Episode 62: Fully Alive
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The Rev. Peter Walsh has been the Rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Canaan, Connecticut since 2008. Previously, he served in Phoenix, Arizona; Cleveland Heights, Ohio; and was a Chaplain at the Kent School. Peter grew up in Delmar, New York, a small town outside of Albany. He is a graduate of the Hotchkiss School, Harvard College, and Yale Divinity School. Embracing the new missional age, Peter publishes a weekly vlog on St. Mark’s website, which makes my Digital Storyteller heart happy.
Professor Miroslav Volf is an esteemed author and the founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School. A member of the Episcopal Church in the USA and the Evangelical Church in Croatia, Miroslav has been involved in international ecumenical dialogues and interfaith dialogues, and is an active participant in the Global Agenda Council on Values of the World Economic Forum. |
The Rev. Justin Crisp has been a member of St. Mark’s clergy since 2014, and since 2018 is the Associate Rector and Theologian in Residence. In his roles, Justin focuses on St. Mark's liturgical, pastoral care, and youth ministries, he teaches a weekly theology class, collaborates on Christian formation initiatives, and teaches in the formation programs. Justin is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Yale Divinity School, Berkeley Divinity School, and Yale Intstitute of Sacred Music. Currently he is completing his Ph.D. in Religious Studies (concentrating in theology) at Yale University.
Justin and Miroslav are co-editors of "Joy and Human Flourishing: Essays on Theology, Culture, and the Good Life" (2015).
Welcome Peter, Miroslav, and Justin!
Fully Alive curriculum was based off a course offered at Yale Divinity School titled “Christ and Being Human.” It focusing on looking at the life and work of Jesus in various aspects of his life that parallel our individual lives, from cradle to grave. Justin was inspired by his research and for the last year as full-time clergy at St. Mark’s, he believed that Fully Alive was an opportunity for the parish to deepen their discipleship, and see how Christ has a claim on their lives.
Miroslav has been the instructor of the course at Yale, “Christ and Being Human.” What motivated him, in the course and in the forum, was the question “what kind of live is truly worthy of our humanity?” A question that is being asked of ourselves every minute of every day. Miroslav believes that there is a crises that people are forgetting their true humanity and this is a way to focus on this essential question, individually and collectively.
Fully Alive is an opportunity to make the “Christ and Being Human” course more accessible to a parish community. Peter said that in the 11 years that he has been at St. Mark’s, New Canaan, there has been a “petite Pentecost,” and the community has pursued ways to be a community in Christ. Fully Alive fits right in with the time and season that the parish is in, and what the parishioners are seeking now.
In the fall, there are 10 speakers scheduled to talk during the forum at St. Mark’s. Each speaker covers a different area, including: family, money, etc.
Alli mentions that this is a rather heavy topic to discuss what it means to be fully alive, in a community setting that requires attention to the every day experiences of Christ, as it requires work within the body, soul, and mind. Miroslav shares an insight around the Gospel story of Jesus, the “ill-reputed” woman, and Simon. Miroslav focuses on Jesus’ question, “Simon, do you see this woman?” as an invitation for us to open our eyes and see in a different way — to see after unlearning what we are taught to see.
Peter says that one thing he has found with this forum is that he is finding himself a constant student, and that this forum can offer lessons “from boardroom to bedroom,” and effect all aspects of life.
Alli asks what a fully alive community would look like. Justin says, “a fully alive community would look like a community in which each of the people are being the persons whom God created them to be and they function in concert with one another such that their collective participation in God’s mission is done to the glory of God.” He adds that he believes that people do not have vocations, but are vocations. Peter believes that the more that a community can unleash the love of Christ amongst each other and let it spill out into the world, the more fully alive they are. Miroslav says that even in this classroom, as a transitory community, there is still an opportunity to create the fully alive micro-space of community, no matter how brief.
To participate and learn more about the Fully Alive forum, visit the Fully Alive page on St. Mark’s website. All of the faith forums are live-streamed as well on YouTube. Also, you can engage in conversation on Facebook at St. Mark’s Facebook page or on our own Facebook page.
What does being Fully Alive mean to you?
Justin and Miroslav are co-editors of "Joy and Human Flourishing: Essays on Theology, Culture, and the Good Life" (2015).
Welcome Peter, Miroslav, and Justin!
Fully Alive curriculum was based off a course offered at Yale Divinity School titled “Christ and Being Human.” It focusing on looking at the life and work of Jesus in various aspects of his life that parallel our individual lives, from cradle to grave. Justin was inspired by his research and for the last year as full-time clergy at St. Mark’s, he believed that Fully Alive was an opportunity for the parish to deepen their discipleship, and see how Christ has a claim on their lives.
Miroslav has been the instructor of the course at Yale, “Christ and Being Human.” What motivated him, in the course and in the forum, was the question “what kind of live is truly worthy of our humanity?” A question that is being asked of ourselves every minute of every day. Miroslav believes that there is a crises that people are forgetting their true humanity and this is a way to focus on this essential question, individually and collectively.
Fully Alive is an opportunity to make the “Christ and Being Human” course more accessible to a parish community. Peter said that in the 11 years that he has been at St. Mark’s, New Canaan, there has been a “petite Pentecost,” and the community has pursued ways to be a community in Christ. Fully Alive fits right in with the time and season that the parish is in, and what the parishioners are seeking now.
In the fall, there are 10 speakers scheduled to talk during the forum at St. Mark’s. Each speaker covers a different area, including: family, money, etc.
Alli mentions that this is a rather heavy topic to discuss what it means to be fully alive, in a community setting that requires attention to the every day experiences of Christ, as it requires work within the body, soul, and mind. Miroslav shares an insight around the Gospel story of Jesus, the “ill-reputed” woman, and Simon. Miroslav focuses on Jesus’ question, “Simon, do you see this woman?” as an invitation for us to open our eyes and see in a different way — to see after unlearning what we are taught to see.
Peter says that one thing he has found with this forum is that he is finding himself a constant student, and that this forum can offer lessons “from boardroom to bedroom,” and effect all aspects of life.
Alli asks what a fully alive community would look like. Justin says, “a fully alive community would look like a community in which each of the people are being the persons whom God created them to be and they function in concert with one another such that their collective participation in God’s mission is done to the glory of God.” He adds that he believes that people do not have vocations, but are vocations. Peter believes that the more that a community can unleash the love of Christ amongst each other and let it spill out into the world, the more fully alive they are. Miroslav says that even in this classroom, as a transitory community, there is still an opportunity to create the fully alive micro-space of community, no matter how brief.
To participate and learn more about the Fully Alive forum, visit the Fully Alive page on St. Mark’s website. All of the faith forums are live-streamed as well on YouTube. Also, you can engage in conversation on Facebook at St. Mark’s Facebook page or on our own Facebook page.
What does being Fully Alive mean to you?
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In Christ and Coffee,
Alli
In Christ and Coffee,
Alli