About Realistic Living


	The Staff The Boards The Mission Relevant Links	About Realistic Living Realistic Living is a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Texas, USA in 1984. Joyce and Gene Marshall are its founders and staff. The Founders of Realistic Living Joyce and Gene Marshall were already accomplished teachers of religion and ethics when they married in Chicago in 1977. They lived in Los Angeles four years doing intensive psychological training and then founded Realistic Living in Dallas in 1984. Since that time they have written numerous books, Realistic Living Journals, Newsletters, and resourses for small group nurture. The Marshalls are also social activists: organizers of the bioregional movement; playwright/ directors of a local community method called Ecotheater; trainers in local community leadership methods; and have written essays on feminism, ecology, economics, education, interreligious dialogue, and other causes. Gene brings to this team an education in mathematics, physics, and theology. Joyce brings her teaching experience and university training in music and education with a deep passion for literature, feminine values, interreligious dialogue, and meditation. Both have done advanced studies in Christian theology, non-Christian religions, history, the philosophy of social change, psychology, male/female relations, ecology, and economics. They have extensively researched and developed facility with leadership methods for small group religious nurture. They are now developing a focus on training in leadership skills for local cells of Christian resurgence. The Marshalls live in the woods on the Red River Flats of North Texas in a straw-bale house which they designed and participated in building. This home is both their residence and a meeting place for the activities of Realistic Living. See photo gallery of the straw-bale house. The Boards of Realistic Living Our local board is responsible for our non-profit 501-C3 corporation and is also an active working board. The members are: Paula Brennecke -- Bonham, Texas Marsha Buck -- Juneau, Alaska Richard Corl -- Spring, Texas Nate Custer -- Houston, Texas Ken Fisher -- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada John Howell -- Bonham, Texas Jeanne Marie Manning -- Santa Rosa, California Houston Markley -- Portland, Oregon Gene Marshall -- Bonham, Texas Joyce Marshall -- Bonham, Texas Alan Richard -- Bonham, Texas Edwin Waters -- Clayton, Illinois Our International Advisory Board includes the following members: Sara MacFarlane Allen -- Gilford, New Hampshire Willie Anderson -- Juneau, Alaska Robert & Deborah Armstrong -- Lexington, Mass. Ben Ball -- Sugar Land, Texas Frank Bremner -- Somerton Park, S.A., Australia Jon & Annetta Ezelle -- Seattle, Washington Ellen Gentry -- Hillsboro, Oregon Irma Hudson -- Kansas City, Missouri Bob Kochtitzky -- Okeechobee, Florida Ken Kreutziger -- Lexington, Massachusetts Joshua Lawrence -- Denver, Colorado David Marshall -- Moraga, California Kathleen Marshall -- Veneta, Oregon Teresa Marshall -- Eureka, California Wayne Marshall -- Santa Barbara, California Michael May Bloomington, Indiana Marilyn McCord -- Bayfield, Colorado Julie Miesen -- Highgate Hill, Queensland, Australia Rita Newton -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Marilyn O¹Boyle -- Albuquerque, New Mexico Mary Klepser Priem -- Portland, Oregon Gordon & Patsy Roe -- Lewisville, Texas Don & Lee Sax -- Banning, California Harold Slater -- Midland, Michigan Finley Schaef -- Saugerties, New York Diana Stokes -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Jim Stovall -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma John Stowell -- West Easton, Pennsylvania Jaime Vergara -- Saipan John Webster -- Rogers, Arkansas Terry Weygandt -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma The Mission of Realistic Living can be described under these three headings: 1. REALISTIC LIVING is a Research Institute probing the leading edges of religious, psychological, and sociological awareness. This research takes many forms: reading key books and journals; attending various workshops, retreats, films, performances, and conferences; holding meetings; and managing a research network of collegial explorers of religious practice and ethical living. Our research is published twice a year in a 16-page journal and twice a year in a two-page newsletter. These publications contain religious and ethical essays, movie reviews, book reviews, and practical contexts and suggestions for fresh forms of Christian religious practice. See JOURNALS for more information on these publications. 2. REALISTIC LIVING is a Training Office scheduling courses and workshops on visionary social ethics and relevant, transformative religion. We construct one-day consults on a number of subjects that fall within our general focus. We have two core courses which we offer on a weekend—Friday night to Sunday afternoon: 1. Christian Resurgence for the Twenty-first Century (CR-21) is an introduction to the Christian theological breakthroughs that reached great clarity in the twentieth century. This course also probes current edges in New Testament understanding the ethical and communal life of Christianity for the twenty-first century. 2. Earth Care for the Twenty-first Century (EC-21) is an introduction to the building of social vision, strategies, and tactics for reversing the direction of ecological devastation and social injustice. This course also deals with core aspects of the practical implementation of group organization, care, and action. See COURSES for more information on these programs and their current scheduling. 3. REALISTIC LIVING PRESS is a Publishing House making available easily understandable and academically sound essays, books, and tapes designed especially for small group nurture. In addition to the publication of our research in our regular schedule of journals and newsletters, we have organized a sister organization, Realistic Living Press, which publishes perfect-bound books of 120 to 320 pages in length and tape-bound study books of 30 to 60 pages in length. These books are all available in hard copy, and several of them are available as e-matter from this site. See BOOKS for more information on these resources and how to acquire them.
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