Managing Monday with Jean Vanier – take 2
Jean Vanier (1928-) is a theologian and philosopher, known for transforming the way we think about intellectual disability. His work is deeply humane and challenging. Here are some of his thoughts… I am struck by how sharing our weaknesses and vulnerabilities is more nourishing to others that sharing our qualities and successes – Jean Vanier A society which discards those who are weak and non-productive risks exaggerating the development of reason, organisation, aggression and the desire to dominate. It becomes a society without a heart, without kindness – a rational and...
Read MoreReading and Writing Culture…
In Everyday Theology, Kevin Vanhoozer (the key editor of this fine collection of essays) laments what he calls the Great Omission, which he suggests is the failure of Christians to read the signs of the times. He particularly reproaches our inability to read culture and to write culture, and calls on Christians to increase their ‘cultural literacy’, so that we can both engage appropriately with our time, and make our own distinct mark on the world (writing culture). The idea of ‘writing culture’ caught my imagination, and I thought it worth exploring in this post...
Read MorePracticing the presence of people…
You might well be familiar with Brother Lawrence’s classic The Practice of the Presence of God – a wonderful text on becoming aware of God in the everyday. But what do you think about practicing the presence of people. At my home church (Carey Baptist) we are currently working through Peter Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and on Sunday it was my turn to speak, the topic springing from chapter 9 of the book, ‘Growing into a mature adult: Learning new skills to love well.’ It is in this chapter that Scazzero speaks of ‘the spiritual discipline...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier (1928- ), founder of the L’Arche communities for people with developmental disabilities, is a theologian, philosopher and author. A champion for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, Vanier has done the truly remarkable – he has demonstrated the value and beauty of imperfection. We will consider some of his insights over the next few Mondays… In the end, the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but to enter into relationship with them, to be with them and help them find confidence in themselves and...
Read MoreRedeeming Emotions…
Most studies of emotion suggest that there are seven basic human emotions, and that in one way or another, all emotions fit within the categories of anger, anxiety, surprise, trust, grief, fear and love – well that’s Diane Raymond’s list. Humintell suggests they are anger, contempt, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness, and surprise – so there is some overlap, although they are hardly identical lists. Apparently a combination of basic emotions leads to secondary emotions. Thus another site (which suggests there are six not seven basic emotions – happiness, anger,...
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