in an iPod world

A review of Knowing Christ Today

"Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge" (Dallas Willard)

I read "Knowing Christ Today", a book written by Dallas Willard who is a Professor of Philosophy at University of Southern California on my flight back from Sweden yesterday. Drawing on the writing of Plato, Aristotle, Jürgen Habermas, Peter Berger and CS. Lewis and invoking the image of Bonhoeffer, Mother Teresa, Kierkegaard, he discusses what it means to "know" spiritual reality of Christ in this pluralistic world. With a rare mix of intellectual integrity and the passionate conviction of personal faith, he lucidly deals with complex issues that many Christians (or any one who's is interested in spirituality and religion) are facing today. His discussion on the relationship between Christian Gospel and Christian pluralism offers a hopeful way going forward and serious intellectual and spiritual challenge to both Christian (conservative and progressive alike) and non-Christians. If you are in for faith and religion, and their relationship with knowledge and plurality, I strongly recommend this one for you.

I don't like rules!

I don't like rules -- particularly those that I made. I break them all the times. I was always troubled by the fact that I am undisciplined and compulsive and always envious of those who are disciplined. I thought and hoped that one day I would become better when I grow up. Now I am old enough to know that the age was not an issue. Then, this morning as I wanted to break yet another rule that I made (a promise that I made with my family), I realized that my detest (or failure) of rule-following had to do with meaning.

Here's the story. Several months ago, my wife and I decided that we would eat out our Sunday brunch with our boys before we go to Sunday service. The idea is that instead of rushing to the church on Sunday morning, let's slow down and have some time to talk. We explore different places -- McDonalds, a local diner, Panera, etc. We enjoy coming up new ideas and experiment with those new places. I would bring Sunday New York Times and read while kids were eating and talking.

Overtime, however, it became ritual. Now we have to go somewhere. It seems as if there are no more places that anyone of us are interested in going within the constraint we have on Sunday morning. But, we must go. Somewhere. Wherever. So, we go even though none of us are really happy to be there. We rush through the meal and go to church. The event lost its lust and meaning and it became a rule. And I want to break that rule.

Not liking rules is to remain committed to the meaning of what we do. So, instead of thinking about rule-following (or rule-breaking), I should try to remain faithful to the meaning of what I do. All of sudden, I am free from rules.

free from judgement

We spend an enormous amount of energy making up our minds about other people. Not a day goes by without somebody doing or saying something that evokes in us the need to form an opinion about him or her. We hear a lot, see a lot, and know a lot. The feeling that we have to sort it all out in our minds and make judgments about it can be quite oppressive.

The desert fathers said that judging others is a heavy burden, while being judged by others is a light one. Once we can let go of our need to judge others, we will experience an immense inner freedom. Once we are free from judging, we will be also free for mercy. Let’s remember Jesus’ words: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1).

Henri Nouwen

Sunday Posting

Each Sunday, I will post some texts that touch my heart and move my soul. Today, it is from the Book of Jeremiah -- an ancient Jewish prophet who predicted the desolation of Jerusalem and Judah Kingdom.

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Yes, there are seasons of heat and drought. But, there is a hope beyond what we can see with our naked eyes. We just need to close our eyes.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]