This article appeared in the Beaverton Valley-Times' "Faith Forum" on June 30, 2011.
Educator H. Lynn Erickson says there are three kinds of questions: factual, conceptual, and provocative. Factual questions have short, definitive answers. The questions on Jeopardy are always factual.
Conceptual questions require us to consider the relationship of various facts. This is what you get in a lot of essay tests: “Reflecting over the entirety of ‘Hamlet’, what were the main reasons Ophelia went mad?”
Factual and conceptual questions are useful, but I especially like provocative questions. They can be used to motivate or to frame content or to provoke a different level of conversation.
In the movie, “City Slickers,” three New York friends confront their mid-life issues by going on a cattle drive together. Around the campfire after a day on the range, one of them asks, “What was the best day of your life?”
The first friend, Mitch, says his best day was when his father took him to Yankee stadium for the first time. The second man, Phil, says it was when, during his wedding ceremony, his dad winked at him. The third friend, Ed, said that his best day was when he was fourteen, and he realized that his adulterous father wasn’t just cheating on his mother; he was cheating on all of them. So he said to his dad, “You're bad to us. We don't love you. I'll take care of my mother and my sister. We don't need you any more." When Phil asked Ed about his worst day, Ed simply replied: “Same day.”
A question I’ve asked people for several years is, “When have you felt closest to God?”
Although not surprising, many of the answers have been meaningful: “It was when I was hiking in the Olympic Range...” “When I held my daughter in my hands for the first time. It was an awesome, holy moment!” “The day I got baptized was when I felt closest to God.”
Some answers, though, were unexpected. One friend got a 30-day jail sentence for his third DUI. “I opened myself up to God during those thirty days. I finally stopped pretending that I had everything together -- that I had everything I needed to be a good husband and father and provider. I had to admit that I had a problem.” Would you believe that he eventually wrote his judge to thank him for holding him accountable?
Of course, after someone answers my question--when did you feel closest to God?--they usually want me to respond to the same question. My answer also is surprising: “I felt closest to God on the day of my daughter’s funeral. When she was 21, Tish was killed in a car accident on Roy Rogers Road. For a variety of reasons, my wife, son, and I agreed that I should lead her memorial service. However, just before the service I was a complete mess; I couldn’t think straight, much less speak coherently. However, just before going to the church building,Tish’s boyfriend and his mother came into the family room where I was alone and still working on my message. They asked if it would be alright for them to lay hands on me and pray for me. I gratefully acquiesced. As they prayed, a calming peace enveloped me, and I had a deep sense of God’s Presence throughout the rest of the afternoon. Interestingly, this was not unique to me. Several people told me they experienced God’s Presence in a deeper way during that service than at any other time in their lives.”
So, I agree with Ed. In some ways, my best day and my worst day were the same day.
How about you? When have you felt closest to God?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Tree of Life
Two weeks ago I went to see Terrence Malick's new film, "The Tree of Life." Malick is one of America's most influential and creative moviemakers. Although this is only the fourth commercial film he has directed, Malick has produced and written screenplays for a number of important movies. The three movies he has directed since 1995 -- "The Thin Red Line," "The New World," and "The Tree of Life" -- are noteworthy because of their beautiful cinematography and because they deal with larger philosophical issues. Malick's films are visually poetic. The stories are told less through the plot than through the films' imagery. That particularly is true of "The Tree of Life," and likely explains why it received the Cannes' film festival's top award, the Palme d'Or.
In the last twenty years, no movie intended for a "general audience" has had a more explicitly Christian viewpoint. Notice, however, the caveat "for a general audience." Many "Christian movies" are now being released through theaters. "Fireproof," "Soul Surfer," and even, to some extent, "The Chronicles of Narnia" movies fit this niche. If they are commercially successful, it is because Christians go to see them. I like these movies, but "The Tree of Life" should not be thought of in the same category. Instead, most people will view it as an "art film." Why then, do I say it is explicitly Christian? To completely understand that, you need to see the movie. However, when is the last time you saw a movie that began with a biblical quote? And when did any movie explicitly portray two alternative approaches to life -- "the way of nature" and "the way of grace"?
"The Tree of Life" is a controversial movie. Most people love it or hate it. Those who dislike it do so for one of three reasons:
If you decide to go see the film for yourself, I would offer the following two suggestions: 1. Do not go with your typical movie-going mindset. Instead, approach it as you would a visit to the art museum. 2. Go with a friend and allow time after the movie to discuss what you've experienced.
"The Tree of Life" is the antithesis of celluloid junk food. It needs to be slowly digested.
If you want to know more about "The Tree of Life" and its symbolism, I suggest you view the PBS interview with Calvin College professor Roy Anker (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/july-8-2011/the-tree-of-life/9110/).
In the last twenty years, no movie intended for a "general audience" has had a more explicitly Christian viewpoint. Notice, however, the caveat "for a general audience." Many "Christian movies" are now being released through theaters. "Fireproof," "Soul Surfer," and even, to some extent, "The Chronicles of Narnia" movies fit this niche. If they are commercially successful, it is because Christians go to see them. I like these movies, but "The Tree of Life" should not be thought of in the same category. Instead, most people will view it as an "art film." Why then, do I say it is explicitly Christian? To completely understand that, you need to see the movie. However, when is the last time you saw a movie that began with a biblical quote? And when did any movie explicitly portray two alternative approaches to life -- "the way of nature" and "the way of grace"?
"The Tree of Life" is a controversial movie. Most people love it or hate it. Those who dislike it do so for one of three reasons:
- They just don't get it. After all, they came to see a movie starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. Where's the action?
- They are offended by the film's overarching emphasis on God and grace.
- They hate the fact that the film is slow; at times, painfully slow.
If you decide to go see the film for yourself, I would offer the following two suggestions: 1. Do not go with your typical movie-going mindset. Instead, approach it as you would a visit to the art museum. 2. Go with a friend and allow time after the movie to discuss what you've experienced.
"The Tree of Life" is the antithesis of celluloid junk food. It needs to be slowly digested.
If you want to know more about "The Tree of Life" and its symbolism, I suggest you view the PBS interview with Calvin College professor Roy Anker (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/july-8-2011/the-tree-of-life/9110/).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)