There is a strange phenomenon that has taken place in the world today. Not very long ago there were little girls with diaries that had locks and keys. Now, they have been replaced by Blogger, Xanga, Myspace, and Facebook Notes. The world is invited into our minds, memories,thoughts, concepts, and ideas. So why do this? Why invite people in?
A friend of mine, Ken, has said that blogging is cathartic and that in it this generation finds hope for community and connection. I think he is right. There is something cleansing about writing your words out. Sending your ideas into the universe and to possibly have them read, one day, by someone. In past times people wrote books. Well, not many read long texts anymore. I am struck by the fact that Jonathan Edwards, a Christ-follower from an earlier time, seemed to be aware that his journals would someday be read. He had an eye to the encouragement and edification of future people.
My hope is that through the posts on this blog I will find some aspect of this cathartic enterprise. I have attempted blogs before. The process has always been the same: I begin well. Then they are devolved to YouTube posting and pictures. The images took over. This time I hope there will be a difference. I hope that the posts here will be the kind reminiscent of earlier generations with an authenticity that cleansing requires and an eye to the reader who in some way might possibly be edified.
I also hope that there will be an edge, a subversion of the common experience. I have thought a bit about transcendence and imminence. I have often wondered why the average Christian life does not transcend what others experience. I have come to realize that transcendence is not the mark of the person following closely to Jesus but a subversive imminence. After all, it was the imminence of Jesus that made him so subversive. We have lost this by and large and have replaced this subverting rabbi from Nazareth with the image on the left. May it not be so here any longer.
*Note: There are some posts here from previous blogs. I tried to save the better ones. I would strongly suggest checking out the Forgotten Ways series that interact with Alan Hirsch's book of the same name.
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