I plan to shoot the vodcast for Hebrews live today from 9:25 till whenever I finish. The link to join the shooting in progress is
http://indwes.acrobat.com/hebrews/
I've added a chat pod this week, which I'm hoping will allow anyone to chime in with a question during the presentation. There may be a couple students present in the room as well (in the Old College Church, southeast corner classroom, all welcome). I'm hoping that it will be more interesting with some interaction rather than just a talking head. Bring your laptop if you come so you can see the PowerPoints.
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P.S. 9:25am is Eastern Time.
yeah, I forgot about the time change. Is this when this class is always scheduled? If so, I can make it most weeks!
By the way, sorry if some of my quick comments (i.e. speech-act) were unnecessary. Things are just kinda floating around my head this morning.
Here's the link to the recording: Hebrews 3:1-4:13
No, Mike, it was great for you and Angie to chime in. I just had trouble juggling everything.
Because you acknowledged my "input". I wanted to just say that it is imperative to be careful about someone's self- perception, when that perception is based on Scriptural identity factors. Presuming that someone is "not a son" (by whatever "means" the person has understood he is a "son") and attempting to train by imposing certain "outward" means to form that person into "a son" (cloning the person after the model of that denomination or individual's standard), is abusive, or at least oppressive. We stand by faith through grace...and must allow differences of opinion and conviction in the "body of believers"...
Angie, the reason I didn't respond on the video is because your posts require more thought than I can usually pull out of my hat.
Your thoughts have to do with the impact of the text. For me, this is a distinct movement from the meaning of the text.
Now these are not distinct for others and my sense is that you do not function with them as distinct. "What the text meant" and "What the text means today." In a sense, you are the truest postmodern I know.
But you raise the question of ideas evaluating others. You raise the question of tolerance versus pluralism. As a true postmodern, I suspect that there is no distinction for you between tolerance and pluralism. In other words, to tolerate the ideas of others is to consider them equally valid.
For historic Christianity, however, to tolerate the views of others (remembering that God has afforded us free will) is to value others fully despite disagreements. It is not, at the same time, to consider their ideas equally valid.
So the question is, and your answer is certainly one of the alternatives that a person must consider, whether or not God distinguishes between humans. Certainly the biblical text says that God does.
If truth is entirely subjective and relative, then there are no distinctions. But if God distinguishes, then we are distinguished.
It reminds me of the question, "Why should I believe in God?" If God is not out there, then the answer is entirely personal. But if God is out there, then the reason you should believe in God is because God exists, and the personal angle is irrelevant in relation to what is true.
How many students were physically in that class, and how many of us were watching online?
It would be hard to juggle everything. I think you should be commended for even trying!
Random question, did you see the post about a week back on Witherington's blog about his Durham days and his recent visit? I thought it might conjure up some memories for you.
Because we do not have a text that is absent the "human element", we do not have a text that is not interpretive. The text (or tradition)"constructs God" by the text a group believes. This does not mean I do not believe that God exists, but it does mean that we only see through a glass darkly and we must be humble towards other traditions because of the identification factors of one's cultural "heritage"...
In historic Christianity, of course, we believe in the Scriptures. But, this does not mean that the text is absolute in all its "truth", meaning "ideas". Jesus, himself, said to the Pharisees that they searched the Scriptures but they testified of him. The Pharisees were understanding life through their text...but Jesus said that it was the testimony of his life that mattered.
This is where virtue is the universal to be upheld. And virtue was not in the "do's and don'ts" but in a life lived before God and for others. That is the true representation of "truth"...
Thanks for doing Hebrews and for your time and response.
Are the "distinguishing" factors equate with the "role" a person plays in a hierarchal system? I understand that biological systems function this way and if there is an attempt to understand the way God has made this world to function, then I suppose that looking at science would be a valid place. But, extrapolating biological systems theory into understanding the functioning of organizational or social structures, then I think we are amiss! (Maybe I'm chasing rabbits).
I agree that there have to be different "roles" in an organization, but highlighting the desire for leadership is the downfall of any organization without balancing power with power. We are to subject ourselves to one another in the fear of God...But, if leadership is "known" or understood as "God", then, I imagine we are at the mercy of those in power, aren't we? (At least as far as the governing of the organization or social structure.)
I'm hoping against hope that our political system has not been corrupted to the point where "no good person" can attain to power...for then it becomes a political payback, or good ole boy system...and I fear that because it costs so much to campaign that it is only for those who want to represent the monied...and it becomes the monied who are the represented!
RATS! I missed class .... I hope you give some free skips ;-)
Drury, you only get a skip if you have someone take your place and take notes in class for you. Come on, this is just like if you were in the ministry, remember? haha
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