4.25.08 :: The end of first year
That just flew by! I'm sad I'll be missing the Seminary Banquet next Wednesday, but I think the peking duck birthday dinner will be awesome! Actually, the Oasis reunion dinner will probably be awesome too. I'll see you all Tyndale folks at the fall retreat!And I just registered for courses this morning. I'm taking everything listed in my previous post, except for the poverty course (*tear*). Anna ("remember Victoria, you're taking courses to help with you ministries - and does God really want you to cram everything in your brain just to forget it?")and Nardeen ("are you INSANE??? you can't take systematic and Hebrew at the same time AND take a fifth course!!! no! you can't do it!") talked me out of it. Praise God for friends who keep you in line and remind you of what's important in life.
On another note, I think I shall be planting carrots this summer. Maybe some potatoes too. There's just something magical about pulling "free food" out of God's good earth.
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4.21.08 :: Classes and classrooms turned into prison cells
Courses are out for next year! Registration starts this Friday.Here are my picks:
Fall 2008:
Foundational Perspectives of Christian Counselling - Scuse
Hebrew Grammar I - Idestrom
Luke - Johnson
Systematic Theology I - ShepherdWinter 2009:
Cross-Cultural Communications - Cousins (intercession)
Hebrew Grammar II - Idestrom
Isaiah - Idestrom
Poverty in Canada: The Church's Witness Among the Poor - Tobias
Systematic Theology II - ShepherdThat leaves...
Christianity and Islam: Theological Reflection, Hebrew Exegesis I, History of Christianity I & II, Intership, Perspectives on Global Mission, Theology of Missions, and 3 electives (which includes the Israel tour!)Hmm... seeing that four on the plate is already quite insane, I wonder what it'll be like handling 5-course load next winter? But I gotta get it over with, so that's that. So folks, a heads up that you'll see less of me next winter. Hah.
Alas, the warning to note not make "theological widows and orphans" rings loud in my head. Yes, people should come before school work.
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This is not for the faint of heart.
I stumbled across the website for the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide, a place the Liz and Alan had visited when they were in Cambodia. The photos of 6,000 prisoners of the estimated 20,000 are displayed at the museum, and their website features a select number of these photos. Can you imagine being brought to the prison in blindfolds, hear screams of people enduring severe tortured as your blindfolds are taken off for a photo, probably your last? The sheer terror in some of the people's eyes drives the question, "what did they do to deserve this?"
It's completely chilling.
Read more about the Tuol Sleng prison (warning: graphic images), which used to be a high school. Can you imagine Streetsville, or Cawthra, or Glenforest, or Xavier turned into a prison for people who pose apparent security threat to the nation? Can you imagine the classrooms turned into miniscule cells for inmates, the auto shop turned into an interrogation room, the gym change rooms turned into places of torture?
If it could happen anywhere in the world, why not Canada?
Here is an article from Adbusters by Caroline E. Winter about the Tuol Sleng Museum, as it connects to the Iraq War. Credit goes to Alexandra at identity theory's social justice blog who pointed out both the article and the Tuol Sleng site.
I believe seeing the human face - indeed, the image of God - is powerful enough to stop any war, whether it's in Afghanistan or Iraq, or on poverty.
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4.17.08 :: Suburgent
Hearing Yu-Ling share his digital resources lists and reading Al Hsu's The Suburban Christian blog (here's a lighter one: "The New Suburbanists") makes me think more about being a Christian living in the wonderful world of suburbia. Read an observation and some questions here.Lots of people want to flock to the urban areas or overseas, to be a part of social change. Me? I feel like staying. I feel like being yeast among the suburban dough, leavening for change. I don't even know if it's possible, but people like Al Hsu makes me think it is (side note: in his e-mail reply, he said that Toronto's "mass transit system is great" - I don't want to imagine what it's like in Chicago, where he's from!). The task now is to figure out how to get from here to that reality.
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Started a round of Fair Trade research, and came across Kicking Horse Coffee, based in B.C. A 1 lb. bag sells for $13.95 (about double the price of non-Fair Trade brands). First reaction was, "whoa, that's pricey!" Second reaction was, "whoa, farmers really get nothing for the coffee beans they harvest!"
I've really got to change my mindset from shopping cheap to shopping equitable.
Anyway, so Kicking Horse has a lot of wonderfully named coffees, like "454 Horse Power" (yes, a dark roast), "Pacific Pipeline" (medium roast from Indonesian beans), and probably the most (in)famous one, "Kick Ass"("Don�t let this cute little donkey fool you."). They also sell teas and chocolate (not so funkily named, though), and other goods. I think I saw a pack or two of "Three Sisters" (named after the Canadian Rockies) sitting in the organics section at Loblaws the other day. I think I'll pick me up some when our coffee supply runs low.
Yes, Victoria will endeavour to buy Fair Trade and local this summer, as much as she can.
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4.13.08 :: Musings
Had two meetings today, both of which are ministries close to my heart. I just wish we didn't have any meetings on Sunday.-:-:-:-
Laugh, my love
We laughed today
Set down our bickering words, our warring ways
And found our beginning againYes, our start was right
And the degeneration was out of sight just for the day
Maybe we're on our way to mending-:-:-:-
I've been busy perfecting a stripped-down, slowed-down rendition of the song above on the guitar. I think it can be conveyed in a depressing, longing kinda way. It's be interesting to hear Matt McDonald do a take of this song in such a way. Definitely one of my favourites from 2006.
A couple of years and I'm a silhouette
My halo is broken now and I'm all that's left
I hate to disappoint but it's the way things went
I was bound to the things I did
And after what was said
Tie up these loose ends
These voices are calling me out
I've got the solution
You can feed me to something
That is leaving this doubtWhoa, I'm losing hope
There's a hole in my heart
That's been cut out of stone
Whoa, cold comes, cold goes
Could you fill this hole?
Cause I can't do it aloneA couple of tears and I'm a broken mess
The sadness has taken me far too deep in regret
So sing me a song about something good
My heart's on the thrashing floor
And I've done every single thing I could
I use to believe in some kind of feeling
That could change everything I thought I knew
But that door is closed and my heart feels like it's frozen
If you hear me, I can�t feel youThe coldest heart can be brought to life
When it's thrown into the fire of goodbyesI've got the coldest heart
Cause I can't do it alone
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4.12.08 :: YYZ --> TLV
Facts about Israel scrounged up in the past few hours:
What an opportunity of a lifetime! I've e-mail Dr. Scott about my interest yesterday, so I hope it'll work out!
Oh, travelling.
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4.11.08 :: Updates
Have been working tirelessly on the homosexuality theology/world religions paper. Lots learned, and I do want to blog more about it, but it'll have to come after earliest next Wednesday. It's completely FASCINATING.
Folks, Victoria is (hopefully) off to Israel May 7-27, 2009!!! Nothing like a guided/study tour around the birthplace of my saviour. It'll be fun hanging out with Nardeen... IN ISRAEL!!! I hope to have some Hebrew under my belt by that time. If not, I'll always have Nardeen. Oh man. I'm so excited!!!
Left in the inbox: 1. Homosexuality paper. 2. Leadership team paper. 3. Gifted teacher project. 4. Final online discussion. 5. NT exam (GAHH!!!). 6. World religions exam.
GO! GO! GO!
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4.5.08 :: "The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead"
We the dead, we the dead find a country road
Country road, lead the dead from our homes to the ground
Keep a book of the maggots our bodies will snare
'Cause the earth is the earth, no need to travel in the airThe CN Tower is built upon our bones!
The CN Tower will always be our home!Decorate 'round the base, all the graves of our lost loves
Cabbages, ginger root and a crucifixNever rode on the plains, never thought I couldn't stay
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anyway
I could fill up the lake with all the things I didn't say
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anywayFrom the top of the tower
Radio buzz in our ears
We can see your house from here
We can see your house from here
Yep, I think this is my favourite Final Fantasy song so far. His writing style is very similar to Sufjan Steven's - fanciful narratives about historical facts in one's hometown. And of course, the string/instrumental arrangements are phenomenal. Tear it up, Owen! Tear it! I likee. I can't wait to see him perform live.
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4.3.08.b :: That's talent!
I thought Imogen Heap's use of looping was impressive. And then Ashley MacIsaac's performance of "Wingstock" was mind-blowing. But then I watched this. I present to you, Final Fantasy, otherwise known as Owen Pallett. I don't think I've ever seen anyone sing while playing the violin. But here you go. And a gorgeous voice at that.
He's singing "This Lamb Sells Condos", based on an ad from Brad J. Lamb posted around Toronto a couple years back. It's cut off at the beginning, but the rest? Jaw. Dropping. Madness!
If anyone wants to see him sometime in the future, please let me know! I'm dying to watch this live!
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4.3.08.a :: Nobody likes to but I really like to...
Thought you should know that I woke up to Tegan and Sara's "The Con". I thought they were Young Galaxy for a sec. I get confused with all them up-and-coming Canadian musicians.
Then I got me a imeem account because I saw Angela's on her xanga. I was just toying with starting a music blog the other day... this will do.
Gonna go out for Indian as soon as I finish reading about pseudepigraphy in the Canon. Mmm...
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4.2.08 :: Music
Added the Discoveries section in Listening because I want to spread the love when I can! This month: check out Jos� Gonz�lez and Laura Barrett. Very different, very refreshing. To me, anyway. Enjoy!
I followed up with a call from Daniel today, whose fellowship ("our name is Micah", he points out - very apt) is organizing their very first grocery run this weekend! It's great to see others interested in helping out in the community too. I do hope it'll one day create more cross-church partnerships to make an even bigger impact right where we live.
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4.1.08 :: Community and the image of God
In the Micah class, each person shared about what they would do if they were in the Israelite society during the time of Micah. What surprised me was how few people would urge their community to repent from their sins and draw back to God. Most said they would "realistically" focus on individual repentance and hope that God would deliver them from harm.
It saddened me, frankly, but I now have a deeper understanding of why we don't really want to rock the boat, even if it meant bringing positive renewal to our church. But doesn't our self-focus show that our yearnings for community are mere pipe dreams? How can we expect unity within the church if we focus only on saving ourselves? It seems to me we have a very dark view of humanity, believing that deep down, we have little capability to change. "I might be able to change, but others? I don't know, so I won't do anything about it." As Prof. Beverley would say, "that's just depressing."
I've been reflecting on how my conservative Evangelical upbringing has really given me a low view of humanity, and the class response shows me it's been ingrained in all of us. The truth is, we attend church not with transformation in mind, but only to narrowly escape hell fire by hearing vague messages about Jesus and how we sin and how we need him because we're tainted and dirty.
But what of the fact that we're made in the image of God? What of the commandment that we should be salt and light in the world, making an impact in our community and society? How can this happen if we're convinced we're doomed anyway, but maybe, just maybe scrape by eternal damnation (but barely, since we're so full of sin) with the faint hope of Jesus' blood? Why be a Christian, then, if it only provides an unsatisfying, unimpactful, fearful life?
We've become too entrenched in our individualism, but our thirst for community has never been greater. True community can only start, I think, when we gain a better view of ourselves, when we look at each other and are able to authentically affirm that indeed, we are made in the image of God. Then, and only then, can we live out that abundant life in Christ that preachers keep rattling on about.
"I'd like to tell the church to let people be human. I'd like them to learn to enjoy humanity, both their own and others'. To enjoy and to accept humanity, with all its warts and weaknesses, without pulling away in fear and judgment - this is the one thing that the church doesn't know. Most churches, I think, are frightened of human beings." - Bob Kirk (quoted in Practicing the Presence of People by Mike Mason)