Beauty and Mystery

Outside Reading

November 30, 2016

“With regards to objects of sight, whatever gives pleasure is said to be beautiful: whatever gives pain, is said to be ugly. The terms of beauty and ugliness, in their proper signification, are confined to objects of sight…Objects considered simply as existing, without relation to any end or any designing agent, are in the lowest rank or order with respect to beauty and ugliness; a smooth globe for example, or a vivid color. But when external objects, such as works of art are considered with relation to some end, we feel a higher degree of pleasure or pain.” – Lord Kames, “Foundation and Principles of Morality”

In this essay, Kames begins his analysis of virtue with an analysis of beauty. He separates beauty into three different types, two of which are enumerated above. The first is the beauty of an object. He creates an association between what is pleasurable and what is beautiful. The second type of beauty is beauty in terms of the external, meaning art or music. The final type of beauty is beauty in terms of usefulness. As I read Kames’ separation of beauty, I wonder if oftentimes, beauty cannot be split into neat sections. A truly beautiful building can create awe and wonder, an emotional response in the same way that art can create the same feelings. I remember the feeling of walking into Westminster Abbey for the first time. The beauty of the building took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. It was a beauty that it was incomprehensible, I could not fathom all at once.  In class, we talked about how British aestheticians also split landscapes into three categories as well – the beautiful, the picturesque and the sublime. The sublime is the part of beauty or a landscape that is mysterious and cannot always be understood. It creates awe but also fear because of the mystery. The philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment seem to create a system where man can understand through reflection all is beautiful and virtuous. If man can understand it in his faculties, where is the mystery and what is the value of a higher power? With the sublime, comes the divine, and it characterizes the mysterious, unknowable nature of the divine.

To Quote Fleetwood Mac

Danielle Benedict: Own Topic (3)

Fleetwood Mac articulately explains that “you can go your own way.” How do we determine our life direction? We can go with what is automatic and comfortable or push ourselves towards something novel. Many people choose to follow tradition and obey their parent’s advice. Just because your family wants you to go to law school does not mean you are required to. Let’s be honest, this is an easy way out of searching for your own plan. There is little risk since you are aware that it works as seen by your family and friend’s examples. If you genuinely love your family of origin’s lifestyle, then stay. Some people find reassurance in that established community and want to remain close to what they know. I would argue if you have reservations then to explore other options first before committing to your current lifestyle. We also have the choice to forge own path whether that means relocating to another state or chasing after a job you love but other do not support. If you do this, then you can confidently say that you were the master of your own fate. Why not pick a passion or interest and make it your life? These is potential to form new community and friendships. there is huge risk in this plan, do not get me wrong. If things go awry, you are the one responsible. So when you are on your death bed which will you say: did life happen to you or did you make your life?

Soteriology

Danielle Benedict: Outside Reading (4)

Pope John Paul II- “Salvifici Doloris” (encyclical)

Soteriology is the theology of salvation. Pope John Paul defines salvation as “liberation from evil,” therefore it is inherently tied to suffering. Without suffering, can we be saved? What type of pain meets the definition of suffering? There is perceived suffering, where the individual believes they are at a loss. One could hear criticism or receive an insult and this is emotional suffering. Human perception is a factor in suffering. There is literal suffering also known as agony. When you break and arm or fight a serious infection this is suffering. John Paul writes that any suffering, no matter the type, is the opposite of salvation. Which is highly ironic since Christ suffered and was humbled by the cross for humans to gain salvation. He described the importance of Christ’s substitution in the terms of “if the suffering ‘is measured’ by the evil suffered, then the words of the prophet enable us to understand the extent of this evil and suffering with which Christ burdened Himself.” God experienced suffering and I believe we can find reassurance in that because even in our worst moments we have a shared experience with Him

Distortion of the Good

Till We Have Faces

November 30, 2016

Orual had a clear love for her sister, Psyche. She loved her so much it made her physically ill to think of her being sacrificed. She loved her so much that she risked everything journey up the mountain to see if she was alive. She loved her so much that the thought of harm coming to her was incomprehensible. Yet, that love becomes distorted with fear. She fears that her relationship with Psyche will change. She fears that Psyche is being abused by a man who lives in the mountain. She fears because she sees Psyche in rags even though she says she is at the foot of a palace. As easy as it is to condemn Orual for that fear and condemn her actions, fear for those we love is an identifiable feeling. If we believe something to be true and to be good, we naturally want those we love to believe it to. If I believe that Christianity is true and Jesus is the key to eternal life, then I want those I love to believe that too. However, I think there is a difference in wanting someone to believe something because it is good and true and wanting someone to believe in something because you fear what would happen if they do not. Fear corrupted Orual’s relationship with Psyche. This is evident in their conversation, in the hurt that crosses Psyche’s face when she realizes what Orual will make her do, in the coldness that enters her voice which is so different from the warm, loving relationship they had before. Fear distorts the good and beautiful.   

Outside Reading #1 11/29/16

Semantic and Poetic meaning

Kenneth Burke's Language as Symbolic Action from my rhetorical theory class has opened my eyes to understanding the idea of the concept which is semantic and poetic meaning in rhetorical diction. Semantic language is composed of statements which only work if they are logical. Poetic language isn't the opposite of semantic language in terms of being fully logical, but they have to have a degree of truthfulness to them.  I wanted to compare poetic language to C.S. Lewis and myth because they all intertwine with each other.  Poetic language and myths both provide a meaning to language.  C.S. Lewis uses the poetic language throughout most of his works in order to emphasize his myths were full of purposeful substance to teach and learn from.  The myths that C.S. Lewis writes explain Burke's point of everything can be interpreted as a symbol for something else; In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe we see how Aslan is a symbol of Christ, in Out of the Silent Planet we see the Bent one as satan, and in Till We Have Faces we see the veil that Orual wears represents the erasing of identity.  Burke and Lewis are completely different in their writings but they can relate in the sense of using poetic language to display symbolism.

St. Teresa of Avila

Quote from St. Teresa that I love "being with God without an agenda, being with God is the agenda."  Truly taking times of prayer to be with God, not worry about what you have to ask about, what you have to fix, what you may feel you need from Him. The thing I think is most evident in the fact that you are praying is that you need God. Therefore praying should just be, being with God, agenda-less meeting with God. That is what prayer  should look like, because He knows what we need better than we do. Looking on it in this I reflect on how prayer time should look, maybe opening in the things you feel you need or want to talk with God. Then giving the rest of the time to God, entering into a time of contemplation, more along the lines of what Merton talks about with the desert fathers, quies. Not a time to close your eyes and just rest, but rather a quieting of everything in order to listen. It is a intense way to calm your entire being in order to listen for the voice of God and what it is God wants for you. According to Merton quies was much less self involved and a truer giving of self to God in prayer. This deep prayer is St. Teresa's goal, no agenda just true relation and reception of God and His great Love for you. Then allowing you to respond in love to God, through praise and thanksgiving. The two-way street of prayer seems to be very unpopular these days, but in St. Teresa and the desert fathers you see into a world where they wanted more traffic coming from God, because they knew those were the most important messages they could receive.

Unknown

In Thomas Merton's, The Wisdom of the Desert, he talks about how today there is a need for a repeat of the actions of the desert fathers. A need for a separation from ourselves and the world that surrounds us. In order for us to help at all, we must be ourselves in order to be ourselves we must go to be just ourselves. Finding ourselves in the solitude of the desert in the quiet and contemplative prayer. The line that struck me at the end of his writing before the quotes from the desert fathers was "how to ignore prejudice, defy compulsion and strike out fearlessly  into the unknown." (pg.24) Reflecting throughout the semester I have found a theme. In Christianity those who truly find some amount of peace or really seem to be faithful in there relationship with God. They thrive in the unknown. The Israelites right before the Exodus are great for a variety of analogies to faith journeys, but here looking at there willingness to follow the Unknown into the unknown. God is mysterious, He is mysterious and powerful. Any human conception of what God is asking these Israelites to do is realizing that it is crazy. They are being chased by the most powerful ruler of the time, a group with elders and children, and God leads them to the sea. We know how God gets them past that. Then God got them through the sea to take them to their promise land, but that is a desert. Yet God provides, both physically with food from heaven and spiritually with freedom from the pagan religions of the Egyptians. Through this process the Israelites fight with certain things but end up finding their faith, through their journey into the unknown. They didn't know how all that was going to turn out and maybe some were fearless, but a imagine a few were not as confident. Yet Merton's words are clear, fearlessly into the unknown. That is the goal, total faith and reliance on God, knowing that He is more than sufficient and Jesus' Love and Sacrifice are more than sufficient. This fearless nature is tough but the going into the unknown I think is a curiosity in all humans. The Israelites were curious if there was more than the slavery they had. We must go out into the unknown to seek greater freedom that is only found in God. We can know God to an extent, but until we face Him and even then, we don't truly know Him in the sense of who and what He is and how great His Love really reaches, we must truly "strike out fearlessly into the unknown" not just to find our self, But to find our self and give our self to the God who created us and Loves us.

God's Smuggler

David Clarkson
Outside Reading
November 28, 2016

"Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful." (1 Corinthians 1:27)
I've just started reading a novel about an ordinary human being, one whom many people during his lifetime considered to be very weak. Despite his apparent worldly weaknesses, this man, known today as Brother Andrew, did some extraordinary things for the Kingdom. He came back from war both wounded to a point where he would probably never walk again, and more ashamed of the things that he had done, than he ever thought he would be able to overcome. Given numerous chances throughout his life to get it all together by an abundance of excellent influences, he could not get it right. Finally, on his knees, after an entire day in prayer, he completely surrendered his life to the Lord, despite his seemingly infinite obstacles. He promised to follow God in complete faith, that He was bigger than the small obstacles he thought he was facing. Not only did God miraculously heal his ankle that day, but He also used this man to be a bridge to the lost men and women in 'closed' Islamic countries. Why does God use the weak? I believe the answer to that is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9, where we learn that Christ's power is made perfect in our weakness. Those who are weak, know they need to rely on God, and obediently humble themselves to do so. When we do this, admitting our inadequacy and vulnerabilities, Christ will fill our weakness with His power, just like he did for Brother Andrew.

Aslan = Jesus?

Early in the semester we talked about how when Lewis' started to write Narnia and when Tolkien began to write the Lord of the Rings, they didn't have in mind the Gospel. Maybe just they weren't attempting to write an allegorical version of the Gospel. When we read them though, there is clear connections to the Gospel. I have thought of this throughout the semester. I guess I can understand that these man, very devout in their Christian faith, saw the Gospel story to be the most heroic story. When they themselves were trying to create a heroic epic, naturally what they created was similar to the story they knew so well. As they were made in the image and likeness of their Creator, they were made to create themselves in a clear lesser capacity. I also understand though that not throughout the whole writing process did the just not make any attempt to write with the Gospel in mind. It seems almost impossible for that to be the case with the similarities of characters and their actions. Most especially Aslan. Aslan is a very clear Jesus character in Narnia and thinking that at no point C.S. Lewis thought of Jesus' story when writing of Aslan! I find it very interesting, the idea that it was just in Lewis' being that what he created in the story was like the creation of his Creator.

Trust and Control

Danielle Benedict: Til We Have Faces (2)

This book does an amazing job at depicting the age old desire to have control over others. Orual’s actions are motivated by her hypothesis that one should only expect negative outcome when it comes to the gods. She believes the gods give her no reassurance or guidance. This character's story is mainly about trust versus control. Orual could have chosen to believe Psyche about her mystery husband and personal happiness. Trust is defined as the “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” Orual feels the overwhelming need to question the state of things and investigate to discover the true nature of the situations she encounters. Some people would argue that having a curious spirit is a good trait but I believe Orual was taking it too far as to act rashly and in her self-interest. She is nosy and intrusive to the point where it destroys relationships. Orual does not trust anything outside herself. Control is defined as “the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.” Orual has some pretty striking control issues. Upon researching control issues, one of the first causes I found was a lack of trust. Orual has no foundation of trust which is why she seeks control. Simply put, Orual needs something bigger than herself to believe in. 

Not the Absence of Fear

Danielle Benedict: Own Topic (2)

    

Many of the modern problems our society faces stem from fear. We fear others who are different than us or we fear what the future of our nation will be. Fear is something that can become more prominent the older we become and the more aware we are of the world around us. I believe fear is a crucial factor to survival however it must be in proper doses. Being at extremes on either side of the continuum is dangerous. Too much fear prevents us from acting. Life is then spent looking around each and every corner in fear of any surprises. Setbacks causes paralysis. Fear can cripple worse than a physical injury. Fear is not a bad thing. Moving to a new city for a job or getting married can be terrifying even though the activities in themselves are good. When a creature does not experience fear, it becomes brash and reckless. This makes me think of animals with rabies, they are out of their minds and do not feel fear so they keep attacking other creatures until a stronger one kills it. Franklin D. Roosevelt said “courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” Each situation we encounter calls for an assessment; will we fear what is facing us? Both fight and flight are natural responses that no one should be ashamed of but we should consider our options before acting out either one. We should be the ones determining our course of action not just mere physical stimulus.

Friendship in The Four Loves

In Lewis' famous work The Four Loves, he discusses the four fundamental forms of love, and what they entail. In this post I am opting to discuss friendship, and how it ties in with ontology. Lewis writes:

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like are, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival" (p. 71).

From a purely evolutionary standpoint, friendship is utterly meaningless. However, to approach it from an ontological standpoint it has so much value. It's power is almost incommunicable, yet Lewis has a fine attempt. Friendships are a lot like stories. Although on the surface they do not seem to reveal much about epistemology, everyone can acknowledge that they certainly have a place in our existence. Friendships can also be exclusive. Lewis warns that friends run the risk of "regarding themselves as an elite because they are already attached" (p. 83). This can be dangerous for others in society, yet in terms of friendship no one can be perturbed at another for having close friends. Lewis also writes that friendship is ambivalent. "It makes good men better and bad men worse" (p. 80). It accentuates our original disposition toward one another. Good friends can restore and refresh us. They bring about who we really are and reaffirm our identity. There is a danger here as well. If we place too much emphasis on them, they can destroy us. This is why there are three other loves. Friendship has a place, but it cannot be the end all be all. There is also eros, affection, and charity. Charity being the greatest of these. Hopefully our friendships carry charity with them wherever they go. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).

David Clarkson
November 27, 2016
Till we have Faces

"It was as if my father's sickness had drawn away some prop and the whole world-all the world I knew- had fallen to pieces. I was journeying into a strange new land. It was so new and strange that I could not that night, even feel my great sorrow. This astonished me". (Till we have faces 106). This is a very mysterious and thought provoking couple of lines. Here in a time where he would normally be thinking about his father's sickness, at least that is what he seems to be assuming, he is overtaken by the eerie surroundings he finds himself in. He is completely overtaken by the circumstances. I'm trying to think of a time where I have had a similar feeling, and I'm struggling to do so. Maybe it is because at the times I've found myself in unfamiliar circumstances, I haven't really had anything else should have been worried about besides my current situation.  However, you wonder if he is almost grateful to be where he is, knowing that otherwise if he were not there he would be in sorrow over his familiar circumstances.

David Clarkson
Till we have Faces
November 27, 2016

"Father," said I. "You are right. It is fit that one should die for the people" (Till we have Faces 29). After just reading through the book of Hebrews, this was an easy quote to be able to compare to the book. The book of Hebrews is all about how Jesus is higher than all the other beings, notably the angels and Moses, and how He was the perfect one through whom salvation has come from. Hebrews 2:10, " For it was fitting that he, from whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source." That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. Just like this quote, Jesus was the perfect fit to die for all his people. Jesus is the reason that all things exist, and therefore it is perfect for Him to be the one to save those whom He made. Moreover, through suffering in the most brutal death, it is also fitting, in that He is able to help and understand us when we are suffering. It's not that he ever needed our credibility in this matter as He is completely divine, but it gives us no excuse and perfects His demonstration of love to us. We can read about the suffering aspect more closely 8 verses later in Hebrews 2:18, "For because he himself suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. "