(5 votes, average: 3.80 out of 5)
Loading ...Coffeehouse Theology by Ed Cyzewski
Who gets to set the agenda for doing theology? Some select the Christian era of their favorite theologian or theological movement and mark their boundaries. The next step is to consider everyone who does not follow out of bounds. Scot McKnight notes in his Forward for Coffeehouse Theology: Reflections on God in Everyday Life, “… there is no such thing as “the best form of theology ever.””
Ed Cyzewski sets out to offer a pattern for a contextually practical theology. Often the the study of theology begins with consideration of textual and authorial contexts. Cyzewski, while believing these important, suggests conversations about God must take into account the context of those interested in talking about God. Rather than getting mired in the debate over hyper-modernity or post-modernity, Ed simply notes issues in our own time with which we should be aware as we engage in talk about God. And, talk about God should lead somewhere; it should be practical.
If you are looking for some broad influences on Ed’s theological method you may consider Guder’s reifying of the phrase “missio dei,” Grenz and Franke’s epistemological approach in Beyond Foundationalism, and the value of reading the Scripture in community and with the Tradition of the Church in mind. Taken together it may be argued that Ed presents a missional theological method in for “everyperson.”
About the Author
Ed Cyzewski (MDiv Biblical Theological Seminary) is a freelance writer and speaker in Eastern Connecticut. He is the author of Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, an introduction to contextual theology as well as the Coffeehouse Theology Bible Study Guide and a Coffeehouse Theology Discussion Guide. His most recent book is A Path to Publishing: What I Learned by Publishing a Nonfiction Book. Ed blogs regularly on theology at www.inamirrordimly.com and on writing at www.edcyz.com.
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mickmurray
I’m going to be tweeting while I read this book. If you want to see the action, follow me @CaptainMickolus.
Aug 18th, 2010
dkam136
I was recently given Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life by Ed Cyzewski to review by Viral Bloggers. The book reads like a primer into contextual theology, and has many merits. His book holds God as teh “center of theology,” and he finds four stems off this central theme for contextual theology: tradition, scripture, the global church, and culture.
The audience for the book seems to be evangelicals looking to branch out a bit into the postmodern world, but not too far. He talks about the transition from modernism to postmodernism. After talking about the “hazards of postmodernism,” Cyzewski suggests we find a balance and healthy dialogue between culture and Christian perspectives. One of his major points is “combating” those things prophetically which go against the “values” of God.
I would highly suggest this book as a kind of first step for those who want to lead a Bible study with Evangelicals looking to branch out and find a new way to read the Bible, but for those who already have a background in theology, this book can also be a good reminder as to how to live out the Christian life in tension with life as we now know it. I don’t particularly like the language of “combat” because I am extremely non-violent in most of my theological perspectives, and I found some of his conclusions to be more “objective” than the conclusions I have arrived at over the years, but it is definitely worth reading!
dkam136.com
Aug 25th, 2010
mickmurray
Coffeehouse Theology
Theology is a funny thing. The simplest definition one can give for this word is “the study of God.” People have come together, have divided, and have become confused because of theology.
My opinion on this topic has changed over the years. In Bible college, I thought that even though theology can be a good thing, it was not necessary. Little did I know that every time I opened the Scriptures, I was forming my own theology whether I wanted to or not.
The simple fact is that if anyone has an opinion about God, or any spiritual being for that matter, they have a theology. Now I am at a point in my life where I am understanding not only the importance of good theology, but the value it can have from day to day.
In Coffeehouse Theology: Reflections on God in Everyday Life, Ed Cyzewski offers three types of theology, biblical, systematic, and contextual. Knowing how these three sources for can help us know not only what we believe, but how we have come to those beliefs.
Biblical Theology – Possibly the most self-explanatory of the three. Biblical theology comes studying the Bible and finding out what the author’s thoughts on God are.
Systematic Theology – This theology is generally related to contemporary topics (such as marriage, government, etc…). Systematic theology should be based on the Scriptures, but does not always happen.
Contextual Theology – This can get a little tricky. We base our theology on the culture we live in as well. The example that Cyzewski uses are believers in Latin America and North America. Looking at these two area, we can see that “each local understanding of God has strengths and weakness.” Where someone in the States may learn of God’s blessings humble, someone in Latin America may focus on God’s blessing for the poor.
Cyzewski’s aim in this book is to discuss theology as if one were having dialogue over a cup of coffee. This can be seen in contrast to some theologians of the past where they would stand on a pedestal, say what they believe, and be done with it.
Sep 4th, 2010
jrforasteros
Coffeehouse Theology by Ed Cyzewski is an introduction into the world of contextual theology. It doesn’t actually have anything to do with coffee or coffeehouses or anything like that (I have a sneaking suspicion the publishers were trying to make the book sound more post-modern). And as an introduction to contextual theology, it’s not bad. I kept trying to figure out as I read who Cyzewski’s audience was and I’m still not sure. My best guess is collegiate theology students; the book would be a decent introduction to contextual theology.
Cyzewski defines contextual theology as communicating God’s truth in culturally relevant way while still challenging the parts of culture that can’t be reconciled with God.
After arguing for contextual theology (as opposed to systematic or biblical theologies), Cyzewski illustrates how the shift from modernity to post-modernity changes how we do theology (because the context has changed). He concludes the book with several sections on sources of theology – Scripture, Tradition and the Global church. These were his strongest sections – especially his discussion of how the global church can positively transform how we understand who God is.
Overall, this book is an introductory text in that none of the chapters really goes as far as it could. Cyzewski likewise doesn’t treat many divisive theological issues; this is a book of broad strokes. That said, each chapter ends with a lot of great resources for further reading, so even though none of Cyzewski’s treatments are adequate, he readily acknowledges this and empowers
Bottom Line: If theology’s always been a scary subject for you, Coffeehouse Theology is a good way to dip your toes in and get a few lessons before you dive in. You could do a lot worse.
Sep 9th, 2010
sandjsikora
I really and truly enjoyed this book. At first I did not think I would like it because I am just not one for theology much, but I truly enjoyed it. I learned about the three types of theology, and his stories leading up to those were very intriguing.
Sep 17th, 2010
ricknier
Sometimes what you expected and what you get are two different things. Take for instance, this book I got called Coffeehouse Theology; Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, by Ed Cyzewski. I know you can’t judge a book by its’ cover, but…
On the cover is a cup of coffee and some napkins with doodles on them. On the back cover we read quotes like, ‘Theology should breathe life and unity among God’s people…’ and ‘Whether in a community, in a coffeehouse, or by e-mail, discussion and application of theology is essential. Joining the conversation is easy.’
According to Ed, ummm….no it’s not. Not unless 13-step processes are easy. What I expected was a discussion on pressing issues of our culture today and how different viewpoints can coexist. What I got was a very in-depth study on how to do contextual theology.
Ed tells us, quite correctly, that none of us have a corner on truth. We can know and value truth, but we must acknowledge that we don’t have all the truth. Great point, although in another section he writes that God is someone we get to know after we know who we are and how we see the world. I can’t agree with that. Rather, I would argue that we can only truly know who we are after we kno who God is, for it is God who gives us our true definitions.
Now, once I knew what I had, there were many great aspects of this book. First, Ed writes that ‘theology – the act of reflecting on God – should change both how we think and how we live.’ Then most of the rest of the book is revolving around all the different points of view one should take when considering God and His book, our Bible.
Contextual Theology involves reading the Bible, considering how other cultures read and interpret the Bible, considering how previous cultures read and understood the Bible, considering the many Traditions of the Church, the Global Church, the Local Church…oh, and the Holy Spirit. If that list sounds involved, it is.
And while I agree that we should be considering all these things, it made for somewhat involved reading, nothing like what William Dyrness wrote on the back cover recommendation, ‘With wit and grace, Cyzewski shows how theology not only connects us with God but also moves us out of ourselves into loving ministry next door and around the world.’ Ed certainly wrote intelligently and proved his point well, but this is no light coffeehouse reading.
It felt sort of like a movie that spends most of the time introducing characters and then 15 minutes of action. The last couple of chapters got into some discussion on how all these differet viewpoint will affect topics which Christians disagree about. I suppose like the movie, I could wait for the sequel to have more action.
Coffeehouse Theology was given to me for review by Viral Bloggers (www.theooze.com).
Sep 18th, 2010
Warren Wade
warrenwade.wordpress.com
Much like “As Is” by Krista Finch, Ed Cyzewski’s “Coffeehouse Theology” seeks to illuminate God in the commonplace or, as Krista puts it, “unearthing commonplace glory;” however, their approaches are different. While Krista seeks to provide almost anecdotal stories about how God is reflected in Life, Ed takes a more academic approach to provide the reader with the context (both past and present) and the tools to analyze that commonplace glory. I think it’s fair to say that Ed’s provides the meta-analysis by which one could read “As Is.”
What I mean by this is, Krista’s book involves the refreshing, insightful musings of one who experiences God in the “commonplace,”
“Coffeehouse Theology” would provide you with the tools to properly understand Krista’s musings (although, granted, Krista does do a little contextual theology of her own throughout her book). For example, Krista’s observations regarding the young men and women at the gym, one might be curious about where those thoughts and ideas have come from. What happened in Krista’s life that made her respond (initially and subsequently) to those individuals? Or, even before that, how has God interacted with the world and the world with God up until this point that has helped shaped the cultures she is a part of.
That is the tool that Coffeehouse Theology provides. It first analyses the centuries which have shaped and formed not just the theology that Krista may or may not hold but also the culture in which she lives, the customs of which she is a part, the gender roles that were a part of her responses, and on and on.
One thing that I appreciated most by both his and Krista’s book is reminding the readers that God is present in all things, the mundane and the commonplace, and man can understand it in their own context. It reminds the reader that God permeates existence and experiences. God is omnipresent in man’s surroundings and within. And one of the better parts of Ed’s book is the reminder of the various lens through which one can analyze experiences and culture: gender, ethnicity, class, region, country, race, etc. It reminds me a little of my undergrad studies
On a little more critical note, I felt like, at times, this book was a little too much like a primer to be used in a classroom or other academic setting. I felt like this is just a little ironic especially given it’s emphasis on contextual theology. The context of this book being read is probably not a classroom. It could have just been toned down a bit. That being said, this was a wonderful, thorough book.
Sep 19th, 2010
staucody
Theology is sometimes a misunderstood concept. Often times, people associate the term with well educated, elite individuals who don’t spend any time in the real world. Worse, people assume that because they lack religious education, they are not qualified to approach the subject. The truth is, we are all theologians, in that we all, to one degree or another, think about God. What we think about God has huge implications for the way we live our lives, so it’s not something best left to others. It’s an open ground for all.
In his book, Coffeehouse Theology: Reflection on God in Everyday Life, Ed Cyzewski presents theology in terms of a conversation, one that is continually unfolding and that can be joined by anyone. Like any good conversation, it involves multiple voices and perspectives, and Cyzewski points to several voices that should be considered and listened to when one is participating in the conversation, including the Bible and Christians across the globe as well as from the past.
When understood as a conversation with multiple partners, theology is opened up. The South African theologian, the oppressed Latin American, the middle class white American- all have a voice, all have value to add to theology, because God is revealed in many different contexts, and a different attribute of God is valued and revealed in different places and different times. The conversation is unlimited in scope, and is always evolving and being changed, just as we are being changed by it.
Cyzewski does a terrific job presenting theology as something everyone can (and should) do, and gives great on-ramps throughout that help people join the conversation, including recommending literature from multiple perspectives, as well as an address for each chapter to a blog post on his blog that continues the discussion brought up in the chapter.
I only have two small issues with what was presented- in one part of Ed’s book, he mentions a move from viewing authority or sources for theology, and notes that previously it was arranged in a foundational sort of way, whereas the Bible was the foundation, then everything else was built on that. He notes the need to move away from that to more of a web approach, and with this I agree. However, his version of the web is essentially still the foundational model, just rearranged, because he places the Bible at the center holding everything together. For me, I like Brian McLaren’s web structure that places all of the sources around the web as contact points for the web (theology). I understand why Cyzewski does what he does (though I disagree with it), but there is no need to create a new model if it is really the same end result as the old model.
The second issue has to do with how he presents our postmodern age. He tends to paint it as a top down reality, meaning that philosophers came up with what we generally call postmodern thought, and it has trickled down and affected the way we view things. He may be right; however, it seems more likely to me that the philosophers were merely making observations about the way we all were already doing things- for example, while the modern age might have placed a premium on “objective” analysis and research, that we could come to a pure knowledge of something with no bias whatsoever, the reality all along was that was not possible at all, and we’ve increasingly come to grips with and even celebrate a more subjective way of knowing. This was not delivered to us by philosophers; we were already doing this. Philosophers simply gave a name to it and made observations about it- and yes, influenced the way we think about it, of course. But to say it was created up somewhere and then eventually influenced us I think misses the direction it actually went.
Overall, a great book, one I would absolutely use here in our congregation as a study tool to help engage us all in theology, to join in on the conversation. Great stuff!
Sep 23rd, 2010
camelbo
This is a book that I read a long time back. I since have used this in a small group setting (with the discussion guide). I did not receive this through Ooze since I already owned it. But Why not lend my review anyway?
AS many have said, the best place for this book is in the newly emerging, questioning modernity (but don’t know that language), seeking understanding of frustration with the “typical” way of doing things in churches. This is a soft introductory book that I would put in my pile with Velvet Elvis, and A New Kind of Christian. these are typically the introductory books I hand out after someone has come to me to “vent” and ask questions. It usually puts some words into their feelings. It would depend on the person and where they are in their grasp of their thoughts and feelings on which book I offer. VE is a good one for people who want the less cerebral and technical words. ANKoC is more for those that have a grasp on what they are experiencing and want the technical on a base level. Coffeehouse Theology, is more in the middle.
However, here’s the beauty of the book; where it works! It’s in the title, Coffeehouse…. a place to gather and converse. This is a book meant to be talked about. I sometimes think that the discussion guide was written before the book… but the book to me is a discussion guide. It is not meant to be a dissertation on pomo/postcoloinal theology (something that some have blasted because “theology” is in the title). It is supposed to be a jumping point, a conversation starter, a place to begin discussion on a different type of “theology”! To me, the title is ironic because it is more starting a conversation where people’s long-held theologies fall apart. It is almost an anti-theology except that it explores some new (new to the person I would suggest this to) theological ideas that are floating about.
That all being said, there is some meat on this. Cyzenwski is trying to write to a tough audience. An audience that is new to Postmodern theology/thought, while at the same time challenge them not to throw everything out the window. It is a fine balance.
The book is well organized, easy to follow, and great to discuss. Others have analyzed this book well, so I simply point out the beauty of the book: to initiate conversations; to RELATE experiences! To CONNECT! This book is small and an easy read for most because the real magic happens when you take the few pages and turn them into a coffeehouse afternoon of respectful sharing and exploration!
camelbo.blogspot.com
Sep 30th, 2010
weswoodell
I just finished thumbing through Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life by Ed Cyzewski.
What began as the independent study of a seminary student interested in the interaction between theology and everyday life ended in this book.
I appreciate several things about this book, most of all this: Cyzewski repeats over and over the point that cultivating good theology involves not only knowing God, but knowing ourselves as well. Every person, regardless of who they are or where they come from, will tend toward seeing God through the lens of their own culture and experiences. If one is not careful, God can be turned in to a product of one’s own culture that is not God at all, but an idol. Cyzewski offers practical insight to combat this tendency, plus much more.
If you’re interested in doing an introductory study on the relationship between theology and culture, this may be a good book to start with as Cyzewski covers a lot of bases.
Oct 19th, 2010
renee
This book talks a great deal about understanding God in the midst of culture, aka “contextual theology.”
I went to Bible college, and I remember being taught that this kind of theology was very wrong. It was pounded into my head that theology was anything but contextual; it didn’t ever change, regardless of culture, opinion, feelings or circumstances.
This book was an interesting exploration into that formerly considered (by me) evil-filled theological perspective. Written in a simple, introductory way, Coffeehouse Theology is constructed in a way that makes sense. Anyone, even those with no theological background, should be able to follow along and understand his points.
I am no longer the person I was when I attended Bible college, and feel like my thinking about culture, spirituality and theology has evolved. In that sense, this book almost felt limiting. Yet with a title such as this, I shouldn’t expect a full-fledged theological dissertation.
This book would be a fantastic discussion for a small group. I would love to hear other people’s perspectives, and talk about the book in depth. It would make for lively and enlightening conversation.
Nov 8th, 2010
ngilmour
My college (Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia) is going to be using this book as the main text for our senior capstone course starting this summer. I’m going to be teaching my way through it every semester starting in the fall, and I’m quite pleased with the text I’ve got to work with.
May 2nd, 2011
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