Let’s talk about what’s happening in the conversation following my last couple of posts. By using the literature model of author intention, plot, subplot, character development, mood, setting, conflict, resolution etc., I’ve left some of you with the impression that I’m being disrespectful of the sacred page. That’s what I don’t want to do. I […]
In screenwriter Robert McKee’s book, Story, he says that the question of whether plot or character is more important to a story is as old as Aristotle. He went on to say that Aristotle weighed each and concluded that story is primary, character secondary. McKee goes on to explain that this perspective on storytelling held […]
I find it so necessary to keep in mind that the 66 books of the Bible have one all-encompassing, underlying storyline that gives perspective to all of the individual subplots, proverbs, predictions, laws, and letters. From Genesis to Revelation, the Author behind the authors tells us the most important parts of his story and ours. […]
Has something changed in the way we read the Bible that is affecting our view of reality? Is it possible that we are no longer engrossed in its own story, but instead are flipping through its pages looking for interesting thoughts or anecdotes? Several recent experiences have me wondering. On one hand I recently heard […]
Several years ago, an international team of astronomers claimed that images from the Hubble Space telescope give evidence of 40,000 galaxies in a window of the night sky no larger than the size of the moon. Each galaxy containing billions of stars. (source) Then I hear the prophet Isaiah say, “To whom then will you […]
While reading John Calvin (1509-1564) on John 4:10, I found some thoughts that resonate not only with the text he was talking about, but also with some of the basics of what we know as 12 Step recovery. Calvin says of the Help we all need, “We cannot aspire to Him in earnest until we […]
In November of 1947, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, lobbied for a United Nations resolution that would divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. Truman later expressed his faith in the reborn state of Israel saying, “I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just [as] another sovereign nation, […]
Buddha, Confucius, and Jesus are known for their wisdom. All three reflect the characteristics of wise teachers. They use short stories and memorable one-liners to help others think for themselves. They help their followers see below surface issues to matters of the heart. They teach their followers to live with priority and perspective. All three, […]
I’ve been sitting here for the last hour or so, sipping on a strong cup of coffee, reading… and thinking about the thoughts and stories posted here over the last couple of days–by friends. Most of us have never met each other face to face. Yet here, in thoughts typed thousands of miles apart, we […]
Sleigh bells jingle. But what jangles? The question surfaced as I bumped into the word in a King James version of the Bible. When I checked another version, I saw that “jangling” was a 17th century way of describing the sound of empty talk. According to the Apostle Paul, it can happen when someone tries […]
