Phil Wyman
Phil is a musician, songwriter, writer, poet, wanna-be philosopher, pastor, creator of interactive “blank canvas social art”, and a general instigator looking for people to join him in a revolution. He is the pastor of The Gathering in Salem, Massachusetts and is working with a team of friends to plant spiritual communities in festivals in the US and UK. The festivals include places like Haunted Happenings in Salem, Burning Man, and Rainbow Gatherings. The recently published Burning Religion highlights his concept of a “Wild Theology,” which envisions God, creation, and humanity as wilder than most “radical” theologies have imagined. He counts his excommunication from a Pentecostal denomination for befriending the Witches of Salem, and the retelling of the story on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as one of his great accidental accomplishments of life.
Burning Religion
Phil Wyman presents his latest theoretical work on carnival as revolution from the recently published “Burning Religion.” This is an interactive teaching, complete with dialogue between dissenting opinions, live music, and clown noses and camel cookies for all. Working under the assumption that God is for all people, and the Gospel is able to enfold even the most wildly different individuals, Pastor Phil will help imagine the first steps in navigating the divide between the most tense issues in our culture. This is where left meets right and laughs their way toward learning and growing together.