PE310/510-DModule 8

Learning Guide Life at the Cross-Roads:Science & Technology

Before you start...

You should have started your assessment pieces by now Do the pre-reading for this week (see Unit Guide p6 + uploads on Moodle) Post to this module’s forum From the reading, come prepared to share a question, challenge, implication & application If it’s your turn, come prepared to share about your vocation or current affairs

1. INTRODUCTION

All the foundations are now laid to consider what it means to live faithfully at the crossroads of the Biblical story and the western (post)modern story. This module we get into the specifics of science and technology. In each module/topic from here on in, be sure to keep on your critical hat: Where can I see creational intent? How has cultural idolatry of the fall twisted this good gift? And how may I faithfully participate in the Biblical story with healing action? Everything is seen with the filter of creation, fall, and redemption.In the first session, we have a guest speaker, Tony O’Hagan from Campus Crusade for Christ, speaking about the redemptive potential for “sharing Jesus in a digital world.” Then, after debriefing the readings, we’ll consider some of the complexities of science and technology in a broken world. How should, or shouldn’t, we participate in everyday electric phenomena like facebook, twitter, cell phones, and more. OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this module are to:1. Consider science and technology from the angle of creational intent, cultural idolatry, and healing action2. Strategise for constructive culture keeping and culture making in a complex world

OUTCOMESOn completion of this module, students shall be expected to explain how creation, fall, and redemption shape our view and engagement of science and technology.

SESSION FLOW (lecture runs 6:15-9:00pm, breaks from 7:05-7:10pm, and 7:55-8:05pm)

6:15 “Sharing Jesus in a Digital World” with Tony O’Hagan (50 minutes)7:10 God @ Work + Current Affairs + Review Readings (45 minutes)8:05 Unplugged: Imaging God in a High Tech World (55 minutes)

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2. SHARING JESUS IN A DIGITAL WORLD – TONY O’HAGAN

1 PETER 3: 15, 16; MATTHEW 28: 18-20; JOHN 21:6

Resource 8.1

Distance students can watch the talk which will be presented in the first period online here (video), or download the mp3 from here.

There are enough web links in what follows to overwhelm a hacker, but here’s a couple of key ones: www.InternetMissions.org for key materials Tony uses in his digital evangelism Here for Lausanne Occasional Paper 26 on Radio in Mission Here for Lausanne Occasional Paper 48 on witness via Media & Technology www.qideas.org/ for how some Christians are using technology to share good ideas for the

common good … Q Ideas is an initiative of Gabe Lyons (UnChristian and The Next Christians)

For further reading, check out these couple of books:

Henrich, Dan. Evangelism in the Digital Age: Media Case Studies, Volume One. Lexington, KY: [s.n.], 2012.

Hipps, Shane. Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2009.

2.1 First Thoughts

In this session, Tony will share with us the amazing opportunities presently afforded by the advance of digital technology for sharing the gospel. The internet truly is a 21st century version of the Roman Road, by which the gospel was spread in the first century as Christians moved out with the diaspora.

As you listen to this session, keep in mind the expansive vision of Christian mission from module 1. Our call is to love God, love others, and cultivate the world. Our creational call was to live toward shalom, but given the fall, we must simultaneously participate in Christ’s salvation. Evangelism is a key part of this mission … the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart—so apart from forgiveness and reconciliation with God involving personal spiritual transformation and empowerment by God’s Spirit within us, there is little hope for redeeming our communities and indeed the entire creation. Given this, it’s fantastic to have Tony present how we may use the web toward effective evangelism.

That said, I don’t want this session to reinforce the evangelical stereotype that the sum total of a Christian worldview and world engagement is evangelism/proclamation. To faithfully live within the Biblical story, we must consider how creation, fall, and redemption have affected every aspect of life and technology, at the individual, corporate, and cosmic levels.

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So, with all of that context front and centre … take some time to consider the following eight questions:

Q1. What communication tools have historically been used by God to affect the spread of the gospel?

Q2. Name some of the parallels between the Agora (market place) of Paul’s day and the modern day Internet?

Q3. What digital tools can we now use for evangelism and discipleship?

Q4. How should we prepare ourselves personally for an opportunity to share Jesus using digital tools?

Q5. How does Internet Evangelism work (what’s the process)?

Q6. How can we effectively build relationships online?

Q7. What impact would online mentoring have for me personally?

Q8. What impact could an online mission team have on my church?

2.2 Online Evangelism & Discipleship

In John 21:6 we read how Jesus’ disciples had been out fishing all night and caught nothing. Weary and disheartened, Jesus challenged them in the morning to “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some”. You can just feel the skepticism … “But Master, we’ve been out all night and caught nothing”. In stunned amazement, they soon found they were unable to haul the net in because of the huge number of fish. Today, it’s a bit like that in Internet ministries. We are now overwhelmed with the number of seekers asking for spiritual answers and personal mentoring.

Why is right now such a critical time for us to be ministering online? Every person at some time in their life discovers their need to ask the spiritual questions of life … those deep questions that really matter … questions like “Who am I?” or “Why am I here?”. We know that finding answers to these important questions is a key reason why God sent His son Jesus. So imagine if we had the opportunity to connect with spiritually seeking people … right when they’re asking. We now do!

Campus Crusade for Christ has pioneered in this mission field with multiple ministries that are now seeing many millions responding each year. In the largest of these ministries, Global Media Outreach1, had 156 million web site visitors in 2011, 19 million of whom responded to the gospel. GMO volunteers wrote over 2.5 million emails (over 160,000 from the Australia team). In the past we’ve invited individuals – now we’re seeking to partner with churches, entire denominations and other mission organisations to assist. It’s time to call our friends in the other boat!

OK … So why are so many people spiritually seeking on the Internet? Well just stop and think about it for a minute. Firstly, for most of us it’s a very personal and private matter. The Internet allows us to privately and anonymously explore the answers from the comfort and safety of our home. Secondly, the Internet has become the place to seek answers. Years ago we might have gone to the library, or asked a close friend but now it’s become almost instinctive to ask first on the Internet … even for personal questions.

1 Global Media Outreach has now become a separate organization but we still partner closely with them.

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2.3 Reaching Millions for Christ

Of the 7 billion people on earth, 30% now have an Internet service and 78% have a mobile phone. By 2015, telecommunications companies expect to have Internet coverage for the entire planet. Today … at least 700,000 people will visit one of the 100+ websites developed by Campus Crusade for Christ and its partners. 40,000 of these people will make a spiritual decision of some kind and at least 7,000 will ask for personal follow up. We only have 8,000 volunteers for this mammoth task. We need your help!

2.4 Get Involved

You’ll share Jesus with more people than you ever thought possible. You get to do personal evangelism & discipleship without the "fear factor" since you have time to thoughtfully prepare answers. The lessons you learn online will build your knowledge and confidence to share your faith with people you meet face to face each day.

About a half of our emails are in English with the rest in another 25 languages. We’re particularly keen for you to join us if you can write in: Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish or Vietnamese.

2.4.1 You Have To …

• Have been a Christian for at least 2-3 years and be spiritually as well as emotionally mature and over 18 years of age.

• Be familiar with web browsing and writing emails. • Be willing to check emails at least 2-3 times per week.• Have prayerfully asked God about joining us.• Asked a church pastor or senior Campus Crusade staff member to act as your referee. • Complete an online application form (allow 30 minutes).

2.4.2 We Provide

• Online training that teaches you how to use our web software and prepare responses.• A safe secure email system. Seeker and volunteer remain anonymous to each other.• Web sites containing answers to common questions, gospel presentations, discipline materials and

searchable Bibles.• You can control the number of emails you respond to each week and take holiday breaks.• You’re part of team - You can ask advice or request a difficult email to be reassigned.• Team leaders may review your emails to help you learn and to ensure everyone’s safety.

APPLY TODAY AT: www.MissionaryFromHome.comScroll to the bottom of the page and select your preferred language.

Interested in getting involved or asking Tony to your church?Ring Tony O’Hagan on 0421 230 767 (Tony works next door to Malyon College)

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2.5 Equip your church to share Jesus using web sites

Often when we meet someone there may be only a few short moments when we can talk about their relationship with God. What can we do to best make use of these moments? What I do is ensure that I keep some personal contact cards in my wallet and pen/pencil in my pocket. After first listening and understanding where they’re at I might have an idea for a web site they could visit that I think would be of interest to them. I write down the site on the back of my card and try to make a time to meet or call to talk about it. They often appreciate having time and space by themselves to explore the Internet site and think it through.

When you meet up next time you can ask these questions: Q1. What did you think of _____ . Q2. Did it make sense to you? Q3. Are you aware that you can know God personally? Q4. Would you like to know God personally? Often they reply “Yes” … and you can then share the gospel message with them.

Main Reference: www.InternetMissions.org/sharing-jesus

2.6 Equip your church to share Jesus using web sites

• www.delicious.com/tohagan/gospel – Links to Gospel web sites

• www.delicious.com/tohagan/discipleship - Links to Online discipleship lessons & resources

2.7 Digital mission ideas for your church or college group

• Meet as a group with your laptops to help each other to answer seekers from all over the world.

• Team up Seniors + Young Adults to learn ... Computers + How to reply to seekers ... from each other.

• Is there someone in your family who needs to view one of the sites on the resource card? You could include it in their next birthday card. See below for what to ask them later.

• Add a gospel web site to your email signature or church sign board.

• Post videos from yesHeIs.com to your Facebook friends. Which videos would be best to start a positive conversation? What questions might you pose in the posting?

• Do you know someone with a physical disability who can use a computer and is mature in Christ? You might be able to help them to start in online ministry: See http://bit.ly/sarah-coiner (video)

• Post a letter to your local neighbourhood inviting them to join a community Facebook group. Contact Tony O’Hagan for more ideas / issues to plan this one.

• Computer geeks: Set your wireless router SSD to be an evangelistic web site to reach your neighbours.

• Schedule an IE Day event for May 2013. Tony is Australian rep for www.InternetEvangelismDay.com

2.8 Sharing Jesus with your neighbours

Visit HeresLife.com and read the pages that describe how to share your faith with your neighbours.

Associate with non-Christians Befriend non-Christians Create an interest in the Gospel

Declare the Gospel Encourage a response Follow-up new believers

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2.9 YourEvent.net.au: Invite 1,000 people to your own online evangelistic event!

Reflection Activities 8.1 & 8.2

Journal at least 30 (meaningful!) words in response the following questions, and tick off the related boxes on p. 11/12 of the unit guide.

#8.1 Name some of the parallels between the Agora (market place) of Paul’s day and the modern day Internet? (See Acts 17)

#8.2 Thinking at the broader level of creational intent, cultural idolatry, and healing action, what are the pros and cons of using the Internet for announcing the Kingdom of God? How might you modify your use of the Internet for greater and more faithful impact?

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3. BRIDGE BUILDING ON THE WWW – DAVE’S EVANGELISTIC THOUGHTS

Evangelism is in the engineering business: we build bridges that reconcile an estranged world to its creator (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). There’s a gaping chasm between church and culture, which often we have to bridge before an average pre-Christian will seriously consider Christ. Building bridges is always costly, and there are few short-cuts if you want something solid to walk on. But what if the bridge’s framework could be constructed from the comfort of your couch, by simply lifting a finger and pressing a button?

It can, all thanks to the World Wide Web! Right now, the average Aussie with internet access spends nearly two hours surfing the web every day. Over 1 trillion web pages are at her disposal, and while reading of print-based material is on the decline, online advertising and publishing is on the up and up. (In a scary twist of terminology, online marketers are now commonly called “digital evangelists.”) If you want an idea of how rapidly things are changing, take five minutes out of your day and watch “Did You Know? Version 3.0” on www.youtube.com. Roughly one in eight couples who marry today first met online. There are over 200 million users registered on MySpace, such that if MySpace were a country, it would be the fifth largest country in the world. (And even this is dated, as Facebook has now cornered that market.)

Now, the Internet—as with every cultural expression—is both a blessing and curse. As John Dyer warns on donteatthefruit.com, “technology is fast but redemption is slow.” From another angle, and as social

commentator Malcolm Muggeridge famously quipped, “The medium is the message.” And our message is not a Twitter from Heaven, but a real person made of flesh and bones who loves us in real time and liberates us to love others. The Logos team will explore the good, bad, and ugly of technology on 12th September at KBC, so even as here I’m promoting the Internet, I’m not unaware that of those 1 trillion web pages, porn powers perhaps 300 billion. But while I’m a luddite on some fronts—call me on my mobile to register all complaints—I think that the World Wide Web is one evangelistic bridge we must cross.

So, what can digital bridge building look like in practice?

For one, it looks like web evangelism. Numerous sites abound which offer an entry point to sharing the gospel. (Check out www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/, www.rejesus.co.uk/, and www.aussiejesus.org/ for just three.) If you feel something here would connect well with a friend of yours, then shoot them a link. Same goes with YouTube … perhaps there’s a thought provoking clip capturing who Jesus is and what He means for us today, or a punchy answer to a tough question a friend is asking (like on www.leestrobel.com). But even if you don’t directly use these resources, there’s a good chance that someone will stumble onto these sites via the apparently omniscient Google. You see, internationally there are about 1.3 billion people with regular internet access, and around 25 percent of all internet searches are about religious matters. A non-Christian is far more likely to check out a web-site than read a tract, and generally it is less threatening to do this in one’s own time than under duress in a face-to-face (unplanned) encounter. Groups like Campus Crusade for Christ have taken note, setting up online evangelistic outreaches so that you can answer questions of interested inquirers from across the planet, all without leaving your living room. (For instance, see www.internetevangelismday.com/evangelists2.php and http://www.globalmediaoutreach.com/.)

Second, it looks like social networking. In the latest edition of the Baptist Union’s evangelism magazine, Prac (“Worship,” Winter 2010 Issue 60, published by www.crossoveronline.com.au/) we hear from Dan Harding, the Executive Pastor of City Life Christian Church in Brisbane. They use Facebook and other social media (Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo) to connect their congregation and promote major evangelistic

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endeavours. On their University campus, about 30 percent of their congregation have iPhones, while nearly 60 percent are Facebook users. Facebook shouldn’t replace face-to-face missional tools, but it has been effective in linking nearly 600 people in a Facebook Group, nearly 2,500 “friends” across Pastoral team members, and generating 6,000 Facebook invitations to one of their outreach events. How could this look in your context? Who knows what effect a timely word or a well-placed invitation might have?

Third, it looks like blogging. Web Logs (or Blogs for short) are online journals, where people can share their life and thoughts, open to interaction from the readers. They range from the informal--with random insights and experiences and pictures—to the more academic—challenging conventional thought in a non-threatening environment. (You can find a list of Campus Crusade’s top 50 blogs at www.networkedblogs.com/network/campus_crusade_for_christ/.)

A good friend of mine, René Breuel, is editor for one such blog, which has reached many thousands of pre-Christians. It’s found at wonderingfair.com, and functions as a pre-evangelistic tool to articulate faith for thoughtful people. Here’s how René explains what it’s all about:

Imagine an online café, if there could be one, where you could take a break from the day’s work, chill out a bit, and interact with people from around the world. A place where you can chat about nonsense as well as discuss matters deep and wide. A place which, even after a quick stop, will send you back to routine refreshed and with new ideas to chew on.

Wondering Fair seeks to be such a place. As a community blog launched in July 2010, WF gathers a worldwide community of people discussing matters of life and faith under an informal, relational atmosphere. The blog’s vision is to offer fresh content from gracious and thoughtful people interacting with current trends and culture, with an eye to the spiritual implications at play in every facet of life.

So visit wonderingfair.com, and maybe you’ll find your own new online corner to take a break and think about life.

Check out wonderingfair.com and see if this is the kind of site you could promote through Facebook, or direct your friends to. Perhaps you’ll find an article that speaks to where you’re at, which you can then forward on to someone you know is open to discussing matters of faith and belief.

For all the abuses the misuses of this technology, there is much to thank God for in the World Wide Web. Perhaps today, just as the Roman Roads paved the way for the spread of the Gospel in Jesus’ day, the web may cross geographic and cultural borders that presently block billions worldwide from ready access to the Good News. Perhaps today, by simply lifting a finger and clicking a button, you could construct the framework for a friend that crosses the divide. In short, may God bless as you discover what it means to be a digital bridge builder.

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4. GOD @ WORK

God @ Work: Class Activity 8.1

Each week one or two students will share for 3-5 minutesconcerning his or her main vocation, and how to live faithfully at the crossroads. You’ll work through the same questions as Ian. Here is your chance to get some thoughts together, so it’s not a stress on the day.

1. Describe your vocation2. Where do you see creational intent in this vocation (designed for good)3. How has cultural idolatry (sin) warped this vocation? (damaged by evil) 1. How might you participate redemptively with healing

action as you seek first the Kingdom of God? (restored for better sent together to heal the world a taste of when God sets everything right)

Afterward, take a few minutes to pray for them, dedicating our vocations afresh to the glory of God.

(n.b. You may find, in preparation for sharing, the Module 2 “Kingdom Gap” graphic a helpful frame)

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5. CURRENT AFFAIRS + READING REVIEW

Current Affairs Class Activity 8.2 … BBC + Prayer

“The Pastor and the Faithful should not deceive themselves into thinking that they are a religious society, which has to do with certain themes; they live in the world. We still need—according to my old formulation

—the Bible and the Newspaper. … [So] take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” (Karl Barth)

Each week, one student will share a newspaper article or media clip concerning events in the public square. The grid of creational intent, cultural idolatry, and healing action (creation, fall, redemption) should be used in evaluating this aspect of local or global news. (Perhaps the one minute BBC world summary will give you some stimulus: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/).

First, share your initial reflections from a Christian worldview.Second, as a class we’ll consider what a faithful and embodied Christian response may look like—

a response that addresses both our thinking, and cultivating practices/liturgies that direct our heart to desire and represent the Kingdom of God.

Third, we’ll bring this aspect of the world to Jesus in prayer.

Class Activity 8.3

In response to the pre-reading for this module, students will be picked to share on one of the following: -a question—something you don’t get, or want to clarify

-a challenge—something you disagree with, or want to nuance-an implication—“so what” for our apologetic practice-an application—something useful right now in your context

The whole class can then contribute to further discussion, bouncing off their own forum posts. The aim is to ground the readings and apply them to one’s life in general and ministry context in particular. This is the ideal time to bring up whatever is confusing, or questions you have in regards to the course material, so don’t be shy!

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Particular Questions to Address in Response to the Pre-Readings

Desiring the Kingdom, pp194-214

For each of the following practices, what form do they take both individually and corporately in your life, helping shape your desire for the Kingdom of God?

Scripture and Sermon: Renarrating the World (194-197)

Eucharist: Supper with the King (197-203)

Offering: Kingdom Economics of Gratitude (203-205)

Sending as Witnesses: The Cultural Mandate Meets the Great Commission (205-207)

In light of this whole chapter, re-imagine a Sunday gathering of the church that is maximally constructed to shape your collective desire for the Kingdom of God. How may it look? What might be the ‘order of service’? Any particular changes to structure, or even the seating and ambience to better serve this purpose?

Smith suggests the importance of being intentional with all of our hours toward Kingdom counter-formation, beyond the two hour Sunday gathering. His idea is to live out two elements of monastic life (pp209-214): abstention, and habits of daily worship. What does he mean by each, and how might you make use of these two practices?

Vishal Mangalwadi “Science to Sorcery” mp3

What is Vishal’s primary thesis in this talk?

C. S. Lewis argues that—contrary to popular opinion—sorcery and science are twins. Each exhibits a desire for power over (to control) the physical world, the former through magic, and the latter through materialism. It’s not that science supplanted sorcery. Rather, science grew strong and succeeded where sorcery failed. … With the re-emergence of horoscopes and New Age phenomena precisely in an age of science, what do you make of Lewis’s contention?

What was it about a Biblical worldview that led to the flourishing of science?

Think in terms of commend, challenge, bridge, barrier. In terms of the role of science in today’s world, what can you commend, what must you challenge, what forms a bridge to share the gospel, and what in science acts as a barrier to someone entering the Kingdom of God?

David Benson, “A Label I’m Learning to Embrace” Wondering Fair

The medium is the message, and we are transformed by technology. Agree or disagree?

How have you seen others and yourself change in patterns of relating with mobile phones?

How might you modify both the device and the patterns of use in a Kingdom direction?

Jessica Hughes, “Will there be Macs in Heaven?” Wondering Fair

What does it mean to say our cultural work & artefacts like Apple devices may “be in heaven”?

Jessica has stressed creational intent in this article. How do you see cultural idolatry and healing action (that is, what do the fall, and redemption, look like)?

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6. UNPLUGGED: IMAGING GOD IN A HIGH TECH WORLD

Resource 8.2

Distance students can watch a video here (or mp3 here) of much that will be explored in this session, as presented by the Logos apologetics team: “Unplugged: Imaging God in a High Tech World.” You will also find the complete manuscript with extra articles and reading, uploaded to Moodle Module 8, Extra Reading: “Logos Unplugged_Discussion Guide.”

On the issue of Science, perhaps these two articles will be helpful:

“New Wine Skins” (Moodle Module 8, Optional Reading) … my crack at finding a ‘new wine skin’ able to accommodate the best of science and faithfulness to the Scriptures … I explore the role of presuppositions in our engagement of science, and search for common ground.

“The Human Prototype” (Moodle Module 8, Extra Reading) … Fuller theologian Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen reflects on what it means to be human in an age of artificial intelligence

Within the Logos Unplugged talk, you’ll find Dietmar Hütmacher section interesting as he considers the difference between a Godly and ungodly use of technology—that is, how science can lead to humility or pride. Dietmar is Professor of Regenerative Medicine at QUT

Logos did another talk related to Science, called “God’s Two Hands”. You can watch the video here, listen to mp3 here, or access the discussion guide and other material here

On the issue of technology, John Dyer’s blog “Don’t Eat the Fruit” has some fantastic and deep reflections. As his tag line says, “Technology is Fast but Redemption is Slow.” Two other Wondering Fair posts may be of interest concerning technology: “Technology Interrupted” here, and “Mad Men and Cool Whip” here

For some great reading on this theme, see:

Berry, Wendell. Life Is a Miracle: An Essay against Modern Superstition. Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 2000. [You can listen to a 53 minute mp3 featuring interviews with Berry among others, on “How to think about science” here]

Ellul, Jacques. The Technological Society. New York: Vintage Books, 1967.

Lewis, C. S. The Abolition of Man; Or, Reflections on Education with Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools. New York: Macmillan, 1965. [Especially chapter 3, available here. See also his 3-part space trilogy here: Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength ]

Morris, Tim. Petcher, Don. Science and Grace God's Reign Over His Creation. [S.l.]: Crossway Books, 2006.

Nowak, Peter. Sex, Bombs and Burgers: How War, Porn and Fast Food Created Technology As We Know It. Toronto: Viking Canada, 2010.

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Viking, 1985.

Postman, Neil. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Knopf, 1992.

Rice, Jesse. The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2009.

Schultze, Quentin J. Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in

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the Information Age. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2002.

6.1 Gardening in God’s Image

Watch this clip:2

In the beginning God planted a garden and He put us in it: “Fill the earth and subdue it! Tend and care for this garden planet as I tend and care for you.” When we garden God’s way, we mirror His image to all creation. “And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”

The call to cultivate lies behind culture, while the commission to subdue the world requires study and technique—the foundation for science and technology. It’s no coincidence that the Biblical story starts in a garden and ends in a landscaped city. Science and technology are part of God’s plan to bless the world and reflect His image. And to varying degrees, as God sees the tools we use and the culture we’ve made, He still pronounces it “very good.”

The issue is how we journey from the garden to the city. On that tragic day when we ate the forbidden fruit, technology became both a blessing and a curse. Would our science care for or consume this garden planet? Do our devices draw us into God’s presence, or depress our desire for His Kingdom? Would our techniques to form and transform the world magnify or mutilate the image of God in us?

Buttons or Zippers? Like the Amish drawing a line between what their community endorses or eschews, any distinction sounds like semantics: “Eftpos and Email are in, but Twitter and TV are out.” There are no easy answers. But have we unplugged for long enough to get a fresh perspective? Do we unthinkingly upgrade with the crowd? Can we hear God’s still small voice calling us to be a counterculture? WWJD?

How would Jesus live in this kind of world? If we’re seriously about following Jesus and seeking first His Kingdom, then how should we live in an electronic environment?

How do we image God in a high tech world? It’s time to get unplugged.

Technology has been a blessing. But sometimes we need an “out-of-water” experience to assess the electronic ocean in which we all swim. As you engage with the following perspectives, consider your own use of technology. Does it magnify or mutilate the image of God in you? How would Jesus have you live?

• Medical Technology: Humility vs. Pride• Constant Noise: Transformation vs. Information• Family and Television: Connect vs. Fracture• Engaging a Hurting World: Serve vs. Self-Serve

2 Edited by Rowan Chapman, 2010, for the Logos talk “Unplugged: Imaging God in a High Tech World”

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• How much is too much?: Freedom vs. Addiction• Environmental Waste: Cultivate vs. Consume

6.2 Initial Thoughts

What example for you best exemplifies the creational intent (“very good”) of science & technology?

What for you best exemplifies the cultural idolatry (“the fall”) of science & technology?

What for you best exemplifies healing action (“redemption”) of science & technology?

Class Activity 8.4How can we separate out good (godly) from bad (ungodly) uses of science & technology?

Individually, take 2 minutes to come up with 2 criteria answering the above question.

After these 2 minutes, pair up with another and share your points, forming a list of 4 criteria.

After another 2 minutes, pair up with another pair and take 5 minutes to agree on four criteria.

List the criteria on the board, and discuss what this means in practice.

How does these criteria align with Wendell Berry’s “standards for technological innovation” in his own work, particularly as it relates to why he was reluctant to even buy a computer (see here):

1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces.

2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces.

3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces.

4. It should use less energy than the one it replaces.

5. If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body.

6. It should be repairable by a person of ordinary intelligence, provided that he or she has the necessary tools.

7. It should be purchasable and repairable as near to home as possible.

8. It should come from a small, privately owned shop or store that will take it back for maintenance and repair.

9. It should not replace or disrupt anything good that already exists, and this includes family and community relationships.

How practical is Berry’s suggestion? Do you agree/disagree with Wendell, and why?

How essential are the various technological devices you use most days: computer, internet, mobile phone, television, stereo, iPod, digital clock, etc.?

How would life change (both for better and worse) if you were to unplug for a week?

How might you eliminate, downsize, or temporarily unplug one or more devices to simplify life for a period of electronic fasting?

And what wisdom might a Biblical worldview offer in your own technological choices?

Reflection Activity 8.3 Journal at least 30 (meaningful!) words in response the following question, and tick off the related box on p. 11/12 of the unit guide.

#8.3 From Class Activity 8.4, come up with four criteria of your own, for separating good (godly) from bad

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(ungodly) use of science and technology. How do they compare with Berry’s standards?

6.3 From Gesture to Posture

Watch this trailer for the documentary “Second Skin”, exploring the phenomena of online gaming and the use of digital avatars through which a growing number of gamers vicariously live.

Now, discuss this phenomena from the perspective of creation, fall, and redemption.

In Module 7 (session 3), we briefly touched on various heuristics to help us faithfully live at the cross-roads. We skimmed past these fairly quickly. As such, in this session we’ll use one heuristic to explore a range of technological phenomena.

I’ve chosen Andy Crouch’s Culture Making framework, as it offers a helpful corrective to a course like “Christian Worldview.” Across a course like this, it’s tempting to restrict ‘worldview’ to an intellectual and theoretical activity. Crouch recognises that there is a place for condemning, critiquing, copying, and even consuming culture. But if we really want to make a different in the world, we need to move beyond these gestures to our primary posture as Christians. How will we keep culture, preserving that which is good and removing the weeds which strangle the life? And how will we create culture, designing new cultural expressions that embody the Kingdom, changing the horizons of what is possible as people engage?

(Further notes, reprinted from last module, can be found after the following class activity.)

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Class Activity 8.5

Consider the following phenomena:

facebook/twitter mobile phones online gaming cars hadron particle collider

In pairs, choose one of these five technologies, and take 20 minutes to work through the following qns.:

1. In relation to your technology, what might the following four gestures look like?

Condemn culture … prophetically denouncing that which destroys lifee.g. _______________________________________________

Critique culture … analysing how culture does or doesn’t align with a Biblical worldviewe.g. _______________________________________________

Copy culture … imitating that which is truly good in culture, finding related Christian formse.g. _______________________________________________

Consume culture … stop talking about it and simply enjoy and experience the world in which we livee.g. _______________________________________________

2. Moving beyond what we think, how might we act to keep culture. That is, thinking as a gardener, how might you cultivate what is already good in this technology, and remove weeds that strangle the life?

Culture Keeping … intentional acting to preserve that which is good in our culture against forces of entropy and corruption

e.g. _______________________________________________

Culture Making … creating new expressions and artefacts of culture (in beauty, truth, and love), embodying a Christian worldview, which changes the horizon of how people see the world and live in it

e.g. _______________________________________________

3. Time to get creative by making culture. Thinking as an artist, imagine a new expression of this technology. If you had the skills, and could start from scratch, what would be a Kingdom expression that serves and augments the same good needs met by the original cultural expression/technology?

After the twenty minute discussion, come back together as a class and share your ‘culture making’ ideas.

Reflection Activity 8.4 Journal at least 30 (meaningful!) words in response the following question, and tick off the related box on p. 11/12 of the unit guide.

#8.4 After working through Class Activity 8.5 (the four gestures of condemn, critique, copy, and consume;

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and the two postures of culture keeping and culture making), jot down your ‘culture making’ ideas.

6.3.1 Andy Crouch, Culture Making … brief summary here, and blog here

Andy Crouch’s book distinguishes gestures from postures. A gesture is a way we may move or act in the world, as the occasion demands. For instance, at times it is appropriate for the Church to …

Condemn culture … prophetically denouncing that which destroys lifee.g. _______________________________________________

Critique culture … analysing how culture does or doesn’t align with a Biblical worldviewe.g. _______________________________________________

Copy culture … imitating that which is truly good in culture, finding related Christian formse.g. _______________________________________________

Consume culture … stop talking about it and simply enjoy and experience the world in which we livee.g. _______________________________________________

Nevertheless, a gesture must never become a posture – an overriding mode of engaging the world. It is too simplistic (indeed, it is unfaithful) to constantly engage the world in one of these modes.

Dangers of these gestures becoming a posture:Condemn: ___________________________________________________Critique: ___________________________________________________Copy: ___________________________________________________Consume: ___________________________________________________

None of these actions will have a lasting impact upon the world. Rather, we ‘change the world’ when we live out of two primary postures, engaging in purposeful work:

Culture Keeping … intentional acting to preserve that which is good in our culture against forces of entropy and corruption

e.g. _______________________________________________

Culture Making … creating new expressions and artefacts of culture (in beauty, truth, and love), embodying a Christian worldview, which changes the horizon of how people see the world and live in it

e.g. _______________________________________________

“[A]fter contemplation, the artist and the gardener both adopt a posture of purposeful work. They bring their creativity and effort to their calling. The gardener tends what has gone before, making

the most of what is beautiful and weeding out what is distracting or useless. The artist can be more daring: she starts with a blank canvas or a solid piece of stone and gradually brings something out of it that was never there before. They are acting in the image of One who spoke a world into being

and stooped down to form creatures from the dust. They are creaturely creators, tending and shaping the world that original Creator made.”—Andy Crouch

What insights does this heuristic give for how I may faithfully live at the crossroads in my vocation?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

6.4 Ancient Wisdom to Ask the Right Questions

Following is an ancient dialogue from Plato’s “Phaedrus,” retelling the story of King Thamus of Upper Egypt dialoguing with the god Theuth the Inventor. (See ch. 1 of Postman’s brilliant book, Technopoly.)

Background: In Plato’s Phaedrus, he recounts Socrates telling this legend to his friend, Phaedrus, to instruct him wisely in weighing the value of various technologies. Thamus was the King of a great city of Upper Egypt, and in this story, he entertained the god Theuth, who was the inventor of many things including number, calculation, geometry, astonomy, and writing. Theuth exhibited his inventions to King Thamus, claiming that they should be made widely known and available to Egyptians.

Socrates continues:

Thamus inquired into the use of each of them [the inventions], and as Theuth went through them expressed approval or disapproval, according as he judged Theuth’s claims to be well or ill founded. It would take too long to go through all that Thamus is reported to have said for and against each of Theuth’s inventions. But when it came to writing, Theuth declared, “Here is an accomplishment, my Lord the King, which will improve both the wisdom and the memory of the Egyptians. I have discovered a sure receipt for memory and wisdom.” To this, Thamus replied, “Theuth, my paragon of inventors, the discoverer of an art is not the best judge of the good or harm which will accrue to those who practice it. So it is in this; you, who are the father of writing, have out of fondness for your off-spring attributed to it quite the opposite of its real function. Those who acquire it will cease to exercise their memory and become forgetful; they will rely on writing to bring things to their remembrance by external signs instead of by their own internal resources. What you have discovered is a receipt for recollection, not for memory. And as for wisdom, your pupils will have the reputation for it without the reality: they will receive a quantity of information without proper instruction, and in consequence be thought very knowledgeable when they are for the most part quite ignorant. And because they are filled with the conceit of wisdom instead of real wisdom they will be a burden to society.”

The Point, as Postman makes it: Technology is both a blessing and a burden. Unlike Thamus, we must equally note and weigh the benefits of any technological innovation—such as writing—which typically are many. “Nonetheless, we are currently surrounded by throngs of zealous Theuths, one-eyed prophets who see only what new technologies can do and are incapable of imagining what they will undo. We might call such people Technophiles. They gaze on technology as a lover does on his beloved, seeing it as without blemish and entertaining no apprehension for the future. … On the other hand, some one-eyed prophets, such as I (or so I am accused), are inclined to speak only of burdens (in the manner of Thamus) and are silent about the opportunities that new technologies make possible. The technophiles must speak for themselves, and do so all over the place. My defense is that a dissenting voice is sometimes needed to

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moderate the din made by the enthusiastic multitudes. If one is to err, it is better to err on the side of Thamusian skepticism” (pp. 3-5).

To Mull Over: For the various high-tech options you have incorporated into your everyday life, what benefits and burdens have they introduced? How have these technologies been both a blessing, and a curse? How have they helped, and what have they undone? Perhaps the most fundamental question is this: Does my use of technology magnify, or mutilate, the image of God in me? … How, then, would Jesus have you respond?

7. DOXOLOGY

Remember, we are not simply “thinking things” but “desiring creatures”. Developing a Christian Worldview is not just about understanding rightly, but loving truly. That is, we must be intentional in our habitual practices (or ‘liturgies’) so that our hearts are formed to love the Kingdom of God. As J. I. Packer was fond of saying, “All true theology begets doxology.” Learning is in the service of worship. Thus, as we will do each week, let us close by singing the Doxology:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Forum Activity Module 8As part of engaging with the set text and extra required readings, address each required reading for this module, and comment on at least one other person’s post to advance the dialogue.

Clearly address the following four categories: -a question—something you don’t understand, or want to clarify -a challenge—something with which you disagree, or want to further nuance -an implication—‘so what’ for how this teaching shapes your worldview -an application—something useful right now in your context, to live out the text

Be sure to post these thoughts prior to this week’s class, as we will use these reflections as the basis for an in-class discussion, where you will be expected to contribute in response to the readings.

Put your response on the Moodle Forum (100 words+)

Preparation for Next Week …

Pre-reading, as per Unit Guide p6 … Post to the forum and come prepared to share on each of the following:

-a question—something you don’t get, or want to clarify

-a challenge—something you disagree with, or want to nuance

-an implication—“so what” for our apologetic practice

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-an application—something useful right now in your context

If it’s your turn, come prepared to share a newspaper article or media clip concerning events in the public square, and your initial reflections from a Christian worldview.

If it’s your turn, come prepared to share with the class for 3-5 minutes concerning your main vocation (whether present or future). Where do you see creational intent and cultural idolatry in this vocation (designed for good, damaged by evil)? How might you participate redemptively with healing action (restored for better so we are sent together to heal the world, a taste of when God sets everything right) as you seek first the Kingdom of God?

Significance for Christian theology, life and thought...

In the beginning God planted a garden and He put us in it: “Fill the earth and subdue it!

Tend and care for this garden planet as I tend and care for you.”When we garden God’s way, we mirror His image to all creation.

As God looks at your use of technology, does He declare, “It is very good”?

The solution is neither to completely avoid, nor uncritically embrace, all that is high tech. Christ wants us to be in the world but not of it. We’re his lights on a hill and we shouldn’t be covered up. We must remember that, historically, technology has introduced just as many problems as it has solved. And the world’s problems—the starvation, wars, slave trafficking—are ultimately issues of the heart. That’s because it’s not technology that makes us evil. It’s not our cars and traffic jams that cause road rage. It’s us. It’s sin. Jesus said it’s “what comes out of a man’s heart that makes him defiled.”

Technology may help, but only Christ is the final answer.

In our journey from the garden to the cultivated city, how will we use technology? Does our use magnify or mutilate the image of God in us?

Assess the effect of technology on your life by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-25): Love Joy Peace PatienceKindness Goodness Gentleness Faithfulness Self Control

For the technological mediums you currently use, consider under God how you will develop “Habits of the High Tech Heart” (Quentin Schultze):

How can I be more authentic and truthful? (Think Facebook profiles and Tweets.)How can I practice discernment and moderation? (Think TV, Internet, & Texting.)

Perhaps it’s time to unplug from some technology or media or information so that God’s image will gain greater resolution. How might you electronically fast, to truly assess how well your use of technology fosters a desire for Christ and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)?

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