Tending the Fire that Burns at the Center of the World: Beauty and the Art of Christian Formation
Our 3-week Adult Forum series featuring Dr. David F. White continues for the third Sunday on May 5 and dovetails with the work of Sam Wells, upcoming Bailey Lecturer, May 17-19.
Based on his book by the same name, Tending the Fire at the Center of the World engages the central question of Christian formation, that is, what kind of knowing is most likely to awaken and sustain Christian faith? This book seeks to reclaim aesthetics—beauty and creativity—as the church’s most native theological way of knowing and being, which participates with God’s own glory and creativity.
Adult Forum is held in Kinsolving Parish Hall within Gregg House from 9-10am on Sundays.
Dr. David F. White joined the faculty of Austin Seminary in 2005. Prior to his appointment, he was visiting assistant professor of youth and education and associate director of research for the Youth Theological Initiative at Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997-2002 he was executive director of the Youth Discipleship Project at Claremont School of Theology, a research project exploring alternative approaches to work with youth and with congregational discernment. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Bethany Theological Seminary, the Claremont School of Theology, and Columbia Theological Seminary. Ordained in the United Methodist Church, White served the church in positions including minister of youth, Upland United Methodist Church, Upland, California; co-pastor, Anchor Park United Methodist Church, Anchorage, Alaska; conference coordinator of youth ministries, Alaska Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church; and associate pastor, Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, and First United Methodist Church, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
He served as a scholar in the Theology of Joy and the Good Life project at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, out of which grew his newest book, Joy: A Guide for Youth Ministry (Wesley's Foundery Books, 2020). He has also written Practicing Discernment with Youth (Pilgrim Press, 2005), Awakening Youth Discipleship in a Consumer Culture (Cascade, 2007, coauthored with Brian Mahan and Michael Warren), and Dreamcare: A Theology of Youth, Spirit, and Vocation (Cascade, 2013). He has garnered several grants, including a $1.2 million grant from Lily Endowment Inc. to create a project on youth discipleship; a faculty development grant on teaching diversity from the Wabash Center; and a Templeton Foundation grant exploring spoken word poetry and joy among youth.
Questions? The Rev. Genevieve Razim [email protected]