Sean Benesh who has a couple of guest posts on the blog here posted a something pretty interesting on his blog just the other day. He sees the urban setting through different layers. Here is a mind map of the layers he lists. It is interactive so you can click on it and move things around. He gives Dr. Ron Boyce credit for the list of 6 and then adds Theology as number seven. Sean has this to say about the layers and I thought it was pretty good: “What these layers and perspectives do is give us a well-rounded viewpoint in which to view the city. Our understanding is enlarged. Most often as followers of Jesus we focus primarily upon only two to three; Sacred, Social, and Theological. The first two most of us get but the reality is that the third, the Theological Perspective, is one of the most underdeveloped disciplines. Many Christians will go through life, be connected in to a church, and not have a theological understanding of the city. Even those who’re students in Christian higher education (undergrad and beyond) have little exposure to the Theological Perspective. Like an unused or underdeveloped muscle it is time that we begin “working out” the muscle of the Theological Perspective. “What this also reveals is the need for Christians to engage in all the layers. As those of us who follow Jesus it is imperative for us to be in each and every layer / perspective. God is at work in all layers and the follow-up question is are we partnering with Him in them?” I am asking God how best to engage with Christ in my city. Which layers to participate in and serve, how best to do it? <