Wendell Berry

After class a student shared a great poem with me, so I thought that I would share it with you all. It captures a lot of what we talked about today in class. Oh to feel resurrection in our bones...

Sabbaths (IV)

The woods and pastures are joyous
in their abundance now
in a season of warmth and much rain.
We walk amidst foliage, amidst
song. The sheep and cattle graze
like souls in bliss (except for flies)
and lie down satisfied. Who now
can believe in winter? In winter
who could have hoped for this?

by Wendell Berry from Given (2005)

Thank you to all that shared today. I've really enjoyed this class. See most of you next term!

Peace,
Chelle

Atonement Slides and The Reading Report!

Hello to you all,

Perhaps this is the first time that you knew that this class had a blog, but here you are now!

First, here is the link to the power point slides for today's discussion on Atonement.

Second, here is the link to the Reading Report that is due in class next Wednesday.

Oh, and I heard a very disturbing thing today. Bacon fat may actually be beneficial to your health! Boy, that really messes with my brussel sprout/bacon atonement theory...

Great class today!!

Happy Advent!
Chelle

Luci Shaw at Elliot Bay Books

A few of you asked for details of Luci Shaw's book reading/signing on December 8th. Looks like she will be at Elliot Bay Book Company at 7PM on December 8th. This is for the launch of Image Magazine's Bearing the Mystery (A "best writing of the past twenty years" book).

Should be a very interesting evening!

-Chelle

Creative Project Rubric

Here is the link to the Creative Project Rubric. Keep in mind the language is around the MDiv Integrative project (integrating "text.soul.culture"). Your goal is to communicate a theological idea or question, so read the rubric in that light.

Blessings as you work,
Chelle

Research Papers

Hello All,

I just thought that I would give some thoughts on your process of writing.

First, the research papers are due no later than 4:30 on Monday November 23rd. This due date includes the papers for the creative projects. I will be in my office most of that day, so you can give them to me or to Molly at the front desk. If you are mailing in your projects, please talk to Jordan about where you should mail your papers. Officially, the creative portions are due the following Monday, the 30th, though you can turn your creative projects into me on Monday the 23rd.

Now, a little inspiration for all you writers, from Henri Nouwen's Theological Ideas in Education:

Most students...feel that they must first have something to say before they can put it down on paper. For them writing is little more than recording a preexistent thought. But...writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals what is alive.

In another place he writes:

The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know....Writing is like giving away the few loaves and fishes one has, in trust that they will multiply in the giving. Once we dare to "give away" on paper the few thoughts that come to us, we start discovering how much is hidden underneath...and gradually come in touch with our own riches.

So, as you write, I pray that you will "come in touch with" your "own riches."

Grace and peace in the hard task of writing and analyzing crazy theology!!

Peace,
Chelle

Luci Shaw

This next Wednesday, November 18th, Luci Shaw, Christian poet and personal hero, will be honoring us with her presence. She will be talking about the Incarnation/Advent and reading some of her poems. She came to Theology I last year and everyone was drawn in by her soft-spoken wisdom. We are in for an amazing treat!

See you next Wednesday!

Chelle

"Like all art, poems are only hints and guesses
that draw our attention to something larger."

Luci Shaw

Pub Quiz!!

I hope you are all ready for the Pub Quiz tomorrow morning: "Name that Heresy!!"

(Oh no! Look out!! It is Arius over there. What's he doing here? I wonder if he'll show up on the quiz?)

Come prepared to share some food, work together, have some fun and maybe even learn something.

Peace,
Chelle