Wilderness lovers, sustainability advocates, farmers, writers, educators and seminarians 鈥� Todd Wynward鈥檚 message, shared during a series of events from Oct. 1-7 at 黑料正能量, will appeal to anyone striving to live intentionally, lightly and joyfully on this earth.
Wynward, who lives in Taos, New Mexico, is author of (Herald Press, 2015), in which he defines a new kind of follower of Jesus: 鈥�a little more earth-honoring, empire-resisting, despair-erasing, and culture-changing鈥︹��
Watershed discipleship, he writes in a bite-size autobiographical is 鈥渁 deeply place-based way of life encouraging us to adapt our needs to a finite planet, rather than forcing the planet to adapt to our infinite needs.鈥�
Wynward has been engaged in education reform and social change movements for 20 years. He and his wife Peg are now creating , an incubator for intentional living in Taos, New Mexico.
While in Harrisonburg, he鈥檒l also visit the , a community organization that 鈥減romotes peace through justice, care for creation, and experiential learning.
鈥淭odd brings vision and experience in听integrating听faith, ethics and life-style in ways that inspire and energize,鈥� says , campus pastor and director of campus ministries. 鈥淭here is so much about Todd Wynward that resonates with 黑料正能量: his emphasis on sustainable听living, intentional community, being in meaningful听relationship with others and with听all of Creation. Yet he challenges those of us with a 鈥榯amed鈥� Christian faith听living comfortable lives in our affluent consumerist culture. He helps us to see and reclaim听the wildness of following Jesus in our daily living.”
Wynward has been recently licensed as minister of watershed discipleship for the . A convert to Anabaptism in 1998, he briefly describes his first meeting with Mennonites in his blog: “When I encountered a pocket of inspiring Mennonites doing their broken best to practice the Jesus Way in the neighborhoods of Albuquerque, I was hooked. I wanted to be one of them.”
Friday, Oct. 2
10-10:30 a.m. 鈥�Rewilding the Way: Break Free to Follow an Untamed God鈥� at University Chapel in Lehman Auditorium. Wynward asks: 鈥淐ould it be that time in untamed places, unshackled from the comforts and constraints of dominant culture, is a necessary prerequisite to becoming the people God has always yearned for us to become?鈥�
4-5 p.m.听 鈥淭he Climate鈥檚 Changing… So Why Aren鈥檛 We?鈥� Suter Science Lecture in the Suter Science Center. North American Christians remain blissfully inactive, happily addicted to the comforts of consumerism and baubles of technology. How has Christianity become so tame, and what can we do to break free? Wynward suggests learn to “walk the Watershed Way,” and help create a covenanted lifeway exploration movement that could revitalize Anabaptist communities across North America.
Tuesday, Oct. 6
11-11:45 a.m. 鈥淓mbodying Enoughness: The Practice of Paul鈥檚 Autarkeia,鈥� Martin Chapel, Seminary.
How did the Apostle Paul learn the secret of being content in any situation, whether surrounded by scarcity or abundance? Come discover more about the ancient Christian discipline of autarkeia鈥攁daptive self-sufficiency in God.
Noon-1 p.m. “An Outsider鈥檚 Perspective on 黑料正能量’s Cross-Cultural Program as ‘Wilderness Experience’ for Modern Disciples,” in Northlawn West Dining Room. The prophet Jeremiah aches for a “way station in the wilderness,” a place where he can escape his own culture and rediscover his true self. To what extent does 黑料正能量鈥檚 cross cultural program serve as this kind of way station for its students? Could this role as culturally different transformational “wilderness space” become even more intentional? Join a veteran experiential educator in an inquiry into one of 黑料正能量鈥檚 most exceptional programs.
4-5 p.m. Book Signing sponsored by Herald Press and hosted by Language and Literature Dept. in the Campus Center (Strite Conference Room and Brunk-Maust Lounge). Refreshments provided.
9-10 p.m. 鈥淩eporting From the Front Lines: the Watershed Discipleship Movement鈥� in Common Grounds Coffeehouse. What is watershed discipleship, and how is it percolating through Mennonite congregations in the United States? In the face of environmental and economic crises, is there a spiritual revival brewing that encourages a simple-living, earth-honoring, despair-crushing, Jesus-following Anabaptism?
Wednesday, Oct. 7
10-10:30 a.m. 鈥�The Anav Shall Inherit The Earth: Humility, Sustainability, Resiliency鈥� at University Chapel in Lehman Auditorium. When Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth, he was invoking the ancient character trait of anav, meekness. Anav doesn鈥檛 mean wimpy and powerless, but rather a lifeway that delights the Lord, marked by humility, sustainability, non-grasping, and resiliency. Could it be that the meek shall inherit the earth because only they are able to coexist and thrive within the blessings and boundaries of creation on its own terms, while the haughty and hoarding are unable?
4-5 p.m. 鈥淪erve and Lead in a Global Context? Be Honest: How Much Does a Changed Life Change the World?鈥� in Common Grounds Coffeehouse. Derrick Jensen argues that personal changes do almost nothing to forward the massive systemic changes needed today. Todd Wynward suggests that systemic change often rises from a groundswell of collective lifestyle change. What do you think? Read a selected article ahead of time, then join the conversation.