How We Teach

Well, it has been a long hiatus.  I sometimes forget that this page exists as all the other demands of world and work clamor for attention.

Today, I've been thinking about what and how we are actually teaching the faith.  So, here's my first dip.  I think we basically teach in three ways.  1) We teach something, 2) We teach how to find something, or 3) We teach how to think about something.

So, take the 10 Commandments for example.

We can either teach the commandments, teach them well, and teach them regularly so that when a kid leaves our church, she really knows the commandments.

Or, we can teach her where to find them.  "This is the Small Catechism.  Martin Luther wrote it; he wrote it for such-and-such a purpose."  "Here is where to find the commandments in Scripture." Etc...

Or, finally (and maybe most common?) we can teach her how to think about the commandments.  "The 4th Commandment is that you shall honor your father and your mother.  How does that commandment change with you over the course of your life?  What do the commandments do for you and how do they matter in your life today?"

What job do we perform most admirably?  Least admirably?  Where should we focus our attention in the future?  I have a communion class coming up tomorrow morning.  Hmm...

Poll Results: When do you think about God?

Well, it was a pretty even split.  About half of us chose option A and half chose B from the following poll:

When do you think more about God?

A: When things are Good

B: When things are Bad

These polls are intentionally simplistic.  We are putting things down in the most basic language to encourage some response.  Undoubtedly, the answers we live into from day to day are more complex and nuanced.  

So, if you've got something to say that will help us understand your answer better, or provide another more subtle answer, post it here!

Finally! A "Real" Alaska Story...

I was trapped out of my house by an angry moose!

What kind of city do we live in?  A guy can't even walk to the mailbox without a rifle!

It's good to be in Alaska; every mundane task has the potential for excitement.

Old Testament 101

We're in the middle of an Old Testament class on Sunday mornings in between services.  If you can be there, this is what you should do before you come!

Read Genesis 3 (all)

Consider the following questions:
1. What is this story about? 
2. What is God doing in this story? (and, what is God's nature/character?)
3. When does suffering become part of the story?
4. What is Evil in the story?  Who does Evil?  Who experiences Evil?

Lutheran 101: Important Lutheran Terms

This is a list of terms we covered in a Lutheran 101 class that ran a few Sundays back at Gloria Dei.

These can be helpful if you're starting to figure out what it means to call yourself a Lutheran.

If you've got a question or a comment, let me know!

Peace.

I love this

These are the first few lines from a poem written by Alexander Pope.  It's called "Essay on Criticism" and it cautions us against learning a little bit and thinking we know a whole lot.  I don't know if anyone else will dig this.  (ps- the Pierian spring was the mythological source of knowledge, and this picture is not it.)

A little learning is a dang'rous thing;

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:

There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,

And drinking largely sobers us again.

Avatar!!

Mollie and I just saw this movie.  It was amazing!  It was a real thought-provoker.  Some of the things it brought to mind:

1. The inescapability of Sin.  We all participate (willingly or unwillingly) in a sinful system.

2. The danger of a closed gaze, meaning--it is dangerous to close our eyes to the reality of someone else's experience.

3. This one's more difficult to describe.  After seeing the mania surrounding this movie, the long lines, the packed theaters, it provided a stark contrast to the insignificance of Church.  No long lines there, no powerful emotions generated, no excited conversations about "what happened in church?!"

***The big question: How can we make our faith lives as significant/interesting/exciting as a fabulous movie experience?  Do you have any ideas?

Check out the new Videos!

 Head over to the right side of your screen for a couple new videos reflecting Christianity in Pop Culture.

Are you prouder than a 5th grader?

A speaker once asked a group of Elementary School kids a series of questions.  "How many of you can sing?"  "How many of you can dance?"  "How many of you are good at drawing?"  "How many of you can play soccer?"

In response to every question, nearly every student raised his/her hand.  They ALL thought they could sing, dance, draw, etc.

That same speaker also went to a high school auditorium and asked the same questions to an assembly of teenage students.  When asked, "How many of you can sing?" very few raised their hands.  Not even all choir members responded positively.

The same thing happened for every question.  Who can play soccer?  Only two or three of the best varsity soccer players would raise their hands.

So, what happened?  What's the difference?

For Mason

One of Gloria Dei's high schoolers has ridiculed me for the long absence of new posts.  Since he has proven that someone must read this at some point, I have decided it is not a waste of time.  Look for weekly updates!  (I may only be talking to Mason, I just realized.)