meet with Paul Turner over lunch to begin their planning for next year’s annual meeting.
Academic Institutes and Centers Conversation
Contact:
Thomas Schattauer
The directors (or representatives) of institutes or centers focused on liturgical study and practice and affiliated with academic institutions are invited to meet for what could become an ongoing conversation about common interests.
And there may be other conversations that will organize formally or informally. Watch for further announcements at the meeting.
The Advent Project (aka: The Parousia Plan)
What is it?
First, a meeting of people interested in a new seminar group.
Who is calling it?
William H. Petersen, member of NAAL, Societas Liturgica, & the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation; professor at Bexley Hall and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH.
Where & when?
12 Noon, “Sidebar” Discussion at Lunch, Friday 06 January 2006, Hyatt Regency Islandia Hotel, San Diego, CA
Prospectus
This seminar group would have a unified focus with a three-fold expression. Its purpose would be to reclaim this season of the liturgical year from the Christmas culture and at the same time provide an alternate vision of the “end times” than those promoted in millennialist, fundamentalist, or rapturist viewpoints. Its mission would be:
- to work ecumenically for the expansion of the season from four to seven weeks (polity aspect);*
- to collect & collate or produce & provide appropriate Advent worship and homiletical resources for clergy & congregations (liturgy aspect);**
- to author or solicit the development of scholarship that will support and interpret this proposal for liturgical renewal (doctrine aspect).
Rationale
The churches long ago lost Advent to the culture of Christmas—it is often seen only as a preparation Jesus’ birth and the great eschatological themes (best felt when listening to a choir sing this Revelation text within Handel’s Messiah: “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever...Hallelujah!”) fall prey to usurpation by “Lessons and Carols” on the first Sunday of Advent. The churches also have practically failed to use Advent to challenge the eschatological hermeneutical ground taken by millennialist, fundamentalist, and rapturist views. A longer season and revised approach to Advent will begin to address the intellectual, emotional, and volitional void resulting from these cultural erosions in the church’s life and mission. Friends, we need to move from hand-wringing to response!
*Good news: the Orthodox are already there!
**More good news: the CL & RCL are already there, too!