Now, just to clarify before I even start, this post is not meant to bash another church, theology, or even to say which one is right or wrong. I do have certain beliefs which will show, because it is inevitable that one often thinks he or she is right. I only want to share my thoughts on how it feels to attend a church that is founded on theology about as opposite of mine as you can get in the protestant group.
~~~~~
There are various things one will look for in a church. Some look for fellowship, others look for a good children’s program, some look for a specific denominational background. You can’t look for a perfect church, because if you happen to find one, you would ruin it by joining. When Benny moved to Appleton, almost a year ago, I told him I trusted him to pick a church for us to attend after we married. This, I knew, was to take a risk, because although we basically agree theologically, he paid a lot less attention to it than I did. You can imagine how nervous I was when he called me, excited about this church he had found and thought would be a perfect fit for us, and told me it was an Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
Don’t get me wrong, here. I’m not saying that I don’t like being exposed to other denominations. I’ve experience the worship and teachings of various ones, including – at least three full length services, often more – Nazarene, Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Bible Missionary, Congregational, Evangelical, Methodist, etc. I was raised Wesleyan-Arminian in a non-denominational church. When asked what denomination I am, I always give the same answer: I’m Wesleyan-Arminian Congregational (not Roman) Catholic Baptist Nazarene Methodist. Is this a cop-out? Nope. I simply understand that my theology and how I follow Christ can be traditionally seen in each of those denominations, if not seen in the present time.
Why this explanation? Mostly to illustrate how different the church I was raised in is from the one I now attend. I went from a Wesleyan church to a Calvinist church (glad I knew my TULIP well…). I’ve attended close to two months of services in this church, now, and have had some thoughts on what I truly value in a church.
First, and most importantly, I value a church in which the pastor is a genuine shepherd. This means that the pastor has studied his doctrine and church history well and desires to impregnate his congregation with those doctrines and traditions which he believes have been fundamental. In other words, he believes firmly in what he stands on and desires to hold his flock to the standards which he believes God has biblically founded. A pastor who additionally pulls no punches is an excellent pastor to have.
Second, I value a church in which great importance is placed on the family. This can be seen in many ways, but it is always clear when the family is important to the church. Partly it is seen within the literal families but mostly in the blood-washed family. A church where there is clear fellowship, love, and a desire to serve one another is a church where I cannot help but feel blessed.
Third, despite of (or in spite of?) any differences in doctrine which may be present, it is clear that the people there yearn to serve God with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind. I believe that anyone who truly serves God and longs to serve Him better every day will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, despite what doctrines he may hold. Although I deem your doctrine is incredibly important, I do not believe it saves you – but nor does it keep you from the throne of grace. I follow God to the best of my abilities, and I believe that my doctrines are scriptural. I know many who differ in doctrine but live with that aim as well, thus I cannot condemn them but rather wish them many blessings.
Attending this church has been a challenge, in several ways, but I have found it to be a place of peace as much as the church in which I grew up. God is preached there. I don’t feel persecuted or hindered by the differences in such a way that I am unable to worship. In fact, I find the differences strengthening my faith and encouraging me. I am fed, for each of us comes knowing we have fallen short of the glory of God and desperately need His strength for every step to come.
In Christ.
Showing posts with label Studying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Studying. Show all posts
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Saturday, November 5, 2011
How I Study Artistic Writing
I have been commissioned by a very dear friend to write an essay on how I study artistic writing. So – here is my attempt! I should say, right off the bat, that I’m not an expert, I’m not a genius, and I am definitely not the best at what I do; however, I hope that talking through some of the ways I approach reading will help ya’ll. Be forewarned: I apply a lot of hard work to my study practices.
When reading artistic writing for any reason, it’s important to read a lot of it. The more exposure you have to something, the better you will become at enjoying it, identifying unifying themes/ideas, and understanding. It’s also important to understand that things like this were not written to be understood at a glance. Artistic writing is composed with great care and diligence. Good writing should be important enough to read multiple times. Never try to understand artistic writing immediately (This includes poetry, lit., creative fic/nfic, and epics). You may get an idea of what the writing probably means, but it is extremely unlikely that you have grasped everything. How can you start? Here are some steps I take when approaching a new piece of artistic writing:
1.I read the writing. I try to read it at least three times – silently the first time, out loud the second time. If at all possible, I listen to it for the third time (maybe find someone reading it online; ask a friend or family member). Depending upon the complexity of the writing, I may read it several more times. It is important to be able to read the work without haltering over things and to be able to find any passages/stanzas/lines/paragraphs at a moment’s notice. You want to be able to think about it as a whole, and you need to be familiar with it to do so.
2.I pull out my dictionary, thesaurus, etymology dictionary, and encyclopedia. This is where most people say: “Just how much work do you make for yourself?!” I believe in putting as much effort in understanding as the author did to writing (that is completely impossible, but I can at least try!). This is especially important in poetry, but it will be important to any artistic work. I have a strong vocabulary, but looking up words builds an idea of the mental place the author wants to take you. I look up all the key words. Are there strong adjectives that point to focal emotions or pictures? Can the objects within the writing be connected in some way? Are the histories of certain words relevant? These are important questions to ask (If you want, I can post an excellent paper (not tooting my own horn – I just know it was a good paper, because I worked really hard) as an example of how I used this technique).
3.I know the history of the writer. A person’s history influences everything they do, and it really shows in his/her writing. Also know what is important to the writer. What is important will often find its way into the majority – if not all – of his/her writing. One key to understanding Lewis, for example, is knowing that he didn’t believe in only writing Christian novels. He wanted to be able to write "secular" works with Christian values, and that shows in everything he writes. Get to really know the author and you will have an advantage. Knowing that he was a professor also influences how you read.
4.I find out the authors signatures. All writers have certain things they habitually do, and if you find out how an author “marks” his/her writing, you know of something that is important to him/her. No one builds a writing habit for no reason.
5.I look for through-threads. This is tied to symbolism and morality. What does the author I am reading constantly come back to? Is there a phrase that is often repeated or rephrased? Is there an image that is brought back several times? When I find the through-thread, that is often what opens up the poem. Artistic writing is a lot easier to understand if you can identify symbols in words and pictures.
That is how I study artistic writing! I know it’s a lot of work, but I find that it is completely worth it and incredibly fulfilling. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
When reading artistic writing for any reason, it’s important to read a lot of it. The more exposure you have to something, the better you will become at enjoying it, identifying unifying themes/ideas, and understanding. It’s also important to understand that things like this were not written to be understood at a glance. Artistic writing is composed with great care and diligence. Good writing should be important enough to read multiple times. Never try to understand artistic writing immediately (This includes poetry, lit., creative fic/nfic, and epics). You may get an idea of what the writing probably means, but it is extremely unlikely that you have grasped everything. How can you start? Here are some steps I take when approaching a new piece of artistic writing:
1.I read the writing. I try to read it at least three times – silently the first time, out loud the second time. If at all possible, I listen to it for the third time (maybe find someone reading it online; ask a friend or family member). Depending upon the complexity of the writing, I may read it several more times. It is important to be able to read the work without haltering over things and to be able to find any passages/stanzas/lines/paragraphs at a moment’s notice. You want to be able to think about it as a whole, and you need to be familiar with it to do so.
2.I pull out my dictionary, thesaurus, etymology dictionary, and encyclopedia. This is where most people say: “Just how much work do you make for yourself?!” I believe in putting as much effort in understanding as the author did to writing (that is completely impossible, but I can at least try!). This is especially important in poetry, but it will be important to any artistic work. I have a strong vocabulary, but looking up words builds an idea of the mental place the author wants to take you. I look up all the key words. Are there strong adjectives that point to focal emotions or pictures? Can the objects within the writing be connected in some way? Are the histories of certain words relevant? These are important questions to ask (If you want, I can post an excellent paper (not tooting my own horn – I just know it was a good paper, because I worked really hard) as an example of how I used this technique).
3.I know the history of the writer. A person’s history influences everything they do, and it really shows in his/her writing. Also know what is important to the writer. What is important will often find its way into the majority – if not all – of his/her writing. One key to understanding Lewis, for example, is knowing that he didn’t believe in only writing Christian novels. He wanted to be able to write "secular" works with Christian values, and that shows in everything he writes. Get to really know the author and you will have an advantage. Knowing that he was a professor also influences how you read.
4.I find out the authors signatures. All writers have certain things they habitually do, and if you find out how an author “marks” his/her writing, you know of something that is important to him/her. No one builds a writing habit for no reason.
5.I look for through-threads. This is tied to symbolism and morality. What does the author I am reading constantly come back to? Is there a phrase that is often repeated or rephrased? Is there an image that is brought back several times? When I find the through-thread, that is often what opens up the poem. Artistic writing is a lot easier to understand if you can identify symbols in words and pictures.
That is how I study artistic writing! I know it’s a lot of work, but I find that it is completely worth it and incredibly fulfilling. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
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