See With New Eyes

A reflective theology tour on the origins of Minneapolis and the Phillips Neighborhood

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us…” (Acts 17:26–27). A place and its people matter. God determines where we live and for how long so that we might somehow “feel our way toward him and find him.” If the God who created all things is sovereignly behind the placement and displacement of peoples since Adam and Eve’s exile from Eden, then there ought to be something for us to behold and savor of the beauty of his mercy and grace in the place where he has determined we should dwell. Understanding something of the history of a place and its people is one of the ways in which we can train the eyes of our hearts to see the beauty of Jesus and deepen our love for him as we also learn to love in his name those who dwell there

Learning to see with new eyes is especially important in contexts that many may find challenging and difficult to live in. God's kingdom is an upside down kingdom and therefore his presence is powerfully revealed in what our world may describe as unlikely places. Sustainability in bringing the good news of Jesus in these challenging contexts is dependent on how well we are able to see with new eyes.

The apostle Paul says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).” These spiritual forces of wickedness constitute the “wisdom of this age (1 Cor. 2:6)” and they deeply impact how peoples, nations, governments etc. have developed. This, of course, is true for the place we call Minnesota, Minneapolis and the Phillips Neighborhood.

Followers of Jesus are citizens of another kingdom that will one day rule all other kingdoms and destroy all wickedness. It is characterized by a very different set of values that are represented by the cross of Jesus. This is the wisdom of Christ crucified. How do we train our “eyes” to discern the difference between these two wisdoms and live according to the wisdom of Christ crucified as we wait "...for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (Is. 65:17-18; 2 Pet. 2:13). How does this inform how we bear witness to the mercy of God through the gospel?

Desired Outcomes:

1. To sharpen our perspective on the history and origins of Minneapolis and its influence on the Phillips Neighborhood.

2. To provoke us to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves – 1 Tim. 1:5 “The goal of our instruction is love…”

3. To train our “eyes” to discern the difference between "the wisdom of this age" and the wisdom of Christ crucified. How does this inform how we bear witness to the mercy of God through the gospel?

4. To initiate the development of a “theology of place” that include the realities of placement and displacement. How does this shape our practice of outcome # 2?

This tour of the origins of Minneapolis and the Phillips Neighborhood is an effort to put into practice what we call "contemplation in the streets," learning to "see with new eyes" and behold Jesus in the midst of the brokenness of our world.

If you are interested in arranging a tour for your group or to join a scheduled tour contact Jim Bloom at See With New Eyes. We request groups to be between 5-10 people.

Upcoming Tours:

Taking requests for tours