the big picture
February 27, 2007
Before I immerse myself too deeply in this endeavor, I wanted to set some thinking into words – a purpose statement for the whole affair. These are the reasons that I became convinced that spending some increased portion of my time staring into the computer screen would actually be a good thing.
The advice you get over and over and over as an aspiring writer from “people who know” is that you have to write a little bit everyday. Consistency is the best way to improve. I’m planning on writing for the rest of my life, and I’ve been encouraged in that direction often enough to begin to believe that I might be capable of rearranging the words in our mother tongue in a few interesting, provocative, and compelling new ways. So, the blog is an arena where I can write consistently, and practice putting ideas into the form in which they speak well to others. This is a semi-public space that will allow me to get better at writing.
Second, both at Westmont and at Regent I’ve been indoctrinated with the mantra, “Theology happens in community.” This is more than a fancy way of saying that I get my best ideas from other people (though there’s something to that as well). But “doing theology” often consists of reading in a coffee shop where no one is studying the same thing, or thinking about life as I wander down a path through the woods. There are a lot of times when I’m blessed with a community to do theology with (at home, at church, at school), but there are also times when being a theologian seems a bit like being an appendix – no one is sure what you’re good for or just where you belong. So, the blog is an arena where I can broaden the community in which theology happens. This is where you come in; all your questions, disagreements, excitements, etc. are eagerly anticipated. As Casey is known to have said, “Comment in fecundus.”
Third, the world is a really busy place, and most of us (myself included) find ourselves trying to survive one day after another, schedules crammed to the gills. The opportunity to reflect about the meaning of the whole rat-race is rare, and it’s not in the rat race’s best interest to encourage such thinking. I hope that this blog provides a space to encourage some of that “meta” level reflection – both for myself and folks who happen to stop by.Finally, and not least in importance – this blog is a way that I can give others a window into my head. I’m hoping to put my mental furniture on display from time to time so that my friends and family can see the sorts of things that I spend most of my time occupied with. The value of that communication is fairly high in my mind.
THE DANGERS OF A BLOG:
The internet can be a very scary “place” to exist. The “person” that I am on the internet, is… well… whatever I put forth in my words, images, and blog-shrubbery (do you like the flowers?). Of course, in its grossest form this is how sixty year-old pedophiles pick up on teenage girls – by pretending to be someone other than who they are. We control the things that others learn about us, and if we want to be a little smarter, a little more focused, a little more driven, a little more faithful, a little more convinced, it’s not hard to put that out there.
I suppose that another danger would be that we waste hours on end in cyber-reality while the world that God loves spins on outside one’s scope of vision. There are physical people outside my door and just down the street that I might never meet because I spend evenings (just like they do) connected to my computer. Not to say that you aren’t a physical person as well, it’s just that there is a significant chasm between your physicality and mine. Maybe this is just one more way that I avoid getting outside and loving my neighbor.
In addition, “interaction” on the internet is necessarily somewhat impersonal. As you read this, I’m reduced to a string of words I typed at my desk twelve hours… two days… a month ago… but you have no way of knowing that the tablecloth here is blue, that I have a slight frown while I type, that there is incense burning in the background, that Carolyn still disapproves of the whole “blog” thing. That stuff doesn’t exactly change the shape of our dialogue, but the lack of body language and facial expression, lack of ability to communicate the nuances of emotion, and lack of personal contact certainly does. Being connected only by keyboards and screens can allow us to interact with sharper tones or disingenuous affectation that we couldn’t get away with “in person.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for any opportunity to interact, and this format does streamline a lot of things, but I’m still a bit suspicious. Mostly this means that I need to keep an eye on myself – the examples are mine. Consider this a brief lament for the seemingly inevitable distance between the members of our “community,” and the strain that distance puts on our ability to meaningfully relate.
HERE’S MY PLAN TO MITIGATE THE DANGERS I SEE:
I’ve got a few ideas for counter-acting the dangers and pitfalls that seem to be inherent in this project. The first is just to keep the blog open to all my friends and to encourage them to read it and comment upon it. I trust you all to keep me honest, subvert my pretensions, and remind me where I’m coming from if I start to let myself forget.
In the same vein, I plan to put up posts of a more personal nature from time to time. While I don’t intend this primarily to be a space for life-updates, I do think that it is good to bring in pictures and stories every so often. Once in a while you can expect a slight lapse in the onslaught of theoretical verbiage for a few pictures or some news.In addition, I do not envision the blog taking over the time that I otherwise spend on personal correspondence in other forms (some of you are saying, “What personal correspondence?”). I intend to continue maintaining friendships on a personal level through email, phone calls, letters, and visits whenever possible.
July 10, 2008 at 6:20 am
I am an Australian woman living in Japan. I have been teaching English as a foreign language since 1999, first in Thailand and now here.
I am on a faith journey, and have been afforded a lot of quiet tiem here in Japan — time to reflect, to think, to question, to heal … and on and on.
My biggest problem is to find useful readings on the internet. I really am unable to afford to buy imported English language books here, or to buy books over the internet, and have them delivered.
I am looking for anything that will assist me in my passage/journey. Do you know of anything, or any websites???
Also … a long time ago, I wanted to write too, and felt that I had a gift or a talent for doing such a thing. Unfortunately, because I teach English to low level students, and do not ‘feed’ my mind and heart with good writings/readings — then my writing skills have badly diminished. Everything that I write is so simplistic now. It lacks any depth. It drives me nuts!!!
If you have any ideas … then please let me know, will you?
Thank you,
anne
July 12, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hello Anne,
Thanks for stopping by! It’s hard to recommend reading “for the journey” when I don’t know where you are and where you are trying to go; but “shooting in the dark” I’d recommend any of the links you find on the right side of the blog here—especially the “theological sorts.” Following links from most of those blogs (in my experience) will lead you to intelligent well-meaning folks.
So far as writing goes, I think you’ve got the idea. Read well-written books (”feed” yourself well), and then use those books to springboard your own writing. You can use a journal to scrawl out your thoughts while you read, or stage an argument with the writer. And the best thing that you can do for your writing is… rewrite, rewrite, rewrite—come back to what you’ve written (or your favorite pieces) and edit them. As frustrating as that can be, your writing will inevitably benefit.
Or, as an alternative, throw yourself into the middle of a few conversations (not a shouting match) online and craft your contributions carefully. State your opinions as best you can and try to draw others into discussion. Of course, you are welcome to use this blog as that sort of forum!
Peace be with you,
Eric
July 12, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Thank you for your reply.
As far as my journey goes, the Good lord is doing His best with that. Sometimes, I feel bereft and alone, without a navigator, then suddenly something (a person, a situation - or even a website) comes along, and I can feel that the Navigator is back.
I am, or I was brought up as a catholic christian. However, my journeys through my life have taken me to all kinds of spiritual places. I find though now at age 56, that I am basically influenced by Franciscanism and Buddhism. I had a period of time, where I felt that I had been abandoned by God. I also felt that I had seen enough sufferings, and no longer wanted to be equated on any terms with Christ. I came under the influence of the radical feminism of Mary Daly, and felt that christian teachings about Christ were basically sado-masochistic in nature. They certainly were in my younger years.
Now … I have come under the influence of new teachers, and I see Christ in a whole new way. I am enjoying this new learning experience … and so, this is why I am looking for more to read, so that I can get some kind of a better grasp of Christ, His life, ways, teachings etc.
In Japan, our salaries are very good, and my needs are small, so I travelled to Italy, to visit Assisi, the beginning of Saint Francis’ journey.
First though was Rome, and I have had antagonistic feelings about the catholic church. But — when you are in Rome, a visit to saint Peter’s is a bit of a must. So, off I trotted, just as a tourist, not as a catholic. But during that visit, I chose to make a confession, and I told the priest of my arguments with Christ - that I could not cope with His suffering, my suffering and the suffering of others. It was all too much of a burden for me.
He asked me not to look at the suffering, but to look at the Love.
That settled me, and gave me some Peace. Journeying to Assisi, reinforced this.
I came upon your web-site, after looking for information on Dietrich Bonhoeffor. We are lucky, or privilieged in this day and age to be able to journey so easily and so quickly.
Thank you too, for the advice on writing. I really think that I have the ability to write, and to write well, but I need discipline and some skills … and you have given me some advice on the skills part. I need to love my writing, and give it the nuturing that it deserves.
Pace et Bene
anne
July 13, 2008 at 3:41 am
Hello again Eric,
I was thinking about all that you said (and what I knew too) and so I have begun a blog too.
Once long ago, I got caught up in ‘My Space’ and I quickly wanted to get out for a number of reasons. Primary amongst the reasons were the fact that I worried about narcissicism, and then I began to worry about the people who were posting on my web site.
I think that perhaps Word Press, might be a safer area for me to write. It gives the opportunity at least to begin to write, to self edit, and then to publish.
I have not invited anyone — so, I am hoping that I can just write and write and then edit and edit, and then finally to gather up what I hope will lead to some coherent and significant piece of work.
we will see, eh?????
Pace et Bene
anne
July 14, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Anne,
Well, now that I know a bit more of your story, I can definitely recommend a starting point for some good reading. Kimberly George and I went to college together (slogged through a few years of ancient Greek, actually) and she is a wonderfully sensitive person very concerned about the ways in which faith and gender come together. You’ll find her at either the Faith and Gender link or the Kim in Seattle link to the right. She is an aspiring (and acheiving) writer, and I’m sure that you would enjoy her perspective.
Glad to hear about your visit to Rome and the healing that God brought through your confession. Sounds like you found yourself on a pilgrimage despite your best intentions! I’m starting a grad program at a Catholic school this fall after studying at several evangelical schools, so I’m getting a bit closer to Rome myself (at least culturally).
Let me know when you take your new blog public. I hope that your writing is a source of joy and hope in the mean time.
God’s peace,
Eric