It's a three-day weekend in these parts, and I'm hoping it will be warm enough to do a little barbequing/sitting by the pool! Maybe even eating some summery watermelon like this cute cat.
Happy Caturday!
Happy Caturday!
New Tattoo
I mentioned in this post that I was scheming a tattoo idea based on Emily Dickinson's poem "XXXII" or "Hope is the Thing with Feathers."
And after hemming and hawing about it for weeks (internally, it was months) Curtis finally was like "OK, let's go. We're going to the tattoo shop right now and making an appointment." So we got up off the couch and walked over to Remington Tattoo (which, I will add, has THE coolest decor of any place ever) and made an appointment for the very next day.
I showed Sarah this photo, from an Etsy greeting card, and told her to do her thing.
And the next evening, I had a beautiful new tattoo.
It is so so pretty, and I couldn't be happier about it. Seriously, people. In love.
And after hemming and hawing about it for weeks (internally, it was months) Curtis finally was like "OK, let's go. We're going to the tattoo shop right now and making an appointment." So we got up off the couch and walked over to Remington Tattoo (which, I will add, has THE coolest decor of any place ever) and made an appointment for the very next day.
I showed Sarah this photo, from an Etsy greeting card, and told her to do her thing.
And the next evening, I had a beautiful new tattoo.
It is so so pretty, and I couldn't be happier about it. Seriously, people. In love.
[Guest Post] Theologian Thursday: Leo Tolstoy
I'm so excited for this week's Theologian Thursday, because it was put together by none other than my dear boyfriend, Curtis! As I've mentioned before, he just completed his Master's in Religion with an emphasis in Theology, so he's probably more qualified to write these posts than I am! He wrote his thesis about nonviolence and pacifism in the Wesleyan tradition, and is on a mission to make the Church of the Nazarene (and probably the whole church, I suppose) a peace church. Now, on to the good stuff!
It was during his time of military service that Tolstoy took up writing, and the travels required of his army career exposed him to new experiences that would begin to influence his thinking. One of the more notable experiences is his witness to a public execution in Paris carried out by the state. Tolstoy later met exiled French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, which further shaped Tolstoy’s outlook on politics.
Tolstoy is, perhaps, most recognized for his novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, but I find him most fascinating for his theological and philosophical works. Although married with children, Tolstoy was increasingly drawn to ascetic moral writings. The ascetic spiritual path proclaims that holiness is achieved through self-denial. Many later pictures of Tolstoy show him wearing the clothing of peasants as a sign of opposing the lavish lifestyles of the wealthy. Biblically, Tolstoy focused on Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. His views on nonviolence were founded upon Jesus’s encouragement of his disciples to turn the other cheek. Therefore, a true Christian would denounce violence and embody a pacifist lifestyle. This belief was also backed by Jesus’s Great Commandment to love God and neighbor. The state, as a body committed to the use of violence, therefore must also be renounced. Tolstoy was strongly anarchist, but made sure to separate himself from those anarchists who sought to advance their agenda through means of violence. Tolstoy’s views were definitely contrary to those of the Church in Russia, and continually faced censorship and opposition. The Church experienced great power and wealth from its close ties to the Russian government, which Tolstoy greatly opposed. For this reason he opposed the idea of the Church along with the state.
What you should read:
Ratings:
(To read more about my rating system, click HERE.)
Gender Equality:
I am not familiar enough with all of Tolstoy’s writings to make a sound judgment on his view of gender equality, but his views on nonviolence are applicable to all people regardless of gender. However, I assume that at the root of asceticism its support of chastity might have created negative outlook towards women or any expression of sexuality, but since he was married it seems safe to assume that there was tension in that relationship.
Environmental Sensibility:
Tolstoy extended the Christian command to not kill to all living creatures. As a result, he abstained from eating meat and likened slaughtering houses to battlefields. This universal care for all of God’s creation leads me to believe that Tolstoy would value and care for the world and all that is in it.
Heretical Tendencies:
According to the Church Tolstoy was exposed to in Russia during the late 19th and early 20th century, he was certainly a heretic. The Church continuously sought to censor him, and the Church’s more preferable method of exiling opposition was only abandoned due to his large number of followers.
General Badassery:
Tolstoy witnessed violence during his travels and his time in the military, which caused him to grow wary of the oppression caused by the state and he was disappointed in the Church’s silence regarding the abuse. Tolstoy took it upon himself to write and educate himself on Christian nonviolence and anarchism despite the dangerous threats and consequences of this decision. Not only was Tolstoy at odds with the Church, he distinguished himself from the anarchists that espoused violence. Clearly, Tolstoy was not compelled by seeking a large number of friends, but instead held fast to his convictions regardless of his beliefs’s popularity.
Quote:
"Christianity in its true sense puts an end to government. So it was understood at its very commencement; it was for that cause that Christ was crucified, So it has always been understood by people who were not under the necessity of justifying a Christian government. Only from the time that the heads of government assumed an external and nominal Christianity, men began to invent all the impossible, cunningly devised theories by means of which Christianity can be reconciled with government. But no honest and serious-minded man of our day can help seeing the incompatibility of true Christianity—the doctrine of meekness, forgiveness of injuries, and love—with government, with its pomp, acts of violence, executions, and wars. The profession of true Christianity not only excludes the possibility of recognizing government, but even destroys its very foundations."
Thanks, Curtis! You're the bomb and I love you. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think. Have you read anything by Tolstoy? If this post gets some positive feedback, maybe I can convince Curtis to write guest posts more often! :)
(image from here)
The path that led Leo
Tolstoy (1828-1910) towards his Christian pacifism and anarchism is certainly
fascinating considering the life of pleasure afforded to him in his youth. He
came from a family of nobility, but sadly his parents died while Tolstoy was
young. He was raised by other members of his family, and attended Kazan
University beginning in 1844. But Tolstoy did not seem cut out for the academic
life and left school and returned to his hometown. Eventually, Tolstoy, along
with his brother, joined the Russian army.It was during his time of military service that Tolstoy took up writing, and the travels required of his army career exposed him to new experiences that would begin to influence his thinking. One of the more notable experiences is his witness to a public execution in Paris carried out by the state. Tolstoy later met exiled French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, which further shaped Tolstoy’s outlook on politics.
Tolstoy is, perhaps, most recognized for his novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, but I find him most fascinating for his theological and philosophical works. Although married with children, Tolstoy was increasingly drawn to ascetic moral writings. The ascetic spiritual path proclaims that holiness is achieved through self-denial. Many later pictures of Tolstoy show him wearing the clothing of peasants as a sign of opposing the lavish lifestyles of the wealthy. Biblically, Tolstoy focused on Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. His views on nonviolence were founded upon Jesus’s encouragement of his disciples to turn the other cheek. Therefore, a true Christian would denounce violence and embody a pacifist lifestyle. This belief was also backed by Jesus’s Great Commandment to love God and neighbor. The state, as a body committed to the use of violence, therefore must also be renounced. Tolstoy was strongly anarchist, but made sure to separate himself from those anarchists who sought to advance their agenda through means of violence. Tolstoy’s views were definitely contrary to those of the Church in Russia, and continually faced censorship and opposition. The Church experienced great power and wealth from its close ties to the Russian government, which Tolstoy greatly opposed. For this reason he opposed the idea of the Church along with the state.
What you should read:
Ratings:
(To read more about my rating system, click HERE.)
Gender Equality:
I am not familiar enough with all of Tolstoy’s writings to make a sound judgment on his view of gender equality, but his views on nonviolence are applicable to all people regardless of gender. However, I assume that at the root of asceticism its support of chastity might have created negative outlook towards women or any expression of sexuality, but since he was married it seems safe to assume that there was tension in that relationship.
Environmental Sensibility:
Tolstoy extended the Christian command to not kill to all living creatures. As a result, he abstained from eating meat and likened slaughtering houses to battlefields. This universal care for all of God’s creation leads me to believe that Tolstoy would value and care for the world and all that is in it.
Heretical Tendencies:
According to the Church Tolstoy was exposed to in Russia during the late 19th and early 20th century, he was certainly a heretic. The Church continuously sought to censor him, and the Church’s more preferable method of exiling opposition was only abandoned due to his large number of followers.
General Badassery:
Tolstoy witnessed violence during his travels and his time in the military, which caused him to grow wary of the oppression caused by the state and he was disappointed in the Church’s silence regarding the abuse. Tolstoy took it upon himself to write and educate himself on Christian nonviolence and anarchism despite the dangerous threats and consequences of this decision. Not only was Tolstoy at odds with the Church, he distinguished himself from the anarchists that espoused violence. Clearly, Tolstoy was not compelled by seeking a large number of friends, but instead held fast to his convictions regardless of his beliefs’s popularity.
Quote:
"Christianity in its true sense puts an end to government. So it was understood at its very commencement; it was for that cause that Christ was crucified, So it has always been understood by people who were not under the necessity of justifying a Christian government. Only from the time that the heads of government assumed an external and nominal Christianity, men began to invent all the impossible, cunningly devised theories by means of which Christianity can be reconciled with government. But no honest and serious-minded man of our day can help seeing the incompatibility of true Christianity—the doctrine of meekness, forgiveness of injuries, and love—with government, with its pomp, acts of violence, executions, and wars. The profession of true Christianity not only excludes the possibility of recognizing government, but even destroys its very foundations."
Thanks, Curtis! You're the bomb and I love you. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think. Have you read anything by Tolstoy? If this post gets some positive feedback, maybe I can convince Curtis to write guest posts more often! :)
Theologian Thursday: Walter Wink (1935-2012)
Doing a little different Theologian Thursday this week, as I found out that Walter Wink passed away last Thursday.
I haven't personally read very much by Wink, except a couple articles and excerpts here and there, but he was pretty influential in Curtis's thesis, and many of his ideas made appearances therein. I'm familiar with his redemptive activism for pacifism and homosexuality in the church, and his CV is extensive and impressive.
I think one of his most important ideas regarding nonviolence is that of "Jesus's Third Way" which is that when faced with conflict, you do not fight or merely surrender, but "take control of the power dynamic" and find "creative alternatives to violence." It also means being willing to suffer violence rather than retaliate.
You can read an excerpt about the Third Way from one of his books--The Powers that Be--HERE.
His booklet Homosexuality and the Bible is available HERE.
Probably his best-known work is the Powers trilogy, which includes Naming the Powers, Unmasking the Powers, and Engaging the Powers. I'll be looking into picking these up soon, and I encourage you to check them out as well.
It's sad to think he will no longer be with us, contributing so much wisdom to the dialog of the church, but we can be grateful for the work he has done and the impact he has made.
I'll leave you with this great quote of his from Engaging the Powers:
"In the struggle against oppression, every new increment of violence simply extends the life of the Domination system and deepens faith in violence as redemptive."
I haven't personally read very much by Wink, except a couple articles and excerpts here and there, but he was pretty influential in Curtis's thesis, and many of his ideas made appearances therein. I'm familiar with his redemptive activism for pacifism and homosexuality in the church, and his CV is extensive and impressive.
I think one of his most important ideas regarding nonviolence is that of "Jesus's Third Way" which is that when faced with conflict, you do not fight or merely surrender, but "take control of the power dynamic" and find "creative alternatives to violence." It also means being willing to suffer violence rather than retaliate.
You can read an excerpt about the Third Way from one of his books--The Powers that Be--HERE.
His booklet Homosexuality and the Bible is available HERE.
Probably his best-known work is the Powers trilogy, which includes Naming the Powers, Unmasking the Powers, and Engaging the Powers. I'll be looking into picking these up soon, and I encourage you to check them out as well.
It's sad to think he will no longer be with us, contributing so much wisdom to the dialog of the church, but we can be grateful for the work he has done and the impact he has made.
I'll leave you with this great quote of his from Engaging the Powers:
"In the struggle against oppression, every new increment of violence simply extends the life of the Domination system and deepens faith in violence as redemptive."
The Georgia State e-Reserves Case: A Self-Centered Analysis
I was pretty excited to hear about the ruling in the Georgia State University e-Reserves copyright case over the weekend, A) because we'd read about it in class, and it's nice to see that class discussion has real-world importance, and B) because it might actually directly affect my job (I'm in charge of e-Reserves at my university).
Basically, GSU put a ton of copyrighted material online, unprotected by passwords, for multiple terms, and publishers were pissed. The suit was filed in 2008.
Judge Orinda Evans ruled that only 5 of the 99 alleged infringements were indeed valid--the other 94 were considered fair use. Generally, fair use is determined by the following factors:
She also--and this part I found interesting--practically jettisoned the no-subsequent-semester rule, which GSU had supposedly been violating. Many schools (mine included) say that material can be made available for one term, but after that permission must be acquired. However, the Judge declared this policy unnecessary. I think this might have something to do with her finding that some of the alleged infringing material was never actually accessed. I'll have to consider what this means for my policy--though I don't believe any professor has ever asked for anything to be on e-reserve longer than one term.
Overall, I'm not really surprised by the ruling. Everything I've read (because, let's get real, I'm not going to read the actual 350-page document) places the decision squarely within everything I understand fair use to be--it's perhaps even a bit more lenient.
And I'm sure the publishers are still going to be pissed, but this is definitely a W for libraries. I am all for making educational material available to the masses, and honestly I'm pretty skeptical about the benefits of copyright anyway.
If you want to read more, I recommend THIS article in the Chronicle of Higher Education and THIS blog post from Kevin Smith at Duke.
Basically, GSU put a ton of copyrighted material online, unprotected by passwords, for multiple terms, and publishers were pissed. The suit was filed in 2008.
Judge Orinda Evans ruled that only 5 of the 99 alleged infringements were indeed valid--the other 94 were considered fair use. Generally, fair use is determined by the following factors:
- The purpose of the use (commercial/educational)
- The nature of the copyrighted work
- The amount of the material used (the greater the amount copied, the less likely it is fair use)
- The effect of use on the potential market for or value of the work
She also--and this part I found interesting--practically jettisoned the no-subsequent-semester rule, which GSU had supposedly been violating. Many schools (mine included) say that material can be made available for one term, but after that permission must be acquired. However, the Judge declared this policy unnecessary. I think this might have something to do with her finding that some of the alleged infringing material was never actually accessed. I'll have to consider what this means for my policy--though I don't believe any professor has ever asked for anything to be on e-reserve longer than one term.
Overall, I'm not really surprised by the ruling. Everything I've read (because, let's get real, I'm not going to read the actual 350-page document) places the decision squarely within everything I understand fair use to be--it's perhaps even a bit more lenient.
And I'm sure the publishers are still going to be pissed, but this is definitely a W for libraries. I am all for making educational material available to the masses, and honestly I'm pretty skeptical about the benefits of copyright anyway.
If you want to read more, I recommend THIS article in the Chronicle of Higher Education and THIS blog post from Kevin Smith at Duke.
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day, Mama!
You da best!
I love you!