A RANSOM FELLOWSHIP PUBLICATION ISSUE ONE 2010

critiqueISSUE ONE 2010A RANSOM FELLOWSHIP PUBLICATION

critiqueISSUE ONE 2010A RANSOM FELLOWSHIP PUBLICATION

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Glimmers of Light Ifwehaveeyestosee,notallisdarknessinthisbrokenworld.“Nowandthen,insomewayoranother,”RoyAnkersays,“Lightdoesflashinexplicably,sometimesblazing,asinMoses’burningbush,or‘likeshiningfromshookfoil’(G.M.Hopkins).Mostofthetime,though,Lightcomesinflashesneartheedgesofvision,inafaintgleam,orinatremorofcolor.MostoftenLightcomesnotaspeoplewouldlike—such

aspurelightspreadsky-wideinbrightneondazzle—butrefractedthoughanaltogetherdifferentprism,onesimultaneouslymoreambiguousandmorepersonal,bymeansoftouchorembrace,imageorsign,glimpseorgaze,soundormusic,beautyorhorror,meetingorcoincidence,forgivenessorblessing.Themeansareendlessandalwaysasnewanduniqueaspeoplethemselves.Inotherwords,whenthedivinedoesappear,itprovesendlesslyinventiveandastonishingintheinstrumentsofitsshowing.” Thisisthemysteryofthegospel,thegraceof“beingtransformedintothesameimage[reflectingChrist’slight]fromonedegreeofglorytoanother”(1Corinthians3:18).ThatitcouldbepossibleinsomeonelikemeissomethingIhavetoacceptonfaith. ItwasFrancisandEdithSchaefferwhofirstallowedmetoseetheglimmersoflightthatspokeofadeeperrealityinlife.Iknowtheyhadclayfeet,butthat’snotthepoint.Thepointisn’tsomesortofperfection.Thepointiswhetherthereisareflectedlightofgrace,agraceinauthenticityandsafety,inlisteningandunhurriedtime,inhospitalityandwalkinginaStorysocompellingthatitpromisestosatisfyourdeepestyearningsandmeetourdeepestfears.AChristianitynotofrulesandpressuretoevangelizeandseparationfrompeopleandcultureandabroodingdisapproval,butonewherenothingmattersexceptforChrist,andbecauseofChrist,everything—everything—matters. Myprayerformyselfthisyearistoignorethedeadlytemptationofattemptingtoscheduleblazingsky-spanninglightshowsandinsteadbecontentwiththeglimmersthatdefeateveryattemptatplanning.Theyarefarmoreeffectiveatdispellingthelurkingshadowsofthisbrokenworldanyway.

Source Catching Light: Looking for God in the Movies by Roy M. Anker (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans; 2005) p. 6-7.

EditorDenis Haack

Managing EditorMatthew Hundley

Contributing EditorsJennifer Disney, Steven Garber, R. Greg Grooms, Donald Guthrie, John Mason Hodges, Marsena Konkle, Preston Jones, David John Seel, Jr., Travis Scott, Andrew H. Trotter Jr, Wesley Hill.

Board of DirectorsSteven GarberDirector, The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture, Washington, DC

Donald GuthrieAssociate Professor of Educational Ministries Covenant Seminary, St Louis, MO

Denis and Margie Haack Co-Founders of Ransom Fellowship

Rev. Ed HaguePastor, Presbyterian Church in AmericaTallahassee, FL

Bonnie LieferVice President Marketing & Communications, Coalition for Christian Outreach, Pittsburgh, PA

Henry TazelaarProfessor of Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

SubmissionsCritique considers unsolicited manu-scripts only for poetry: [email protected] or by mail (see below)

CorrespondenceAll other correspondence and changes of address notifications:

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For more about Ransom Fellowship visit:http://www.ransomfellowship.org

Copyright © 2010 Ransom Fellowship

critiqueISSUE ONE 2010

Text Denis Haack Photo Bailey MohrNOTE from the editor

critique RANSOMFELLOWSHIP.COM

CONTENTS issue one02 NOTE FROM THE EDITORIf we have eyes to see, not all is darkness in this broken world. There are many glimmers of light in the deeper realities of this world.

04 DIALOGUEMy life used to be defined by my speed and my frantic pursuit of bigger and faster and better.

05 DARKENED ROOMHumor is a funny thing. A comedian tells two jokes; he invests each with all his skill, experi-ence, and timing. One gets a laugh, the other falls flat. Why?

08 READING THE WORLDIn the movie Avatar, James Cameron draws us into a mythic narrative of drama and ro-mance—even as he also offers a window into his own hopes and dreams about the way the world is and ought to be. “Seeing” is central to the story.

16 READING THE WORDBeing lost is something I understand, having spent my life in that state. Sometimes being lost becomes a metaphor for the condition of one’s soul—and the stakes are raised exponentially.

20 BACK PAGEExaming the church, our souls, and our fallen state through a book by Frank Viola, a docu-mentary about Francis Ford Coppola, and a graphic novel about one very tall man by Saint Louis illustrator Matt Kindt.

Critique Mailing List: Critique is not available by subscription. Rather, interested readers can request to be added to Ran-som’s mailing list, which is updated frequently. Donors to Ransom Fellowship, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-deductible ministry, are added to the mailing list automatically unless requesting otherwise. To Receive Critique: Send your mailing address to: Ransom Fellowship, 1150 West Center, Rochester, MN, 55902. Everyone on Ransom’s mailing list also receives Notes from Toad Hall, a newsletter written by Mar-gie Haack in which she reflects on what it means to be faithful in the ordinary and routine of daily life, and gives news about Ransom’s ministry.

Critique is a magazine (published six times each year, funds permitting) designed to, by God’s grace, call attention to resources of interest to thinking Christians; model Christian discernment; & stimulate believers to think biblically about all of life. The articles and resources reproduced or recommended in Critique do not necessarily reflect the thinking of Ransom Fellowship. The purpose of this newsletter is to encourage thought, not dictate points of view.

Copying Policy: Feel free to make up to 50 copies of any article that appears in Critique for use with a small group. We only ask that you copy the entire article, note the source, and distribute the copies free of charge.

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Avatar photos used for cover and backround on this page used courtesy of Twentiety Century-Fox. Copyright © 2009.

To the editor: ThanksforyourrecentissueofCritiqueandthankMargieforherarticleonslowness[Notes From Toad Hall #4-2009].Mylifeusedtobedefinedbymyspeedandmyfranticpursuitofbiggerandfasterandbetter.Butthenafewmonthsago,asIturned50,IhadadreaminwhichIwasrushing,running,panting,sweatingupahillinordertocatchatrain.IthoughtitwastheonlytrainthatwouldtakemetomydestinationsoIranupthehillwithallmymight.Aftermyfrantic,hurriedpursuitIfinallyreachedthetopofaverylonghill.AsIlookeddowntothebottomofthehillIwatchedasmytrainslowlypulledout.“Damnit,”Isaid,“Imissedmytrain!”Thenitslowlydawnedonmethatanothertrainwascoming.Ididn’tknowwhen,butitwouldarrivewhenitwasready.IalsorealizedthatIhadtogodown—notup—tocatchmytrain.SowitharenewedbuttemperedandmuchslowerpursuitIstartedheadingdownthehill,knowingthatIdidn’thavetohurrytocatchmytrain. Asyoutwoknow,Jesushasawayofleadingusdownnotup—orperhapsdownisreallyup.I’vebeenmeditatingandwritingonMatthew1-4andIseeoverandoveragainhowourLorddescendedintoourpainandsin.Hewentdown—withoutrushingorpantingeither. Christ’speacetobothofyou, MattWoodley EastSetauket,NY

Response Denis Haack DIALOGUEreaders respond

I realized I had to go down,notup, to catch my train.

—Matt Woodley

4 critiqueISSUE ONE 2010

To the editor: I’mabitsurprisednottofindareviewofthemovie(orbook)Twilight.Anycomingoutsoon? AaronJ.Scott SanMarcos,Texas(viaemail)

Denis Haack responds: Aaron:Noplanstoreviewit.Thoughthereisnoformaltiebetweentheministries,WaltMueller(oftheCenterforParent/YouthUnderstanding)andIaregoodfriendsandseeourtwoministriesasparallel—excepttheytendtofocusonmaterialsforJunior&SeniorHighandtheirparents,andweforcollegeageandup(notaprecisedivision,butstill).YoucanfindareviewofTwilight,withdiscussionquestionsontheirwebsite[cpyu.org].

Mailbox Photo Copyright © 2009 stock.xchng

5critique RANSOMFELLOWSHIP.COM

DARKENED ROOM

The devil laughs because God’s world seems senseless to him; the angel laughs with joy because everything in God’s world has its meaning. —Milan Kundera

Humorisafunnything.Acomediantellstwojokes;heinvestseachwithallhisskill,experience,andtiming.Onegetsalaugh,theotherfallsflat.Why? JoelandEthanCoenhavebeentellingusjokescinematicallyforyears,andI’velaughedatthemallfromFargo toO Brother, Where art Thou?Buttheirlatestattempt—A Serious Man—fellflatwithme,andI’vebeenwonderingwhy.It’satypicalCoenbrothersfilmwithgreatcamerawork,crispediting,andextraordinarycasting.Alltheelementsofgoodhumorarethere,sowhyamInotlaughing? InA Serious Man wemeetLarryGopnik,physicsprofessoratasmallcollegeinthemid-westin1967.(WithanodtowardsGarrisonKeillortheCoensoncereferredtotheirfilmas“JewsonthePrairie”.)EveryonewantssomethingfromLarrythathe/shehasnorightto.Astudentwantsapassinggradeinphysics,whichheiswillingtopaygoodmoneyfor.Hisdaughterwantsanosejob.Hissonwantspotandrockandroll.Oneneighborhaslaidclaimtosomeofhisyard;anotherwantshimtojoinherforsexandpot.Thetenurecommitteeathiscollegepassive-aggressivelypassesonominousrumorafterrumorabouthisstanding,allthewhileassuringhimthatalliswell.

A Serious Man

Starring:Michael Stuhlbarg (Prof. Lawrence Gopnik) Richard Kind (Uncle Arthur) Fred Melamed (Sy Ableman) Sari Lennick (Judith Gopnik) Aaron Wolff (Danny Gopnik) Jessica McManus (Sarah Gopnik) Peter Breitmayer (Mr. Brandt) David Kang (Clive Park)

Directors: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

Writers: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

Producers: Tim Bevan, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Eric Fell-ner, Robert Graf

Original Music: Carter Burwell

Cinematographer: Roger Deakins

Runtime: 106 min

Release: USA; 2009

MPAA Rating: R (for language, some sexuality/nudity and brief violence)

LaughingWithTheDevil

Text R. Greg Grooms


Worstofall,hiswifewantsanewman,notayounger,handsomerman,butSyAbleman,asortofold,fatJewishDr.Phil,whoironicallyistheonlypersoninthefilmreferredtoas“aseriousman.”

A Serious Man islooselybasedonthebookofJob,butinsteadofthreefriends,Larryseeksadvicefromthreerabbis:RabbiScottoffershimamonologueaboutseeingGodinaparkinglot;RabbiNachtner,astoryaboutadentistwhofindsthewords“Helpme”engravedinHebrewonthebackofapatient’slowerincisors.RabbiMarshakquotesJeffersonAirplane’sGraceSlick:“Whenthetruthisfoundtobelies,andallthejoywithinyoudies.” ButLarrydoesn’twantsomebodytolove;hewantssomebodytoexplaintohimwhat“Hashem”—God—istryingtotellhiminthis,andhere’sthejoke.Yousee,

asaphysicsprofessor,Larryknowsthatonaquantumleveltheworlddoesn’tmakesense.

“The Uncertainty Principle. It proves we can’t ever really know… what’s going on, so it shouldn’t bother you not being able to figure anything out. Although you will be responsible for this on the mid-term.”

Sowhyinsistreligiously,philosophicallythatitshould?

That’stheCoen’sjoke,andwell-toldasitis,Istillfindithardtolaughwiththem,andIthinkIknowwhy. Acenturyago,thebaneofG.K.Chesterton’sexistencewereslipshodtypesetterswhoinadvertentlyturnedtheword“cosmic”inhisessaysinto“comic”.Eventuallyhecametoseethehumorintheerror.

“Whatever is cosmic is comic… Unless a thing is dignified, it cannot be undignified. Why is it funny that a man should sit down suddenly in the street? There is only one possible or intelligent reason: that man is the image of God. It is not

DARKENED ROOM

Photos Copyright © 2009 Focus Features

Feel free to laugh at him,if you wish, but remember if you do,the joke is on you.


funny that anything else should fall down; only that a man should fall down. No one sees anything funny in a tree falling down. No one sees a delicate absurdity in a stone falling down. No man stops in the road and roars with laughter at the sight of the snow coming down. The fall of thunderbolts is treated with some gravity. The fall of roofs and high buildings is taken seriously. It is only when a man tumbles down that we laugh. Why do we laugh? Because it is a grave religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.

LarryGopnikisthemostexistentiallyfecklesscharactersinceHamlet.Hegivesinwhereheshouldstandup,smileswhereheshouldscream.Strippedofanyshredofdignity,hejustisn’tveryfunny.

Feelfreetolaughathim,ifyouwish,butrememberifyoudo,thejokeisonyou.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

1. Whatwereyouthinkingaboutasthefilmended?

2. Didyoulikethevignetteaboutthedybbukatthebeginningofthefilm?Howdoesitrelatetotherestofthefilm?

3. DescribeLarryGopnik.Didyoulikehischaracter?Doyouthinkyouweresupposedtolikehischaracter?Howisthefactthatheisaphysicsprofessorsigni-ficant?Discussthemeaningofhisquoteinthereview.

4. What’sthesignificanceofthefilm’stitle,A Serious Man?

5. Larry’stragediesinspireaquestioninhim:Whatis“Hashem”(God)tryingtotellme?Whataretheanswersthethreerabbis—Scott,Nachtner,andMarshak—givehim?IfLarrycametoyouwiththesamequestion,howwouldyouanswerhim?

6. TheScripturesteach“…weknowthatforthosewholoveGodallthingsworktogetherforgood,forthosewhoarecalledaccordingtohispurpose”(Romans8:28).Andyetoften,especiallyinthefaceoftragedy,lifecanseempointlessandabsurd.Howdoyourespondundersuchcircumstancesandwhy?Howshouldyourespond?

7. IfyouhaveseenM.NightShyamalan’s2002filmSigns,contrastitwithA Serious Man.Whichfilmdidyouprefer?Why?

8. DidyouthinkA Serious Manwasfunny?DoyouthinktheCoenbrothersintendedtheiraudiencetolaugh?HowdidyourespondtoGrooms’criticismthatthefilm,thoughwelldone,justisn’tfunny?

9. OnefilmreviewerhadthistosayaboutA Serious Man:“TheCoensseemtobeworkingfromadefinitivestancethatreligionandGodleadtonothingbutconfusionandfear.Theirgod,iftheyhaveone,isthecinema.Andmoreoftenthannot,theirfilmsspeaktoloversoffilmmorethanloversoflife.Butthere’ssomethingaboutthatloveoffilmthatalsoembracesthehumanexperiencewithastrikinghonesty.”Discussthisquote.

10. ThefilmendswithLarrybendingtothepressureofhistroublesbydoingsomethingheknowstobewrong.What’sthesignificanceofthisact?HowdotheCoensrespondtoitinthefilm?

DARKENDED ROOM

Greg Grooms, a Contributing Editor for Critique, lives with his wife Mary Jane in a large home across the street from the University of Texas in Austin, where they welcome students to meals, to warm hospitality, to ask questions, and to seriously wrestle with the proposition that Jesus is actually Lord of all.

Copyright © 2010 R. Greg Grooms


Text Steven Garber READING THE WORLD

ISEEYOURef lectionson Avatar and the Importance of People and Place Puttingon3-DglassessothatIcould“see”thestoryofAvatar thatJamesCameronhasbroughttothescreen,twicenowIhavejoinedthemillionswhomadethefilmmillions. Forpeoplewholovemovies,itisnosurprisethatithasbrokenallbox-officerecords.Technologicallyastounding,yes—butitismorethanthat.Turningthelightsdown,invitingusintocomfortablechairs,Cameronhasdrawnusintoamythicnarrativeofdramaandromance—evenashealsooffersawindowintohisownhopesanddreamsaboutthewaytheworldisandoughttobe. “Seeing”iscentraltothestory.Theclimacticmomentofthefilmiswhenwehear,“Iseeyou”—metaphysicallyandmorallymeaningfulwords,astheyaremeanttobe.Butwhosees?Whoseestruthfully?Andhowdoesonelearntosee?ThequestionsinthefilmarenotsofarfromthosethatJesusasked,conversationafterconversationlongingthatpeoplewouldhave“eyesthatsee.” DeepwithintheHebrewanthropologyistheargumentthatweseeoutofourhearts,evenasweliveoutofourhearts—andJesus’teachingreflectsthat.Whatandwhyandhowweseeisalwayscentraltohumanlifeunderthesun—atruetruthforeveryoneeverywhere.Astheunusu-allyperceptiveOxfordmoralphilosopher,IrisMurdoch,oncewrote,“Wecanonlychoosewithintheworldwecansee.”Morethanmost,sheunderstoodthemoraldimen-sionofhumanknowing.

Avatar photos Copyright © 2009 Twentieth Century-Fox


READING THE WORLDCameron as Storyteller ItisthatrealitythatistheheartofthestoryofAvatar.CameronimaginesPandora,aplacethatoffersearth-dwellersthepossibilityofyetanotherworld—toconquerortosteward.Anditisinthetensionbetweenthosevisionswherehisstoryunfolds,asthehumansnegotiatetheirpresentandfuturewiththenativepopulation,theNa’vi,astrangely-beautiful,blue-tonedpeoplewithtails,whosesacredsitessitontopofanincrediblyvaluablemineral,unobtanium. Havingruinedoneworld,aversionofwhatEisen-howerinthe1950sprescientlycalled“themilitary/industrialcomplex”bringsunimaginablefire-powertoPandoraforthepurposeofremovingtheNa’vi,whointheirculturalnaïvetéhavenoappreciationforwhatliesbeneaththeirtreesandmountains.Rather,withinno-

cencetheythinkthatalifetogetherinrelationshiptoeachotherandtothebirdsandbeasts,flowersandtrees,isofmorevalue.(Andyes,unobtaniumalmostseemsasillyword;Cameroncan’tbeserious?!ButwithsomeresearchIfoundthatatleastsincethe1950sengineershaveusedthetermwhenreferringtounusualorcostlymaterials,orwhentheoreticallyconsideringamaterialperfectfortheirneeds—exceptthatitdoesn’texist.Sothere.) Thereiscaricatureofcourse,aslifeisneverifeverasblack-and-whiteasCamerontellsthetale.ThereisafeelofDances With Wolvesaboutthestoryline,per-hapsevenofacartoonishversionof“developedworld”against“undevelopedworld.”Allthatisthere,andmore. Butknowingthatdoesn’ttakeawayfromtherich-nessofhisvision,andtheexcellenceofthefilm.Whataboutitisworthyofourtimeandmoney?Dowego,

andifwego,whatwillwesee?Learningtobediscern-ingpeoplerequiresthatwehavelensesthatcansiftandsortwhatistruefromwhatisnottrue,whatmat-tersfromwhatdoesnotmatter.Butneverforthesakeofbeingsmarterpeople;alwaysforthesakeofbeingbetterpeople,moreholypeople,yes,evenmorehu-manpeople.InevertireofrememberingthenovelistandessayistWalkerPercy’sfar-reachinginsight,thatwecan“getallA’sandstillflunklife.”Howdowelearnto“see”afilm,toseetheworldaroundus,inwaysthatleadustoMurdoch’sthesisthatthereisalwaysamoraldimensiontoknowing?Thatweareimplicatedinourknowing?Thatourseeingwillrequiresomethingofus,somethingthatiscentraltous?Goodquestionsforfilmviewingeverytime,butalsoquestionsthatarecentraltothefilmAvatar.

YearsagoDonaldDrewtaughtmeto“neverleaveyourbrainsatthebox-office.”Iwasanundergraduate,andhewasawonderful,thoughtful,kind,insight-fulloveroffilm.Ayearearlierhehadpublishedthefirst-everbookbyaChristiantakingmoviesseriously,Images of Man: A Critique of the Contemporary Cin-ema,soseeingafilmwithhimwasveryspecial.Wewentintothetheater,satdown,andhetookoutofhispocketanotepadandpencil.Ilookedinquiringly,andhesaid—withhisBritishimpishnessthatwasalsoseri-ous—“DearSteve,Iwouldneverleavemybrainsatthebox-office!”Webeganwatchingthefilm—andhetooknotes!Ilearned,lookingoverhisshoulderandthroughhisheart,somethingveryimportantabout“seeing”the

“You can’t leave your brain at the

box-office”


READING THE WORLDstoryofamovie.Notonlytowonderabouttechniqueandstorytelling,butalsotoaskaboutmeaning.Whatisbeingsaid?Andwhy? AsIwatchedAvatar,Ifoundmyselfrespondingonmanydifferentlevels.Iloveagoodstory,andrequirethatofagoodfilm.Thisstoryiswelltold,sothealmostthreehoursdidnotseemtoolongatall.Andthereisacoherent,compellingplot.Butinmymusingoverthemovie,IalsothoughtoftheFrancisBacons,ofMichaelPolanyi,andofWendellBerry—withperhapsalittlebitofPeterGabrieltoo.

From Instauration to Alienation TheFrancisBacons?Thereweretwo,the16th-centuryphilosopher-statesman-scientist,andthe20th-centurypainter.Asanundergraduate,beginningtounderstandtheimportanceofideas,ofhistory,ofculturaldevelopmentandanalysis,Ispentmostofmysenioryearworkingonanhonorsthesis,“FromIns-taurationtoAlienation:AStudyofTwoFrancisBa-cons.”

InfluencedbySchaeffer,Rookmaaker,Dooyeweerd,andRoszak,IofferedananalysisoftheculturalhistoryfromtheoneBacontotheother,arguingthattheency-clopediast’svi-sionofhumanenlightenmentthroughthesci-entificmethod,echoingacrossthecenturiesasitdid—the

GreatInstauration,ashecalledit—wasinlargepartwhathisancestorwasscreamingoutagainstinhiswell-knownpaintings,e.g.the“Heads”ofVelazquez’sportraitofPopeInnocentX(madefamoustomeasthe

coverartofRookmaaker’sModern Art and the Death of a Culture).Itwasprettyheadystuff,Iwilladmit—butitdidseemtomatter,tomeandtosomeofmyfellowstudents. AsIreadtheBacons,itseemedfairtoargueforaconnectionbetweenthethinkingofthefirstandthe

artistryofthesecond.OneimageIdrewonwasfromthesociologistTheodoreRoszak,whoinhisbookWhere the Wasteland Ends: Politics and Transcendence in Post-Industrial Society,andanessay,“TheMonsterandtheTitan:Science,KnowledgeandGnosis”arguedforunderstandingthattheEnlightenmentparadigm—theCartesianobjective/subjectivedualism—hadmandatedawayofknowing,agnosis,thatwasasifwesaw—drawingonthepoetWilliamBlake’simage—“throughadeadman’seyes.”Yes,dispassionate,de-tached,anddisconnectedfromanyhonesthumanbeingorfeeling—pureobjectivity,andthereforethemosttrustedknowledgewehave,asthestoryistold.Polanyi and Berry on “Seeing” Ifpaintersandartistsofallsortsare“feeling”theworldfirst,touchingandsensingwhereweareallgoingculturally,thenBaconthepainterwas“seeing”somethingoftheinhumanityofmaninthemodernworld,perhapsearlierandmorestarklythantherestofus.Hisanguishedcanvasesarepainfullypainted,evenpainfultoponderasthe“screaming”issometaphysi-calandontological.Itisourhumanitythatisontrial,insomesense. InfacthewasartfullydescribingwhatthescientistandphilosopherMichaelPolanyiwasalsoseeingabouttheEnlightenment,academicallyandangrilyarguingthatitwasarrogancetocallourselves“enlightened,”aftertheHolocaust.Hisworkfocusedupon“knowing”too,withhismagnumopustitled,Personal Knowledge.

“Seeing” something ofthe inhumanity of man

in the modern world.


Neveranotherwayofspeakingofsubjectiveknowing,“personal”forhimmeantsomethingmoretruthful,morehuman.HemadeafundamentalcritiqueoftheCartesiansplitbetweenobjectivityandsubjectivity,andasaworld-classchemistarguedthat“theviewerisalwaysviewing”—weneverleaveourselvesbehindatthedoorofthelaboratory,asscientific“objectivity”promises. ForPolanyi,therehadtobeawayofknowingthat

wasmoretruthfultotheknowinghehadexperiencedasasci-entist;butalsothatwasmoreattentivetohumanresponsibil-ity,totheresponsi-bilityofknowledge,thanthefacts/valuesdualismofthemod-ernworld,whichhesawassubstantiallyresponsibleforthehorrorsoftheHolo-caust.Howcouldwebebrilliantandbadatthesametime,hewondered?

Polanyi’svisionrelieduponwhathecalled“in-dwelling,”viz.itisnotuntilweindwellourknowingthatwecometotrulyknow.Toputitanotherway:itisnotuntilweliveintoourideasabouttheworldthatweresponsiblyliveintheworld;wenevertruly“know”intheabstract,soforhimtheideaofanobjectivitythatpromisedabsolutecertaintywasfundamentallyflawed.Theviewerisalwaysviewing;itisabasichumanact,andonethatisalwaysthrough-a-glass-darkly.Weknowinpart—butbeingfiniteisnotamoralproblem. Thedeepertruthisthatonehastostep-in,to“in-dwell”one’sconvictionsandbeliefsbeforetheycanbetrulyunderstood.Yes,apersoncan“getallA’sandstillflunklife.”PolanyiwassayingsomethingprofoundlyHebrewandChristianinallofthis.Ideasmusthavelegs.Theoriesmustbepracticed.Beliefmustbecomebehavior.Doctrinemustdevelopintodiscipleship.Andwordshavetomadeflesh—forustounderstand

them,atleast. Buttwinedtogetherwithhisinsightaboutindwell-ingishisunderstandingthatthereisaresponsibilitybuiltintoknowledge;amoraldimensiontohumanknowing.AsaHungarianJew,helivedthroughthefirsthalfofthe20th-century,formostof50yearsworkingasascientistwithintheBaconianvisionof“thegreatinstauration”thatwouldbeoursoncewemasteredtheuniverse.ButtheHolocaust,andthecul-turalruinsofEuropepostWorldWarII,broughtthatoptimismcrashingdownonhimandEuropeat-large.Afterthewar,PolanyiwalkedawayfromhisNobelPrize-levelofworkandspenttherestoflifeasking,“Whatdoesitmeantoknow?Andhowdowelearntobecomeresponsibleforwhatweknow?” Butthereisanothervisionarytodrawupontoo.Called“themostseriousessayistinAmerica,”or“themostpropheticwriterinAmerica,”WendellBerryhasbecomeagreatfriendtome,andtomany,givingthegraceoflearningtoseewhathesees.Anovelist,apoet,andanessayist—aswellasahusbandandfatherandfarmerandneighbor—hewritesoftheresponsibil-ityofknowledgeinallofhiswork.Heisalwaysexploringtheconnectionofrela-tionshiptoresponsi-bility,ofknowledgetolove,viz.nowthatweknow,canwestilllove?nowthatweknow,wemuststilllove. WhileIcouldoffermanywindowsintohiswork,takeA Timbered Choir.Acollectionof20yearsof“SabbathPoems,”weekafterweekexploringthedy-namicrhythmofworshipandwork,thetitleisbothimportantandinstructive.Whilemusingoverastandofoaks,hewonderswhywedonotsee“thetimberedchoir”beforeoureyes?Yes,treessingingtousofthe

READING THE WORLD


READING THE WORLDgloryofGod;liketheheavensthatdeclarethatsameglory.Whydon’twehaveeyesthatsee,hewonders.Weallshouldwonder.(AndmaybeweshouldallreadLewisandTolkienagaintoo.) Thereissomethingprofoundlysacramentalinthiskindofseeing,wonderfullyanddeeplyso.Heavenandearthmeethere,assacramentsalwaysdo.Whilemyecclesiologykeepsmewaryofeverythingbecomingasacrament,itisalsotruethatIachefortheholinessofvisionthatseestimberedchoirs…don’tweall?IdowanttoseetheworldasGodseesit,tohearitashehearsit,tofeelitashefeelsit.

And Peter Gabriel Too Butwhatwasitabout“Avatar”thatmademethinkofPeterGabriel?Ihavereadsomeofthecritiquesofthefilm,andamasbotheredbyCameron’sopen-heart-edapologiaforpantheismasanyoneelse.Whileitis“auniversenextdoor”forallofus,andthereforeawayofseeingwithitsowninternallogicandaesthetic,pan-theismisitsowndead-end.Asonecriticputityearsago,aftervisitingtheEast,“Likearsenic.Insmalldosesastimulant,inlargeapoison.” Yes,itisapromiseto“see”morecompletely,push-ingbackawayfromthematerialismoftheWestasitoffersawaytoseeinandthroughtheillusionsofourconsciousness;themayasofyourlifeandminethatlimitourabilitytoseetheworldasitoughttobeseen.Butitcannotfinallydeliver,asitisitsownidolatry,ex-changingoneflawedstoryofrealityforanother,offer-ing“weareinexplicablyconnectedtoallthatisaroundus”for“wearecompletelydisconnectedfromallthatisaroundus,”whichwasthehonestifverysadprotestof

Baconthepainter. SeveralyearsagoIspentaneveningwithGabriel,beforeaconcerthereinWashington.Afewofuswhocareabouttheintersectionofpoliticsandculturehaddinnerwithhim,askingifwecouldhelpwithhisproj-ecttoaddresshumanrightsabuses.Bybuyingvideocamerasfordevelopmentworkersallovertheworld,hewantedtorecordthewrongsofthislifeandworld—andhewaspassionateaboutit. Wetalkedaboutmanythings,andhewasthought-fulandengagingandkind.AlongthewayhetalkedtousabouthisBuddhism.Ihavereadenoughovertheyearstounderstanditsappealtoworn-outWesterners,

humanbeingsaswearelongingforsomethingmorethan“adeadman’seyes”—withthealienationfromeachotherandtheworldaroundusthatispart-and-parcelofthatjudgment.SoIwasmoresympatheticthanmostmightbe—evenasIwaslisteningcarefully,wonderingiftherewouldbeawaytoengagehimmorefullyinwhathebelievedandwhy. AtacertainpointintheconversationIaskedhim,“Buthowdoyouaccountfortheyearningtobelievethatsomethingsarerightandwrong,goodandevil,ahumanrightasagainstahumanwrong—withintheframeworkofyourBuddhism?Ifattheendoftheday,therearenofinaldistinctionsbetweenanything,thatalldifferencesanddistinctionsaremayaandillusory,whyisthesufferingandtortureinBurmalastyearsoimportanttoyou?Whydoesitmatterifanyonere-cordsit?Whyshouldweprotestit?Whynotadmitourillusionsaboutreality,aboutlife,andgetonwithit?Whyrightandwrong,Peter?” Heisarockstar,theworldover,butheisalsoagoodman,anhonorableman,anditwasagoodconversationbetweenpeoplewhotookeachotherseriously.Hisworkiscommendable,andworthyofhistimeandlaborandmoney—andwehonoredthat.

We are longing for something more than a “dead man’s eyes.”

Avatar photos courtesy Twentieth Century-Fox. Copyright © 2009.


READING THE WORLDBad Films Always Lie... ButAvatar?IfCameronarguesforustoattendtotherichnessofNa’vilife,andtoseetheeconomicandpoliticalambitionsofthemilitary/industrialcom-plexnowcometoPandoraasmorallyandhistoricallyshort-sighted,healsowantsustopurchasethepanthe-ismofPandora.ItisMotherEarthheoffers,hisownformofGaia,andinthewayheportraystheirhabita-tionoflifeitissuperiortotheearthlingsineverypos-sibleway.Yes,itiscartoonishattimes,andweneedtobeabletosift,takingthegoodandleavingthenot-so-good. Whenthedramabeginstobeseenforwhatitwillbe,withcrisesabounding,wearedrawnintotheNa’viworshipofMotherEarth,presentinagiantsacredtree.TheNa’viprincessatonepointsaysveryplainly,“Shedoesnottakesides,Jake.Sheonlyprotectsthebalanceoflife.”AformerMarinenowembodyinganavatarhimself,Jakewonderswhethertherewillbeanyassistancefromthelocaldeity—thepantheis-ticdeity,andthereforesome-howsomewayeverywhereineverything—inaddressingthe“badguys”thatsenthimtobefriendtheNa’viforthesakeofmanipulatingthemandstealingfromthem. Well,WalkerPercyisperenniallyrightaboutbadbooks,andbadfilms.Theyliemostofallaboutthehumancondition.Asheteasesouthispoint,hewon-dersifanyonehas“readagoodBuddhistnovellately?”Pushingawayatthephilosophicalanthropologyattheheartofpantheismsofallsorts,hewondershowmayacanbethebasisofareallyinterestingstory?Iwonderedthattoo,hearingCameronspeakthroughMotherEarth.Willshereallytakenosides?Willthe“badguys”win?Willitnotmattertous,mayaasitallis? Well,thereisadramaticconflictbetweentheearthlingsandtheNa’vi,betweenthemodernworldfulloffolkwholiveandbreathe—evenastheysee—

throughadeadman’seyes.Becauseoftheearth-dwell-ersillusionsaboutwhatreallymatters,theycannot“see”thatthesacredtreeisanythingmore“justatree,”andthereforearewillingtodestroythewonderandbeautyandrichnessoftheNa’viworld.Yes,itisofferedtousasabattleroyalbetweengoodandevil;betweenthosewhoknowandthosewhodon’tknow,betweenthosewhoseeandthosewhodon’tsee. AndtothegladnessofallbuttheScroogesamongus,theNa’viwin,protectingtheirwayoflifeagainstthepowerandmightoftheintrudersfromEarth.Andtruetoallgoodstories,MotherEarthdoestakeaside!Moralambiguitydoesnotagoodstorymake.ThinkmostFrenchfilms.Tobedrawninweneedasidetobetaken;weneedresonancewiththerealityoflifeas

weknowit.Thatiswrittenintoourhumanness,intothehumancondition.Nu-anceiscritical,asnotalloflifeisblack-and-white—butmoralindifferenceisdeathtoagoodstoryandtoagoodlife.AndbecauseCameronstilllivesintheworldthatisreallythere,creatingastoryaboutaworldthatreflectstherealityoftheworld,withimaginativebrilliancehedrawsusintoabattleofgoodagainstevil—andweareon

theedgeofourseats! Aretherecriticismstomake?Yes,andIhavemadesome,e.g.thecartoonishcaricatureofpre-modernvs.modern,ofdevelopedvs.non-developed,ofWesternmaterialismvs.Easternpantheism.Wemustnevereverleaveourbrainsatthebox-office.

People and Place Do Matter Andyet,grantingthosecritiquesandmore,IwanttoarguethatthereisanothersenseinwhichCameronoffersanallusivealternativetothe“deadman’seyes”ofmodernity.Inhiscriticismofthemodernworld,heispushingbackattheEnlightenmentrationalismthathasdeadenedustothingsthatmatter.Attheendof


READING THE WORLDlife,thingsarenotthemostimportantthings.Rela-tionshipswithotherpeople,andarelationshiptoaplacethatmattersisalsoimportant;andinfactismoreimportant,overthelongyearsoflife.Theywillnourishusashumanbeings,truly“enlightening”usastowhoweareandoughttobe,inwaysthatthedoggedpursuitofbecoming“mastersoftheuniverse”willnot.TomWolfe—andmanyothers—wererightaboutthat. AsIwatchedthefilm,IfoundmyselfthinkingofBerry.Insomanyways,thecentralthemeofhisworkisthis:ifwecasuallywalkawayfrompeopleandplace,welosesomethingcrucialtoourhumanity—sobecarefulaboutthat.NeveraLuddite,notautopian,heseessomethingimpor-tantaboutthehumanconditionandinsiststhatwe“comeandsee”too,lookingoverhisshoulderandthroughhisheartatthelifeandtimesofPortWilliamanditsmembership,thecommunityovertimewhosestorieshetells.Buriedwithinhispantheisticapologetic,Cameronseesthesamething,anditisaweightywordforus. SometimesIwonderwhyitisthattheChurchseemsmoreindebttoEnlightenmentrationalism,anduncriticallyso?Whyisitthatwearenotsosureaboutthesacramentalsongsofthebirdsofthefield…andthetimberedchoirsallaroundus,allowingcul-turalhistoriesandideologiesthathavediminishedourconnectednesstothecreationtoholdswayamongus?Weareplacedontheearthasresponsibleactorsinhistory,calledtolovewhatGodhasmade,tocareforwhatGodhasmade,tostewardtheearthandallthatitis,forGod’ssakeandourchildren’ssake—andtheirchildren’ssake,andonandon,untilthenewheavensandnewearthcomesinallitsglory. Topressthepoint:whyhasevangelicaltheologyalloweditselftobeidentifiedwithapoliticalvision

thatissohorribly“un-green,”sounresponsiveandirresponsibleaboutourplaceintheworld?ClearlythereisagenerationcomingofagenowthatrefutesthelogicthatconservativepoliticsrepresentsallthattrueChristiansare“for,”amongmanyothercausesandcaresinsistingthatfaithfulnesstoGodmeansafaith-fulcareoftheearth.Itisnot,ofcourse—andlivinginWashingtonforover20yearsmakesmesureofthis—thatthepoliticalleftisamorefaithfulweathervaneforstewardshipoftheearth.Theyaresubjecttotheirownideologicalshortsightedness,anditisnotourseither.Wearenottheearth’sdisturbersordestroyers;

thatisneverwhatthecallingtodominionmeant.Butwearenotitsworshipperseither.Ideologiesandidola-triesarealwaysinex-tricablyconnected.ThecallofGenesis1wastoseeourselvesasinrelationship,“vice-regents”intheearth,stewardsofhistory,andthereforerespon-sibletocareforthewaytheworldturnedout. AssonsofAdam

anddaughtersofEvewearetolovetheearth,itsfloraandfauna,itsbirdsandbees—whichmeansthatweareto“see”ourconnectiontocreation,understandingthatourflourishingwillbefullestwhenitflourishes.Thatcanmeanandshouldmeanculturaldevelopment,sowearenotprimitivists,justaswearenotpanthe-ists.Butknowingtheworldmeanslovingtheworld,evenasweexploreitspossibilities,creatingflutesandguitars,bagelsandbaguettes,chocolateandwine,steelandmicrochips,planes,trains,andautomobiles—andspaceshipstoo,aswellasunderstandingthepotentialofunobtanium.Butwearealwaysneighbors,first.Andwhenhumanbeingsforgetthat,andmostlywedo,wesuffer.Ourneighborhoodssuffer,ourcitiessuffer,oursocietyandworldsuffer.Howcoulditbeotherwise?

Avatar photos copyright © 2009 Twentieth Century-Fox


SOURCES A Rocha, an internal community of Christians committed to stewarding the earth. Steve serves on its national advisory council. [http://www.arocha.org/us-en/index.html]

Flourish magazine, and especially Denis Haack’s essay, Wen-dell Berry’s “The Gift of Good Land.” [http://flourishonline.org/]

And “Tacit Knowing, Truthful Knowing: The Life and Thought of Michael Polanyi,” Mars Hill Audio Journal. Steve was one of those interviewed. [http://www.marshillaudio.org/]

READING THE WORLDA Final Word Soforthecounter-punchtothe(im)moralvisionthatwasbornandbredintheEnlightenment,the“throughadeadman’seyes”ofevolutionarymaterial-ismandthesocialalienationthatcamewithit,under-stoodbyDickensandMarxcoincidentally—andmorefullydevelopedacenturylaterbyPolanyiandPercy—forallofthatIamintriguedbythestoryofAvatar,im-pressedbytheartfulnessofCameronasastory-tellerandgladforwhathetellsthetruthabout,evenasIamcriticaloverwhathemisses. LikethepeopleofGodoverthecenturies,wearecalledto“plundertheEgyptians,”livinginbutnotofourmomentinhistory,takinginwhatisvaluableandleavingbehindwhatisnot.TheearlyChurchdidthat,drawingonthestoryoftheIsraelitesleavingEgyptand“plundering”thegoodgiftsofEgyptianculturetotakewiththemontheirjourneytothepromisedland.Andso,discerningasbesttheycouldwhatcouldberedeemedintheGreco-Romanworld,withitsphiloso-phiesandtechnologiesbornofoutofpaganism,theyalsoknewthatsomeoftheculturalimagesandiconswereuseful,evenbeautifulandimportant;evenastheystoodagainstotherideasandpractices,knowingthattheyrepresentedthedeathofaculture. Livingaswedointhepluralizing,globalizing21st-century,wehaveourownimagesandideastosortthrough,decidingwhoweareandhowwearegoingtolive.Clay-footedasitis,Avatar callsustoseewithourhearts,toremembertorememberthatpeoplemat-terandplacesmatter.Yes,perhapseventhatthereare“timberedchoirs”allaboutus—ifwehaveeyesthatseeandearsthathear.Mayitbeso.

Steven Garber has been a friend to Ransom Fellowship since it began more than 25 years ago. A teacher to many people in many places, he is the director of The Washington Institute, whose work is always focused on the intersection of faith/vocation/culture.

Copyright © 2010 Steven Garber

Avatar Starring:Sam Worthington (Jake Sully) Zoe Saldana (Neytiri) Sigourney Weaver (Dr. Grace Augustine) Stephen Lang (Colonel Miles Quaritch)Joel Moor (Norm Spellman) Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge) Laz Alonso (Tsu’tey) We Studo (Eytukan)

Writer/Director: James Cameron

Runtime: 162 min

Release: USA; 2009

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sen-suality, language and some smoking)


Text Denis HaackREADING THE WORD

Questions for Lost PeopleI had a stick of CareFree gum, but it didn’t work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor, I was back to pondering my mortality.—Mitch Hedberg

BeinglostissomethingIunderstand,havingspentmylifeinthatstate.Weliveinarelativelysmallcity(population100,000)arrangedneatlyinagrid(we’reintheMidwestafterall)withnumberedavenuesrunningnorth/southandnumberedstreetsrunningeast/west.We’velivedinthesamehousesince1981.Yet,morefrequentlythanIcaretomentionavariationonthisconversationoccursasIbackoutofourdriveway.

She: Why are you headed this way? He: Because we are going out to eat. She: Do you know where you are going? He: No. She: We’re going to Pescara’s. He: Where’s that? She: Remember the grilled asparagus we ate with Ron the evening before the L’Abri Conference? He: Oh, that was amazing, lightly grilled, slightly crisp. Delicious. She: That’s where. He: Where’s that? She: Oh for…

Photo copyright © 2009 stock.xchng


READING THE WORD LastyearmyfamilyboughtmeaGPSforthecar,oneofthoselittlescreensshowingamapandawoman’svoicethattellsmewheretogoinanEnglishaccent.HernameisSerena. Thereis,ofcourse,afardeeperwayofbeinglost.Acommonenoughirritationindailylife,whenbeinglostbecomesametaphorforthestateofone’ssoulthestakesareraisedexponentially.Isn’tthatthedarkrealitybehindthetelevisionseries,Lost(2004-2010)andthefunnyyetsadconfusionthatfogsBillMurray’scharacterinLost in Translation (2003)?WalkerPercy,oneofthemoreperceptivenovelistsofthetwentiethcenturywassoconvincedthatweareLost in the Cosmos thathepublishedabookwiththattitle(1983).IronicallysubtitlinghisbookThe last self-help book,Percywasunimpressedbyclaimsthathumankind’sprogressintechnology,medicine,andknowledgehadsolvedthereallyimportantquestionsoflife.Howisitpossible,heasked,“forthemanwhodesignedVoyager19,whicharrivedatTitania,asatelliteofUranus,threesecondsoffscheduleandahundredyardsoffcourseafteraflightofthreeyears,tobeoneofthemostscrewed-upcreaturesinCalifornia—ortheCosmos?” Itisnotjustthemobilityofouragethatcausessomanyofustofeelsomehowcutofffromroots,afflictedwithavaguesenseofhomesicknessinauniversethatistoosilenttobecaringandtoolargetobecomforting.Weareobviouslyathomehere,beingactuallymadeofthestuffoftheplanetonwhichweliveoutourdays.Howcoulditbeotherwise?Andyet,thereisalsonodenying,whenwearefullyhonest,theunsettlingpangthatcausesustowonderwhy,ifweareathomewefeelabitlost. Often,WalkerPercysaysinLost in the Cosmos,thesenseofourpredicamentarrivesinpangsofdisappointmentthatstretchacrossourentireexistence.Thatis,ifwestopbeingdistractedlongenoughtonotice.

Work is disappointing. In spite of all the talk about making work more creative and self-fulfilling, most people hate their jobs, and with good reason. Most work in modern technological societies is intolerably dull and repetitive. Marriage and family life are disappointing.

Even among defenders of traditional family values, e.g., Christians and Jews, a certain dreariness must be inferred, if only from the average time of TV viewing. Dreary as TV is, it is evidently not as dreary as Mom talking to Dad or the kids talking to either. School is disappointing. If science is exciting and art is exhilarating, the schools and universities have achieved the not inconsiderable feat of rendering both dull. As every scientist and poet knows, one discovers both vocations in spite of, not because of, school. It takes years to recover from the stupor of being taught Shakespeare in English Lit and Wheatstone’s bridge in Physics. Politics is disappointing. Most young people turn their backs on politics, not because of the lack of excitement of politics as it is practiced, but because of the shallowness, venality, and image-making as these are perceived through the media—one of the technology’s greatest achievements. The churches are disappointing, even for most believers. If Christ brings us new life, it is all the more remarkable that the church, the bearer of this good news, should be among the most dispirited institutions of the age. The alternatives to the institutional churches are even more grossly disappointing, from TV evangelists with their blown-dry hairdos to California cults led by prosperous gurus ignored in India but embraced in La Jolla. Social life is disappointing. The very franticness of attempts to reestablish community and festival, by partying, by groups, by club, by touristy Mardi Gras, is the best evidence of the loss of true community and festival and of the loneliness of self, stranded as it is as an unspeakable consciousness in a world from which it perceives itself as somehow estranged, stranded even within its own body, with which it sees no clear connection.

TwomillenniaagoJesuswovetogetherthreestoriesonthesubject.Hetoldofalostsheep,alostcoin,andalostson,bringinganechoofTrinitarianrealityinthetrilogy.Thefirsttwotalesaresobriefthattheyarebarelymorethanacoupleofsentences.Ashepherd/awomanlosesasheep/acoin,searches


READING THE WORDvaliantlyforit,findswhatislostandisoverjoyed.Thestoryofthelostsonismoreinvolved,displayinginvividdetailtheprodigalproficiencythatcharacterizesdivinegrace.BeingfoundbyGodturnsouttobetransformative,whenfrombeinglostIfindmyselfwelcomedintoafamilywithGodasFather,Jesusaselderbrother,withneitherashamedtonamemeastheirown. Thespell-checkonmylaptopdoesn’tliketheword,lostness,butwhatotherwordcanweuseinitsplace?Toadmittolostnessissometimesattributedtoweakness,sothatwefeelashamedofthefactbutthisisamistake.“Thesearch,”WalkerPercywroteinThe Moviegoer,“iswhatanyonewouldundertakeifhewerenotsunkintheeverydaynessofhisownlife.Tobecomeawareofthepossibilityofthesearchistobeontosomething.Nottobeontosomethingistobeindespair.”Itisonethingtobeawayfromhome,itisquiteanothertobeawayandunableorunwillingtoadmitit.Noreasontocomplicatelostnesswithastupidityspawnedinpride. Thestoryofourlostnessstretchesbackintimetotheverybeginning.AssonsofAdamanddaughtersofEvewehaveheardhowourfirstparentswerefullyathomebutthenbecamelost,bequeathingthebefuddlementandwanderingtous.FoolishlytheypreferredfindingtheirownwayratherthantrustingthewordofGod,anddiscoveredthatautonomywasitselftheverydefinitionofbeinglost,lostinthecosmosthatwasintendedtobehome. Soonaftertheirfatefuldecision,theGodwhosewordtheyrefusedtotrustaskedthemaseriesoffourquestions.

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze,

and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the

woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, andI ate.” —Genesis 3:8-13

MyfriendEllisPottersaysthatweshouldnoticethequestionsGodaskshere.Thisisthefirstencounter,inallofhumanhistory,withpeoplewhofindthemselveslostinthecosmos.AnditisGoddoingtheasking.Thequestionsarenotrhetoricalbutthoughsimple,probeintoheartsandminds

andlivesinawaythatopensustothepossibilityofredemption.ThefourquestionsGodasksarethese:

Where are you? Who told you that? Have you eaten? What difference has it made in your life?

“Whereareyou?”Wherehasyourpilgrimageinlifebroughtyou?Wheredoyoufindmeaningandforwhatdoyouhope?Whatareyourfearsanddeepestdoubts?Whatisthestoryinwhichyouarelivingsofar?Haveyoufoundthehomeforwhichyouarelongingmostdeeply? “Whotoldyouthat?”Inwhatorwhoareyoutrusting,andwhy?Whatorwhodoyoulooktoasa

Photo copyright © 2009 stock.xchng


finalsourceoftruth,morality,andauthority?Isit/aretheytrustworthy?Whydoyoubelievewhatyoudo?Whydidyouchoosethisparticularstorytolivein?Onwhatbasisdoyoudeterminewhatisrightandwhatiswrong?Whatwillhappenifyouhappentobewrong? “Haveyoueaten?”Willyousharethehospitalityofmylifeandhome?Doyoufindyourdeepestheartcommitmentstobeasourceofsatisfaction?Doesyourstoryhelpyouflourishatthedeepestlevelsasahumanbeing? “Whatdifferencedoesitmakeinyourlife?”Isyourstorysofulfillingthatyouwouldrecommendit?Howdoesithelpyoulive?Inwhatwaysdoesitmakeyouthesortofpersonyoumostwanttobecome?Whatdoyouhopeforandhowdoesthathopehelpyouinthedarkest,mostdisappointingmomentsoflife? “Perhapsweshouldbeaskingthesequestions,”Ellissuggests,“intryingtoengageandblessourneighbors.”Anditshouldgowithoutsayingthatifwearegoingtoposethemtootherswemustbewillingtohavethemaskedofus. Wemustalsobewillingtohaveouranswerschallenged.Itisaseasytobenonchalantinsuchmattersasitistoburyouryearningforhomeindistraction,busyness,entertainment,orsomesortofaddiction.BeingcertainIhavebeenfoundisn’tthesameasfeelingfound,andifmycertaintyisprimarilyself-confidenceitmaynotbeworthmuchinthelongrun.JesussavedhismostscathingrhetoricforthebelieversmostcertaintheywereGod’schosenpeople,thateveryoneelsewasn’tandthattheycouldtellthedifference.TheybasedtheirclaimsontheScripturesbutJesustoldthemtheirsoulsreekedofputrefaction.Sadly,mostofthemapparentlydidn’ttakehimallthatseriously. JohnNewton,theslaveshipcaptainwhobecameapastorandabolitionist,celebratedbeingfoundbyGod.Thehymnhewrotein1772intheatticroomofhishomehasbecomeoneofthemostlovedandbestknownintheworld:

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

“AmazingGrace”flowsoutofNewton’spersonalpilgrimage,awitnesstohisconfidenceinthegraceofGodthathadtakenholdofhislife.Itisatriumphantsong,butisruinedwhenevertheslightesthintoftriumphalismsneaksin.God’sgraceisrealandwhenweareawakenedtoitstransformingpowerweshareNewton’sconvictionthatitisbothamazingandsweet.Andwedosee,whereonceblindnesskeptusinthedark,thoughourseeingnowisstillasthoughthroughaglassdarkly.Seeingfullyisstillinthefuturewhenourredemptionisconsummatedandwheneventhegroaningcreationisfreed.Soitiswithbeingfound.Nolongerlost,westilltrekonanarrowpath,foundbutnotyetfullyhome.Andjustasweoccasionallystraintoseeclearly,thecoldshadowsoflostnesscanintrude. Soweaskthequestions,andhavethemaskedofus,answeringasbeforethefaceofGod.Itisnotpridetosaywearefound,ifwehavebeen,bygraceandifpridestaysoutofit.Ifyouwonderwhatthatsoundslikethereisasimpletest.Iflostpeoplefeelsafewithus,wearecelebratingGod’sgracewithoutgettingintheway,sharingthehopeofbeingfoundwithfellowtravelerslostinthecosmosandyearningforhome.

SOURCES Walker Percy from Lost in the Cosmos (New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux; 1983) p. 1-2, 179-180;

Genesis from the New Revised Standard Version;

Jesus in Matthew 23:27.

READING THE WORD

Text Matthew Hundley BACK PAGE

RANSOMFELLOWSHIP.COMcritique ISSUE ONE 2010

Thinking About Church

Coppola’s Journey Into...

Graphic Look At Living Large

Whydowedochurchthewaywedochurch?Aloadedquestion,Iknow;butonethatmanyaretryingtoanswer.FrankViolaandGeorgeBarnatakeaninterestingapproachexaminingpaganorwordlyinfluenceuponthechurchoverthepasttwomillenia.Fromthebuildingsweworshipin;totheorderofworship;tothemusicstyleswehaveadapted;totheem-phasisonpreaching—theinfluenceoftheunbelievingworldhasperme-atedourChristiantraditions. Pagan Christianity challengesustoinvesti-gate“why”wedowhatwedoasrelatestothethingcalled“church.”SuchquestioningshoulddriveustoScripture,toearlyChristianwritings,andthewisdomofthechurchfathers.—Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our

Church Practices, Frank Viola/George Barna, Barna Books, 2008

InJosephConrad’sbookThe Heart of Darkness amantakesonamissionintheCongo,journeyingbyboattofindawantedivorytrader;whatheencountersintheprocessisnotsomeevilnemesis,butadarkerversionofhisownself.Thisdocumentary,originallyreleasedin1991andnowavailableonDVD,presentsFrancisFordCoppola’sownpersonaljourneyintotheheartofemotionalandspiritualdarkness.Coppolatakesmanyheartsalongwithhimonthisdarkrideintoself-introspection:hisfamily,manyactorsandhiscrew.Whatunfoldsonthescreenisastorywhichisascompellingasthemovieheisseekingtomake.—Hearts of Darkness: A Filmakers Apocalypse, Fax Bahr/George Hickenlooper/Eleanor Coppola,

Paramount, 1991

IfirststumbledupontheworkofillustratorMattKindtatSubterraneanBooksintheDelmarLoopinSaintLouis.HeisfromtheareaandhadondisplayactualartboardsforoneofhisearlySuper Spygraphicnovels.3 Story: The Secret History of The Giant ManishisfirstofferingthroughDarkhorseComics.Thephrase“3story”carriesadualmeaningaswelearnaboutthegiantmanfromthreeperspectives:hismother,hiswifeandhisdaughter.Thegiantmanleadsalifethatisnothowitwasmeanttobe.Thelifeofthegiantmanisradicallyimpactedbythisongoingmutationwhichcauseshimtogrowandgrowuntil,asthepromocopystates,heis“unabletointeractwithafragileworldthatisn’tbuilttowithstand(his)size.Toliveinahousethatdoesn’tfit(him)anymore,withawifewhodoesn’teither.”Anamazingtaleindialogueandpic-tures.—3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, Matt Kindt, Dark Horse Comics, 2009

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