Wow, it’s been a fantastic term. I finished up exams last week and we
celebrated with a dinner and dance, aptly named “L’Chaim,” which is Hebrew for “To
Life”! Right now it’s Spring in Vancouver. The weather is enviable, although a
little cold still at times. The tulips and cherry trees and magnolias make for
magnificent scenery to and from the bus stop. I have decided to review one of
the courses I took this term: Christian Thought and Culture II. We focussed on
a different topic each week. Here are some of the questions I am left with, and
some books I found intriguing on some of the topics (I have not read every
chapter). I haven’t included every topic, not mentioned my Profs. If you’re interested
in more detail or resources, leave me a comment (or email me if you know me) and
I’ll get back to you sometime J
Calling and Vocation: More
and more I am discovering that being human is foremost grounded in relationship
– to God, and to others and creation. I used to wonder whether all the aborted
babies had a calling or not; either way would seem cruel. But if calling is
about relationship and not tasks, then God is great indeed. My on-going question:
what does it mean to be human? Book (although not explicitly tied with this lecture): After you believe, by NT Wright.
The Enlightenment in the 18th
century, and the “eclipse of the biblical narrative” ever since (to quote Hans
Frei). How can I better integrate what we have called “secular” and “spiritual”?
Evangelicalism, with its
emphasis on a personal individual relationship with God (which if taken to the
extreme negates the role of the church community); the rise of a celebrity
culture (which may tempt us to be closed to learning or hearing from God
through the “normal” or “lesser” people around us); and the role of emotions
during a conversion or worship experience (which could cause us to assume that
things are only going well if we feel good). I am most grateful to have grown
up in the wake of Evangelicalism, but am also learning to be aware of its
weaknesses. How can I worship and live in community, in all sorts of emotional
states? I’m looking forward to reading Desiring
the Kingdom, by James Smith.
Theology & Politics: How
our Theology inherently affects the way my actions and the way I treat people.
I’m investigating what I truly believe about God, which affects what exists
(ontology), what can be known (epistemology), and how I live (politics/ethics).
If I really believe that people are made in the image of God, then I would
treat every person like that. My question – what do I believe, and where are
there inconsistencies that show I need to change something?
Romanticism as a corrective
to the Enlightenment: a focus on feelings and beauty, resulting out of the
over-focus on reason and facts and empirical experimentation. Our society seems
very “left-brained” (to use McGilchrist’s analogy): structured, productive,
mechanical, impersonal. How can I bring in more “right brain-ness” in the way I
live? I need to find ways of incorporating beauty, appreciating food when I
eat, indulging in the senses. Do I live as though I need to have everything
under control? Where do I leave room for mystery? What can I give when I (go to church/ go for a
walk / enter into a friendship), as opposed to what I can get? Book (yet to read): The
Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World,
by Iain McGilchrist.
Creation and Evolution: This
is still a difficult topic for many and I’m not sure what I believe. My
questions include: what kind of information was the bible meant to give us? –
probably not scientific information, considering it also speaks of the four
corners of the earth. What does it mean to be made in the image of God? – for this
separates humanity from animal life.
Catholics and Evangelicals:
I have enjoyed learning more about Catholicism, and seeing how much overlap
there is with Evangelicalism. Sure, there are points that are seemingly
irreconcilable, but I wonder what will happen to these in future generations? What
can I learn and incorporate from the Catholic Faith? Excellent article: Is the Reformation over [particularly the
bits about Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT)], by Noll and Nystrom.
Christianity as a World
Religion: What of the gospel message we know is essential, and what is
cloaked in a particular culture and can be adapted in various cultures in
different ways? What can I learn from African / Asian / Russian / Western /
Eastern Christianity? How much of this needs to be intellectually thought
through, and how much of it is about a personal encounter with people from
different cultures, and their encounters with God?
Sexuality: Hot topics at the
moment include women’s roles in the church, and homosexuality. How much of my
Christianity is about what I can get, instead of Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice?
Not so much about which roles are appropriate, but what does it mean to be
female (as part of the question of what it means to be human). Along with that,
what does it mean to be single? How can I love others well (male and female) in
a culture that tends to sexualize almost every relationship?
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering:
so much is possible these days. We saw a photo of a luminous green rabbit –
Eduardo Kac inserted a jellyfish gene and called it art. Where is the line when
it comes to playing with genes and DNA? Is it okay to tamper with animals – and
humans – like that? What about Cloning, In Vitro Fertilization, stem cell
research, prenatal screening, luminescent humans? When should we say no to our “unquenchable
curiosity”? (Edwin Hui)
