GroshLink

Today Roy delivered Part Two of "Random Notes on Doctor Bot Ed." Join me in enjoying the stream :)

Note: If you missed Part One, click here . . . And before I forget, "Thank-you Roy! Looking forward to what you contribute to the Emerging Scholars Network Blog next week :)"

How do you press on through writing shortcomings/failures & their results in your field? I found Next Time, Fail Better fun to read as a blogger who is a novice in both "Humanities" & "Computer Science" writing*.

Upon reflection, I know lots of writers in both areas (and lots of others) of whom I'm not worthy of having my material read/viewed by. I just pray what I share is good enough to be a connection point, create a meeting space, provoke thought, and stimulate next steps. Any blessing coming from the best which I have to offer at a given time based upon limited time, strength, energy, resources, etc is by grace from Christ alone.

It's probably hard for some of my friends through the years to believe, but I am coming to truly love/appreciate the continual stream of helpful feedback/recommendations which I receive as part of formal and informal teams/creative resource groups. Yes, that's even when I'm not the "team leader" :) By God's grace, I have very much come to embrace the beautiful communal refining process. More on that another time.

*Computer Science writing as the simple coding/CS insights involved in posting this blog and working with the Emerging Scholars Network WordPress blog.

Interested in keeping up w/Scot McKnight (2012 Spring Christian Scholar Series)? Here's the first in a series on pastors and scientists not only Thinking Aloud Together but also listening to one-another :)

How well do the pastors and scientists you know think aloud together and listen to one-another? What are examples of how this has been encouraged in your local congregation, on campus, in the community? Did you know that some grant money is available from BioLogos for such endeavors, see the bottom of Part II.

"Unlike intuitive thinking, activating the analytical cognitive system promotes religious skepticism." Agree/disagree? Lots of comments for this Friday Emerging Scholars Network Facebook Wall post in response to Study of the Day: Even the Religious Lose Faith When They Think Critically (Atlantic Monthly. 4/27/2012). To make it easier to read mine, I've given them below :) . . . HT: Mike.

On first encounter, I'm not convinced. I confess that this is an intuitive/reflexive response, no doubt stemming from a family with a strong thread of Intuitive Thinkers* coupled w/a decade w/InterVarsity at Carnegie Mellon where I encountered more followers of Christ among those w/the analytical bend than the intuitive. None-the-less, the data does start to add up. I think how firmly one's lens/story for life (which may have an analytical bend) is founded makes a big difference even in simple tests such as

A bat and ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

At present I don't have the time to follow the links in the Science article (To Keep the Faith, Don't Get Analytical). Looks like I'd have to buy a subscription to read one of them. If anyone else does, let me know what you think of the sample size and the answers to the various questions.

*A little background on my train of thought regarding the Myers-Briggs which accesses me as an NT. Although I concur that I'm an NT (w/equal E/I, J/P), I would note that in general I don't put a lot of stock in the Myers-Briggs (or other tests of this form) to provide deep insight into who we are and how to relate to people. People (and their life experiences/story/community/relationships/lens for life) are so much more unique (and inform so much more of their life) than the generalizations/categories offered by such approaches. None-the-less, it can be helpful place to start conversations, team-building, etc. when headed in the direction of sharing one's life experiences, story, community, relationships, lens for life, etc. Maybe that's an example of why I score a perfect "I" and how the "I" is stronger than the "T" ;)

With A Tale of Two Christ(s), Roy Joseph enters the growing cadre of ESN guest bloggers.

Currently Roy is an independent scholar working on a project on Creation and Cosmology and is deeply interested in issues of history and philosophy of science, theological aesthetics and creative writing as well.

Welcome Roy by sharing your responses to his thoughts. . . . I encourage you to get to know him, he'll be writing more for the ESN blog :)

Last week I posted on the Emerging Scholars Network blog: Free On-line Classes: Fantasy and Science Fiction? In case you haven't read the post, I'd encourage you to do such.

As part of the exercise:

• listen to the NPR piece From Silicon Valley, A New Approach To Education
• visit the free-online class offerings of Coursera -- I particularly like Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World :)
• let me know whether you agree with the assertion, “By providing what is a truly high-quality educational experience to so many students for free, I think we can really change many, many people’s lives.”
  

Bonus: next time we chat in person or by lengthy email, I'm very interested in any ideas you have for ways that followers of Christ in a campus ministry, such as myself, can best use free on-line classes (and/or other on-line material) to share loving God with “head, heart, & hands” AND loving neighbor. 

Additional suggestions for Mike Hickerson's How Academics See Evangelicals: A Tentative Reading List? (ESN Blog. 4/24/2012)

"Discretion, knowing what can be said and to whom and when, is an important component of an academic career. . . . Knowing when to be transparent, and when to be discreet, is a learned skill, one of those skills that most of us are not, and from a practical standpoint could not, be trained to master. Discretion, for better or worse, is a skill or savvy that is learned through trial and error. . . . Discretion is one means by which we inspire trust." -- Professorial Discretion (Nate Kreuter. Inside Higher Ed. April 23, 2012)

Comment: In addition to providing a window into the life of a young professor, Kreuter offers a number of helpful insights regarding decision making. I would argue discretion, honesty, creating contexts of truth-telling, etc, are vital to all relationships, vocations, and communities. No doubt higher education is a unique context and young professors would benefit from additional training/mentoring (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Emerging Scholars Network is pioneering in this area), but these practices come more from what guides one's "head, heart, and hands" than the ability to follow a rule book on appropriate behavior. The older, experienced members of the vocation reveal the "fruit" of their chosen path -- some have chosen the path/hospitality of Lady Wisdom, others Lady Folly. Looking in on campus life/publications, I have found the contrast to be at times absolutely stunning.

Join me in in setting aside time today to pray for wisdom for those currently engaged in higher education: consider focusing upon family, friends, a local campus, an alma mater (if you didn't go to college, focus upon your school district or local congregation as parents and youth are preparing for next steps in the fall), the 3800+ members of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Emerging Scholars Network (for which I blog, posts from Emerging Scholars can be found here and here), etc.

Don’t be afraid to be known as a fanatical Christ-follower. . . . Work as if God were my boss. . . . Rely fully on God’s promises. -- 13 Ways of Looking at Graduate School: Part 3 (Guest blogger. Emerging Scholars Network Blog. 4/5/2012).

I think that you'll be challenged by the Emerging Scholar who has contributed the 13 Ways of Looking at Graduate School Series no matter your vocation.

What a joy to labor with the next generation of scholars (3,800+ part of the Emerging Scholars Network!) as they research, train, and transition into roles of leadership across the globe -- including some in the United States, possibly even a campus with which you're connected in some manner. Your prayer, support, and encouragement of this work is a great blessing to many which ripples out throughout higher education . . . the larger culture . . . cross-cultural relationships with the high number of internationals who study on campuses in the United States.

The Emerging Scholars Network is called to identify, encourage, and equip the next generation of Christian professors to be a redeeming influence in higher education. ESN members range from undergraduate students to tenure-track faculty, and we are committed to serving these members at no charge to them.

"Another version of the essay [Universe and Multiverse, Part 2] appeared at the Ministry Theorem, as part of their What I Wish My Pastor Knew About. . . [Scientists Talk to Their Pastors] series." . . . All these links are worth checking out, with a lot more at the Ministry Theorem ;)

The Ministry Theorem developed through a joint partnership between Calvin Theological Seminary's "Center for Excellence in Preaching" and the Calvin College Science Division. Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and exist under the auspices of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Both institutions are rooted in the Reformed tradition but are also committed to reaching out to Christians across North America and around the world as we promote sound Christian scholarship that aims at participating in God's great project of creation renewal through Christ Jesus the Lord.

The Reformed tradition of which Calvin is a part has long been committed to engaging God's world in order to provide a witness to God in Christ across all areas of culture, society, technology, education, research, and leadership.

The Ministry Theorem is part of that larger task as we seek to help pastors, church leaders, and others come to see and appreciate the grandeur of God's creation as this is revealed through the work of the sciences. By partnering with the best that science has to offer, congregations can widen their awareness of all that God has done, giving believers everywhere so very many more reasons to praise God, "from whom all blessings flow!" 

The Ministry Theorem is supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. --About Us

What opportunities have you had to sow the seed of the Gospel in a manner similar to the way recommended/offered by Randy Newman's* Questioning Evangelism?

“Put more simply, we must awaken people. In many cases, people have been lulled into believing the illogical and rousing them from sleep must happen before we present any gospel content. When people say things that, given some thought, would prove to be nonsense, we must help them see the fallacy of their statements.”  “I think all religions are the same. I think all people are basically good. I would never tell anyone their religion is wrong.” “People who say such things are in desperate need of an alarm clock” (57).

I'll never forget my first extended evangelistic conversation with a student at Carnegie Mellon. He didn't believe in the existence of the tree out the window, the table at which we were sitting, me as a person, or even our discussion. He only believed in his conscious thoughtsl. I asked him how he knew this to be true/real AND he didn't have an answer. He had never asked the question as to how he knew his own conscious being existed. Although I saw him several times on campus after our conversation, I never had opportunity to chat further. Join me in praying for this question and many others shared through the years to sprout and bring forth life even though they appear to be dead in rocky soil. Thank-you for your support and encouragement of these campus labors.

*Randy Newman is a Teaching Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He has been with the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ since 1980 and currently serves with Faculty Commons, their ministry to university professors. He ministers on campuses and elsewhere in our nation's capital to students, professors and policy-shapers. He is an honors graduate from Temple University and has a Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he is also engaged in doctoral studies. Randy is a Jewish Believer in Jesus and is the former editor of The Messiah-On-Campus Bulletin. He lives in Annandale, Virginia together with his wife Pam. He is the author of numerous articles and the books Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did and Corner Conversations: Engaging Dialogues about God and Life, both published by Kregel Publicatios, and Bringing the Gospel Home: Witnessing to Family Members, Close Friends, and Others Who Know You Well, forthcoming from Crossway. -- http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/blog/2011/07/why-i-read-c-s-lewis-2/. Newman's Bringing the Gospel Home is on the self and I look forward to reading it after the end of this term :) An excerpt from the newer book is posted at here. Would you like to join me?

Note: Related posts include Answering Questions with Questions (Randy Newman), Our culture’s secularism silences sharing the Gospel (Randy Newman), Randy Newman's "Questioning Evangelism" -- back again, Questioning Evangelism, and Christ of Christmas.

As I mentioned yesterday (Randy Newman's "Questioning Evangelism" -- back again), at last week's InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Gradute & Faculty Team Meetings for the Northeast region, we gave significant attention to Randy Newman's* Questioning Evangelism -- Thank-you Paula! Below's another quote from Questioning Evangelism

“First, we just don’t have as many evangelistic conversations as we know we should. The message that has gripped our hearts and forms the centerpiece of our lives remains unspoken, unshared, and unproclaimed. We miss opportunities to tell people what Jesus means to us. Our culture’s secularism has silenced us when we should be sharing. We wonder why the topic that is so often on our minds is so seldom on our lips.” (24)

Pray against our culture’s secularism which creates an awkward silencing of sharing the Gospel in the hallways, classrooms, and offices of higher education. Pray for boldness among the Emerging Scholars and future health care professionals with whom I labor. May they be willing to be a light which shines in a dark place, sharing the Gospel in word and deed . . . grant them the skill to ask firm, challenging questions and listen well.

*Randy Newman is a Teaching Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He has been with the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ since 1980 and currently serves with Faculty Commons, their ministry to university professors. He ministers on campuses and elsewhere in our nation's capital to students, professors and policy-shapers. He is an honors graduate from Temple University and has a Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he is also engaged in doctoral studies. Randy is a Jewish Believer in Jesus and is the former editor of The Messiah-On-Campus Bulletin. He lives in Annandale, Virginia together with his wife Pam. He is the author of numerous articles and the books Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did and Corner Conversations: Engaging Dialogues about God and Life, both published by Kregel Publicatios, and Bringing the Gospel Home: Witnessing to Family Members, Close Friends, and Others Who Know You Well, forthcoming from Crossway. -- http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/blog/2011/07/why-i-read-c-s-lewis-2/. Newman's Bringing the Gospel Home is on the self and I look forward to reading it after the end of this term :) An excerpt from the newer book is posted at here. Would you like to join me?

1. Mike asked this question on the Emerging Scholars Network Blog. Fun :)
2. AND we've been receiving a number of responses. Even more fun!
3. So, if you haven't already done such, please join the fun :)
4. No this is not my lame attempt at poetry, it's just letting everyone know about the fun!

To give you a taste of the responses, below's what I shared. No need to be so verbose, a simple name will do. But as you may have guessed by now, I very much enjoy some glimpses of the why, the background, and the journey . . .

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012. 11 am. Zinn Commons, Evangelical Seminary, 121 South College Street, Myerstown, PA, 17067.

"Grab a cup of coffee with..." Ralph and Carol Honderd from Friendship Ministries, and (CLC Network), both interdenominational ministries designed to share God’s love with persons having intellectual impairments and other developmental disabilities. Click here for a PDF of poster and share with members of your local congregation's pastoral ministry. I'll introduce the gathering by sharing the story of several families, including our own. 

The Honderds retired early from their teaching professions in order to devote more time to spreading the messages of CLC Network and Friendship Ministries and the overall goal of making churches complete and blessed by including and welcoming all God’s people into church families.They emphasize the need for churches to surround and support families dealing with a child or adult with intellectual impairments, disabilities and/or autism. CLC Network has developed a course and course information that can be used by seminaries. CLC is also in the process of putting their seminary presentations on DVD to be used either in classes on site or online. 

Note: Ralph and Carol are graduates of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Ralph received both his MA and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Ralph was a professor and coach at Calvin College for 38 years and Carol taught in alternative high school programs for more than 25 years. They have three children and six grandchildren. Their middle child, Karyn, has severe developmental disabilities and presently lives in a local Christian group home.

For more event information call Evangelical at 1-800-532-5775.  

Related article which recently caught my attention: No Barriers Between Us: Enabling people of all (dis)abilities to take part in the community of faith by Nancy J. Patrick (InPart. Winter 2011). Nancy J. Patrick is an associate professor of special education and the director of the graduate program in education at Messiah College (Grantham, Pa.). She’s authored several books on autism spectrum disorders, the most recent entitled Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger Syndrome (2008). She and her husband serve as core team members at a church plant, Living Legacy Church, in Hershey, Pa. I have a stack of the periodical with me on April 3 :)

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

At our local congreation on Sunday morning I received a copy of "Schools confront gay, religious right" (Art Lindsay. Intelligencer Journal/New Era. 2/25/2012) with the assurances of prayer and concern. 

Should campus ministries such as Christian Legal Society, Christian Medical & Dental Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, etc 'stop whining'** at Vanderbilt AND other campuses?

Should I go get 'a real job,' move off campus/underground, or 'loosen up' w/regard to what I have come to embrace as the open call of God, the people of God in higher education & beyond?

In previewing American Experience's The Amish later in the afternoon,*** I received a renewed sense of wonder and joy in the call to follow Christ alone as part of the Kingdom of God, resting my desire not in this world, but the new heavens and new earth. The inspiration came not only from the Amish, but also several of the academics who shared the story of the Amish. Yes, I consider The Amish (PBS. 8 pm, EST) a must see! De ja vu?

In addition to profound footage/interviews,**** the American Experience film will be a great conversation starter and educational tool. I'd recommend having some friends gather to watch it together. A shout out to the authors of Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (i.e., Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, David Weaver-Zercher) who were intimately involved in the project. It's been great to get to know them over the past several years in my effort as part of InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Ministry/Emerging Scholars Network to become acquainted with the work of Christian scholars in South Central PA. To God be the glory!

Note: Chapter 1 preview posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSOn7NXWTbk.

*Same AP article which ran as Schools work to balance gay, religious rights in the Boston Globe (Art Lindsay. 2/22/2012).

**Christian Clubs Told to 'Stop Whining,' Meet in Homes Like in Communist China" (Stephanie Samuel. The Christian Post. 2/22/2012).

***Elizabethtown College, where Donald Kraybill serves as a Sociology faculty & Anabaptist researcher.

****Wow, as you know the Amish don't talk to the media! This is an example of a scholar who has spent decades building bridges in his work. In Kraybill's case he was present during a tragedy for the community he "researched"/befriended, i.e., the Nickel Mines tragedy

Just came back from a preview of PBS' American Experience on The Amish hosted by Elizabethtown College. The Amish is a must see (for personal, classroom, local congregational use/discussion): Tuesday, February 28, 8 - 10 pm. The work of two local scholars with whom we have connection/relationship receive significant attention: Donald Kraybill (Elizabethtown College) & David Weaver-Zercher (Messiah College). Chapter 1 posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSOn7NXWTbk.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/amish/player/ 

To encourage "Linsanity," check out InterVarsity's recent blog post, InterVarsity in the NBA (Gordon Govier. 2/10/2012) ;) As some of you know from Facebook, I've been following Jeremy Lin for several years because an InterVarsity alum of Harvard wanted to be sure people were aware of one of their own and passed along Jeremy Lin: Taking Harvard basketball to new levels.

If you haven't done so check out Bowen's take on Lin (ESPN video w/footage, 2/12/2012). I think he's right on about four years in college . . . entering undrafted . . . getting cut . . . pressing on. Hope Lin gets some rest on the couch . . .

“I feel like I’m in a dream right now,” Lin said. “Tomorrow is an off-day. I can’t wait.” -- Even While Struggling, Lin Finds Way to Lift Knicks Again (Pat Borzi. NY Times. 2/11/2012

The Knicks’ Jeremy Lin — Faith, Pride and Points (Michael Luo. NY Times. 2/11/2012): "One more article on Jeremy Lin -- written by another Harvard alum -- both were involved in the Asian American Christian Fellowship at Harvard -- one of several InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapters at that university." -- Comment: I particularly appreciated this article. Thank-you to my friends who keep me up-to-date on the excellent material going up on-line.

Maybe I'll watch some NBA again. The hoop is going up in the driveway next door. Can't wait for March Madness ;)

Agree/disagree with The 'Be Yourself' Myth (Karen Kelsky. Inside Higher Education. 1/30/2012) applied to higher education job interviews (or possibly more in general)? That is, should one have a persona during an interview? Do you think this may be of particular need for "nerds?"

As you may guess, I feel uncomfortable with the perspective of taking on a persona for interviews. But upon reflection I have made various concessions when sharing the complexity of ministry in higher education. On second thought, they were not concessions, but instead an exploration of building bridges of communication regarding the mission/work to which God has called me.

Am I ever not going to be who God has created/called me to be, "No!" But that doesn't mean that I do not require advice and counsel (even the active input of others) in the revision of various mission committee conversations, newsletters, powerpoint presentations, prayer calendars as I grow more and more into who God has created/called me to be as His servant.

Note: Pray for PSU-Hershey grad students considering next steps (applications, interviews, travel). Pray for the PSU-Hershey 4th year Medical students who interviewed & now are applying for residencies. They'll know their match in mid-March, i.e., except for the opthamologists who have already received word -- congrats Albert!

PS. You may remember Kelly (BS, Messiah; PhD, PSU-Hershey) wrote about post-doc interviews for the Emerging Scholars Network blog, http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2011/11/finding-a-postdoc-in-the-sciences-nailing-the-interview/.

Enjoying Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good, and/or What I Wish My Pastor Knew About... The Life of a Scientist, then check out what Richard Hughes, director of Messiah College's Sider Institute, has to say about the "Paradox of the Christian Scholar."

• Paradox and the Calling of the Christian Scholar 
  • http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2012/01/paradox-and-the-calling-of-the-christian-scholar/ 
• Can Christian Faith Sustain the Life of the Mind? 
  • http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2012/01/can-christian-faith-sustain-the-life-of-the-mind/

As always, feedback/comments are appreciated!

As some of you may know I've been posting an Emerging Scholar Network Blog series which draws from Amy Sherman's Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (InterVarsity Press. 2011). If you haven't already, I'd recommend you pick up a copy of this book. A little more incentive to my Messiah College friends: Amy Sherman's an articulate Messiah College alumnus ('87) and commencement speaker (2011, Commencement Profile, Commencement Address).

Would love to read your responses to her work. Catch a glimpse, applied to higher education ;)

• "Kingdom Calling in the New Year" 
  • http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2012/01/kingdom-calling-2012/
• "What do 'the righteous' look like in higher education?"
  • http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2012/01/kingdom-calling-righteous-higher-ed/
• "Deploying Vocational Power: Four Pathways"
  • http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2012/01/kingdom-calling-deploying-vocational-power/

Note: Additional background on Amy Sherman . . .

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What I Wish My Pastor Knew About... The Life of a Scientist

http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/well/resource/life-of-a-scientist

by Andy Crouch, award-winning author of Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. He is special assistant to the president of Christianity Today International. Andy is married to Catherine Crouch, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at Swarthmore College and a contributor to The Biologus Forum. They have two children.

Note: InterVarsity's The Well is a virtual gathering place for graduate and professional women to receive wisdom, care, challenge, and inspiration as they seek to follow Christ in the academic or work world.  

As some of my family and friends know, I've posted this question on Facebook and G+. But I'm curious in throwing the net wide. Maybe at the base of the question, is what does it mean to be a "blogger." Anyone desire to offer a definition? Should one of my 2012 new years resolutions be to embrace "Christ-centered" blogging with a passion. Thoughts, prayers, encouragements, questions?

This topic came to mind as I followed the trail of Fatal Stampede in South Africa Points Up University Crisis to What Can U.S. Universities Do About a Student Stampede in Johannesburg? to Building a ‘Knowosphere,’ One Cable and Campus at a Time to Notes from a Blogging ‘Discomfort Zone’. Join me in praying for the struggle for higher education. More on the topic coming . . .

A little background . . .

For more than a hundred years, beginning in the 1780’s, campuses set aside a day of prayer that focused just on the campus. Much of the energy of the revivals that swept through the country during those years was fueled by campus prayer.

In the early years of the 20th century, the day of prayer on campus fell by the wayside. The Gospel did not disappear, the day of prayer gave way to other ministry efforts.

A number of Christian ministries gathered together last year to re-establish the day of prayer on its traditional date (the last Thursday in February). This year they invited InterVarsity to join them, and InterVarsity has decided to engage with them.

We are joining our brother and sister organizations (Navigators, Cru, International House of Prayer, the 24/7 Prayer movement, YWAM, and SVM2 among others) to coordinate activity for this day. There are 21 different groups that have agreed to join together.

It is one day. . . . We are being asked to think creatively about how we can pray for the campus in a coordinated way. The last Thursday in February, the 23rd, is also the day after Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The vision statement for the day simply says “open hands, open hearts, open heavens.”

Please join me in making a mental note of the date, marking it on the calendar, and beginning to pray about how to shape opportunities not only on the campuses which I directly serve, but also with the Emerging Scholars Network. Stay tuned . . .

Urbana 12 - Be Part of History from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

For more on Urbana Student Missions Conference 2012(December 27-31, St. Louis) click here. Hope to once again have an Emerging Scholars Network Table :)

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The Lord continues to impress upon my mind 2 Peter 1:3-9, a significant text in Finding Calcutta: "An Adventure".* As such I commend these words for your prayerful consideration as you begin a new year through the celebration of Advent.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

*Today's Emerging Scholars Network Blog post (12/1/2011).