Technology and stewardship
Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised
As I understand it, when Genesis 2 talks about man being put in the garden ‘to work it and take care of it’, the word for work can also be translated ‘serve’. Certainly that is consistent with the biblical idea of ruling and leading: that such a role is characterised primarily by serving. (If you want evidence from this bit of the bible itself, it’s worth noting that the first things given the responisiblity of ruling were the sun and moon; a role clearly dominated by providing and serving.)
So, the question is do we see this responsibility reflected in our technology? Not really. In fact, we begin to look highly deficient. It’s hard to see the things we generate ‘serving’ creation in any way. In some cases we might minimise the exploitation of the world, but in general our only goal seems to be serving the selfishness of the human race. So, it looks very much like our fallen side dominates our view of technological development. No wonder creation ‘waits for the sons of God to be revealed’ (Rom 8)…
Perhaps technology within a biblical framework should include products that benefit creation directly, without needing a ‘useful’, human-centred purpose. Products that truly serve. With that in mind, and given that the church is supposed to be an alternative community and an embodied apologetic, what should we do? Perhaps we should show our belief that God created the world by financing such developments. Perhaps this would say more than financing institutes that try to prove creation via arguments and scientific proofs.
Tags: science
Lost
Posted by Paul | Filed under photos
(Don’t worry, Jonny, it was only temporary. Your gift is loved really.)
Tags: photos
More Bible reading
Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised
I knew I’d forgotten something in yesterday’s quote list: Living into God’s Story by Eugene Peterson is also excellent. In fact, it’s tempting to quote the whole thing. I’ll try to restrict myself to a few tasters…
“The Bible is basically and overall a narrative, an immense, sprawling, capacious narrative. Stories hold pride of place in revealing God and God’s way to us.”
“… there is another reason for the appropriateness of story as a major means of bringing us God’s Word. Story doesn’t just tell us something and leave it there; story invites our participation.”
“The form in which language comes to us is as important as its content. If we mistake its form, we will almost certainly respond wrongly to its content. … Stories suffer misinterpretation when we don’t submit to them simply as stories.”
Bible reading
Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised
Some quotes and ideas that are informing my thoughts on reading the Bible. I’ll leave you to join the dots…
“…theories of atonement are all, in themselves, abstractions from the real events, and that the events, the flesh-and-blood, time-and-space happenings, are the reality which the theories are trying to understand but cannot replace. In fact, the stories are closer to the events than the theories, since it is through the narratives that we are brought close to the events.” Tom Wright in Evil and the Crucified God.
“I don’t think lives can be explained. What we know about creatures and lives must be pictured or told or sung or danced. And I don’t think pictures or stories or dances can be explained.” Wendell Berry in Life is a Miracle.
“Truth is the way God does things.” Calvin Seerveld in Bearing Fresh Olive Leaves.
I have this problem after seeing a film. I am so absorbed by the story that I live it emotionally for quite a while afterwards. Of course, leaving the cinema and interacting with reality eventually pulls me back. I am re-captured by the bigger story outside. But what if the story that my culture tells me about reality is flawed? What can pull me back from that? How, each day, can I re-find the real story?
“I more and more find the precious part of each day to be the thirty or forty minutes I spend each morning before breakfast with the Bible. All the rest of the day I am bombarded with the stories that the world is telling about itself. I am more and more skeptical about these stories. As I take time to immerse myself in the story that the Bible tells, my vision is cleared and I see things in another way. I see the day that lies ahead in its place in God’s story.” Leslie Newbigin quoted in Story and Biblical Theology.
“…we must remind ourselves to read the biblical accounts we are about to consider as if what is described were happening to us. We must make the concious effort to think such things might happen to us and to imagine what it would be like if they did.” Dallas Willard in Hearing God.
“Knowing is not enough” Hal Hartley in Surviving Desire.
Colossians remixed
Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised
I’m currently reading Colossians Remixed by Brian Walsh and Silvia Keesmat. Very very good. Can’t say I’m completely convinced on every detail, but lots of interesting (and provoking I suspect, but I’m only just getting to the Praxis Remixed section) points.
I’m particularly taken with their comments on imagination. The idea that empires (in our case, the consumerist culture) ultimately win by capturing the imagination of those they rule over. Hence, the necessity of subverting the imagination of the ‘empire’ and developing an alterative imagination. They use the example of subversive poetry (for instance, the role of Old Testament prophets), but it leads to thinking about how the visual arts can subvert and develop imagination in the same way. Especially in our highly visual culture. Not sure I’ve got anywhere on the details, but it’s hanging around the back of my mind.
I did begin to wonder if this isn’t an area that connects strongly with graphic design. It seems to me that graphic design is in many ways the art of the consumerist ‘empire’. So, maybe graphic designers are best placed to develop alternatives and subvert the dominant imagination. (Not that I’m thinking of anyone in particular 
Tags: imagination
Wedding photos
Posted by Paul | Filed under photos
I’ve put some photos from a wedding of some friends at www.paulnorridge.co.uk/wedding1 . Really pleased with these. Mainly because Phil & Anna liked them, but also because the last few rolls before these were pretty poor.
Weddings are great for Black & White, because the important people restrict themselves to high-contrast black & white outfits. Nice of them to do photographers such a favour:) They’re especially great if you’re not the official photographer. Otherwise the stress is far too much for someone of my sensitive nature… I speak from the experience of being an almost-official photographer. (I am, of course, including this comment in case any friends are getting ideas
Tags: photos
A random walk over culture, art, christianity, etc. with occasional photographs...