In last Thursday’s blog post, I wrote about how the problematic philosophical theory of dualism has had such a powerful shaping influence on Christian doctrine that many Christians simply assume that they are a physical body and a non-physical soul. The soul is considered to be immaterial and immortal, while–as we all know–our bodies are temporary and have a short shelf life. Problems with the Soul It is clear from the gospels, though, that Jesus cared a great deal about... Read more
Last week I posted an essay called “Left-Brain Christianity or Right-Brain Faith?” which discussed the experiences and work of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a neurobiologist who at age thirty-seven experienced a stroke and lost virtually all of her left-brain functions, functions that it took several years to recover. Among other things, I suggested that many versions of Christianity are “left-brain,” focused on logic, certainty, reason, facts, individuation, and so on, further suggesting that faith would greatly benefit from right-brain energies... Read more
Iris Murdoch is one of my favorite philosophers and novelists, a writer whose work is making more and more frequent appearances in my classes. Murdoch claimed to be an atheist, but she also believed that true moral commitment requires belief in something greater than ourselves, something transcendent not subject to the vagaries and whims of human existence. In the midst of exploring these matters in her philosophical essays and her novels, she crafted several memorable definitions of basic moral concepts.... Read more
What do you do when it just isn’t working? In the life of a teacher, this question is certain to arise far more often than one might hope. Every summer, teachers across the country are putting the final touches on lesson plans and syllabi, getting ready for the onslaught of the next round of students in just a few weeks. I will be sending the students enrolled in two of my fall courses the syllabus and a couple of paragraphs... Read more
In much wisdom there is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18 I was the lector at church last Sunday, which happened to be Trinity Sunday. The reading from the Jewish scriptures was a very cool passage from the book of Proverbs. Wisdom is introduced at the beginning of the reading from chapter 8: “At the crossroads she takes her stand . . . at the entrance of the portals she cries out.” Who is Wisdom,... Read more
At age thirty-seven, Harvard trained brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor woke up one morning with a splitting headache. As she tried to get ready for work, her mind began to deteriorate over the course of four hours to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. Taylor later learned that she had suffered a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. She lost a large portion of the cognitive skills... Read more
My childhood was filled with unusual characters, all products of my father’s fertile imagination. A Freudian would probably say that each was a projection of a different aspect of my father’s personality—all I know is that their appearances were both unpredictable and entertaining. The “Flying Gynzbyrd,” for instance, was a heavy bird who liked to land with a thud on the breakfast table and stomp through either my brother’s or my toast, leaving imprints the size of the tips of my... Read more
Today is Jeanne’s birthday. Although I doubt she would mind (much), I won’t reveal the number. Suffice it to say that Jeanne is nine months older than I am. We’ve always said that she’s old enough to be my mother. Every June 9th I have posted a birthday essay–one of them, repeated more than once, is among the most popular essays I’ve ever posted among our mutual friends and family who know both of us well. I Got the Little... Read more
I recently came across a great podcast called “The Bible for Normal People,” hosted by Peter Enns and Jared Byas. If those are not familiar names to you, the names of just a few the guests they have hosted over the past five years should be: Nadia Bolz-Weber, Richard Rohr, James Martin, Barbara Brown Taylor, Rachel Held Evans—these are just of the few guests I’ve heard so far. I had a bike mishap on Saturday which produced thirty stitches over... Read more
I have the privilege of giving the Pentecost Sunday sermon at the Episcopal church we attend this morning. Trinity is a small and vibrant congregation; we are currently seeking a new priest after our former priest of several year moved to a different parish three or four months ago. Here’s what I’ll be saying in the sermon. The Day of Pentecost—next to Christmas and Easter, undoubtedly the biggest single day on the Christian liturgical calendar. I was taught as a... Read more
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