the underview introduction.
The underview is an exploration of the development of our Communal Theology of Place viewed through the medium of bikes, land, and people to discover community wholeness.
season 1, ep. 1
listen.
show notes.
In a world where communities and people are increasingly fragmented, the road to reconnection lies in remembering our past stories, repairing broken elements, and forming a collective understanding of our values. This collective understanding, a Communal Theology of Place, can serve as the foundation for building a renewed and shared future.
The underview is a series of discussions within and about the community of Northwest Arkansas; however, these discussion may find wide application outside of this content. The underview explores our collective understanding and beliefs about the place we live. These discussions will include topics about the place in which we live, the history of our communities, the truth of conflict with the land and its people, and the current opportunities and challenges our region faces.
episode transcription
[00:00:00] mike rusch.: In a world where communities and people are increasingly fragmented, the road to wholeness lies in reconnecting with the land and its people, remembering our past stories, repairing what is broken to form a renewed collective understanding of what we value. This collective understanding, I call it a "Communal Theology of Place", serves as the foundation for building a shared and hopeful future.
The underview is a series of discussions within and about the community of Northwest Arkansas. However, these discussions may also have application in your community. The Underview explores our collective understanding and beliefs about the place we live. These discussions will include topics that are foundational to the identity of our region, the history of our communities, the truth of conflict with the land and its people, and the current challenges and opportunities for our community.
I will approach these discussions with two framing principles.
First, we cannot be whole without connecting to our place and our community in an honest and authentic way. This means we will be comfortable with being uncomfortable about the state of our community, honest about its history, honest with ourselves about our biases and influences, and open to new possibilities that we can share together. We share this place, and we share its fate.
Second, the bicycle is the medium by which we can personally connect to our place and to our community. Over the past three years, I've ridden just about every road in our region. So I will use the bicycle as my way of connecting to our place in a deeper and more meaningful way.
My name is Mike Rusch, and I will serve as a guide as we pursue the exploration of our shared beliefs, how our current community was formed, and the future of our place.