Horton: The Christian Faith – Chapter 1: Dissonant Dramas I

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Janice

Michael Horton explains why he wrote The Christian Faith:

For chapter 1: Dissonant Dramas: Paradigms for Knowing God and the World Horton starts by stating: “The opening claim of this systematic theology is that the triune God is the object of theology and that this God is knowable because he has revealed himself to us.” (p. 35) Just as John Calvin did in The Institutes of Christian Religion, Horton starts with knowing God.

To help make sense of the dissonant dramas in our world Horton uses an interesting paradigm from Paul Tillich. Tillich was a German existentialist philosopher and theologian who lived in the 20th century. I have read one of his books but not Theology of Culture from which this paradigm comes. Tillich said that all of the philosophical theories could be grouped under two paradigms: overcoming estrangement and meeting a stranger. Horton adds a third, the stranger we never meet. (p.36) When I first read this I was not sure what he met but as he goes through different narratives (worldviews) I found it to be a helpful paradigm.

Starting with pantheism and panentheism, Horton states that “the first grand narrative erases (or tends to erase) the infinite-qualitative distinction between God and creatures”. The lines are blurred and this starts with a dualism in such writers as Plato. “The divine is somehow buried with us”, and “does not enter into times and places he has created.” This concept of the Creator with creation was part of Greek philosophy and continued in the second century with Gnosticism. Even later in Western Christianity, among the mystics there was this pantheistic bent, which continued with the radical mysticism in the Middle Ages.

Horton views atheism and deism as the stranger we never met. He sees similarities between pantheism and atheism, as they both believe that there is only one kind of reality. “Pantheism assumes that the upper world is real and this world is mere appearance, while atheism assumes that the upper world is real and this world is nonexistent.” (p.40) He offers in chart form these four worldviews and their beliefs about God. He ends this section with “in sharp contrast, the biblical narrative tells the story of the triune God who created all of reality (visible and invisible) out of nothing for his own glory…”

I found this section helpful as I agree with Horton that we see more and more people in 21st century America who are either pantheist, panentheist, atheist or deist. I teach a course for 11th graders entitled “Building a Christian Worldview”. We start with God and creation and discuss what it means to be created imago deo and learn the creation mandate. After much discussion on the concept of worldviews we start with the Ancient Greeks and go through Western Civilization to the 21st century looking at the philosophy of each age and how that is reflected in its literature and arts. We compare these philosophies with a Christian perspective. We see how our culture has gotten to the place it is today.

The goal is for students to take what they have been taught from their parents and their church and be able to use it as they look at different philosophies. They are coming to understand what a Biblical worldview is and solidify what they believe. We want to “see to it that no one takes (them) captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (ESV). And we want them to be able to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV).

Having said that though, is that not what we want to be teaching our own children, and for that matter ourselves? Horton has given a helpful paradigm to teach my students and to use myself, so we can discern the narrative of those around us, articulate the truth and  dialog and with those who have not met the Stranger. As we dialog with others some may, by God’s grace come face to face with the One who will then no longer be a Stranger.

How did you meet the Stranger?

It should be noted that most of the reviews on Drawing the Line Somewhere are from books purchased by the owner, or obtained from the library, publisher or author.  No monetary compensation was involved nor a good review guaranteed. Links to book companies posted with reviews are as a convenience for readers to buy the book. If a reader buys the book by clicking through this website, Drawing the Line Somewhere receives a referral fee which is used to help support the cost of the website.
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The House That Built Me

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Janice

Mom and I were watching The Voice the other night. Mom loves music and so this seemed a good choice. Dia Frampton, the girl left from Blake Sheldon’s team was getting ready to sing with Miranda Lambert. First off, I will say I like some country music but I usually listen to other types of music first. Miranda starting singing about going up to a house and saying to the person who answered the door that this house used to be her house. Those handprints by the steps were hers.

I know you country fans are wondering how I never heard this song but the radio in my old car did not usually work so we would listen to CD’s. I had seen a reference on Facebook from my cousin’s daughter when she had a shot of her grandparent’s house and the caption read, The House That Built Me.

As I was listening, I was tearing up because in the  fall my family went back to the house that our dad built for us. We were leaving the funeral of my uncle and my brother told us he had arranged for us to go to the house we had grown up in. My mother had sold the house when us kids were in our twenties. When the farm had been sold some 20 years later we had occasionally driven by the lane but the house was now owned by a business who were using it as their office. Now they were getting ready to sell it. I really cannot tell you how excited we were. We were all dressed up and now we were going home.

Dad working on the house

My dad was a carpenter contractor and he built that house. He and mom put a lot of hours into it. I remember riding up the lane and seeing the foundation being dug and helping mom one time when she was working on something when just the concrete bricks were laid for the basement. She needed a place to put what she was holding and I suggested the hole where the window was going. She was so affirming and later I wondered if she really needed my advice but she did listen to me and put it there. I remember when the flooring was put in and there was a big hole where the cellar steps would be and I was told to stay away from it. That wasn’t a problem as I was afraid of heights and did not want to fall down to the basement. I remember Mom driving us kids up the lane and then us playing in the living room. I remember after Dad had put in these beautiful extra wide window sills that I experimented with a nail. I was fascinated how you could follow the grain of the wood. Interesting that I did that in the girls’ bedroom and though the sills were sanded you could always see what I had done.

When I was 6 years old, we moved in. I missed the actual moving in day because my godmother took me to Tennessee. It was strange coming back into a new house but I loved it. It was the only house my youngest sister ever knew as she was born the fall after we moved in. Oh the memories! Fast forward 10 years and dad died of a brain tumor. He left a wife and four children, all under 16 who continued to live in that house for the next 10 years.

When we arrived at the house and got out of the car I walked up and saw the chimney and started crying. We had taken many a photo by it. There had been a rose bush trellised there, but no more. We walked in the front door and saw the living room fireplace. It was special, made of flagstone. Here I had put my brother in the fireplace with his brand new snowsuit on when he was two or three years old and we were still building the house. Thankfully the fire was not going at the time. Needless to say, I got in lots of trouble! Here also we sat around cooking hotdogs during the worst storm of the 60’s and we had no electricity. Here we hung our Christmas stockings that mom made for us. Here we sat and read by many a crackling fire. We stood around admiring the work and took pictures of us all grown up now, in front of the fireplace.

My brother was so excited that at least one of his children was there to see the house. My younger sister also had her son with her and as they went through the house, the parents were telling stories. Mom was with us but she did not really understand what was going on and that made it all the more poignant for us.

We looked in every cupboard, as if something would be left. However, it was amazing that it had the same oven, the same countertops. We walked around and told stories, we laughed and some of us cried. Outside there were the same trees we played around and one we had planted and carried buckets of water to for weeks. I saw the same flowers and mint mom had planted. And yes, I got some which I planted, nourished and gave to my siblings at Easter.

When Miranda Lambert sang about handprints, we had done that when dad added on to the back porch a few years after we had lived there. The funny thing is when the business took over the house they knocked that back porch down and my brother-in-law happened to be down that neck of the woods and drove back the lane to the house. He saw the concrete and went over and there were the cement blocks, not damaged, with our handprints on them. He knocked on the door and explained who he was and if he could take the blocks. He had them cut in half and presented them to us for Christmas. There were quite a few tears that Christmas, and many stories.

Dad built that house that became our home and in a sense that did build me. I am very thankful for that home and for the wonderful memories I have of it. My family who lived there with me had so much to do with who I am today and God richly blessed me. In Scripture, place is important. God told them to leave Egypt and go and make a home in Israel.  Yet, I also know that our life on this earth is temporary and where we are going is beyond our imagination and we will not miss this “home”.

What kind of memories are you creating for your family in your home?


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South Carolina Wins College World Series

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Janice

I love baseball and I lived in Columbia, South Carolina for 14 years. My niece graduated from the University of South Carolina. I still have own a house there and my dearest friends live there so I was thrilled that USC won back to back championships.

This video shows why the Gamecocks won — they played some great baseball.

 

 

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Past Presidents: Let Freedom Ring

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Janice

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776


The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation.

Woodrow Wilson


In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.

Franklin D. Roosevelt


Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.

Dwight D. Eisenhower


Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.

John F. Kennedy

 

 


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The Sabbath

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Janice

His father saw him – there were eyes of mercy;
He ran to meet him – there were legs of mercy;
He put his arms round his neck – there were arms of mercy;
He kissed him – there were kisses of mercy;
He said to him – there were words of mercy;
Bring here the best robe – there were deeds of mercy;
Wonders of mercy – all mercy!
Oh, what a God of mercy He is!

Matthew Henry

 

Luke 15:11-32 (ESV)

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

11And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”‘ 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”

 

 

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Potpourri

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Janice

From time to time I will share links to blogs, articles, videos and other things I find interesting. Enjoy.

Little House on the Baltic: My dad was a carpenter contractor and built our house so I have always been interested in the architecture of homes. I lived by myself for years and can’t imagine being cooped up in such a small space for long but it is very cleverly built. Be sure to click on the link for the slide show.

Bookmarks Then and Now: I love independent bookstores and unfortunately, they are becoming a thing of the past. When I recently returned to Columbia, SC my beloved Happy Bookseller was gone. I do still have a bookmark from there but I guess with Kindles, not only bookstores and books will go by the wayside but bookmarks. I would say hold on to the bookmarks you have as they will become collector’s items. This article looks at some of the bookmarks from famous bookstores.

Where’s Waldo – Attempt to Break World Record: I was teaching second grade in 1987 when Where’s Waldo came out. It became a popular book, however, I remember that some teacher’s didn’t like it much. You soon saw a plethora of copycat books on the market. This shows the attempt from the UK to break the record. Can you imagine trying to find the people you came with if you got lost from them in a crowd of Waldo look-a-likes? Talk about Where’s Waldo?!

Oxford_Comma_Killed: No, Nein and Nyet:  As I have commented elsewhere on this blog, I am not a big fan of the Oxford comma, also called the serial comma. I have worked with teachers who insist on continuing its use. They will be happy to know that the recent report that the University of Oxford was getting rid of the Oxford comma was an error. My teaching friends Jane, Kathy, Dolly and others can rest assured that their beloved Oxford comma is not dead. However, please note that though I love Oxford, I will not be following it in this area.

 

 

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Sketchnotes

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Janice

Note-taking is an important skill that I have taught at various grade levels. In high school, it is has usually included outlining. I want to give students the tools they will need in college to take good notes so they can use them to study for exams. But I have certainly used note taking after college, for numerous staff meetings, church committees, and for doctor’s visits when I had cancer. My biggest problem is reading what I wrote because my handwriting is horrible. I used to have a little keyboard on my PDA which helped me take notes but to use a cellphone is not that practical. If I don’t have my computer I usually have a Moleskine notebook to take notes.

Recently at  Core 77 they have been blogging about Sketchnotes. It is a form of visual thinking that “through the use of images, text, and diagrams, these notes take advantage of the ‘visual thinker’ mind’s penchant for make sense of—and understanding—information with pictures.” What I liked about this idea is that you have to listen, synthesize and visualize the information all in real-time. I think it would be something that my students, many who are visual learners would enjoy doing, but also it would make them process the information then, rather than taking notes and not responding to the material. As it is visual it would also help them remember the material better.

Now you don’t have to be an artist to do this. One of my student’s mother does a similar thing as a vacation log. She is an artist so hers did have more flair. Edith Schaeffer gave examples in her book The Hidden Art (p. 53-60) of how she used sketching to explain sermons to her children, drawing a simple picture and using main words.

If you want to see more examples, just Google ‘sketchnotes’ and they have over 24,000 examples as people share their sketchnotes after conferences. Here is a video showing the sketchnotes of a keynote speech at Internet Week 2011.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/core77blog/videos/23/

Where could you use this idea?

 


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Horton: The Christian Faith – Introduction C. Doxology & D. Discipleship

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Janice

Previously in Horton’s Introduction to The Christian Faith, we looked at Drama and Doctrine. Horton finishes his introduction with Doxology and Discipleship.

Doxology:  Saying “Amen”

“When the doctrine is understood in the context of its dramatic narrative, we find ourselves dumbfounded by God’s grace in Jesus Christ, surrendering to doxology.”(p. 22) I have heard people say  they just love Jesus, and doctrine isn’t that important. But I agree with Horton, “without knowing the dramatic plot and its doctrinal significance, our doxology becomes unfocused.” (p. 23) Interesting too, that many of those people who I heard say that, went astray and today wouldn’t even say they love Jesus.

Discipleship: The Way of Christ in the World

The last of the D’s is Discipleship. “We become reshaped in Christ’s image as new characters in the drama.” (p. 23) Here Horton makes a case for discipleship including study of theology. “Unless we are relocated from the stories of this fading age to our identity in Christ and begin to understand the implications of this new script, our discipleship will be little more than moralism.” (p.24) We need the creed, we need the practice and we need to be students of theology. Horton has given a good case for why we need to study theology. I am thankful for the churches I have attended that have provided opportunities for me to do that.

Putting it All Together & Systematic Theology

Horton wraps up the Introduction by reminding of us of God’s role for us in His play and that there will be up and downs. He also explains that systematic theology works with the drama, doctrine, doxology and discipleship. It relies on carefully exegesis of Scripture, and looks to practical (sometimes called pastoral) theology but is closest to biblical theology. Systematic theology puts all this together logically. “If biblical theology is a topographical map, systematic theology is more like a street map.” (p. 29) I recently went on a 5 hour trip and the map I had from an online service had some mistakes within 30 miles of my destination. It was quite frustrating to be trying to find my way with a map that was wrong. Phone service was spotty at best as I was in the mountains so the phone GPS was not working and every call was getting cut off. Thankfully, I spotted a bus that I knew was going to the same place I was so I followed them. A good street map is crucial.

Thus, Horton finishes the introduction and I think these 20 plus pages could be put in booklet form as they are that good. They definitely made me want to continue reading the book. This book is subtitled A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way and so Pilgrim, have you gotten your copy yet? I hope this discussion of the introduction has whet your appetite for more. I find Horton, to be readable and yet profound. Next time we will start  Part I: Knowing God.

Who has helped you grow in your theological thinking?

It should be noted that most of the reviews on Drawing the Line Somewhere are from books purchased by the owner, or obtained from the library, publisher or author.  No monetary compensation was involved nor a good review guaranteed. Links to book companies posted with reviews are as a convenience for readers to buy the book. If a reader buys the book by clicking through this website, Drawing the Line Somewhere receives a referral fee which is used to help support the cost of the website.

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Don’t Waste Your Sports by C. J. Mahaney

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Janice

My family enjoys sports. Growing up we would go to Oriole games and listen to the games on the radio. My mom still loves it when I turn on the ballgames. My brother played Little League. My little sister played softball. My sisters and I played on the church’s girl’s football team. I wanted to play softball in high school but I had an after school job and so couldn’t. Our extended family would always play baseball when we were at the farm for holidays and the weather permitted. Some of the uncles would play with us, and occasionally our oldest aunt, who when she was in her late 70’s still got out when us to play ball. Recently, my cousin Steve was talking with me our family baseball games. He remembered that everyone wanted his brother, Ron and me on their teams as we both were power hitters. I laughed remembering those times. I always played first base and loved it.

Sports can be great for kids. They have to learn the rules of the game, and specific skills to succeed. They get to see how it is to work together as a team and how to handle victory and defeat. Unfortunately, in our society, there have also been downsides to sports. Sometimes on the community level, there has been ugliness as parents and players have become angry and lost their control. There has also been abuses on the professional level with big money spoiling it for the fan and steroid use by the players. College sports has also been clouded with bad sportsmanship and the  breaking of NCAA rules. So how can we use sports in a positive way and teach our children the benefits of sports but to also be careful of the problems?

C. J. Mahaney gives insights in his booklet Don’t Waste Your Sports. I got it for my nephew, who plays varsity lacrosse. I read it before I gave it to him and found much insight for those who play sports and those who watch it. Mahaney loves sports and right after I got this book I saw him at a Maryland Terrapin Men’s Basketball game my brother had taken me to.

Mahaney says that I Corinthians 10:31, ‘So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’, applies to all of life including sports. Athletes are to play to the glory of God. But we as spectators also need to keep this verse in mind. He asks good questions like ‘Am I preoccupied with sports?’ and ‘In my passion for a team or sport, greater than my passion for Jesus Christ?’

At the end of the book there are application questions for athletes and then a short section for parents with application questions for them. Mahaney has packed a lot in this booklet and I recommend you read it and then get it for the athletes in your life. Sports can be a wonderful vehicle to build character in players and spectators.

Which sport is your favorite?

It should be noted that most of the reviews on Drawing the Line Somewhere are from books purchased by the owner, or obtained from the library, publisher or author.  No monetary compensation was involved nor a good review guaranteed. Links to book companies posted with reviews are as a convenience for readers to buy the book. If a reader buys the book by clicking through this website, Drawing the Line Somewhere receives a referral fee which is used to help support the cost of the website.


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Photography – Take a Picture of a Picture from the Past

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Janice

More and more people are taking pictures today it seems. Maybe it is because so many cellphones now have cameras, or that digital cameras are easier to use and less expensive. Of course, there isn’t that hassle or expense of taking your film to be developed. And it is easy to crop your photos, or use some software to manipulate the image or make them more beautiful.

My family had photo albums and later slides that we loved to look at. Now many photo albums are online and with Twitter and Facebook making it so easy to upload and share photos I can easily see the photos of friends and families.

If you enjoy photography and have some of those older photos, you may enjoy the website Dear Photography where you ‘take a picture of a picture from the past in the present’.  You get the photograph, say of you standing in front of the old oak tree in your front yard and then holding the picture with your left hand line the photo up and take a picture. Check out the site to really understand and once you have tried it you can submit your photos. It is a clever idea and would be a great summer activity for families who like to take pictures. It would also mean going to places that have been significant in your past and sharing stories. It you try this, tell us about it in the comments and if the site accepts your photo for publication put the link in the comment section so we can check it out.

What old photo do you most cherish?

 


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