On contextualization

I don't often find this a suitable medium to discuss theology directly, but contextualization has been on my mind recently. In short, contextualization considers translation of the gospel message across cultural boundaries; assuming that my understanding the gospel of Jesus is naturally skewed my Western context then I must understand the appropriate context in which someone from another culture and native worldview must learn to understand Jesus the Christ. [random context article 1, 2]

This is all very interesting, and not unlike what must happen when you learn a new language, but one problem persists: if I must learn less and less of my culture (and be freer and freer of it's ways) to become more like the Jesus of the gospel I wish to communicate, then it follows logically that I learn less and less of my culture to understand the Jesus of the gospel, who is the Christ. (Or vice-versa, whichever you prefer.)

And if that's true then it seems that my mission awareness should not only include a cautiousness at conveying my native culture's worldview with the gospel but also an amazement that the Jesus of the gospel transcends our inability to comprehend him. So I wonder then how much context is too much for missions if Christ wants less and less from us in personal devotion. Not that context is bad, but let us learn in our ministry to be more aware of Christ, of ourselves, of others, and, mostly, of Christ, so that others may know more of him as well.

How not to land an airplane

I can honestly say that although most of my students have made landings like this, they've all gotten better as their skills improved. I hope this guy gets better.

Sometimes things should be seen...

Like math, or at least this girl's math-like representation of culture. Also, check out her book. Then again, I'm a bit biased, being that I only understand the math I can visualize.

And what should you care? As a child I spent countless hours pouring over the flags of the world entry in my parents' Britannica instead doing my math homework. Seems like I wasn't the only one. At least make sure you look at the list of flags that get failing grades.

That's a very nerdy thing, grading out national flags. But so is my early valentine and new favorite book, transit maps of the world. Oh well.

And then some people just like to make lists of things seen in the theatre that should most likely be seen again (as do others), among many lists, but I digress (which is difficult).

Oh, and speaking of movies, it sees that Rambo has seen considerable death-linked inflation. Over 2 kills per minute!

Oh, and it seems that looking good at work isn't such a bad idea. I guess what you see is what you get.

30 books in 2008, a Lenten resolution

Whatever that means. What I have in queue so far:

Blink: the power of thinking without thinking (complete)
The Bottom Billion (in progress)
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer (in progress)
A Declaration of Interdependence: Why America should join the world

Likely to be soon added:
Bowerman and the men of Oregon (recommended by a friend)
The Lord of The Rings (which I've read each of the past two winters all six/three books)
Oh, and the ESV Bible (in progress)

Discounting the multiplicity of books both in the Bible and the Tolkien series, I'm currently at Nine (those count as 1 and 3, respectively). Any suggestions?

What a great idea!

Seems like some people think you shouldn't give away a good job interview for free. So, how valuable is your time?