CapeConversation

My own experience:

I went to Afrika Burns/burning man, as a Christian, with an open heart and mind, to taste and see and hold fast to what was good. I tried to be present and fully immerse myself in the moment and connect with everyone. I got to bed at 4.30am on Friday and 3.30am on Saturday, trying to stretch out every last experience.

I was not disappointed. On the dance floor, around 4am, I tried to discern in my spirit what the spirit of the place was and I felt it was authentic joy.

Is this relevant to the emergent debate, or to Christianity?

This event is highly relevant and should not be simplistically ignored, sidelined or maligned by the church. Jesus said we must be perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). I get two things from His statement.

Firstly, He does not shy from the high and challenging goal of making us like God (most of us want God to be semi-involved in our lives, allowing us to remain “only human”; but this is asking for less love, not more).

Secondly, the word “perfect” (teleios) means complete, fully mature and not lacking what should authentically be there. And that’s where the ethos and impetus that was present in burning man is highly relevant to Christianity.

Scripture says that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above (James 1:17). So, logically, if there’s something good in creation it’s a reflection of God (James 1:17) and if we are called to be like God (Matthew 5:48) then we need to embrace and ingest that reality.

There was much that was good at Burning Man and the church cannot afford to ignore this goodness, especially where parts of the church have lost the plot with regard to certain of these realities. These are some of the positive realities I experienced at burning man.

• Sacrifice and service: there was clearly a lot of planning and sweat that went into making the event happen and erecting the physical structures that served as spaces for people to come together.
• Play: people were having a good time, earnestly engaging in childlike activities, dancing, bathing in music; just being, without the tyranny of a deadline or a bottom-line.
• Freedom:
• Hospitality:
• Giving:
• Celebration:
• Mentoring and participation: There were planned and impromptu workshops: from hula hooping to juggling to drumming. There was great freedom to join in and learn and play and then disengage at will. People were informally teaching as needed.

What does G-d say in and about deserts?

Deserts are an inextricable part of God’s economy. It seems that physical or metaphorical deserts are an unavoidable part of God forming His character within us. The syrupy sweetness of sin, selfishness and consumerism slowly suffocate God’s life in us and His antidote is often a desert experience.

Great figures in the Bible experienced God in the desert (Moses, John the Baptist, Jesus). I think God is intimately present in the desert. As we travel into the desert the toxic clamouring falls silent and we are more able to feel God’s Spirit and hear His voice. He takes us into the desert not to be cruel and punish but to heal and love.

“I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,” declares the LORD. “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ [Hosea 2:13-16]

Is it right to be attracted to creativity and liberty?

The hunger for creativity and liberty is basic to our humanity. Self-denial, self-control, discipline and perseverance are paradoxically part of creativity and liberty.

For example, musicians and dancers who achieve ecstatic and exquisite expression are well versed in these virtues and these same virtues were part of making the burning man event come together. But there is the other pole in a dynamic tension.

The pole of play and rest, of giving oneself completely to the moment, of maniacal dance and tricks and fun, and letting go of all responsibility. It is this vital pole in the dynamic tension that we have lost in the West and in much of the church. We pay a great price. We keep up our respectable masks and our spirits wither, with occasional forays for illicit scraps.

But I think God would have us feast and celebrate often and well. Such feasting and extravagant celebration is not inimical to work and productivity and righteousness. The two poles cannot in fact exist, authentically, without each other. This is the fullness we are called to.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” [Neh 8:9-10]

Is G-d festive at all?

Take the most festive, free, loving celebration you can imagine and multiply it exponentially and you don’t even start to imagine the joyously festive power that resonates in even one of God’s discarded toenail clippings.

Afrika Burns Synchroblog participants:

• Photographs on Signs of Life : Rob Mills and Mike de Freitas
• John W Morehead on Moreheads Musings : Afrika Burns Synchroblog: Burning Man Regional Burn
• Tim Victor on Tim Victors Musings : Afrika Burns
• Ant Paton on CapeConversation : Wondering about the wilderness, by Ant Paton
• Rob Mills : Signs of Life
• Emerging Africa : Afterburn: A Karoo Flowering  
• Mike de Freitas on CapeConversation: Afrika Burns, a Christian response, by Mike de Freitas
• Nic Paton : a baptism of joyful fire : Afrika Burns synchroblog
• RuZl on Liquid Light : a desert underground
• Roger Saner on Future Church : An oasis of silence

Other writings of note:

• From the mouth of the Man himself : What is Burning Man? 
• John W Morehead: Burn, Baby, Burn, Christendom Inferno: Burning Man and the Festive Immolation of Christendom Culture and Modernity
• John W Morehead: Apocalyptic Man Ablaze: The Hope of Burning Man’s Effigy Fulfilled in the Risen Holy Fool
• Overtone Music blog : Afrika Burns: Backwater Art Back In Fashion