Open Source Gospel Project

Preface

 * I am neither a trained theologian, nor a professional computer programmer. But this is altogether fitting, considering the subject of this book.
 * Talk about Martin Luther's proclamation of the "priesthood of all believers,"  contrasted with the the modern church: priests and ministers as "elite professionals" credentialed by seminaries, bible colleges, and ministry training programs.
 * Post-modernism and decline of institutional religion as hopeful antidotes to centralized authority in the church.
 * Return to ethos of early Christianity in house churches led by women, slaves, and other marginalized voices not in the power structures.

Free as in Freedom

 * Start with stories.
 * Brief History of Free Software & Open Source Movement
 * Comparison of Open Source "Freedom" with Gospel emphasis on Freedom, and also ties to Liberation Theology.

Free Software Methodists, Open Source Baptists & FLOSS Presbyterians
I remember the first time I read the wikipedia entry for "emerging church." It was well written, balanced and thoughtful, and I was excited about the passion and harmony reflected among the words. And then I clicked on the link to the discussion page. Contributors were squabbling over word choice, calling each other ugly names, threatening to erase each other's work, and generally making a huge deal about a 1,000 word encyclopedia article. And I thought, "Ahhh. Finally, here is the church I know. Things aren't so different in open-source culture.  In fact, the name "open source" is probably one of the longest running disputes and dividing lines.  Coined in 1998 by Christine Peterson, it was a deliberate break from the older term "Free Software."

Code as Architecture, New Law

 * Start with stories.
 * Wikipedia as example, metaphor of changing content w/o changing code.
 * What is the "Code" for Christians? Jesus? Scripture? Book of Order? All the above?
 * What happens when the code changes? / response to charges of moral relativism
 * Bring Lawrence Lessig into this chapter (Code, Free Culture)
 * Compare/Contrast with John Calvin's three functions of law

The Cathedral and the Bazaar

 * Start with stories
 * Discuss Eric Raymond's book and it's implications
 * Actual Cathedrals, actual bazaars and implications for a dying Christianity

Soft Security vs. Hard Security

 * Start with stories
 * Wikipedia, eyeballs vs. bugs ratio, and "Revert" button
 * Bugs as "sin" and role of community in undoing bugs
 * Jesus and gospel message vs. Amercian desire for "safety and security" in wake of 9/11

Benevolent Dictator For Life

 * Start with Stories
 * Explanation of BDFL in open source projects
 * Examples: Larry Wall, Linus Torvalds, Jimmy Wales, others (esp. females)?
 * Role of Pastors as community leaders/gurus vs. "CEO" or other authoritarian models
 * Survey of Jesus, Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Barth, etc. as BDFLs

Forking a Project (reform & reconciliation)

 * Start with Stories
 * Open Source methodology and taboos about forking (ESR's Cathedral & Bazaar)
 * Forks/Schisms in Christianity: Monasticism, East vs. West, Protestant Reformation
 * Reconciliation in Christianity: Ecumenical movements, Taize, ELCA ???

Viral Copyleft (great commision)

 * Start with Stories
 * GNU License, OS Definition, Creative Commons
 * Bring in Cory Doctorow as example in Sci-Fi world, also Radiohead
 * Kingdom of God: Giving it away vs. hoarding
 * Open Source Eschatology: Kingdom at hand among you
 * Still spreading, bring in Malcom Gladwell's "Tipping Point"