Disasters in Alabama, Peace in Wilmore

While my Beeson brothers are in Mongtomery, Alabama braving tornados and Dr. Dale Galloway, I remain in Wilmore tinkering away on my dissertation. If you want a first hand report, I refer you to Scott Layer's blog.

Having this week to focus on my project has been invaluable. I've tried to redeem the time. On Tuesday I met with Dr. Stacey Minger. She's the dissertation guru here. Any information you get from Stacey moves you along in the process. Very helpful.

On Wednesday I met with Dr. Michael Pasquarello, who is my second reader. It was my first chance to sit down with him and give him a sense of where I'm going with things. He recommended a book for it. I've only just started reading it, but it is insightful so far. The book is titled, Live to Tell , by Brad J. Kallenberg.

It was a good thing to bring him on board. He and my dissertation mentor, Dr. Lowe, are very different when it comes to how they view the church. Pasquarello is in the Duke (Hauerwas and Willimon) mode while Lowe is partial to the Willow Creek models (I've simplified their views too much, but hopefully you get the idea). Between the two of them I'll be challenged from opposite ends of the spectrum.

On Thurdsay I met with Dr. Joel Green. This had nothing to do with my dissertation. I just wanted to get to know him before leaving Asbury. I knew I would regret it if I didn't try. The guy is a genius. Also, we have a common appreciation for Dr. Loren Stuckenbruck at the University of Durham (in the UK). Green spent a sabbatical over there.

Cindy and the girls went to Disney on Ice last night (Thursday night--I'll try to post a few pictures later), so I had all evening to focus on the dissertation as well.

So . . . that's my week. I'm thankful for it.

Narrative and Neuroscience

Today was a real treat. Dr. Joel Green spent the morning with us. He lectured on biblical interpretation and theology and the importance of keeping the two together.

I've heard him speak one other time and came away impressed. Today's lecture didn't disappoint. I wish we could tap into his expertise more, but I'll take what I can get.He is working on what it means to understand scripture as narrative and then what it means to live within a world that is understood through that biblical narrative. At this point some of you are saying, "Of course!," while others of you are saying, "What?".
We all make sense of our lives and of the world through the stories we tell. This is nothing new. In fact, story is fundamental to the human condition. So, if it is fundamental to our condition, why would we approach theology and scripture in ways that deny our reliance on story?

The beginning of the scriptural story is creation, the center is the cross and resurrection, the "end" of the story is the restoration of God's world. For Christians this narrative becomes the controlling story for how we read scripture.

Green brings something to the theological table that, as far as I know, is unique. He has studied neuroscience in order to understand better how the human brain receives and interprets narrative. This blending of disciplines has born fruit in his "day job."

One of things Green pointed out is that the things we do (i.e. prayer, worship, participation in the sacraments) actually play a role in determining our "brain mapping," which means that prayer physically affects which synapses join together within our brains.
I have only scratched the surface of the lecture. Suffice it to say that there was lively discussion and I wish we had more time to consider the implications of narrative and neuroscience on the preaching and practice of ministry.

I'm looking forward to the Summer of 2008 when the North American Christian Convention goes to Cincinnati. Dr. Green has agreed to be the speaker at the European Evangelistic Society's annual breakfast.