November 14, 2003
Bounded Sets vs. Centred Sets
This was one of the most intriguing ideas to come out of our IndieAllies Meetup: The concept that there may indeed be no set "line" that encloses all Christians in a sphere in relationship around Jesus (a bounded set), but that the direction we are pointing to in relation to Christ at the centre may be more important and influential as a measure of our relationship to Him (a centred set). I wish I could draw it for you like I did in my notebook.
A pastor who lead me to faith in Christ, Jamie Osborne, once described a similar idea to me. What if the direction we are heading in is vastly more important than the distance from the goal? I think of the thief on the cross. As far as his whole life went, he was far, far from any saving belief in God. But at the last moment, he changed his direction and threw his small faith behind Jesus. He didn't know a lot, or have many years of stalwart faith behind him, but we are told that this last-minute direction change got him into heaven.
At the same time there were scads of totally faithful Jews, who did what the pharisees said must be done to honour God, they went to temple and made the sacrifices that were needed... but they lacked the direction that comes from Jesus. If you think of planets orbiting a sun, they were some of the closest, but with a direction that could send them glancing off of the sun's orbit and out into the empty unknown.
For then the question isn't Where are you before God? It's rather, Are you a member of our group? (Are you really?) Those responsible for the integrity of the group usually see to it that the marks of group membership are endorsed by the authority source-in our case, a set of interpretations about the Bible. So for example, issues such as whether you believe that women should be allowed to teach or whether Christ will return soon after the millennium may be used as tests whether or not you believe the Bible-and that test of whether you are evangelical (or was that "Christian"?). And so on. -Dallas Willard, The Post-Evangelical (reprinted from jordon's blog)
Think back to that bounded set. At some point the line purposely becomes a tool to trip people up, and to keep people out.
This was one of the most intriguing ideas to come out of our IndieAllies Meetup: The concept that there may indeed be no set "line" that encloses all Christians in a sphere in relationship around Jesus (a bounded set), but that the direction we are pointing to in relation to Christ at the centre may be more important and influential as a measure of our relationship to Him (a centred set). I wish I could draw it for you like I did in my notebook.
A pastor who lead me to faith in Christ, Jamie Osborne, once described a similar idea to me. What if the direction we are heading in is vastly more important than the distance from the goal? I think of the thief on the cross. As far as his whole life went, he was far, far from any saving belief in God. But at the last moment, he changed his direction and threw his small faith behind Jesus. He didn't know a lot, or have many years of stalwart faith behind him, but we are told that this last-minute direction change got him into heaven.
At the same time there were scads of totally faithful Jews, who did what the pharisees said must be done to honour God, they went to temple and made the sacrifices that were needed... but they lacked the direction that comes from Jesus. If you think of planets orbiting a sun, they were some of the closest, but with a direction that could send them glancing off of the sun's orbit and out into the empty unknown.
For then the question isn't Where are you before God? It's rather, Are you a member of our group? (Are you really?) Those responsible for the integrity of the group usually see to it that the marks of group membership are endorsed by the authority source-in our case, a set of interpretations about the Bible. So for example, issues such as whether you believe that women should be allowed to teach or whether Christ will return soon after the millennium may be used as tests whether or not you believe the Bible-and that test of whether you are evangelical (or was that "Christian"?). And so on. -Dallas Willard, The Post-Evangelical (reprinted from jordon's blog)
Think back to that bounded set. At some point the line purposely becomes a tool to trip people up, and to keep people out.
Meetup
Tuesday night I went to my first Meetup with the International Indie Allies... it was an odd group, but a great time. What a challenging, passionate discussion - my very favourite kind. In a bit I'll post some observations from our discussion.
Tuesday night I went to my first Meetup with the International Indie Allies... it was an odd group, but a great time. What a challenging, passionate discussion - my very favourite kind. In a bit I'll post some observations from our discussion.
Fridges?
(shamefully stolen from Jamie's blog)
Have you ever despaired over the innards of your fridge? Have you ever wondered if you were the only one with food that moved on its own? Wonder no longer: The webfridgeproject is here.
(shamefully stolen from Jamie's blog)
Have you ever despaired over the innards of your fridge? Have you ever wondered if you were the only one with food that moved on its own? Wonder no longer: The webfridgeproject is here.
Miracles
The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became man. Every other miracle prepares the way for this, or results from this. - CS Lewis
This quote really caught my eye. And to think that I had trouble believing for a creative miracle when the greatest evidence of the miraculous is right before my heart, the One who saved me from death.
Wow.
The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became man. Every other miracle prepares the way for this, or results from this. - CS Lewis
This quote really caught my eye. And to think that I had trouble believing for a creative miracle when the greatest evidence of the miraculous is right before my heart, the One who saved me from death.
Wow.
Exhibitionists get what they pay for....
Kevin's mom discovers his blog - and so, therefore, does the rest of the world through this article. It pays to remember that blogs are public. If you only knew what I really thought....
smile.
Kevin's mom discovers his blog - and so, therefore, does the rest of the world through this article. It pays to remember that blogs are public. If you only knew what I really thought....
smile.
