Hey Theology Nerds! My friend Sister Ilia Delio absolutely crushed it on stage last year at Theology Beer Camp. If you weren't there y'all missed something, but there's no need to miss the fun this year October 16-18 in St. Paul, MN.
Ilia started as a neuroscientist before becoming a Franciscan sister (which already makes her way cooler than most theologians). She kicked things off with this mind-blowing cosmic perspective – we're talking 13.8 billion years of universe, and humans show up in literally the last sentence of the cosmic story. We're like a cosmic afterthought, but in the best possible way!
She kept hammering that we're the universe becoming conscious of itself. How freaking cool is that? We're not separate from the cosmos – we ARE the cosmos thinking about itself. This is some next-level theological stuff that inspired a wild conversation afterwards with Pete Enns.
Then she dropped this bomb about how all our religions are stuck in old cosmologies. The institutional church is clinging to these axial age frameworks while we're moving into this whole new phase of consciousness. Religion's basically trying to navigate space with ancient maps, and it ain't working, folks.
My favorite part was when she riffed on Teilhard de Chardin (that Jesuit paleontologist who was WAY ahead of his time). She's all about how mind and matter aren't separate – we're "embodied minds." And she's calling for a religion that actually enhances evolution rather than fighting it. Christianity shouldn't be shrink-wrapped into dogmas and boring theological arguments – it should be this cosmic, creative force that gives us a "zest for life."
She went after that whole "pie in the sky when you die" thing too. If your religion is just about individuals getting to heaven, it's insufficient. We need a religion "of humankind and of the earth" that connects us to everything. The institutional church has basically "disempowered us to become truly human" by focusing on all the wrong stuff.
She even brought in her recent work on Carl Jung to argue that Christianity's movement is toward us becoming divine (theosis for the nerds in the back)! Not in some heretical way, but in this process where the "Christ life emerges from within and is lived without." That's some radical incarnational theology that would make most conservative Christians spill their communion juice:)
Here's the urgency though – if religion doesn't step up, technology is gonna replace it. We're evolving technology exponentially, but our religious imagination is stuck in neutral. The choice is clear: embrace a new religious "zest for life" that connects us to cosmic processes or watch Silicon Valley billionaires become our new high priests.
Her call for a "new religion of the Earth" reminds me of what I've been saying for years – we need a theology that's humble enough to learn from science, creative enough to inspire wonder, and centered on this planet we actually live on.
This is exactly the kind of mind-expanding theological conversation you can expect at Theology Beer Camp next year! We bring together the most innovative religious thinkers on the planet who aren't afraid to reimagine faith for our cosmic context. Where else can you hear a Franciscan sister who used to be a neuroscientist talk about quantum physics and Carl Jung in the same lecture? At Theology Beer Camp, we're creating space for the kind of transformative conversations that most religious institutions are too scared to host. Mark your calendars and join us for the theological adventure of a lifetime!
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Are you Coming to Theology Beer Camp!
We are SOOOOO pumped for Theology Beer Camp 2025 and will reveal some fantastic speakers and nerdy fun at camp this year on the stream. 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends.
EARLY BIRD TICKETS available until May 15th - Get tickets here. We will sell out!
Join Our Next Class with Grace Ji-Sun Kim on the Holy Spirit!
REDISCOVERING THE SPIRIT: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology.
Moving beyond traditional Western theological frameworks, we'll explore feminist interpretations, global perspectives, and innovative approaches to understanding the Spirit in today's world. Whether you've felt the Spirit was missing from your faith journey or are simply curious to deepen your understanding, this class creates space for thoughtful discussion, personal reflection, and spiritual growth.
Preview: The Spirit in Scripture and Early Christianity
Week 1: Historical Developments and Theological Tensions
Week 2: Feminist and Global Perspectives on the Spirit
Week 3: Living in the Spirit Today
FOUR LIVE SESSIONS:
Tuesdays (May 20th - June 10th) at 10am PT / 1pm ET
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Replays are available on the Class Resource Page.
COST: A course like this is typically offered for $250 or more. Your contributions are what make our classes possible. We invite you to contribute whatever amount you feel led to give (including $0).
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