IN THE MIDST OF COMMENCING

'Tis officially done. Tonight, under clouds and a bit of rain, a Master of Theology was conferred upon me by Dr. Barry Corey of Biola University. Now, at home on the couch, the fast is broken and regular time is upon me. There is no homework, just regular work, for the next nine months or so (until the Ph.D., God willing). Between now and then there is writing, reading, thinking, and hopefully getting published. The details need clarification, but I am up to the challenge and willing to take it piece by piece, juxapose the ideas, and see what emerges.

For the moment, I am enjoying Top Chef (restaurant wars, via tape) and a glass of smooth, nearly luxurious black stout with an excellent balance of hop bitterness and roasted malty sweetness.

And so it begins.

Tag(s): commencement seminary

See CC License

THESIS EXCERPTS--ecclesiological perspective AND ecclesiological rubric

I've posted the ecclesiological perspective and rubric from my thesis over at Who in the World Are We?

What is your ecclesiological perspective? in other words, how would you answer these three questions?

• What is the content of faith?
• What is the nature of the church?
• What is the purpose of the church?

Add your two cents to the comments here before going over to read my perspective.

Tag(s): ecclesiology graduate thesis

See CC License


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

BRAIN LATERALIZATION TEST RESULTS

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (42%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (54%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Hmmmm

EGGPLANT PARMESAN--version one

Disclaimer: I don't measure. Deal.

Ingredients

(Enough for two layers of each, except Parmesan (3))
Plum Tomatoes, sliced
Ricotta Cheese
Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
Parmesan, sliced
Eggplant, sliced, drained with salt, rinsed, coated in avocado oil
Avocado Oil, to coat Eggplant for frying

Process

Slice eggplant, coat with salt and place on drainer for one hour
Rinse eggplant slices and squeeze out remaining liquid
Coat eggplant slices with avocado oil and let rest
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella
Fry coated eggplant slices in avocado oil until golden brown and cooked through
Assemble layers in the following sequence:

1. tomato
2. ricotta
3. mozzarella
4. eggplant
5. parmesan
6. ricotta
7. parmesan
8. eggplant
9. mozzarella
10. ricotta
11. tomato

Drizzle avocado oil over top and smooth onto tomatoes
Bake at 400 until it begins to bubble, then lower to 325
Cook until done

Herbs and spices were left out of this version, so that I could test the flavor profile.

What I Would Change

• Dry the tomatoes a bit in the oven, to reduce the water content and intensify the flavor.
• Shred the parmesan.
• The mozzarella came out a bit chewy; not sure what to do here, for the flavor is a must for me.
• Add herbs, though not sure which yet. The mixture was very good on its own and does not need much.
• Do a better job draining the eggplant--use finer salt, at the least--to get more liquid out. It was a bit soggy and rubbery the next day. Also, consider chunking over slicing. Maybe bread the eggplant first--not sure in what.
  

Tag(s): eggplant parmesan recipes

See CC License

TFB Academy--Sticking our Hearts in Other People’s Business

Should we "pry" into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Read, consider, and discuss on the TFB Academy blog:
Sticking our Hearts in Other People’s Business

Tag(s): accountability christianity nosy

See CC License


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

PLEASED, SURPRISED, GRATEFUL

I have just returned from the annual Talbot Awards Chapel. Mind you, I knew I was receiving an award (and I knew which one guided my thesis writing), but I had no clue about the other one.

When I began the Th.M. program, I decided to focus my efforts on the Zondervan Outstanding Master's Thesis Award. Not merely for the recognition, but also for what the award recognizes: a thesis with implications for the life of the church. That notion--that good theological research has implications for the church--is and ought to be the evaluative criteria for theological study. Otherwise, what is the point?

Regarding this one, I am pleased.


Then there is the surprise: The Robert N. Oliver Award in Systematic Theology. I must say, not only did I have no idea and am literally shocked. You see, in every systematics (especially Th.M.) course at Talbot, I have felt like the proverbial fish out of water. I'd say 99% of the Th.M. students are detail-analytics. I, on the other hand, am a global-analytic, tending decisively toward integrated-systems thinking (I started out my academic career studying environmental systems). My blood pulses for seeing how things function (especially creatively) on the stable framework of truth.

Regarding this one, I am surprised (though, honestly, pleased :-).


But in big picture, these temporal recognitions, though important, pale in comparison to the truth: everything good thing I am, every good thing I have, every good thing I have done (feel free to replace the "I" with "we") is made possible by the grace revealed most remarkably in Jesus Christ--Creator, Savior, Lord.

So I end the way Awards Chapel began: Colossians 1:13-18.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Preeminence of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

God, let worship not be mere duty, but the deepest cry of my heart.


NOTE: For the curious, there is a list of Talbot student awards on pp 97-98 of Talbot Catalog pdf.
List of all awardees.

Tag(s): talbot school of theology biola seminary theology

See CC License


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

LECTIO DIVINA--basic instructions

For reference purposes:

Lectio

Read the passage the same way you savor a perfect steak. Linger over each word, listening for the voice of God.

Meditatio

Think through the passage, pondering each word and how it fits into the whole.

Oratio

Pray the passage back to God, sharing questions, requests, convictions, and decisions.

Contemplatio

Rest your soul in silence before God. This is difficult to do, as our minds are usually racing. One helpful technique is to listen to your physical surroundings as far as possible, hearing and taking note of each sound.

When you finish, you may find it useful to journal your experience.

Read more about Lectio Divina on Wikipedia or Valyermo.

See CC License

BUILDING A MONKEY BAR SYSTEM

this post will be updated as the project proceeds :-)

Concept

Systems Reading

• Simply Christian, N. T. Wright - in process
  
• The human use of human beings, Norbert Weiner - pillaged 5/16/08
  
• An Introduction to Systems Thinking, Gerald Weinberg - pillaged 5/16/08
  
• Systems View of the World, Ervin Laszlo - pillaged 5/16/08
  
• The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge - pillaged 5/15/08
  
• God on Paper, Bryan Loritts - read 5/9/08
• The Untold Story, Frank Viola-read 5/2/08

Related posts

• PSALM 119 MEDITATION: WEEK SIX Let your steadfast love come to me
• BUT THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT BOUND
• I'VE DECIDED TO DANCE
• BIT GATHERING--monkey bars

See CC License