[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on Are You a Critic or Creative?.

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "Are You a Critic or Creative?":

What if I see both? Based on these attributes of the creative and the critic, I definitely have the fear of failure, like the critic, which keeps me from attempting any serious pursuit in my theological training but at the same time I don't think I am smart enough to be a critic. However, I am in the position I am in right now (at my job) because I have been creative in various problems I have encountered at work, even though I can be very critical in addressing "unintended" problems of others because for some reason I see them. But then again I can be very unrealistic, especially concerning what I expect of myself and I believe according to Proverbs you call that person a fool...



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 12:23 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on Are You a Critic or Creative?.

Jon Jordan has left a new comment on your post "Are You a Critic or Creative?":

probably lean towards creative, and glad I have critics in my life because of it...



Posted by Jon Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 1:04 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on Does Reason Know What it is Missing?.

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "Does Reason Know What it is Missing?":

A very interesting article which, I think, stems from the secular humanist (both postmodernists and modernists) and the Christian fundamentalist assumption that reason is fundamentally divorced from faith. I know that this statement is an oversimplification of the humanist and fundamentalist position but for the sake of the argument this, I think, is the general standing of the secular and fundamentalist's position today (not necessarily what Christian fundamentalism stood for, say, at the time of "old Princeton Seminary" with Warfield and the like). What is the Christian's responsibility? Show the world the coherence of faith and reason through a robust intellectual rigor and engagement in the "secular" disciplines by Christians who both affirm a strong orthodoxy and practice a godly faith. That is, bring everything under the supremacy of Christ; and in the protestant work ethic make every thought obedient to Christ through the very reason and science which God has created for his glory. I think the gospel demands that a Christian work differently than the secularist in a secular vocation. Is it too much to ask for Christians whom God has gifted intellectually within their fields to see the general revelation of God better than there secular counterpart…indeed can they not see and are they not called to see Reality with a clearer vision and therefore see reality generally more clearly also. But even when we do not "know" as much within a secular discipline/vocation as the secularist then there should still be a qualitative difference in how we do our discipline/vocation. There is, in a sense, an aesthetic which accompanies the labor of the Christian. This is the sense of the divine and of worship. This is what reason, in a secular sense, is missing…God. He is the moral imperative that the secularist through reason alone has no foundation for.



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 3:20 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Matthew LaPine has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Any wisdom you have concerning this process, I would love to hear…

Jordan, I think the biggest lesson I've learned is this: seminary doesn't make you. You mentioned kids, working full time, and going to seminary. Those are definately challenges; but those are really what make you into who you are becoming. Seminary is a useful tool, and also a necessary recognition for certain types of ministry. But we shouldn't balk at the trial of going through the challenges we are faced with because those things are often the very things that God uses in our lives.

By the way, you should at least consider DTS. It would surprise you I think. It's been a good move for me. Plus there are more jobs in Dallas. What field do you want to study?

God speed!

shoot me an email and we'll chat more: enipal1 @ gmail.com



Posted by Matthew LaPine to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 1:48 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

I do read your blog. I have downloaded your papers you posted today and will be reading them (hopefully) soon.



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 12:10 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

I do read your blog. I fact I have down loaded you papers that you posted today and plan on reading them.



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 12:07 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Yes, it's me Daggett

Aesthetics…I agree. I actually base a lot of the assurance of my salvation on the aesthetic component of the gospel. My conversion was the first time I saw the beauty of the Gospel and loved what I saw.

Yes, Krista and I are making steps towards Seminary. We are looking a correspondence courses offered by TEDS. We will be filling out a FASFA form here soon to see what I qualify for and then go from there. I do have a list "per se" of things I will like to have mastered before Seminary, i.e. writing skills (that's a big one), research methods, general theology (mainly systematic and biblical), and general Bible knowledge. But accomplishing what is on that "list" is only possible in a perfect world, for me.

I do find myself lost in anxious thoughts about pursuing a MDIV with working full-time (50 to 60 hours a week aver.), Krista staying at home, and both of us raising Christian and Emma. I worry about time…but at this point I don't care how long this takes me. This is what I love and this is what I think and feel God is calling us to for his glory and our sanctification.

One book that has captivated me lately along these lines has been The Trials of Theology: Becoming a 'Proven Worker' in a Dangerous Business edited by Andrew Cameron and Brian Rosner.

Any wisdom you have concerning this process, I would love to hear…( i.e. Jordan I believe you are not called, not qualified, not prepared, etc.)



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 12:02 PM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Matthew LaPine has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Jordan Daggett, ah yes :)



Posted by Matthew LaPine to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 10:06 AM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Matthew LaPine has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Jordan (Hamilton???), I do have a fascination with aesthetics. I do because they have a lot to do with why I believe in God. And if we're honest they have a lot to do with why all of us believe much of anything. They're instrumental in the sciences and more generally in epistemology. I think beauty has been overlooked to some degree by contemporary philosophy because from a naturalistic starting point there is no way to explain it (also with morals). But that's one of the main reasons I want to go on to do a PhD in philosophy.

These things need not concern everyone but they interest me.

As to the question about seminary, I think a general background knowledge both of the Bible and of big picture theological concepts is helpful to process the new information that is coming in. But I don't know if I can nail down any one thing I wish I had learned or read.

I think Seminary is like any other experience in life, you learn what you put into it, and it won't teach you a certain set of ideas or principles. It just forces you to work in certain areas with certain deadlines. It will bring you along in the process of learning about God/Theology/the Bible faster than not going to Seminary. But it could also provide a new context of ideas without bringing you along with relation to actually knowing God.

Are you considering seminary?

For a better answer to your question, I could certainly provide a list of books or resources which I have found to be very helpful in thinking better about God. And I would be interested to get a list from you. :)



Posted by Matthew LaPine to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 9:50 AM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Matt, if I could ask a couple questions relating to your study in seminary...

What do you wish you had mastered going into Seminary that would make the work load easier? and what should anybody planning on attending Seminary know before they attend?



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 9:27 AM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Jordan has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

Matt, I also read your blog. Actually I check it everyday at work. Your posts are very enjoyable. Curious, you seem preoccupied with aesthetics or am I wrong... Of course any serious Christian is, when they seek to worship God.



Posted by Jordan to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 9:20 AM

[εις επαινον δοξης αυτου] New comment on To Blog, or not to Blog....

Andrew has left a new comment on your post "To Blog, or not to Blog...":

funny story: I'm actually going through Ephesians in my speaking on Wed. nights, and I'm currently starting study on Ephesians 2:11-22. So, as 1 of the 5 who read your blog (and I've posted once haha), thanks for all your posts and for this paper too!



Posted by Andrew to εις επαινον δοξης αυτου at 7:58 AM