The relationship between ikon and my books finally explained
A question I sometimes get asked concerns the relationship between ikon (the transformance art collective I am part of), and my writings. This is a question that is asked both by those outside ikon and within it.
The short answer is that my work is enriched by, tested within, developed from and a sustained reflection upon, the concrete lifeworld that is ikon. My work both speaks out of a direct involvement with this collective and also speaks into it. For while I am the founding member of ikon much of my time is spent outside that context, networking with other groups and attempting to develop robust theoretical resources that will both enrich it and groups like it.
If I speak only from within ikon then I will be limited to social commentary. But if I only speak to ikon I will end up imposing an external, alien system upon it. This of course creates a tension, however one that I believe to be both productive and generative.
Directly related to this is the tension that exists between my desire to work within a particular context while also formulating a set of theoretical tools that will help to usher in what Phyllis Tickle terms “The Great Emergence”.
This tension reflects the fact that any attempt to speak in a universal manner must arise from a specific location. Ikon is my privileged location for a variety of reasons that I will not go into here, it is the location that allows me to speak beyond its borders.
So, while my work is deeply nourished by my involvement with ikon, ikon is but one concrete manifestation of how my work can be applied. When explored within different contexts this theory will be able to give birth to or revitalise groups that only bear a vague family resemblance to ikon.
Yet it is not simply my writings that attempt to traverse the tension between local and global, ikon itself exists in this tension, being a local expression of life that is increasingly gaining global recognition.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Pete,
i am so glad to finally, after all these years, here you talk about this relationship and tension. i think you do a damn good job even in all your humanity! GREAT job, my dear friend!
i’m gonna post this on my blog.
Best,
Adele
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Pete,
i sent you a Trackback, but not sure if it works on your blog. Here’s the link to my post:
http://existentialpunk.typepad.com/existential_punk/2008/12/pete-rollins-far-side.html
Love ya,
A.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Hey Pete
I am interested in what you say here:
“This tension reflects the fact that any attempt to speak in a universal manner must arise from a specific location. Ikon is my privileged location for a variety of reasons that I will not go into here, it is the location that allows me to speak beyond its borders.”
I feel that is true with Christianity… for example, many of the critiques I have of Christianity I have because I hold to principles of Christianity… so I can’t move beyond some particular place… but that movement to the universal then seems to undermine the particular place I stand from. Any thoughts on how to live in that tension without being pulled fully to one side or the other
December 4th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Peter,
I heard you talk in philly this fall and i have a quick follow up question if i may. You asked if faith is real that is generated by wanting something (get out of hell free card, healing etc). I really connected with the idea -but how do we reconcile this with the biblical examples of people coming to Jesus with real needs and exhibiting what he called real faith. Consider the centurion
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6″Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.”
7Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
8The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
This makes me wonder if we are considering different things when we use the word “faith”. I am a person raised in the baptist/literalist/evangelical world who has moved “forward-i think” into spending time questioning lots that was shoved down my throat as a youth. Any thoughts you have (or others) would be great.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am
But what is ikon? It seems like it’s been denying definition for so long that in a sense it doesn’t exist. Since it denies reality can it really serve as your practical grounding when it refuses practicality?
December 7th, 2008 at 5:58 am
At first look, I thought the chicken in bottom corner was representing your books….