The below video is my final project that I did for my Religion and Media course at LTSG in August. I used the song Supercollider by Radiohead and attempted to interpret it theologically into a video.
Thoughts and feedback are welcomed.
Now that my class has completed, my hope is to continue to blog as time and space allow. If you’d like to continue to follow my posts, I’d encourage you to subscribe to my rss feed.
Over the course of the last couple weeks we have spent a lot of time talking and reflecting about the way religion and media relate and interact to each other. Especially over the course of the last week, we’ve spent a bit of time looking at various religious clips that have been generated through websites like YouTube.
Earlier this year one of these clips went viral. Through the view count and conversations this clip started it even gathered the attention of major media outlets. NPR published an interesting article discussing the role of media making tools and Christianity. In the article David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group had this to say,
“Anyone could be a theologian as long as you’re persuasive, able to create a great Internet video, and the luck of the draw that your video gets selected out of the thousands that are uploaded,”
This gave me pause, not that I don’t think that we all have the capability and capacity to be theologians, but I thought is the theology that could become the most viewed or talked about, the best theology that Christianity has to offer the world?
What internet videos or clips that have talked about faith/religion/spirituality have been particularly meaningful for you? Share your clips in the comment section below, and feel free to talk about what made it memorable for you.
Last Saturday I was sitting at a wedding when my phone vibrated. I glanced down to read that Neil Armstrong had passed away. Now I wasn’t alive when Mr. Armstrong first stepped on the moon, but when you look at the footage you get a sense of how many people were a part of this historic moment.
I read a great article today reflecting on Armstrong’s achievement and the reason that it still resonates so strongly with us today is because there was a common commitment everyone was invested in getting to the moon. There was a consensus about what needed to be done, and it became a reality.
Parker Palmer in his book To Know As We Are Known, talks about consensus. He says, “Consensus is the practical process by which we practice obedience and troth. Consensus is not a democracy of opinion in which a majority vote equals truth. Instead, it is a process of inquiry in which the truth that emerges through listening and responding to each other and the subject at hand is more likely to transcend collective opinion than fall prey to it.”
It’s not hard to see that, especially here in the United States, we are living in a time when we could benefit from a little more consensus. I believe that those of us who apart of the church are called to help model and engage those around us with an aim of building more consensus. The apostle, Paul, writes to the Ephesians about Jesus equipping his followers to help build up the body of Christ. This isn’t just for edification for those who are Christian, but this consensus building is meant for the entire world.
So I believe a small step for us would be to actually live into a space where we truly listen to each other.
The giant leap? Who knows, but if you believe they put a man on the moon, with God anything is possible.
Today in our Religion and Media class we spent the day talking about and reflecting on what constitutes the church. We offered up different ideas and analogies about the church. Among the many different aspects of church that we talked about the question about does the church function for the individual or for the community caught my attention.
As most good Lutherans would respond, the answer is both. The church functions as the space for individuals to be nurtured and cared for, and to hear about the unconditional and saving power and love that God has for all of creation. The church also functions as the space for those who need to receive this good news (which is all of us!) and are thereby strengthened and transformed to become a part of this good news and to share that news with the rest of the world.
As we look to our culture, in particularly here in the United States, I believe that there is a fundamental debate taking place in our political sphere around this issue of individual and the community. It would be foolish of us to think that this can easily be categorized as a red or blue thing, or a democrat and republican thing. Yet, sadly, this is how it is being framed in our daily dialogues(if we can really call them that) with each other.
There was an interesting article that I read talking about five things that the government does better than you. In this piece the author is advocating that things that are better managed when people have access to more information, and that the more information that is shared better decisions can be made.
Some people are willing to put their trust into that system, while others are a bit more skeptical. There’s a great example of this at the end of this piece, discussing a decision made by the people of Colorado Springs in regards to taxes. Two pieces that I want to pull out from that are,
“…[B]y combining our resources, we as a community can actually accomplish more than we as individuals.”
“That prevailing sense that government won’t take care of our money, that brings somebody to the conclusion that, I’ll take care of mine. You go figure out how to take care of yours, because we don’t trust government to do it for us.”
I think I can agree with both statements, and here’s how. I do believe that as a community we can accomplish more than we can as individuals. I’m often reminded of this when I’ve been on mission trips and reflected on the human hours invested in a particular ministry or project and realizing that I would have only accomplished a fraction of the work on my own.
I also agree that people want a sense of accountability and trust when they share their resources with another, and I feel that can sometimes be lost in a larger system. This sense of “I’ll take care of mine, you go figure out how to take care of yours,” is seen through a large inclusive lens from my perspective. I want to collapse this sense of you and mine and replace it with ours. I have been given things that are entrusted to me, but I may think it’s mine, as a person of faith, I know that it is God’s and as a part of those who claim and confess that all is God’s I need to share with mine, yours, and anyone else’s.
So here’s a question worth pondering, is the Church too big to fail? How do the functions of the individual and the community impact your faith and the way you engage the world?
Spike Lee’s about to drop a new movie. Red Hook Summer chronicles the story of a boy from Atlanta who comes to spend the summer with his Grandfather in Brooklyn.
In our Religion and Media class we spent some time talking today about how faith is passed on. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that our churches are aging. Let’s look at the ELCA for example:
Asking Spike Lee about church he had this to say “Any church whose members are senior citizens and there’s no youth coming behind, they’re going to die out,” Lee said in a roundtable discussion with reporters.
“Now that goes for synagogues, mosques, temples too — any institution,” Lee continued. “You got to always try to have that infusion of youth. They might not be as smart but youth has energy.”
We’re living in a day and age where the church must now compete to keep youth involved, as well as our adults. Increasingly there are more households that are unfamiliar with being involved in a faith community.
As part of our discussion today we focused on how faith formation primarily takes place in the home. The challenge is to help parents understand that they don’t need to be experts to create spaces and opportunities for faith to grow.
One of the examples that was shared about families engaging in faith practices with their children involved reading 40 bible stories during the 40 days of lent. Taking a few minutes each night to pass on these stories, helps to familiarize and solidify some of the important stories we find in scripture.
What are your some of the ways you share your faith in the home? How can we utilize and encourage our youth to use their energy to live into and share their faith?
Have you shared your Dog’s dark secrets yet? Have you revealed their sin(s) for the entire world to see?
I caught an interesting news story from WTOP a news radio station from Washington DC about Dog Shaming. I’ll admit they are kind of funning and amusing, and I’ll go ahead and assume that the actions they are being labeled with are most likely true.
But I mean come on let’s make this is a fair fight, it’s not like the dogs can really defend their behavior can they?
And what if the roles were reversed. I can see it now, a picture of you seated on the couch watching tv, your dog has spelled out in dog food, “I only walk the dog once a week” or “I farted and blamed it on the dog.”
We increasingly find ourselves in a culture that loves to seize on those who do something wrong. People who do wrong things quickly become whipping posts for the wider public to line up, weigh in, and have their say.
At moments like this I’m reminded of the encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees when they brought a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery and wanted to see her stoned. Jesus’ words remind us that none of us have lived unblemished lives and that we all have things in our lives that we are ashamed of.
Now we are called to be accountable and hold each other accountable for the things we say and do, but perhaps we all might benefit one another if we acted with a bit more grace before we tee off on each others transgressions.
As for the dogs, we’re cool. But I’d really appreciate it if you could try to cut down on the number of times you’d like to stick your nose in my business. Thanks.
The Second Mile by Michael Belk from Journeys with the Messiah
As part of my Religion and Media Class I have been asked to select an image that was either a favorite of mine or something that was provocative.
The reason I selected this particular image was because it was a picture as opposed to some other artwork medium. There aren’t many pictures that are used as art to represent Jesus. This picture tells the story of the walk on the road to Emmaus, which takes place after Jesus has been crucified.
What I find interesting to reflect about this particular image centers around who Jesus is walking alongside of, a Nazi solider. Jesus is even carrying the knapsack and gun of the soldier. On the one hand I can see how the photographer is trying to show that Jesus is revealed to all, and that all may be opened to hearing and receiving God’s redemption. On the other hand, I find this image to be very troubling because of the role that religion was used by the state during the reign of the Third Reich. This idea of Gott mit uns (God with us) being used as a means of authority for the actions they took. I imagine that this image may be especially troubling for our Jewish brothers and sisters. This represented image of Jesus could be interpreted as collusion between Christians and the Nazis. If you don’t know the story and the meaning about what takes place on the road to Emmaus, it is unclear how Jesus and the Nazi soldier relate to one another.
What do you think?
If you are interested in looking at other Images of Jesus by this photographer feel free to check out his website.
Caption reads: Book soaked with blood of Juan Ramón Moreno
Last August I had the opportunity to be a part of the Washington DC Metro Synod delegation that travelled to visit its companion synod the Salvadorian Lutheran Synod in El Salvador. The purpose of this trip was to further the relationship and partnership between our two synods. One of our primary goals was to listen and hear the stories of the Salvadorian people and to think about ways that we can partner and accompany one another in our shared lives together as the body of Christ.
Part of our time was spent learning about the history of the last thirty to forty years and the impact of the Salvadorian Civil War had and still has on the people of El Salvador. We heard countless stories of violence. Families who have been torn apart, villages of people were massacred, thousands of people missing and/or killed, and perhaps most notably six jesuit priests, a housekeeper and her daughter were assassinated by the government. Hearing these stories were difficult to take in, but to also know that the United States government had helped finance the Salvadorian military which in turn perpetuated the war and implicated me as a part of the cycle of violence. Yet there was an authentic hospitality and genuine love that was shared between our groups and there was a collective spirit of hope and joy in the faces and voices of the Salvadorian people as we shared our faith and lives with each other.
Today in class we discussed the mystery of evil. We began our conversation about Martin Luther’s theology of the cross. At the cross is where we see God revealed in the person, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Theologian Jürgen Moltmann has written extensively about the relationship of the Triune God and the Cross and argues for how God as Father and Son experience suffering through the crucifixion (in different ways) and through that suffering emerges a love through the work of the Holy Spirit that brings transformation and new life. Theologian Daniel Migliore writes in Faith Seeking Understanding: “The power of the triune God is not raw omnipotence but the power of suffering, liberating, reconciling love.” (pg.133)
This power reveals to us a God who is not removed from those places where suffering, violence, death, and destruction take place, but rather a God who is immersed with those in the midst of these things. God’s power comes not in strength, but in weakness, in brokenness, through death on a cross. When we encounter suffering in our own lives, we can trust that God and God’s love will accompany us through whatever we encounter. Knowing that God is present with those who suffer, provides us with hope and empowers us to keep pressing on. God’s action in the world and especially in our lives is love, working to free us from the things that cause us harm. Responding to God’s action we are called to participate in helping to liberate others who are victims of violence. We have a responsibility to seek out non-violent solutions and to walk alongside those who are hurting.
Where do you see suffering in the communities you are a part of and how might you accompany those who are suffering? What’s your story of life and faith and how might you share that?
Whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine
Whose world is this?
“It’s yours!”
It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine
Whose world is this?
Song lyric from “The World is Yours” by NAS
So whose world is it? Is it yours? Is it mine? And what difference does it make?
When we look at the world what do we see? Do you look out and see a world that’s waiting to be occupied, utilized, cultivated, and improved upon? Do you look upon the land and see the abundance of opportunities just waiting to be seized upon? What do you see when the world is yours? What do you see when the world is mine?
For better or worse we have been conditioned in this country to see the world, through the eyes of “me”. We have been raised and participate in a world that encourages us to strive to be individualized. To stand as one and to seize on those opportunities that benefit us and may bring us better standing.
I am currently reading Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology by Daniel L. Migliore for my Religion and Media class and today we talked about creation. Migliore writes, “Humanity and the other creatures are bound together in suffering and hope.”(pg.98) This challenges the belief that the world and everything that is outside of the individual is objectified and available for individual use as you or I may see fit.
Historically, Christianity hasn’t done the best job of communicating being bound together with the rest of creation. Often times people will go the creation stories in the Bible and cite that famous passage in Genesis talking about having dominion over the earth and how the other things that God has created are for human use. In fact many have used this passage as a justification to exploit and harm what God has created for personal gain. As we go forward and continue to examine the ways that individuals, families, corporations and countries discuss how we relate to others, including animals and natural resources, perhaps the Church can help reframe and reclaim how we see the world.
Perhaps we could offer for people to see the world as ours, as an interconnected gift from God.
I’ll close with a music video from the rock group Pearl Jam. What images grab you? How do you see religious symbols being used in this video and what are they trying to communicate? Do you agree with their assessment?
The World is Yours by Nas (Lyrics PG-13)
I swear this blog wasn’t my idea. Truth be told, I don’t know if I’ll be able to cut it as a full-time blogger, but at least for the next few weeks I’m going to see if I can play in the big leagues as I fire this blog up as part of a Religion and Media course that I’m taking as a result of a new partnership between the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and Luther Seminary. Over the course of the next couple weeks, I’ll be offering some thoughts and reflections on things that are taking place inside and outside of our classroom. My hope is that you’ll follow and participate with me in this journey and we’ll find out together where this thing is going to go.
If you were following the news today at some point you probably heard about the death of Tony Scott. For those of you are unaware of Tony Scott was a big time Hollywood director and producer whose credits include Top Gun, Enemy of the State, and more recently Unstoppable. Sadly, it was reported later today that perhaps one of the reasons that Mr. Scott chose to take his life was because he had inoperable brain cancer.
Upon hearing this news, my attention turned much closer to home and to the news that was shared with the LTSG community earlier this summer with unexpected retirement of Rev. Dr. Susan K. Hedahl. I had come to know Dr. Hedahl over the course of the last couple of years as one of her students and found her personal words from her blog upon sharing her diagnosis with the world to be powerful, poignant, filled with grace and hope, even as she reflected on what her future may hold. I think the statement that jumped out to me the most was when she said, “I have the most agrresive (sic) form of brain cancer one can get and I will physicallly die from this.” Dr. Hedahl’s words about the looking towards end of her life communicates that death will not have the final word. These words and the words that follow come across as being liberating and that there even in the face of death Dr. Hedahl reminds us that there is life to live.
When you look to the lives of Mr. Scott and Dr. Hedahl and how they’ve chosen to respond to their diagnoses, one is left to ponder what words and actions have been given to and shared with them that helped informed the choices that they have made. I don’t pretend to know all of the details and experiences that have influenced and impacted their lives, but I’m left to wonder what words could have been shared with Mr. Scott that may have given him hope even in the face of death.
I know that as a person of the Christian faith I find the words of 2nd Corinthians that speak not only of hope, but of promise in the face of death. “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (4:16-18)
None of us are able to escape death. One day I too, will die. But even as our bodies will ultimately fail, I find comfort and courage in knowing that the One who raised Jesus will also raise us with him.
Even though I will never have another class with Dr. Hedahl, she continues to teach me by the way she chooses to live.
On this day may we pray for those who are affected by cancer as well as for those who mourn the lost of loved ones.
UPDATE: after composing this post, I read that it appears that Tony Scott did not have brain cancer.
bokehlutheran 