This blog explores both historical and current events guided by the thought of the leading thinkers, past and present, of this school or movement of theology. Refer to the Classic Posts, Great and Contemporary Thinkers, various links of all kinds, in addition to the Archives themselves. David is the founder and manager of this website, but many friends contribute to it on a regular basis.
I read that yesterday. I didn't think much of it, though.
To sound standoffish towards what he perceives as a standoffish sensibility without actually reading the main works for himself seems kind of, well, hypocritical.
He sounds an awful lot like when everybody recommended Napoleon Dynamite to my roommate, incessantly quoting that movie to the near point of annoyance, that when my roommate finally did see the movie, it was over-hyped (in his mind), and all he thinks now is "it's not that good." I don't blame him, but it doesn't exactly mean he's actually weighing the merits of the movie! Kind of a poor example, but it's the first thing that popped in my head.
If all ones strives for is the same or for novelty, then one won't really be open to allow for the differences among us, some of which include some very challenging intellectuals.
I would also say that I think Pastor John is also very correct above when he notes his reservations with RO as they coincide with the Japery post. They are my own as well! (up to the point I noted above, however)
I've had similar discussions with a friend of mine named Dr. Jamie Gates where we have wondered aloud what say, John Milbank's community actually looks like. Does he just hang around intellectuals all day long, or is he really embodying all the he writes about? While I really appreciate (and mostly agree with) what Milbank and the other RO people write so academically about, I really pray that as much as they spend great lengths of time writing about ontology, I would hope they would spend as much time in engaging the Scriptures in their texts as well as describing real communities that embody these practices they write about. And if these communities are their own (and I hope they would talk about their own congregations and their practicies at some point), I would hope that they would not boast of themselves, but only boast for the sake of the Lord (1 Corinthians 1).
That's the kind of thing I look for on the blogs: are people talking about real practices that embody a faithful theology (and vice versa, a theology that points to a faithful practice)? I don't see it a whole lot, but it does show up every now and again. It is those treasures in God's Kingdom I try to look for.
3 comments:
I read that yesterday. I didn't think much of it, though.
To sound standoffish towards what he perceives as a standoffish sensibility without actually reading the main works for himself seems kind of, well, hypocritical.
He sounds an awful lot like when everybody recommended Napoleon Dynamite to my roommate, incessantly quoting that movie to the near point of annoyance, that when my roommate finally did see the movie, it was over-hyped (in his mind), and all he thinks now is "it's not that good." I don't blame him, but it doesn't exactly mean he's actually weighing the merits of the movie! Kind of a poor example, but it's the first thing that popped in my head.
If all ones strives for is the same or for novelty, then one won't really be open to allow for the differences among us, some of which include some very challenging intellectuals.
That's my take, at least.
Peace,
Eric
I would also say that I think Pastor John is also very correct above when he notes his reservations with RO as they coincide with the Japery post. They are my own as well! (up to the point I noted above, however)
I've had similar discussions with a friend of mine named Dr. Jamie Gates where we have wondered aloud what say, John Milbank's community actually looks like. Does he just hang around intellectuals all day long, or is he really embodying all the he writes about? While I really appreciate (and mostly agree with) what Milbank and the other RO people write so academically about, I really pray that as much as they spend great lengths of time writing about ontology, I would hope they would spend as much time in engaging the Scriptures in their texts as well as describing real communities that embody these practices they write about. And if these communities are their own (and I hope they would talk about their own congregations and their practicies at some point), I would hope that they would not boast of themselves, but only boast for the sake of the Lord (1 Corinthians 1).
That's the kind of thing I look for on the blogs: are people talking about real practices that embody a faithful theology (and vice versa, a theology that points to a faithful practice)? I don't see it a whole lot, but it does show up every now and again. It is those treasures in God's Kingdom I try to look for.
Peace,
Eric
Thank you both for extending this conversation. What an education!
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