Coraline

I wasn’t really able to complete many leisure activities this Christmas break. But I did manage to finish Coraline, a 162 page children’s novel by Neil Gaiman. It was entirely creepy and delightful. It reminded me of a mix between the film Princess Mononoke and the Bathilda Bagshot chapter in Harry Potter 7! If those things mean anything to you, you’re probably retching right now. Aspects of the narrative were somewhat cliché, and even reminiscent of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; however, I think that Gaiman does a good job of using those clichés to create a familiar framework on which he builds something new and fantastical (both in the literal and figurative sense). In some ways, it’s the direct opposite of TLTW&TW. Entertain your philosophical side and think deeply about that statement if you read it. Coraline was made into a major motion picture in 2009. On reading the novel, I was hesitant to see the film because I felt like it would simply be too creepy. After researching the film and watching the trailer…I think I’ll need to see it. Enjoy the trailer here.

Read this book if: you like old folklore and fairytales, you like Neil Gaiman’s work, you wanted more of Bathilda Bagshot’s corps being controlled my Nagini (gag), you loved Princess Mononoke, you like splendidly frightening stories with hopeful, moralizing, redemptive endings.

The book says it’s for ages 8 and up and the Washington Post Book World said the novel was, “Inventive, scary, thrilling, and finally affirmative.” I think that sentence sums it up well.

Of Antinomianism and Aslan

an·ti·no·mi·an·ism (ān'tĭ-nō'mē-ə-nĭz'əm)
n.
1. Theology The doctrine or belief that the Gospel frees Christians from required obedience to any law, whether scriptural, civil, or moral, and that salvation is attained solely through faith and the gift of divine grace.
2. The belief that moral laws are relative in meaning and application as opposed to fixed or universal.

I had no idea what that word meant until I looked it up just now. It was in an excerpt of a book I have to read for class entitled Theories of Atonement. I’m finding that I have no idea what I’m doing here at grad school! Haha, not in a bad way…I just have so much to learn and that’s very exciting. It seems that the more I read the more questions I have.

So in this essay I read, the author delineates five theories of atonement:

(1) The Socinian Theory – The Atonement as Example
(2) The Moral-Influence Theory – The Atonement as a Demonstration of God’s Love
(3) The Governmental Theory: The Atonement as a Demonstration of Divine Justice
(4) The Ransom Theory: The Atonement as Victory over the Forces of Sin and Evil
(5) The Satisfaction Theory: The Atonement as Compensation to the Father

The theory I found most intriguing was the Ransom Theory, because 1) its wrong in some ways and 2) its perfectly exemplified in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis!

“The theory with the greatest claim to having been the standard view in the early history of the church is probably the so-called ransom theory” (810).

The theory basically states that in the cosmic struggle between the forces of good and evil, Satan established control over humanity. Humans’ major problem is their enslavement to an unfit owner, Satan. God wanted humans back in his rule so he made a ‘deal’ with Satan. God gave Jesus to Satan as a ransom for humanity. “It was Satan rather than God who demanded Christ’s blood.” In addition, Satan thought that he would be able to rule over Satan’s soul…but he was ‘duped’ by God, for Jesus’ resurrection proved otherwise. You see, this theory makes God look like a dishonest dealer! Yes, Satan was self-deceived but from this theory we get the idea that God OWED Satan a ransom and that God wasn’t fully truthful with Satan about the ransom He delivered. Erickson says the theory states that, “…it would have been unjust to deprive Satan of his captives…” (811).

The truth is that God’s wrath needed to be satisfied. It would have been unjust for God to let sinners go without His punishment. The ransom theory does nothing to account for the wrath and holiness of God! I never really thought about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe presenting a faulty view of the gospel, but now that I’m thinking about it…it seems lacking. Aslan makes a deal with the White Witch in order to save Edmund from her rule. The White Witch is ENTITLED to keep Edmund so Aslan has to give her something in order to free Edmund. Thinking that she’s getting the better end of the deal, The White Witch accepts Aslan in Edmunds place. All the punishment that Edmund deserved comes from the White Witch, when in reality – sinners deserve punishment from Aslan - from God. The White Witch takes on characteristics of God’s wrath and the story suggests that God owes Satan and ends up duping him with a savvy transaction.

I still adore The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – if I ever have kids, I plan on reading it to them. As always, I just think its great to be a critical thinker :)

She Waited

Aye, the sun climbs erelong to find my soul
Alone with you, whose unseen plans go alee
To foundations adorned with chalcedony.

While earthly light still shines aright, the race,
Driven like a horse hied on a lonely quest,
Goes on, thro ruth and ail – galloping by grace.

But by my troth, there is no quickening now.
Feet, once nimble, are wearied by idol chase
Left lovelorn, with naught but your enduring vow.

Cultural Snobbery

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I scored a 28 on Jon Acuff's Christian Culture Snob Scorecard which puts me deep in Snobland. I did watch Love Comes Softly on TBN once and I thoroughly enjoyed it...does that make me less of a snob?

What's your score?

Twilightikus Suckus

Robert Pattinson vs. Daniel Radcliffe

I did a lot of baking today....

Luke Jerram's 30 Pianos

I love this interactive art installment. Read all about it here.

I'm Going Back to School...

…and its finally starting to feel like it. I recently bought a lot of living supplies like pans, cups, towels – you know, the essentials. And I was able to register for my courses. I’m so excited and I simply can’t wait to delve into these subjects. I have a sneaking suspicion that History of Christianity will be the most difficult course, but I think the reward of knowledge will probably be worth the work. I might swap Foundations of Cultural Engagement to take *Political Theologies, but I’m not sure if FCE will be offered next spring and I need to take it as soon as I can.

Foundations of Integrative Thought
This course surveys the Bible from the standpoint of its unfolding history of redemption. Stress is laid on precedents, themes, truths, and strategies that established God’s will in earlier times and that should direct God’s people in subsequent times, including our own. Students will make progress in learning what the Bible says on questions relevant to both academic inquiry and practical living. More importantly, students will make progress in learning how to think, creatively but responsibly, about current issues using the Bible in ways that are recognizably Christian. Examples of topics that may be explored: human nature, morality, government, education of children, aesthetics, marriage, racial reconciliation, and questions of meaning and truth.

Foundations of Cultural Engagement
This course introduces the student to pivotal Christian doctrines as a framework within which to evaluate the working intellectual assumptions of contemporary culture. In addition to investigating several models for Christian engagement with culture, the course encourages the positive formation of a Christian worldview as a foundation for creative interaction with contemporary thought and cultures.

History of Christianity
The development of Christianity from the first century to the present, including the following are studied: the patristic period; the ecumenical councils; the development of a cultural and theological synthesis of the middle ages; the precursors, content, and personalities of the Protestant Reformation; the contributions of classical Protestant orthodoxy and subsequent rise of denominations; the rise of secularism and the “Enlightenment”; awakenings, revivals and missionary expansion; and theological trends.

New Religious Movements
A historical and sociological survey of the origin of growth of new religious movements with particular attention given to Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Modern Paganism, and New Age. Special attention is given to comparing and contrasting new religious movements with the dominant Christian faith of the West.

*Political Theologies
A course designed to clarify what constitutes a “political theology” and to investigate the biblical and theological bases of representative political theologies. Discussion focuses around such systems as liberation theology, black theology, and feminist theology.

Shooting Hoops

I’m not sure there are many more therapeutic pastimes for me. I grew up with a basketball goal in my driveway but have since moved from that home and haven’t had a basketball goal for quite some time now. I was reminded of how much I love shooting hoops this past weekend when I visited my aunt. My cousins weren’t there but they are both pretty into basketball so they have a hoop and lots of basketballs. I put them to use.

Here are five reasons why I love shooting hoops:

1. Nuthin’ but Net. The satisfaction when you get Nuthin’ nut Net is priceless, especially the sound of the ball sliding through the net…with no other sound…mmmm.

2. Bread n’ Butter Shot. When I was younger, my Bread n’ Butter shot was just to the right and a few steps behind the free throw line. I’m pretty confident that if I shot hoops more often, this would still be my money shot.

3. Solitude. Well this is just my preference but shooting hoops is one of a few things I really prefer doing alone (at least I think I do). You get the hoop to yourself. You get the ball to yourself. No one’s trying to block you and mess you up. You get to spend time in your thoughts or in prayer or thinking about nothing at all. And you get to compete with yourself. That being said I do enjoy a good game of HORSE. Surprisingly…I really dislike playing the actual game of basketball.

4. Creativity. When I had my own hoop and was out shooting at it every other day, I got really creative. I’d try shots from on my stairs, from behind the hoop, from the road in front of my house, my sister and I have even been known to play a good game of roller basketball – shooting hoops while on rollerblades. Unfortunately for me, roller basketball left me injured more often than not, so eventually I shied away from that pastime…

5. Ease. No matter how tired you are, or how sick you’ve been, or how full of food you are…its likely that you can still go out and shoot at least three baskets. I tended to feel better once I’d shot some hoop even if I was tired, sick, full or all of the above.

Does this make me a Hoosier to the core?

The River Seine

Tiny little watercolor painting I did recently. Inspired by Javert from Les Miserables. Entitled: The River Seine.

Creative Compositions

I'm still into browsing photography websites. There's just so much good stuff out there! Today I found this site and I picked out a few of my favorites for you. The artists are in order as follows: Joel Micah Miller, Phil Marcog, Stephen Wilkes, Jamie Chung, Florian Geiss, Erwin Olaf, David Eustace, Christopher Gilbert. Enjoy!

Enchanting

Come on, feel the Groningen! from MUZIEKTELEVISIE.NL on Vimeo.

One Day Like This from MUZIEKTELEVISIE.NL on Vimeo.

we went to the lake /// we were on a boat /// the dog swam /// everything was drenched in sunshine /// it was a day to remember /// one day like this ///

Inspiration

Lately I’ve been into art/design/photography blogs – partially because I’m the maid of honor for a wedding coming up in August, so I’ve been looking for inspiration. But I’ve been taken aback by how many great blogs there are out there! I’ve subscribed to quite a few and they’re updated regularly with really great art. I’m so impressed that I thought I’d share some of my favorites. Hopefully I don’t get in trouble for posting art that’s not my own. I’ll cite the artists below their work.

Sorry its so small. I'm in love with this guy's phography. Max Wanger. Visit his blog.


How cool is this photograph by Kevin Van Aelst? This photo was featured here - also a really great site for inspiration and creation.

These two designs were featured on Print and Pattern. The first design is by John Lewis and the second by Lisa Rupp.

Again, sorry for the smallness...

All of these images are from a great design site called UPPERCASE ("making, currating, and publishing visual culture" I like it!). The first image is from one of the books they published, Jen 11. The second image is simply a study of '& 7' as seen on your everyday keyboard. And that last three images are photographs by Jan Von Holleben. Simply magical.

Boats

Doing some artwork lately since I've been home sick. These are going to be a gift for a special someone...

Self Portraits

I can't sleep so I'm having fun with photoshop. I took these with my phone.

Validation

Olivet Pong Shots

RemmuS

…I’m not going to get a real summer break…nor will I have significantly more time to read than I have right now. If I pretend like I get a summer break, and pretend like I have more time – maybe it will be so…

Because I’m going to have so much more time and such a great break this summer, I’m making a summer reading list (also because Dan inspired me). Some of these I have started and failed to finish.

Christ and Culture - H. Richard Niebuhr
Confessions – St. Augustine
Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God Given Potential - Gordon T. Smith
The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
How Movies Helped Save My Soul - Gareth Higgins and Tony Campolo
Poetics - Aristotle
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austin
Reel Spirituality – Robert K. Johnston
Useless Beauty – Robert K. Johnston
Varieties of Religious Experience – William James



...note that Twilight didn't make the cut...sorry.

Easter 4: Resurrection

Okay, I definitely lost my Easter blogging fire after the very first post with the cards I had made. Oh well. I do still want to share some of the reasons why this Easter was so incredibly amazing. Here goes…

I decided about three months ago that, for some reason, I really wanted Easter to mean something this year. I didn’t want it to just be another Sunday. I wanted to really take part in the Easter season. Thus, I began to ask God and myself, how I could make this so. How could I honor Christ’s death and resurrection? One element that has impacted me over the past few years is how profound it is when an inner spiritual change is followed or accompanied by an outer physical change. I have experienced this in my walk with Christ. So I got to thinking about physical representations of Christ’s resurrection. You know what came to mind? The Easter dress. And thus began the most meaningful Easter season of my 22 years.

As a very little girl I had Easter dresses, but I don’t really remember them. As I grew older I stopped getting Easter dresses and even thought the whole tradition was a lame way to celebrate materialism and fashion. I’m eating my words. I decided that this year I wanted to dress up in honor of Christ’s resurrection and sacrifice for me! I told a good friend my plans and she agreed, Easter dresses would be a good way to celebrate – then she asked me if I was going to give anything up for lent. This question took me off guard. I’d never given anything up for lent or really even thought twice about it. Still, her idea sounded great – Easter dresses after a season of lent! That was a great way to take part in Christ’s experience and celebrate his victory. I began to research lent so I could have a better idea of what I would be participating in. As I was meditating on the whole purpose of lent (to share in Christ’s suffering in the dessert, to practice self-denial and discipline, to pray and meditate, etc) I decided that I didn’t want to give up any sort of food. For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I’m on a special diet anyway; plus, I was training for a half-marathon at the time…food just wasn’t something that would be beneficial to give up. I tried to think of other things Jesus went without or didn’t have in the dessert: a shower, clothes other than the ones he was wearing, any item of modern day luxury, a bed. A bed. I love my bed. It the most comfortable bed that ever existed. The end. I decided to give it up. No sleeping, napping, sitting, or leaning on my bed. I slept on the floor. It was a great experience for which I’m very, very thankful. It started out well, in the middle I got sick and very angry with the floor, by the end I was experiencing the bliss of simplicity. And throughout it all prayed a lot for people without beds, and thought about my own privilege and how humble Christ was to live like that in the dessert – without food! So that brings me to the end of this Easter narrative, because now I’m going to switch to a list. After I made the decision to participate in lent, there was a plethora of other simple events and decisions that all worked together to make this Easter really mean something.

1) Sleeping on the floor. Easter meant my time of discomfort and fasting was done. It meant I could celebrate just a little better on Easter, had I not given anything up. I took a nap in my bed on Easter Sunday, and oh what a nap it was.

2) Easter dresses. After my friend and I decided to get Easter dresses – we made an art project out of it. We had so much fun that our mirth spread to two other gals as well. You will find what we called our Easter Palettes at the top of this blog (because I was too lazy to arrange them elsewhere). Mine is the purple.

3) Easter cards. I already discussed these in a previous blog, but making these cards in honor of Christ’s life was so therapeutic! Creating because He made me capable.

4) Easter blogs. Like I said, I didn’t blog as much as I had originally planned, but my Maundy-Thursday and Good Friday blogs helped me to meditate on Christ’s sacrifice.

5) Easter CD. One of my friends made me and some other friends an Easter mix. Its brilliant, it added to the supreme meaning and joy that Easter entailed this year. The song on the top right of this page is on the mix. Again, the songs helped me to find meaning in the holiday.

6) Easter tulips. Some strapping young men bought yellow tulips for my all-girls bible study. It was their Easter gift to us. Any other year, this wouldn’t have been quite so special – but because I was already soft and wanting to really soak up the Easter experience, in honor of what Christ did for me…it was priceless. Thanks again, guys.

7) Easter fellowship. I spent most of the day with one of my good friends, and saw countless others throughout. We had deep discussion, laughter, food, and general merriment. It was perfect.

8) White-chocolate Easter bunny from my Yiayia (Grandma in Greek). Like the tulips, this wouldn’t have been nearing as meaningful as it ended up being. My Yiayia sent me a HUGE and delicious white-chocolate Easter bunny the day after I read this blog. Each bite held a certain joy and understanding because I wasn’t just eating chocolate, I was eating chocolate BECAUSE Christ LIVES.

I think two of the main things I learned were that meaning comes from preparation and fellowship. If you decide to make a holiday meaningful by putting in the time into meditation, prayer, creation, and preparation…the holiday will be much more meaningful than if you did none of those things. The second thing I learned is that holidays are a time when fellowship flourishes. If you can prepare for and celebrate a holiday in fellowship – with people and God – I think you’ll find it to be quite nourishing. Thanks, God, for blessing my Easter.

Easter 1: 'No Winter Shall Abate The Spring's Encrease'

This Easter will be a memorable one, for many reasons. I'm hoping to do a series of blog posts about it. To begin with, I'd like to share the artwork I've been creating. I decided to make cards for some of my close friends and family this Easter. These small scans don't really display the texture and color of the cards, but it will have to do. I used paint, paper, Photoshop, sketches, ribbon, tissue paper, sparkles, thread, and colored pencil - just to name a few of the supplies. In some ways I felt like the joy that the card making gave me was somewhat premature since its not Easter yet. But that's ok, He is risen and the time for mourning His death will come soon enough. More later, enjoy...