Becoming human or human becoming.

I read a book once (for real) but I can't remember the title, so sorry. It was written by Philip Hefner (I could have misspelled the first name). It turns out that this book has helped me a great deal in a class on Process Theology. It was about taking technology seriously in the process of life for humanity, or something like it. In it Hefner wrote something about like we are not human being but human becomings, which means that there is nothing stagnant about being a human. Our being is really made up of the succession of events in the past (in class and in a book by John Cobb, these are called energy-events), the possibilities that are unfolding in the present and the possibilities that are before us. Thus, in every moment we are changing in a dynamic and organic way and the hope is that we are growing into what God wants for us. Human becoming implies that we are less human now and growing into what it really means to be human. Is that different from becoming human? Does it matter what in order we say this? I don't really know.

We are forever changing and being called by God to grow to be truely human, meaning that we recognize and live out God in our being. It is growing in the image and likeness of God that we hear about in Genesis 1:26-27. Human becoming or becoming human means that ontologically (in our beings) we become more like God and grow in union with Christ. Christ is what it means to be truely human, and Christ was truely human and truely God (I learned a lot today from Dr. Chun). Thus, in order to be authentically or truely human we must be in union or one with our triune God.

I know that this is some pretty intense stuff, but I had to write it out in a place that wasn't going to be graded by a professor. I like looking at the world this way, but sometimes I can't grasp something until I write about it (of course that doesn't always help). Let me know what you think of all of this. It smells like Tillich, process theology and existential philosophy all rolled up together in a post that brings meaning to meaningless. Just kidding. I'm just unpacking after a couple of weeks of some intense study.

Peace,
mark

School is back in session.

School is back in session, so I thought I would list things that I am excited about and not so excited about:

I'm excited about:

1. Process Theology-it is a class that I'm taking and I love the idea of it. I'm behind a little but so far it fits my worldview very well.
2. Seeing friends on a regular basis.
3. Communion every week.
4. Trinity, Incarnation and ministry class is going to be awesome. So far anyway it is really good. And I respect Robert Martin as a professor.
   
5. Worshiping with people who are clergy.
6. It's Fall and I like the weather.
7. Playing tennis more often than I had before.
   

I'm not as excited about:

1. Atonement-it's a class. I think that Dr. Chun is awesome, but I don't like all the reading. Plus atonement theory pisses me off. It tends to be too violent.
2. Balancing work with youth, class and family life. I love all these things, but I need to get better at managing my time.
3. Not having Ron and Adam around at School this year. I miss you guys.
4. The market being in a recession when soon I will be looking for a job.

I seem to have more things I'm excited about then not so excited about, so that's a good thing.

Peace to you my friends and enemies,

mark