Two Years Ago...

Themed Playlists

I've not put anything up here recently. It's mainly because I'm trying to finish a degree. Plus I've lost the habit of writing my musings on a website - which I'm not altogether unhappy about.

I've been making playlists with themes recently. Inspired by a friend, themes currently include 'Breath' and 'Tonight'. The one I'm currently enjoying has the theme 'Sleep' and goes thus:

1. Asleep in the Back - Elbow
2. In the Arms of Sleep - Smashing Pumpkins
3. You on my Mind when I Sleep - Richard Ashcroft
4. Let me Sleep (Next to the Mirror) - Idlewild
5. Sleeping Lessons - Shins
6. Sleep Better - Pete Yorn
7. Haunt while I Sleep - Right Away, Great Captain
8. I'm Not Sleeping - Counting Crows
9. Sleep to Dream Her - Dave Matthews Band
10. The Devil Never Sleeps - Iron & Wine
11. Daysleeper - REM
12. Singing in my Sleep - Semisonic
13. Sleep Don't Weep - Damien Rice
14. Go to Sleep - Radiohead
15. Sleep - Stephen Fretwell
16. Even While You're Sleeping - The Acorn
17. Sleeping Torpor - Anathallo
18. Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie - Sufjan Stevens
19. When You Sleep - Longview

So, in a bid to increase by 100% my blog posting for the year 2011 - herewith a post. Based on current frequency, see you in August!

Political Islam

Today I led a seminar on Political Islam.

There are several aspects to this Islamist tendency within the wider Umma (Muslim community), but a couple of aspects of the Islamist movement are interesting to note - especially from the perspective of a Brit.

Firstly, political / radical aspects of Islam are indigenous to the religion itself - indeed Muhammad was not just a preacher, he was also a political leader who was not shy to act militantly.

Secondly, there are plenty of key figures in Islam who have offered doctrinal justifications for militant actions - notable ones are Maududi and Qutb, both of whom justify their actions from the Qur'an and Muhammad.

Thirdly, British colonialism and US imperialism has added oxygen to a dying fire in the last 150 years.

Fourthly, the holistic nature of Islam - the fact that it is to do with the whole of life - can at times put our Protestant, Western, individualistic Christianity to shame for thinking that we can privatize it. In fact, perhaps we only privatize it rhetorically, for religion is still and will always be the heartbeat of why we do politics.

Fifthly, this is an issue that will not go away easily and will certainly not go away if we continue to export hollow Western imperialism as a solution in any form, let alone in the current trend of bombs and soldiers.

What are we as followers of Christ to do? Perhaps something radically Christlike... allow Christ to permeate every area of out lives and live it out peacefully.

Time

Shakespeare said;

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."

It has been nearly a year since moving into this current flat. One year ago, there were three newly graduated homeless lads desperately searching for living space. A year on and things are lot more settled, but equally as busy.

This will be the first year since moving out of home that I stay in the same place for a second year in a row. Consistency decreases stress no end.

Summer holds a lot of excitement. Working for church goes all the way through until I have a holiday in September - and it is nice to think that I am not being totally lazy as has oft been the case during the student summers. Study continues at a far more comfortable pace. Hauerwas is currently excellent. In two weeks many people will be moving in or out of the flat, it's going to be a busy time. Sad to see Tom go, excited to welcome Andy in.

In September I'm off to Malaysia & Singapore - this is very exciting. I'll probably be working on some new blog to document the travels. More of this adventure to follow I'm sure.

Finally, I've sold my car. So far, liberating.

The Big Essay Push - Days Six, Seven, Eight & Nine.

The last four days have seen some coming together of the essays. Days Six and Eight were particularly fruitful, and the result is 2 draft essays that, with perhaps another few hours work on both, would be about ready to hand in.

As ever, I'm not happy with them, and feel I can do better had I had more time. Here's hoping they get through the stern eyes of the markers and pass (though it would certainly be an adventure if they didn't).

Days Seven and Nine have had slightly different foci. Day Seven was a church day; Day Nine my normal day off which I try to keep no matter what the situation.

Thus, today has been filled with two lovely meals - courtesy of a carvery lunch with the boys, and dinner with the lovely Nic & Ruth - the beginnings of some seminar reading (that didn't last long), and an evening filled with a phonecall home and starting a new book - 'Major: A Political Life' by Anthony Seldon - whilst listening to Iron & Wine.

I read Seldon's book on Blair over the summer of '09 and thoroughly enjoyed it. So far, his words on John Major are reading just as enjoyably.

Tomorrow is going to be re-designated 'The Big Seminar Push' as prep begins for a seminar on the Sermon of the Mount I'm leading on Monday. Let's see if we can't sort that out in a day...

The Big Essay Push - Day Two.

Today has unfortunately been summarized by the thought: "Today should be my day off..."

Thus, whilst I got through a couple of articles (including possibly the most significant article for the essay - and the most in depth!), I feel as though not much progress has been made.

However, they were very good and relevant articles... and the rest of the day has been good. I do enjoy being a student.

Not much else has happened on this second day of the big essay push.

End.

The Dissertation is now in.  Both an anti-climax and a relief.  

If I were to recommend one book to read following my dissertation, it would be this one:

Peter Holmes - Trinity in Human Community.

Easy to read, accessible and earthed in the experience of his own church.

If I were to take one quote from my dissertation that has perhaps to most importance for how we understand who we are it would be this:

"Jesus is the human person properly for God and others, and therefore properly for Himself - both his relations and his identity are undistorted.  To be fully in God's image, to make a right response to God and others, is therefore to be conformed to Christ."  -- McFadyen, The Call to Personhood, p. 46-7.

It was an edifying experience writing the dissertation.  I'd recommend it.