Hey everyone in Bloggerland! I'm sad to say that I've moved on to a new blog.
http://www.nextmtn.com/blog
Check it out (it's being updated far more than this one was!) Don't forget to subscribe to the RSS feed to keep up with the latest posts.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
In & Around The Shack
Our small group is working our way through The Shack by William P. Young. It's an inspiring book, but what I find very surprising is that it's Young's first book, really his first attempt at formal writing. It does not come off that way in the least, in fact it is a very audacious endeavor for someone who is not a formal author or theologian. The book uses a fictional story about a guy named Mack who drifts further from God through life and tragedy, beginning with an abusive father and (SPOILER ALERT!!!) with the abduction and death of his youngest daughter. Mack is called back to the place where the last evidence of his daughter was found: a shack in the Oregan wilderness. Here he has an encounter with God that changes the way he views...pretty much everything (God has a funny way of doing that, huh?).
The most audacious thing about this book is that it is a theological fiction. This form of writing is tricky to say the least. Like the parables of Christ, Young uses a story to convey a truth. In this case, Young ultimately weaves a beautiful and poignant theodicy (the argument for a God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good in light of the existence of evil). A universally satisfying theodicy has never really been written in the 2000+ years of Christian thought, but Young comes as close as possible by transcending the argument altogether. Theological fiction is tough to understand for many, because it flies in the face of our categories and the black/white mentality that has been ingrained by modernity. Writing is either fiction or non-fiction. Actual or fantasy. Truth or lies. Yet this type of story telling runs the lines inbetween, being both fiction and non-fiction but being neither as well. Another book that I have enjoyed which uses the same method is A New Kind of Christian by Brian D. McLaren or more famously, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. I think that in many ways, fiction can be the best teacher of truth.
It seems odd but theological fiction as a writing style has much in common with the flushing toilet. Now, before you set fire to my house, let me explain. The flushing toilet was around before the birth of Christ on the island of Crete in the 18th century BC (or there abouts). For whatever reason the idea didn't catch on in the rest of the world, and when the Minoan civilization fell, the flush toilet when down the tubes with it, only to be rediscoverd thousands of years later. Of course it was too late for Europe, which had already endured the Black Plague because of their lack of sanitation.
So what does that have to do with theological fiction? Well...
The most famous user of fiction was Jesus Christ himself (or Himself as you like it). When he was teaching to the multitudes he used parables to communicate. Parables are nothing more than fictional stories used to convey truth. So there was no real or actual Good Samaritan, but the truth of the story isn't diminished by that fact. In fact, it makes it more powerful in that Christ is not informing us of a great guy he knows, but instead he is calling us out to be the Good Samaritan. The Bible is full of these types of stories. Job is another example. In fact Job is first found in Babylonian literature. But the Hebrews used that story to relate who God is to a new generation of Israelites that probably grew up in Babylonian capitivity.
Somewhere along the way, messy stories about turth became passe, and when abandoned them for the razor's edge of scientific thought. Hopefully, with any luck, the popularity of books like The Shack, The Screwtape Letters, and A New Kind Of Christian are hallmarks of a new age of theological thought.
The most audacious thing about this book is that it is a theological fiction. This form of writing is tricky to say the least. Like the parables of Christ, Young uses a story to convey a truth. In this case, Young ultimately weaves a beautiful and poignant theodicy (the argument for a God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good in light of the existence of evil). A universally satisfying theodicy has never really been written in the 2000+ years of Christian thought, but Young comes as close as possible by transcending the argument altogether. Theological fiction is tough to understand for many, because it flies in the face of our categories and the black/white mentality that has been ingrained by modernity. Writing is either fiction or non-fiction. Actual or fantasy. Truth or lies. Yet this type of story telling runs the lines inbetween, being both fiction and non-fiction but being neither as well. Another book that I have enjoyed which uses the same method is A New Kind of Christian by Brian D. McLaren or more famously, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. I think that in many ways, fiction can be the best teacher of truth.
It seems odd but theological fiction as a writing style has much in common with the flushing toilet. Now, before you set fire to my house, let me explain. The flushing toilet was around before the birth of Christ on the island of Crete in the 18th century BC (or there abouts). For whatever reason the idea didn't catch on in the rest of the world, and when the Minoan civilization fell, the flush toilet when down the tubes with it, only to be rediscoverd thousands of years later. Of course it was too late for Europe, which had already endured the Black Plague because of their lack of sanitation.
So what does that have to do with theological fiction? Well...
The most famous user of fiction was Jesus Christ himself (or Himself as you like it). When he was teaching to the multitudes he used parables to communicate. Parables are nothing more than fictional stories used to convey truth. So there was no real or actual Good Samaritan, but the truth of the story isn't diminished by that fact. In fact, it makes it more powerful in that Christ is not informing us of a great guy he knows, but instead he is calling us out to be the Good Samaritan. The Bible is full of these types of stories. Job is another example. In fact Job is first found in Babylonian literature. But the Hebrews used that story to relate who God is to a new generation of Israelites that probably grew up in Babylonian capitivity.
Somewhere along the way, messy stories about turth became passe, and when abandoned them for the razor's edge of scientific thought. Hopefully, with any luck, the popularity of books like The Shack, The Screwtape Letters, and A New Kind Of Christian are hallmarks of a new age of theological thought.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Church Is Not A Building...
As it turns out we are all more than human than we would like to let on. Our pastor is going through a divorce. Of course, this has led to some amount of controversy. On top of this is heaped the dire financial situation of the church, and the fact that our pastor sometimes rubs people the wrong way. He doesn't bother me too terribly. In fact, I'd rather have him than one of those touchy, feely, placebo type pastors. Yet in this time of tourmoil, some people are wondering if they should leave the church. Which leads me to ask: Is that ever the answer?
For alot of church-goers, that's ther first and only answer. Don't like the music? Leave the church. Don't think the pastor uses enough Scripture? Leave the church. Does the color of the carpet give you epilectic seizures? Leave the church? Is the music, or the building, or the preaching what "going to church" is really about?
It really hurts me to hear my church friends talk about leaving. What about the connections that you've made to your fellow church-ers? Maybe I'm more about community than the average cogregant, but I sincerely believe that God calls us to live in community with each other, and living together means not walking away.
I think that alot of it comes down to our inability to be honest with ourselves and each other. When something makes us unhappy, we leave rather than addressing the issue, persuing change, or accepting our differences.
In the case of our pastor, it seems cruelly ironic that the person who many confided in about their divorce is now being dumped by others. Whether or not you believe that a divorced person should remain a pastor, the fact remains that a family is being ripped apart. If we can not rally around a pastor in need, then what chance do we have at real community?
For alot of church-goers, that's ther first and only answer. Don't like the music? Leave the church. Don't think the pastor uses enough Scripture? Leave the church. Does the color of the carpet give you epilectic seizures? Leave the church? Is the music, or the building, or the preaching what "going to church" is really about?
It really hurts me to hear my church friends talk about leaving. What about the connections that you've made to your fellow church-ers? Maybe I'm more about community than the average cogregant, but I sincerely believe that God calls us to live in community with each other, and living together means not walking away.
I think that alot of it comes down to our inability to be honest with ourselves and each other. When something makes us unhappy, we leave rather than addressing the issue, persuing change, or accepting our differences.
In the case of our pastor, it seems cruelly ironic that the person who many confided in about their divorce is now being dumped by others. Whether or not you believe that a divorced person should remain a pastor, the fact remains that a family is being ripped apart. If we can not rally around a pastor in need, then what chance do we have at real community?
Monday, May 19, 2008
spring-time-crunch
This happens every year but it always catches me off guard. During the school year I work as a substitute teacher. So Monday through Friday I'm booked from 7am till 3pm. I also teach a couple of guitar lessons on Monday and Tuesday evenings so that blacks out all of those days. On wednesday evenings I have worship team practice from 5 till 6:30, and Amanda has her teen small groups from 6:30 till 8, so another day down. Thursdays are usually free in the evenings. Friday, miraculously free in the evenings and Saturday is free until The Rising in the evenings. Sundays are toast as I'm involved in the Sunday morning service and with my wife's Youth group in the evenings. Beginning in May I start work as a raft guide on the Black River, which now takes up Saturdays and will begin to block out more days as the weather improves. So until the school year ends my week is one long work week with no end. *sigh*
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
My new drytop is here, but not spring!
After months of waiting my drytop is finally on its way to the States. Of course since I live in the North Country of New York, "Spring" is still a month off, at least what should constitute as a "Spring Season." What will really happen, while the rest of the world is basking in the glow of the warm sun, laying in the fresh green grass and watching the trees and flowers bud and bloom, we'll be sludging around in the muddy slush and bundling up in freezing temperatures. Though I guess it's not all bad. We may have a winter that lasts waaaay to long, but in return we get beautifully mild summers. At any rate my drytop is on it's way after being on back order for 3 months. It's a long story so I'll try to be brief.
For cold weather kayaking, the best thing that you can do to stay warm in the frosty waters is to let as little of that frosty water touch your body. For the most part, your lower half is inside the kayak and if all goes according to plan, it will stay relatively dry. Your upper body is a different story. In the days of yore, kayakers wore "splash jackets" which repelled some of the water, but could not keep it out completely. So if you flipped, you were screwed. Then came "dry suits" which were waterproof and had latex gaskets at the neck, wrists, and ankles. Later they halved those into "dry tops" which are waterproof from the waist up. This is all well and good unless you are allergic to latex (like I am).
Enter: Nookie Gear Company
Nookie, based in the UK, has developed the first latex-free drytop called the Zone. So being a kayaker that lives in the great white north and who also happens to have a latex allergy, I ordered one. Apparently, they were more popular than Nookie first thought they were going to be and my size wound up on back order. This is further complicated by the fact that Nookie is based in the UK and the only US dealer is in Washington State. Luckily, Tony, in WA, and the Nookie folks across the pond have been great. So my drytop will land in WA by the end of the week, and hopefully make it to my house the day after Easter. *fingers crossed*
For cold weather kayaking, the best thing that you can do to stay warm in the frosty waters is to let as little of that frosty water touch your body. For the most part, your lower half is inside the kayak and if all goes according to plan, it will stay relatively dry. Your upper body is a different story. In the days of yore, kayakers wore "splash jackets" which repelled some of the water, but could not keep it out completely. So if you flipped, you were screwed. Then came "dry suits" which were waterproof and had latex gaskets at the neck, wrists, and ankles. Later they halved those into "dry tops" which are waterproof from the waist up. This is all well and good unless you are allergic to latex (like I am).
Enter: Nookie Gear Company
Nookie, based in the UK, has developed the first latex-free drytop called the Zone. So being a kayaker that lives in the great white north and who also happens to have a latex allergy, I ordered one. Apparently, they were more popular than Nookie first thought they were going to be and my size wound up on back order. This is further complicated by the fact that Nookie is based in the UK and the only US dealer is in Washington State. Luckily, Tony, in WA, and the Nookie folks across the pond have been great. So my drytop will land in WA by the end of the week, and hopefully make it to my house the day after Easter. *fingers crossed*
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Big Chill
Well it's that time again. The river levels are rising as the temps plummit. *sigh* I guess that's the way it goes. I thought that itches were supposed to go away if you don't scratch them, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I've never wanted to get on the river more than I do now!
I found a latex free dry top from Nookie Gear from the UK. I'm thinking I might get it for the spring paddling season, especialy for the road trip with Ben. The only problem is that the only dealer in the US is in Washington state. We'll have to see if it works out or not.
I found a latex free dry top from Nookie Gear from the UK. I'm thinking I might get it for the spring paddling season, especialy for the road trip with Ben. The only problem is that the only dealer in the US is in Washington state. We'll have to see if it works out or not.
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