tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post4213568332058384308..comments2024-03-28T09:52:15.415-04:00Comments on Common Denominator: Pagan Christianity 11: Christian EducationKen Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745548537303356655noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-7191994736147873712013-06-12T14:57:57.656-04:002013-06-12T14:57:57.656-04:00Ken, you and your students would benefit from a cl...Ken, you and your students would benefit from a closer look at the personal life of this author. All things in context, you know. <br /><br />http://crossroadjunction.com/2013/05/15/jon-zens-and-frank-viola/<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-84658357009991375132009-03-29T16:32:00.000-04:002009-03-29T16:32:00.000-04:00Ken I never thought I'd tire of your vivid review ...Ken I never thought I'd tire of your vivid review of this book--but I tired at about the same time you tired of writing on it.<BR/><BR/>Sure, I can deconstruct the church too... or America, or IWU, or marriage... but when the deconstruction if finished what have I left? I'm far from convinced that the "remnant church" Viola has left is any better than the church he wants to incinerate. I scoff at his fumbling attempts to conspire to destroy.... as you point out his audience is the angry who take their anger into tiny small-but-pure house churches who feast on announcing they are NOT like other churches... I laugh at how quickly his mist will vanish away. Good by Viola.Keith Druryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05058949281404407630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-62548889635448140482009-03-28T20:51:00.000-04:002009-03-28T20:51:00.000-04:00Ken, By this point in the book I was struggling to...Ken, By this point in the book I was struggling to finish it also. Thanks for your critique it has but words to many of my feelings. Knowing the Church is not perfect, but also believing it is still good and still being used by God.<BR/>Thanks for all your writing! As a nazarene pastor in southern Indiana who found your writing through Keith Drury,you are both much appreciated.<BR/><BR/>In Christ's grip,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-51440037381078367082009-03-26T10:45:00.000-04:002009-03-26T10:45:00.000-04:00As you well know, I have been trying to come to te...As you well know, I have been trying to come to terms with faith. Branding faith and naming it is something that I find superfluous, although it identifies someone with a community and certain "practices" which are "symbols" of a certain tradition. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps, Viola is focusing on a "human need" of "belonging", which the institutional Church cannot affirm, but house churches or small groups can. In our democracy, we can 'find' a place to belong, because of the vast diversity allowed within our nation and it's allowance of freedom for the individual. So, the Church ceases to meet that human need.<BR/><BR/>Belonging is not maturity, though. Beliefs are most important to understand, as otherwise, there is no understanding of "why" we do what we do in Church. But, is this necessarily necessary in meeting human need, unless it is to inform those who are "small minded" to become more open. This is the place for the university. <BR/><BR/>Greek philosophy was important to the Church Fathers in coming to terms with character development in Aristotle, or Aquinas. But,in the past, it was understood that man built "habit patterns" by the choice of the will. Today's understanding of evolutionary science, and the prospect of biological determinism challenges the Church's educational "endeavors", understanding of Scripture, and Chruch practices, themselves. <BR/><BR/>Leadership models are based on "survival of the fittest" in acquiring perseverence, courage, etc. so that one will "rise to the top". These models are not especially "Christian", they are pragmatic in focus. So, I don't see why "Christian" is particularly useful for developing humans fully.<BR/><BR/>I have said before that my experience at IWU was an enlarging experience and ethics was of primary importance in understanding and struggling with how I understood my faith. I think this is an important aspect of educating, practically, as well as theoretically.Angie Van De Merwehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12617299120618867829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-15181451964822216892009-03-26T10:07:00.000-04:002009-03-26T10:07:00.000-04:00Ken, you are planning to expand all this and packa...Ken, you are planning to expand all this and package it into a book aren't you? How about an article for Christianity today?<BR/><BR/>I'd buy it. Well, the book anyway ... I already have a subscription to CT...Mark Schnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00521939849864426818noreply@blogger.com