A Zombie's Advent Cry for the Day of the Lord

As we begin the season of Advent, where our hearts, minds and spirits are preparing for the dawning of Christmas day, the day of the Lord's physical entrance into the earth, we look around and see what has become of the world into which Jesus came.  Longfellow's-poem-now-turned-song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" echoes in my heart.

This is my Body - Given for You

As my neighbor and I observed the weather two days ago, we were thrilled to see sunshine!  Cabin fever had hit us both.  I was particularly ready to get out of the apartment since I have been in school for over a month.  With all of my classes online, I spend much of my non-working hours in the same room(s), and in the autumn and winter months, the darkness begins to wear on us here in the Seattle area.  So, when the sun broke through the clouds and it seemed to be likely that we would have sun the rest of the afternoon, my neighbor and I hopped in the car and drove eastward.

After a delicious lunch and a stop by a small town market for fresh veggies, we noticed a creek flowing freely nearby.  So, we slid down the slopes towards the creek, muddying up our walking shoes, and we looked around.  What beauty!  With the crisp autumn air, the vibrant hues of crimson and goldenrod above and the swiftly flowing creek just a few feet away, we began to maneuver over the stones. 

We passed a bridge.  Then, a funk rose to my nostrils.  A few feet later, my neighbor stopped in her tracks and turned towards me. "Doesn't it smell like fish to you?" 

Just before she had spoken, my eyes landed on the rocks near her feet.  Oh my!  She hadn't even seen it yet.

There at her feet lay a huge, moldy salmon with its eyes gone and most of the meat rotted out.  "There's a reason for that," I said, hardly containing my laughter, "look at your feet."

Her own eyes nearly popped out of her head and she shrieked, jumping backwards.  I nearly lost my balance and fell onto the fish from laughing so hard at her comment timing and response to our discovery.  Quickly, I whipped out my camera and snapped a photo.

As we continued our walk, adjusting to the smell and our surroundings, we realized this was not simply the remains of someone's lunch.  We were witnessing the end of the salmon life cycle.  Only a few weeks ago, we had seen a neighboring river nearly overflowing with salmon preparing to lay their eggs.  Now we were seeing the results of that life-giving effort.

Someone less interested in the macabre probably wouldn't have snapped a picture of the rotting salmon corpse.  But I was captivated by its beauty.  I still am.

This simple fish is willing to give everything in hopes of new life sprouting forth.  There are no guarantees.  Even if their eggs are fertilized and sheltered until they mature, the little ones must survive the treacherous journey downstream where predators lurk around every corner.  Still, knowing all that the little ones must go through and aware of the probability of failure, the salmon gives up its own life so that others may have the hope for new life.

This image of the salmon carcass gives me new eyes to encounter the Eucharist.  This is my body, given for many; this is my blood, shed for all. -- Jesus' willingness to give himself so that others may know the meaning of life -- this is a holy mystery embodied today in a salmon returning to the earth.

Hide & Seek for Zombies

The kiddo I nanny loves to search for bugs.  In the big rock pile in their backyard, the child picks up a rock, looks underneath to see what's there, and then marks the rock with a piece of chalk.  When a bug is found, the child laughs and does a special dance in celebration of the life that was discovered.  The child's joy is contagious!

What distinguishes the living from the living dead?  Certainly there are a lot of things.  The distinguishing mark that I'd like to focus on today is the difference between following and seeking.

One of the sad trends in the American Christian church across the denominations is a lethargy in worship and missiology.  We tend to focus on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as though it were the only thing that Jesus meant when He said, "follow me".

One of my dear friends this weekend, at a Unitarian Universalist fellowship, gave a homily on Proverbs 8.  This being one of my favorite passages (particularly as it relates to John 1) and she, being a very dear friend, I was eager to hear what she had to say.  The main focus of her message was the same as Wisdom's call to Her followers: "seek and you will find".  My friend encouraged her fellowship to seek after Wisdom, to be on the look-out for this thing called "God" and to ask lots of questions.  We who were listening were encouraged to not be complacent in our spirituality, to rise up and discover something new about ourselves, to allow ourselves to be challenged and to grow in unexpected ways through this spiritual, playful game of hide-and-seek with a jovial, loving Creator.

Light to the Ends of the Earth...

Or should it be light from the ends of the earth?

One of the books that I am reading for class this term (which just began yesterday -- welcome to my blog during the school year!) is The New Global Mission by Samuel Escobar.  Thus far I am a little over three chapters into the reading, but am finding quite a strong response welling up within, so here you go...

A major focus in Escobar's book is a challenge to rethink what it means to participate in Kingdom growth.  One of the sad truths about the way our culture often does mission work is that we focus on growing churches or denominations.  Escobar challenges us to evaluate how we are equipping women across the board as well as the oppressed or marginalized groups in the third world for ministry and mission. Allowing the voices of women, children, oppressed and marginalized peoples throughout the third world would curb our tendency toward top-heavy, or what Escobar refers to as “culture Christianity” (p. 59).  This reading, and indeed this class on Church and Mission in a Global Context comes at a fairly critical point in my vocational consideration.

As a woman who has felt the calling to ministry since I was a young child, I have found in recent years that the three denominations I have opened ordination conversations with are more interested in promoting their version of theology than of making disciples of Jesus the Christ.  The “non-denoms” that my husband and I have been visiting lately are showing that they are no different in this regard.  It seems that most churches do not recognize their neighbors down the street, and they either overtly or show through subtle hints and membership requirements that they are the true church.  Now, I could be wrong, but I doubt that this was Jesus' call in what we call the great commission.  My point in writing this is not to condemn these churches as they currently stand, but rather to acknowledge that I see things differently and I would like to see us open to other ways of doing church while all seeking to love and serve the same Lord.

If you have been following my blog up to this point, you probably know that I am currently seeking a community of grass-roots origin, and wondering what my role will be in such a group.  Having been called to a pastoral role from a young age, yet finding myself clashing with the current culture of the western church, I have felt fairly alone in my seminary studies despite being surrounded by fellow seminarians trying to find their way in the Kingdom.  I did not know until recently how beneficial my willingness to share my struggles and spiritual lament has been to my fellow seminarians and professors.  Perhaps it is best to work through these issues together as we each, in our own contexts, strive to remember what it is to live to the fullest measure.

My husband and I have had some experience with a smaller community, but since it sprouted forth out of a typical congregation, we found that for most who were involved it was simply an interesting experiment, and many have returned to their “old ways” of doing church.  Remember several months ago when we looked at the bio-hazard symbol and my icon found at the top of this site?  The inward focus which was not part of our Lord's original gift of life has overtaken us, and it often infects our churches.

I strive to fight that infection with the help of Sophia-Spirit but, like the apostle Paul, I find that it is a difficult battle to wage.  Still, like Escobar, we are looking for a different, outward-focused way to follow Christ.  He says that our passions may be re-ignited by interaction with the two-thirds world (p. 69) and the missionaries who are flowing forth with a “new expression of Christianity” (p. 15).  I hope that he is right because I have been greatly disheartened by the processes and requirements for the western church leadership and recognition of ministers.  Perhaps the light that we need cannot be found within our walls.  It might not be the ends of the earth that needs the light; it might just be that the Light needs to come from the far corners of the earth so we can find our way back to the side of our Beloved and live to the fullest measure.

There’s nothing easy about saying goodbye to an old way of thinking.  Thus far, Escobar has not set the conditions to allow for proper lament, but my life has.  My journey leading up to, and throughout, my seminary years thus far has brought me to a place of great transition and, although there is room for lament, in the midst of it is potential for great joy.  One of the videos we watched for our discussion this week spoke of "giving up".  Although it was focused on giving up our resources so that others might have greater potential to thrive in the mission field, there is a different way that we may need to “give up” as well.  I know that for me, this means giving up an old way of seeing “pastor” as a job title and instead embracing a pastoral way of living no matter my occupation.  What might it mean for you?

Zombie in Training

Hello, dear ones,

It has been several weeks since my last post here.  After going on vacation at the end of July, my mind and spirit remained in the zone of relaxation, and my creative juices have been focused mostly on kinesthetic activities.  The computer has sat mostly unused save for a few minutes to check e-mail and see how my friends are doing via social media sites.  

Crocheting has been the focus of many of my evening hours of late.  I have three friends who are expecting, and their status has prompted me to pick up the hooks and yarn after months of hiatus.  I've made several blankets over the years, but never attempted anything more intricate.  In the last month, I've learned to create hats of all sizes, circular blankets from a pattern and even made my first bootie, though I have decided I need some smaller hooks and a more delicate yarn for that final project in the future.

During the days that I haven't been working, I've been taking advantage of the sunshine that, here in the pacific northwest, (especially the Seattle area) we receive in rather small doses throughout the year. After realizing how zombie-like I had become during the school year, and seeing the effects of my neglected physical body, strengthening and tending to my body has taken a high priority in the last month.  For a year and a half I've been walking with my neighbor a couple of times per week, but lately running, dancing, tai chi and, more recently, rollerblading and weight lifting have become more and more appealing.

Zombies Brewing

"The Taste of Blood & Brew"
Photo by Trista

My husband and I just finished watching Beer Wars -- a documentary about the beer industry and what it takes for independent brewers to get any traction.  What a wretched business!

Don't get me wrong; I very much enjoy beer.  I support the small companies in our area and buy niche' products when I can.  My irritation comes from the knowledge that the beer giants do everything they can to eliminate their competitors.  What is worse, though, is that Americans buy into their marketing campaigns. 

Even worse than mindless consumption is the devouring of our politicians' brains by this (and the other two) corporate giants.  By taking their money, our senators and house representatives pledge to support these beer companies' interests, and they all work together to keep the small, delicious companies out of our reach.  There is a question posed at the end of the movie.  Will we have access to the beers that we like, or will we allow the corporate giants to tell the government what we should be able to drink?

I think that we have this question in many arenas, not just in the brewing world.  It boils down to whether we buy into the marketing campaign or whether we choose to employ our brains.  Every dollar that we spend sends some message to someone.

Photos Are Updated!

Hello, dear ones!

Are you hungry for more visual stimulus?  I've embedded a new zombie slide show under the Zombilicious Photos tab at the top of this blog.  The photos are hosted by Photobucket, and you can view my profile here if you wish.  I'm slowly but surely getting my pictures edited and posted from delicious summertime activities.

Enjoy!

Pride & the Apocalypse: Are Zombies Better than the Living?

"Night Life" - Photo by Matt Wynne

When I am in school from September through halfway into June, homework sometimes (fairly often, actually) takes over my night life.  This leaves very little time for television.  When shows that we're intrigued with are on, they're usually recorded and saved for later.  The summer is "later" for me, and my husband and I are catching up on the AMC series The Walking Dead.  We're taking it one episode at a time and allowing each one to percolate a bit and fuel our evening banter and creativity. 

Reanimation or Rejuvenation: Calling the Salt of the World

Hello, dear ones!

I have returned from my vacation, though the discernment continues.  Thank you much for your prayers!  Now on to today's post.
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One of the radio shows now turned podcast that my husband and I enjoy on a regular basis can certainly get a little strange.  The visual aids for one of their recent shows includes a couple of videos from YouTube of headless animals' cells being activated by salty solutions.  In the first video, a headless squid dances in the sushi bowl after soy sauce is poured over the legs.  Most of the squid is still in tact, but it is missing the head of the central nervous system.  In the second video, the lower half of a frog still moves and the muscles twitch when salt is sprinkled on it.  It was a fascinating (and rather disgusting) thing to observe.

When my husband suggested that I create a post about zombie animals, I didn't know what I would write about, but very quickly I thought about Jesus' observation that we are the salt of the world.  Is this what He meant?  Are we simply called to be sprinkled in order to keep the muscles of creation animated until He returns?  Is pouring  ourselves into a disconnected congregational reality the best use of our saltiness?

Engaging the Hands, Heart and Brain

Dear ones,

This week through the end of July I am prayerfully journeying through a discernment vacation.  I appreciate your thoughts and prayers as I engage my senses, my heart and my mind in conversation with the Spirit of God.  Today's post will be brief, and may be the only one for the next week, but I shall return with focus and intensity following my time away.

"Crashing Waves" - Photo by Trista Wynne

Over the past weekend, my soul-sister and I traveled to the Washington coast where we spent several days and evenings reconnecting with the realm of the eternal.  Sometimes we all need to simply stop, and to allow the Spirit to whisper.  Sometimes She sings a gorgeous melody.  At other times, we hear nothing at all, but we know the Presence of God is near.

Re-telling the Wheat & Weeds Suburban Zombie Style

Photo by Trista Wynne

On Sunday we looked at the overarching theme of good and evil in a variety of terms.  In the zombie world, we decided that life and death (or more specifically, living-dead) are the terms we're most likely to use.  Speaking of the living-dead is a poignant way of looking at our in-between (and neither) existence. 

In Jesus' day, agricultural existence, and therefore, language, was the norm.  Sunday's gospel lesson came from Matthew 13 where Jesus tells a parable about the Kingdom of God using imagery of wheat and weeds.   I suspect that if He was speaking for today's suburban areas, He might have told a parable based in science or art.  Today, I'd like to relay the parable of the wheat and the weeds in suburban-zombie-friendly language.  Since Jesus was fairly flexible in telling Kingdom parables with either male or female characters (see the parable of the lost coin and that of the lost son in Luke 15, for examples) I'll have a female character represent God here.

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What Am I? -- Wheat & Weeds Zombie Style

"Jell-o Brains"
Photo by Trista Wynne

It's a question that every zombie asks themselves as they become self-aware.  What am I?  Am I living or am I dead?  The answer is neither and both.  It's a strange identity to have, that of living-dead.

This, however, is exactly what Martin Luther means when he says we are both saint and sinner.  Long before him, the apostle Paul talked about the two parts of himself that battle one another.  Flesh and spirit are the terms Paul used.

No matter whether we use terms of flesh and spirit, saint and sinner, wheat and weeds, or living and dead, we are all referring to the same phenomenon.  At the church we attended this morning, we looked at the parable of the wheat and the weeds.  In this parable, Jesus talks about the harvest fruit growing up right alongside of the weeds in His garden.  The wheat was sown by the Lord and the weeds were sown by the adversary, and both are growing together until the day of the Great Harvest.

If we think that we are only wheat, we're likely reading the parable wrongly.  If we think we are only a weed, the same is also true.  At the present time, we are both, and we are neither, just like a zombie.  The day will come when all of the parts of us that resemble weeds will be blown away like chaff in the wind.  All that remains will shine like the sun and we will be a glorious sight for our Lord and God.

We look forward to that day because we know that all things will be made new and there will be no more suffering, death, tears or war.  We will not have the desires to trample or maul one another in order to reach the top of the mountain.  We won't bite and claw one another to feed an insatiable appetite.  Peace, justice and mercy will abound.  Until that day comes, dear ones, we simply wrestle with the fact that both life and death abide within us.  We do not wrestle alone.  Our Lord is working with us, and those who have fought this fight before us are encouraging us along the way.

Be strong, dear ones, and know that the Spirit is breathing new life into you even as you read this.  The day of the Lord will be very good, and that day is coming quickly.  May God bless you and hold us all close as do what we can to become signs of life in a living-dead world.

Amen.

Who are Your Heroes?

This is Balla the dog.  On several occasions, she has been known to sprout pretend wings and soar around the house helping those in need.  "To the rescue!" the child I nanny shouts, and then off they go to rescue some other toy or pet who appears to be in grave peril.

Yesterday, the preschooler I nanny was talking about their heroes.  The child's mother was listed in the number one spot, "because she helps people, and that's what heroes do".  This woman is a wise, gifted, naturopathic doctor, and she does help a lot of people.  I agree.  She is a hero!

A short while later, the child also said that I was a hero, too, because I help the child.  I am very blessed to have such affirmation given in my job without request!  What a gift this child's simple observation was for me.

Wide-Eyed Wonder -- A Child's Playtime Teaches the Church

"Wide-Eyed Wonder"
My cat watches as I open
a birthday gift.
Photo by Matt Wynne

In the world of a child's playtime, there is no end to the joyful mysteries one can find inside an ordinary box, whether real or imagined.  The preschooler that I nanny often "picks" pretend flowers for me to smell and gives me plenty of imaginary tea and cookies every day.  This child loves to hold ordinary objects as an adult might do with a dazzling jewel or a precious piece of art.  Today a tiny beanbag was delicately handled with wide-eyed wonder.

"Look, Nanny," the child whispered with excited intensity, "it's a special present for you! Guess what's inside!" 

I held out my hands for the child to place the beanbag in, and immediately I was caught up in the fascinating imaginary play.  What could be inside, I wondered.  The package was so small and plain looking.  What could the child be imagining it was?

Under Construction

Matt & I at the Summer '09
Zombie Walk in Seattle
Photo by http://nightzero.com/

This site is under construction.  I've been experimenting with a new look for this blog.  It has taken a while to re-adjust the content and gadgets so it all flows together nicely.  I may still be working out some kinks for a bit, so please be patient.Navigating a construction zone can be incredibly frustrating.  Working on the construction can be just as difficult.

Today I'm thinking about the 520 bridge connecting Bellevue to Seattle over Lake Washington.  The bridge, and a large section of road on either side of it, is closed this weekend.  Long lines of traffic are backed up crossing the I-90 bridge and the sun is beating down on all of the cars.  Despite the electronic signs indicating for weeks that construction was imminent, drivers still get upset while they're waiting for the renewed roadway to open up.

Remebering How to Ride

Zombie Bike Ride Seattle
Photo by Matt Wynne

I haven't ridden my bicycle in over a year.  Getting on after that amount of time caused my heart rate to skyrocket, especially when my husband led me out toward the main road.  Still wobbly and unsure of which way to turn the nobs on the handlebars in order to shift up or down, I followed after him cursing under my breath the whole way.  Eventually we made our way into a more secluded area where we didn't have to pedal so quickly and I could experiment with shifting gears without worry of falling into traffic.

When I was a child, I'd ride my bike with great freedom.  I had no gears, and pedaling backwards made the bike stop when I needed it to.  This adult bicycle with lots of gears causes me trepidation, but I am determined to re-learn how to ride a bike since this is my husband's desired form of exercise and I want to be with him.

What's in the Mirror?

ZomBcon Prep - Oct 2010

Looking at myself in the mirror before a recent zombie walk in Seattle, I laid the foundation for the bloodied zombie that was later reflected therein.  Sometimes I wonder what we as a church might see if we looked together in a mirror.  I wonder if we really know how we are perceived.

What might we see if we did some self-reflection?  Would we like what we see?  Do we want others to see us this way?  Do we have bloodstains and sunken eye sockets or are we full of life and vitality?What would we change if we could? 

Mortal Combat

No, I'm not talking about the video game; (otherwise I'd have spelled combat with a K) instead, I'm talking about combat in the mortal, or physical, realm.  My husband and I just finished watching The Fighter.  In this movie, a boxer overcomes some intense personal and professional struggles in order to attain the world welterweight title in the 1980s.

Photo by Trista Wynne

I have to say that I have an incredible respect for hand-to-hand combat.  One of the sad trends in zombie movies and books is an intense focus on combat from a distance.  You want to keep the enemy away from you and kill them before you can even recognize their (former) humanity.  As my husband and I slowly work our way through The Walking Dead, (I was attending class when it was on, so we recorded it to watch during summer break) I am delighted to see that zombies are treated humanely. 

A Grateful Zombie

Tonight's post comes from my evening prayer journal.

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Hello, Beloved!

Photo by Trista Wynne

Thank You for this beautiful day!  What a blessing it is to inhale the coconut scent of the sunscreen slathered on my skin!  What a delight to dance in the sunshine and read in the courtyard!  How wonderful to receive the sunshine vitamin without the hassle of supplements.

I loved the way my body felt after the long hill-filled walk this afternoon through the city!  Thank You for the gift of mobility.  I certainly appreciate the valuable resources of a healthy body!

A Simple Zombie Credo

The following was just posted in response to a comment on ZombieTheology.  I invite you to read the post here, and then to continue reading this one.

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Dear Sonny ~

You said,

“Zombie Theology isn’t about finding cool walking dead references in the Scriptures (we’ll have fun with some of that, who can resist?), it’s about the disease. How it’s contracted,how it’s spread from host to host. How they can be stopped (got to shoot them in the Soul, their head) and the most important question of all, how do we cure ourselves once we are bitten by the overwhelming Zombie Army?”

Here, dear one, is the gospel: we don’t have the cure. God does. The cure came in the form of Jesus Christ and is being distributed by the Holy Spirit breathed into the world as Jesus breathed His last. Jesus came to resurrect our imaginations, to give our brain-dead appetites something other than each other to gnaw on. One day, all of creation and all of humanity will remember the goodness and freedom it was crafted with. We look forward to that day.

You are right when you say that many Christians are acting in ways that resemble zombies. We are part of a world that is infected with the virus, (or the toxin, or the radiation, whatever imagery we find in zombie literature can be applied). We’re born into it, we’re raised by infected beings, and we’re exposed to it every day. The zombie infection is everywhere. It’s what gives all humans (and other animals, for that matter) a tendency towards violence, self-preservation, destruction of others and other behaviors that are not conducive to societal uplifting.

Are we Human?

In the zombie apocalypse the first thing most people think of is the violence of survival.  Simply getting by day to day is exhausting in the days, weeks and even months following a disaster of any degree. Imagine then, one where our family and friends have completely lost their sense of humanity.  It may cause us to loose our own sense of self as well.

Consider your zombie survival plan.  Our survival kits, particularly those geared for adults, almost always hold a wide variety of weapons and martial arts manuals.  We want to become as efficient as the enemy in killing.  Murder is never very far from our brains.  This is particularly true in times of war, upheaval or, for our purposes in this discussion, in the time of the zombie apocalypse.

Touch a New Perspective

I love music!  I have since I was a little girl.  Singing along to my parent's LPs of the Beach Boys or Peter, Paul & Mary, my ears and vocal chords have been trained to pick out harmonies, to match cadence and to blend well with others from a very young age. 

Since I have graduated from college, I have added a few instruments to my musical endeavors.  You may have seen the photo of my hand drumming in an earlier post, or a photo of my sweet twelve-string which I have used to lead worship for two and a half years.  Despite my love for music, walking in to an instrument store used to depress me.

Oh I loved the instruments and the shine and the sounds, but I was always held back by something.  I couldn't see myself playing these great works of craftsmanship.  As far as I was concerned, the precious instruments were always  meant for somebody else, someone who had more time, more talent, more money to spend.  I would never even look at the instruments that were at eye level, only those close to the floor or on the clearance rack.  That's what I allowed myself to touch.

Stimulating our Collective Memory

This post is the seventh in a chain blog begun by Alan Knox.

We have been exploring the arena of divisive issues within the Church.  Here is what we've looked at so far:

1. Alan began the chain, setting the stage and posed several questions for our pondering in “Chain Blog: Dealing with Divisive Issues Introduction”.
2. Arthur laid a foundation of love for our conversation to be built upon in “Chain Blog: Dealing with divisive issues starts with love”.
3. Jeremy showed us the power of asking for forgiveness for our own contributions to the dividedness of our Church in “I am divisive”.
4. Jon posed several excellent questions for our pondering and invited us to explore the unifying aspects of our faith traditions in “Chain Blog: Please agree with me”.
5. In “Division and our shared humanity”Andy took us back to the beginning, to the garden of Eden where our forgetfulness began.
6. Bobby explored our dividing issue through a mathematical lens in “Chain Blog: solving the problem”.
7. In“Divisiveness: Acts 2 & Ugly Carpet” FallenPastor made us all shake our heads at the silly things that we divide over, like the color of the carpet in the sanctuary, while also addressing some more serious issues.

All of the men who have written thus far have been phoenomenal contributors. I encourage you to read their posts before continuing with my post here, which is the eighth in the chain.

Beautiful Bride

In my last couple of posts, I have engaged a few of the materials which I am joyfully devouring over my summer break.  As a seminary student, I often have several books strewn about the coffee table and a few more on my nightstand, and a couple in each of my backpacks.  My mind darts about between the piles of books while each term continues, and I begin to compile a running list of topics that I want to bring into my final paper for each course.  So, during the summer I usually have several books that I am scanning, a little at a time, as my mind settles into a more relaxed groove.  This evening I dive into another book that has fallen open from my shelves.

Zombie Women Unite!

"Zombie Women Drum!"
Photo by Matt Wynne

The Fremont Solstice Festival is an expression of joy and freedom birthed out of a love for the arts.  My husband and I very much enjoy the culture and atmosphere in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.  (Perhaps one day we'll live there; for now we simply visit when we can.)  Today Matt and I participated in the Solstice Parade, which inaugurates the beautiful days of summer.  It is our third year of drumming for Delilah's bellydancers, and we love it!  My body, mind and spirit are consistently rejuvinated through my interactions with the women who dance as well as the men and women who drum for them.

Likewise, when I attend a local women's drum circle each month, I almost always come away feeling unburdened.  I stand taller, breathe more easily, think more clearly and love more fully as a result.  These gatherings allow a fullness of self-expression, creative energy and a whole-bodied seeking after a Source beyond ourselves.  To be honest, it has been a while since I've experienced a similar feeling in a corporate worship gathering.  I look for it, and the search will go on, but I suspect that the kind of gathering I am looking for is more like a large family than a corporate gathering in a distant building.

A New Way of Life

There is a difference between simple survival and transitioning into a new way of life.  One of the sad features of most zombie films is that the characters are often so focused on survival of the current time that they neglect to prepare for the future.  In The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead, Max Brooks reminds us to prepare not only for the immediate needs during the initial outbreak, but also the sanity and hope infusion that is necessary for health in the long haul.  Remember books, games photographs, instruments and crafts, he says, for many a survivor has gone mad and lost hope from listening to the incessant moaning of the undead.

Attacking our own Reflections

It's crazy, isn't it?  This bird is endlessly attacking its own reflection in the window.  No matter how many times it slams its beak against the glass, it will not remove the perceived threat.  It is only weakening itself, and potentially depriving its young of their parent.  The next generation may not have life because this generation is exhausting itself in futile attempts to protect itself.

My Icon

Greetings, fellow zombie theologians!

I'm delighted to share an icon design with you for this site.  If you have read the first couple of posts here, you know that I am an artist as well as a student of theology and a zombie lover.  My second post, Working on the Art, linked to a beautiful tattoo design that I located on the web.  A bit of my theological observations regarding the bio hazard sign can be found in that post.  Building on that, I was inspired to craft my own icon.  You can find it below:

Theological Zomnbie Student Icon - Acrylic on Paper - Art by Trista L. Wynne - 5 June 2011

Living in a Zombie World

As part of my seminary instruction and preparation for ministry, one of our required classes at Fuller Northwest is Homiletics.  In this preaching course, we are given the opportunity to preach for one another and to hear future pastors in action.  For my second sermon, I chose a passage from Paul's letter to the Ephesians in which he is reminding that fledgling congregation that because they know the hope that is found in Christ Jesus, they are called to act in ways that are different from the dark, tumultuous world around them. 

Hearts & Brains (Faith & Reason)

In an excerpt entitled Physician, Heal Thyself from an upcoming book, Dan Allen (zombietheology.com) shows the dangers that come from the faith healing sect of Christ-followers. I am torn as to how I respond to this. On the one hand, he's absolutely right. Many of our brothers and sisters have left the Church or faith altogether on account of the branches of our brethren who rely solely on heart/faith. On the other hand, I, like our brothers and sisters who are drawn to such teachings, wish that it was that easy.

You are What you Eat

Fake brains! Who wants them? Give me the real stuff!

In John's gospel, Jesus says that He is the True Food and True drink. Nothing else will eternally satisfy our hunger. To the woman at the well in Samaria, He says that all who drink from that well will be thirsty again, but those who drink from the water I will give them will never be thirsty again. 

Working on the Art

This tattoo design that I found on deviant art is similar to a symbol I'm developing for this site and my book.  It incorporates both the biohazard sign and a symbol that can reference the Holy Trinity. 

Check out this awesome art!

Opening our Minds (Yum!)

Grace and peace to you!

It has been a dream of mine to merge my love of zombie culture and Christianity into one place for several years.  I hope to compose a scholastic, culturally-rich book exploring Scripture through a zombie-tinted lens with the new generation of church in mind. Until my publishing dream becomes a reality, I will endeavor to post notes, homilies, thoughts and visions here. I invite you to join me as we ponder the resurrection of the body, the apocalyptic discussions infusing our local media, the fractured society in which we find ourselves, and the general malaise which threatens much of our culture today.  Church and zombies are not so far apart as it seems at first glance.  Let's explore this overlap together.