Event: Idea Camp Coming to Portland

Idea Camp followed us on Twitter a few days ago, but other than liking the name, I didn't think much of it.  Then, last night, two of my friends invited me to the Facebook event listing for the Portland event.  Now, I don't know about you, but I get a lot of "invites" on Facebook, and most aren't worth my time, but since I recognized the name, I took a look.

If you're familiar with the OpenSource software movement, or the openspacee format of the un-conference, you'll recognize this format.  I've attended various tech events locally, and have been thinking the Church needs to embrace this format of reaching out to our culture, but I haven't had the time to make it happen - yet.

In a nutshell, what this does is to take your online social networking into the real world - and vice versa...

But here it is, live, and coming to PDX!

More details here: http://theideacamp.ning.com/page/icpnw-details

Related articles by Zemanta

• Why You'll Love Portland, Oregon (centernetworks.com)

Pitcairn: Paradise Lost

Seventh-day Adventists have had a longterm interest in Pitcairn Island. It has been presented as a model case of the Adventist life. Pitcairn Island has also fascinated the wider society for over 200 years. Way out in the middle of nowhere in the South Pacific, it was discovered by the British in 1767, and populated in 1790 by a group of mutineers from HMS Bounty and a number of Tahitian men and women led by Fletcher Christian. Alcohol, murder, disease, and a range of other nasties killed off most of the population. John Adams began reading the ship's Bible and the Church of England's Prayer Book. The islanders converted to Christianity and constructed 'a new and peaceful society' that has become legendary. They later became Seventh-day Adventists. Here is what Sir Charles Lucas wrote in Pitcairn's register book in 1829:

Many notable cases of religious conversion have been recorded in the history of Christianity, but it would be difficult to find an exact parallel to that of John Adams. The facts are quite clear. There is no question as to what he was and did after all his shipmates on the island had perished. He had no human guide or counsellor to turn him into the way of righteousness and make him feel and shoulder responsibility for bringing up a group of boys and girls in the fear of God.

He had a Bible and a Prayer Book to be the instruments of his endeavour, so far as education, or rather lack of education, served him. He may well have recalled to mind memories of his own childhood. But there can be only one straightforward explanation of what took place, that it was the handiwork of the Almighty, whereby a sailor seasoned to crime came to himself in a far country and learnt and taught others to follow Christ. (cited in Ford 2008, emphasis supplied)

Idyllic, exotic, Christian, peaceful, crime-free, away from the rest of the sinful world, 'the handiwork of the Almighty'. Wouldn't you just love to live there?

Until recently, you might very well have wanted to. The problem is that, in 2000, a police investigation began that was to uncover widespread, decades-long, multi-generational child sexual abuse that probably goes back to the beginnings of the island. Almost every man on the island is implicated and almost every girl who lived there has been a victim of this abuse. The ensuing trials have torn this small community apart and the romantic mythology around Pitcairn Island is forever gone.

Kathy Marks was one of only six journalists allowed on the island during the trials. Her book Pitcairn: Paradise Lost tells the sickening tale of the generations of abuse, the trials, and the aftermath down to its conclusion in 2007. Well — the conclusion as far as legalities go. The women who suffered at the hands of the incredible evil of men, who were allowed to perpetrate these crimes, suffer on as these pedophiles and abusers are "punished" with sentences that are minimal compared to what they would receive in Australia or New Zealand.

Marks's book is agonising to read. Her story is divided into two parts. The first part is on the island itself as she describes Pitcairn's 'surreal little universe in the middle of nowhere'; the romantic mythology that has developed around Pitcairn — now completely shattered; the courage of one girl who finally speaks out about the pervasive abuse; the wielding of power by a few men who are free of the normal legal accountability of most decent societies; the duplicitous propaganda spread by even the women on the island who try to rationalise away the perverse behaviour of even their husbands and sons; and the trials that were frustrated by women and girls often manipulated to retract statements or withdraw from being witnesses.

In Part 2 of the book, the author "steps back" from the island and views 'Pitcairn from a distance'. How did the myth of Pitcairn develop? What role did politics and power play in the events on Pitcairn? And he silence and collusion of women and visitors who worked on the island. The story is heartrending as Marks documents how these little children were abused and raped as young as 3 years old. The men (and women) on Pitcairn Island accepted that 'this is just the way it is' on Pitcairn. While the image of a Christian society, free from crime, was perpetuated by those living on Pitcairn and authorities that interacted with the islanders, men were brazenly forcing young girls into the forests of the island and destroying their innocence and scarring them for life.

For those of us looking from the outside, it is hard to believe that such perverted evil could go on for so long with noone doing anything about it. It is also difficult to believe that denominational leaders could not have known. The Adventist Church has always had a resident pastor and nurse on the island (SPD Staff/ANN 2001). How could they not know?

Kathy Marks documents a number of people who either suspected or knew of the ongoing abuse and the attitudes of the islanders. These individuals never said anything or, if they did, were dismissed by those in authority. It is reassuring that at least one of the people mentioned in the book, a friend of mine and who lived on Pitcairn for some time in a professional role, was one of only a couple of people who spoke out about what they were observing on Pitcairn.

Pitcairn: Paradise Lost reveals an incredible litany of evil on a little island we thought was paradise. That paradise has been lost as we have realised that it never was. Kathy Marks's book Pitcairn: Paradise Lost lays bare the real hell of that imaginary paradise — at least what we know. Who knows what else will be uncovered in the future (there is emerging evidence of the oppression and abuse of adult women and child-to-child sexual abuse).

Simone Weil has written that '[w]e must prefer real hell to an imaginary paradise.' Pitcairn was an imaginary paradise. We must have the courage to confront and acknowledge the real hell of Pitcairn. The 'handiwork of the Almighty'? I don't think so.

References

Ford, H 2008, Pitcairn Island & Pacific Union College, Pacific Union College, viewed 15 February 2009, <http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/studycenter/pit_puc.shtml>.

SPD Staff/ANN 2001, Turning Point for Historic Adventist Community on Pitcairn Island news.adventist.org, viewed 15 February 2009, <http://news.adventist.org/data/2001/0991166375/index.html.en>.

Shameless plug: Nemesis Train

Review by Karen Collum

Nemesis Train is a complex, multi-faceted and understated novel by Australian author and regular "Wheel" contributing writer, Nathan Brown. It enters the territory of literary fiction, yet still retains an authenticity that would appeal en masse. Quirky, left of centre and at times almost random, Nemesis Train teeters on the edge; there were moments when I was close to abandoning my journey with the wanderer, the clerk, the veteran, the musician, the child, the driver and Jed. The intricacy of the characters and their seemingly unrelatedness took me into the realms of frustration; the descriptions of the mundane left me puzzled and at times, unfulfilled; but it also kept me reading to the very end.

The literary devices the novel employs are well suited to the atmosphere he creates. A variation in point of view is refreshing. The intimate and relaxed first person interludes provided a sense of relief and allowed my mind to rest momentarily before I was immersed once again into the detached, unemotional, observer third-person mode he does so well. There are some playful word choices—gems hidden among the ordinariness of the lives portrayed—that are still resounding with me long after the last page was read. The sparsely placed repetitive phrases helped me maintain a sense of continuity, even though I had no idea where I was headed for the vast majority of the book.

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of Nemesis Train is the novel’s dignified treatment of the major theme—that of wanting to make a difference in the world. There are some humorous moments in Jed’s noble quest to change the world, and we are reminded that not everyone needs or indeed wants to be rescued. There is no preaching, no induction of guilt. And it is clear that there is no magic bullet.

The crowning glory of Nemesis Train is the ending. After ploughing through the quagmire of intricate details of unexceptional characters, the ending for me was a masterpiece. It was truly unexpected. That in itself is remarkable. True to form, the novel manages to weave the subtle threads into a recognisable portrait that is profound because of its simplicity. There are no bells and whistles, no neat bow tied around an awkward situation. Just an acknowledgement of the way life is.

Nemesis Train is not an easy read. I didn’t totally abandon myself or throw caution to the wind. It was, however, a refreshing and intelligent one that required commitment, intentional thought and a dose of perseverance. But my effort was more than rewarded. It really is worth a read—and for me, even a re-read.


Visit the Nemesis Train blog or the book can be ordered directly from the publisher Ark House Press.

Review: God's Great Missionaries

by Nathan Brown

So much is written about evangelism and mission these days that it’s refreshing to take these many discussions back to the source. Beginning with the stories of Jesus, the early church and other assorted Bible characters, God’s Great Missionaries takes a fresh and credible look at what it means to be part of the mission of God in the world today.

Born to missionary parents, first-time author Gary Krause is now a director of mission for the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide. He brings this extensive experience of church mission activities around the world to his reading of familiar Bible stories.

God’s Great Missionaries is the companion book to a series of Bible-study guides and, in just a couple of places, the book slips and shows its Bible-study-lesson origins, taking angles that do not strictly fit with the Bible-story sources or the flow of the book. But on the whole, the book gains strength from its solid Bible-study foundations. The Bible stories are treated with respect and depth, at its best when focused on the practical ministries of Jesus and Paul. At the same time, this is not merely a head-in-the-book Bible study—indeed the subject matters demands it not be.

A book on engaging meaningfully with the world must itself engage with the realities of that world. God’s Great Missionaries is poignantly aware of the need for God and the hope He offers to our world—a world that simply can’t save itself—but also for the need for the message and presentation of the gospel to be adapted to language, culture and obvious needs of the people with whom it is being shared. Krause draws on stories of mission from around the world, Adventist mission history and personal experience, as well as citing contemporary events, voices and trends, to demonstrate that gaining a hearing for a message is as much about listening and responding as it is about preaching.

Easy reading but significant thinking, God’s Great Missionaries’ vision is active, global, inclusive, faithful, urgent and transformative. The book passionately challenges the church to think bigger in imagining how God can use us as His people to build His kingdom in our world: “We need to tear down those church doors and rip them off their hinges.” And it must also challenge us individually as to the role we play in our lives, churches and communities.

Shameless Plug: The 365° Experiment

I'd like to introduce everyone to a strange little project of which I'm a part. On January 1st Eric Watts, an Indiana based writer, and I began an experiment, which if successful, will last the entire year. Inspired by the jaw-dropping example of the musician Paleo, who wrote, recorded, and uploaded 365 songs between 2006 and 2007, we are attempting to meet similar goal: to write one script or short story a day for the whole of 2008. We're six days into the madness right now, and though we still haven't gotten all the formatting right (those familiar with screenwriting format will notice right away) I'm proud to introduce The 365° Experiment.

A cautionary note: the nature of some of the scripts might be offensive or difficult for some to read. The purpose of the scripts is not to offend, but to challenge, to provoke, and possibly to allow readers to experience life from a new perspective.

Shameless Plug: EPC News

by Leslie Foster

This week, the tedMEDIA team has been busy creating a daily news show for the 2007 European Pastors Conference in Zwolle, Holland. Clips from the show will be going up on the web in the next few days as well as 11 short films created for the conference.
You can access the clips at tedMEDIA's YouTube site or Reframe.info.
For now, here's the show's intro.

Shameless Plug: Marbles with Thoreau

by Leslie Foster



What does it mean to live simply, to be motivated by more than material needs? American author, essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau found his answers at Walden Pond and the answers he found are what have driven filmmaker Melody George to return to Walden. I worked on Melody's crew back in 2005 when “Marbles with Thoreau” was her senior project at Southern's film school. The story of Ace and Eva Calloway, two children who stumble onto Thoreau and his search for a life of simplicity captured the imaginations of everyone on the project.

Melody and producer Thomas Wentworth are currently in the process of raising funds to shoot a 15-20 minute short film based on that original senior project. The short itself is part of a long-term process to turn the story into a feature film. They have raised just under half of their projected $25,000 budget and are currently looking for someone to complete that budget and come on board as an executive producer. The “Marbles” team would like to finish up their fundraising by January '08 so that can really get rolling with pre-production and shoot in May. (Melody and Thomas are also well on their way to casting an actor for Thoreau and have started looking for actors to play Ace and Eva.)

The "Marbles" team is exploring the journey towards contentment. They are breathing new life into the ideas Thoreau explored, making them exciting and relevant for a new generation. As humans, it's so easy to get bogged down in material pursuits, to forget simplicity; but Thoreau and the Marbles filmmakers call us to a journey beyond the things that keep us earthbound. They call us to embrace a simplicity that leads to a hope greater than anything in this world can give us.

Keep this film and the filmmakers in your prayers. I believe they have amazing things to offer. We're seeing the rise of a generation of artists who are going to change the world and every step counts.

If their goals inspire you, if this is a journey you're on and you are in a position to help, please visit their website and get in contact with them. If you can make this dream a reality, you're giving these artists a foothold into a world that needs them very much.

Shameless Plug: Southern's School of Visual Art and Design

by Leslie Foster

I'd like to direct y'all to the School of Visual Art and Design's (SVAD) newly revamped webpage. It features interviews with recent alumni, VR tours of the facilities, galleries of student work including recent films and animations, and the latest news on the feature film Secret of the Cave, produced by SVAD Productions. A lot of exciting things are happening on the second floor of Brock Hall. Head on over, take a peek, you'll be intrigued.