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"Jerome complains about heretical preachers: “They persuade the people that what they invent is true; then, in a theatrical manner, they invite applause and shouting."
Shiner “Proclaiming the Gospel”
Went to part of a retreat day with the staff of Towson United Methodist Church. Here’s a photo I took of my new co-workers!
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“The need for a teacher to explain the content of books is implied by Plato in Phaedrus, where one of King Thamus’s complaints about the invention of writing is that students will read many things without instruction and will therefore think they know many things while remaining ignorant.”
Shiner “Proclaiming the Gospel”
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Relevant in a world full of knowledge - and those who abuse it.
I encountered something of note in my readings today. Apparently it was a crime to be an atheist in the 1st-3rd century Roman Empire. But, strangely enough, Christians denied the pantheon, and were thus considered to have no gods. They were never actively sought out for persecution, but when accused in court, were executed for their refusal to accept the Roman belief system.
An early Christian Philosopher, Justin, argued that there was a double standard, namely that many of the greatest philosophers in Greek culture were… bompbompbomp… Atheist.
“…the ancient writers … affirmed that the gods were human inventions, and that their vices were worse than those of their worshippers. Aristides suggested that such gods had been invented precisely in order to give full rein to human vice.”
Religions being used as a justification for behavior? Sounds familiar. In a class yesterday, a professor cautioned us to keep our developing theologies grounded in human life and the world we live in. Many Christians use the spiritual realm as an excuse to live however they desire in this life, and to treat the world and environment however they like. In short, many Christians use church as an excuse to justify their own mistakes and wrong-doings. It relenquishes their responsibilities for their bodies, actions, and the world around them. Church makes us feel good about ourselves, no matter how injust or harmful our actions may be in our day-to-day lives.
We need to be careful how we use religion to justify our own actions - a flaw every generation faces.
"The failure of some to actualize their own power can contribute to oppression in two ways. First, fear of their own power and responsibility may lead people to seek refuge in authoritarian, hierarchical and “bounded” relationships and social structures. In Heyward’s understanding, as these lack mutuality, they are inherently violent and unjust. Second, by not exercising their power to seek mutual relationships, people allow narcissistic aggression to go unchecked. These two perversions of the will affect other people by depriving them of the physical and psychic resources needed for life."
Don Schweitzer. Contemporary Christologies: A Fortress Introduction (p. 42). Kindle Edition.
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Summary: Evil exists because some people are afraid of their power and others abuse it with little resistance.
"…traditional notions of Jesus’ person and work that have dominated Western Christianity in the past block the reception of the gospel more than they express it."
Don Schweitzer. Contemporary Christologies
//Woah.
Words.
I asked each of the students at our church to choose one word to describe themselves:
Modest
Spontaneous
Crazy
High-roller
Hungry
Different
Unique
Intelligent
Driven
Intellectual
Undescribable
Polite
Energetic
Tired
Laid-back
Fun
Savage
Smart
Confused
Listener
Pokey
Awkward
Nice
Awesome
Hyper
Italian
Optimistic
Great
Cute
Irish
Russian
Quiet
Sleepy
Fun
Active
Sarcastic
I live in two places. I’m not being poetic or philosophical. I legitimately live in two places. Friday thru Sunday, I work/live in Towson, MD - about 90 minutes north of where I live in DC. The first shot above is the sanctuary of Towson United Methodist Church where I’m beginning my job as Youth/Young Adult Director. The second two shots are of the beautiful room I get to occupy due to the generosity of a church family.
At the moment, it’s nice to balance the two places.
Didn’t have a chance to post yesterday. So here’s a photo of the small pond I found in the backseat of my car.
Today’s creative act:
A podcast.
I’m in a long-distance relationship with a clever young lady from St. Louis, and so we’ve been experimenting with all sorts of ways to keep things fun and interesting. Here’s my contribution. (Genre: Weird/reflective/spiritual?)
Also from webecomelegend:
Dream A Little Dream
