Orthoparadoxical Theologizing

Dr. Chelle Stearns, 2019 Grenz Lecture

Dr. Chelle Stearns was the 2019 Stanley Grenz Lecture Series presenter. It’s a lecture offered in honor of former Professor Stanley Grenz, a prolific Christian scholar with a pastoral heart and deep intellectual presence. In his memory, each year The

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2019September 9, 2022

Dr. Esther Lightcap Meek, 2018 Grenz Lecture

Dr. Esther Lightcap Meek delivered The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology’s 2018 Stanley Grenz Lecture. This annual event happens the first Monday of November. Although I have never been a matriculated student of Dr. Meek, she has nonetheless been

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2018May 13, 2022

Great Time with the CBOQ

Just finished up a wonderful few days as the keynote speaker at the annual Canadian Baptists of Ontario & Quebec “Reignite” leadership conference. All the Bapist leaders and their partners are invited to pause their regular day-to-day work, and gather

Dwight J. Friesen November 8, 2018May 6, 2022

Grieving the Death of Dr. James H. Cone

“The gospel of Jesus is not a rational concept to be explained in a theory of salvation, but a story about God’s presence in Jesus’ solidarity with the oppressed, which led to his death on the cross. What is redemptive

Dwight J. Friesen April 29, 2018May 13, 2022

Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, 2017 Grenz Lecture

On November 6, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology hosted its 5th annual Stanley Grenz Lecture Series. This year, we were grateful to have as our featured speaker, Reverend Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, a professor, pastor and dynamic author whose

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2017May 13, 2022

Dr. Angela Parker, Reading Texts, Reading Cultures

During a recent prospective student “Preview Event” Dr. Angela Parker delivered a lecture titled “Reading Texts, Reading Cultures.” I was thrilled to discover that someone at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology recorded it. I wanted to share it

Dwight J. Friesen March 31, 2016November 3, 2022

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

A few months ago – September 25, 2015 to be exact – the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda titled “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” I can only imagine the

Dwight J. Friesen February 2, 2016February 26, 2024

Dr. Shelly Rambo, 2015 Grenz Lecture

Dr. Shelly Rambo recently served as The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology’s 3rd Stanley Grenz Lecturer. Dr. Shelly Rambo, a constructive theologian and author of Spirit and Trauma: A Theology of Remaining. She focused on “Resurrection Wounds.” Dr. Rambo

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2015June 10, 2022

Reimagining Theological Education National Summit

 Convergence and ATS have collaborated to bring together some of the more innovative theological educators, seminaries administrators, and directors of leadership training programs for a national summit for Reimagining Theological Education. October 9 & 11, 2015. The Seattle School was

Dwight J. Friesen October 2, 2015September 29, 2022

Got to Team-Teach with my Brother!

I just got back from team teaching an immersive learning course at McMaster Divinity College. The course was “Leadership in the New Parish” and I got to team teach it with my brother, Dallas Friesen. So grateful for the team

Dwight J. Friesen June 8, 2015November 3, 2022

Randy Woodley’s 10 Missiological Imperatives

I read and reread everything that Dr. Randy S. Woodley (Keetoowah Cherokee) writes and try to sit at his feet every chance I get. I sense he may be a prophet of our time and place. Maybe especially to Whiteness

Dwight J. Friesen May 15, 2015November 3, 2022

Interview with Pete Rollins

Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen June 4, 2014May 8, 2022

The Pope Tweets: The Ethical Interplay of our Liturgical & Digital Lives

Tonight I get to participate in a conversation annual gathering of The Society of Christian Ethics (SCE). Tonight’s conversation will bring together the “Liturgy & Ethics Interest Group” and the “Technology & Ethics Interest Group.” Both liturgy and technology are formative

admin January 11, 2014May 5, 2022

MESA gathering

Recently I had the opportunity to be a part of an international gathering of Emergent minded followers of Christ from Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, New

Dwight J. Friesen October 31, 2013September 26, 2022

Doug Pagitt Radio

Got to hang out with Doug Pagitt as he recorded a Doug Pagitt Radio show from a small classroom at The Seattle School. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen October 26, 2012January 14, 2021

PLU Summer Institute on Pastoral Theology

What a privilege to be one of the keynote speakers for this year’s PLU’s annual Summer Institute on Pastoral Theology. Granted Dr. Nate Frambach, who is the Associate Professor of Youth & Culture at Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa was scheduled

admin June 21, 2012May 5, 2022

“The Seattle School” has arrived

I’m excited to inform you that as of the beginning of last week we officially changed the name of our school – Mars Hill Graduate School is now The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. The staff has been hard

Dwight J. Friesen August 17, 2011January 14, 2021

On Being Wrong

Last month Kathryn Schulz delivered an outstanding TED talk on the idea of “Being Wrong.” Early in her talk she askes her audience what it feels like to be wrong. The audience responds with. “awful”, thumbs-down, embarrassing, etc. To which

Dwight J. Friesen April 14, 2011December 21, 2023

Speaking @ GFU’s Chapel

Yesterday I got to head down to Newburg, Oregon to speak in the chapel at GFU. It was super fun, and I got to go down with Lynette and Pascal and make a mini family getaway out of it. I

admin March 29, 2011May 5, 2022

pedagogy of presence with Jon Stanley

Navigating the cacophonous choruses of our culture’s religious and secular fundamentalists can be overwhelming. What does it mean for Christians to be salt and light in this acrimonious cultural climate? How might Christians live faithfully without colluding with partisan shouting?

Dwight J. Friesen January 21, 2011October 21, 2020

Reflections after 2010 Emergent Theological Conversation

So I got home at 2:30 this morning after being in Atlanta for the Emergent Villages 11th Annual Theological Conversation.  This conversation was different in a lot of ways from prior conversations.  Most often the conversations have focused on unscripted

Dwight J. Friesen November 5, 2010January 14, 2021

Remembering Clark Pinnock

One may be “outside” the church, but one can never be “outside” of God’s love. Clark H. Pinnock Christian Theologian Dr. Clark Pinnock passed away yesterday, August 15th, 2010. Dr. Pinnock was a strong, and at times conversational voice in

Dwight J. Friesen August 16, 2010November 4, 2022

Interconnectivity & Homogeneity

Here’s very helpful TED talk that takes the “networking” conversation in some very helpful directions.  The presenter is Ethan Zuckerman.  He studies how the world — the whole world — uses new media to share information and moods across cultures,

Dwight J. Friesen August 16, 2010May 11, 2022

post-colonial writings of Musa Dube

Been doing a bit of reading, exploring post-Christendom and post-colonial implications for mission and identity formation.   I’ve been finding this reading to vital to my own development . . . as it drives home how limited my perspective is,

Dwight J. Friesen May 20, 2010November 17, 2020

“Free for All” April 15-16 Durham, NC

There is a free conference being held in Durham, NC (April 15&16, 2010) bringing people together in discussion around the themes raised in the outstanding new book by Tim Conder & Dan Rhodes, Free for All: Rediscovering the Bible In

Dwight J. Friesen March 31, 2010January 15, 2021

John Franke – MHGS lecture open to public

Thursday, March 25 @ 7:00PM – Dr. John Franke will be presenting a lecture at MHGS that is open to the public, and only costs $5.  The lecture will be a look a “the nature of truth,” drawing on the

Dwight J. Friesen March 4, 2010January 15, 2021

Image of the Fish

Calid Keefe-Perry engaged a question posed to him through his blog, The Image of the Fish, about my book, Thy Kingdom Connected.

Dwight J. Friesen February 11, 2010May 8, 2022

Cornel West – Truth

Check out this short conversation about “truth” between  Cornel West and Astra Taylor posted on Killing the Buddha.  Like yours truly, Astra Taylor was born in Winnipeg, MB; she is the director behind Zizek, and the soon to be on

Dwight J. Friesen December 14, 2009May 12, 2022

Pete Rollins – Seattle – Dec.10

I am excited to announce that Pete Rollins, philosopher, author, and founder of Ikon in  Northern Ireland is coming to town. A group of MHGS students are making this happen . . . I love it. The evening event will

Dwight J. Friesen November 19, 2009January 15, 2021

Local Theologies

Ryan Bolger has created a helpful slide illustrating an overview of local theologies as they have emerged over time.  Ryan is drawing heavily from amazing thought leaders like: David Bosch, Andrew Walls, and Wilbert Shenk. peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen November 17, 2009June 7, 2022