Which Story Will Shape Your University Education? Lecture One Michael Goheen IDIS 102, TWU

Romans Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your proper worship as rational beings. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Romans Offer whole of your bodily lives as living sacrifice—including university education Offer whole of your bodily lives as living sacrifice—including university education Negative: Do not conform to this world Negative: Do not conform to this world Positive: Be transformed by renewing of your mind Positive: Be transformed by renewing of your mind Then you can know God’s will Then you can know God’s will

Paraphrase for this course Offer up your whole university education as part of your living sacrifice to God; this is simply what you should do if you are a Christian. Do not allow your university education to be shaped by the idolatrous story of our culture but let it be transformed by the gospel, by the story of the Bible. Then you will know, as a Christian student, what pleases God—and you will grow in that discernment of what kind of university education conforms to God’s will.

Three parts to this course... and an assumption! Assumption: You want to offer up your whole bodily lives as living sacrifices to God Assumption: You want to offer up your whole bodily lives as living sacrifices to God Biblical story and worldview (be transformed) Biblical story and worldview (be transformed) Western story and worldview (don’t be conformed) Western story and worldview (don’t be conformed) University education (test and approve God’s will) University education (test and approve God’s will)

Our whole lives are shaped by some story. Our university education is shaped by some story.

Fox and the Crow A fox compliments a crow: “My you have a lovely voice; won’t you sing me a song?” What is the meaning of this event?

Fox and the Crow The crow sits perched high in a tree with a piece of meat. There is a famine in the forest and all the animals use different strategies in an attempt to get the meat. The fox compliments the crow. It opens its mouth; the meat falls out and the fox runs away with it. Don’t be deceived by flattery!

Story xxxxxx x xxxxxx Beginning Theme End Conflict/Resolution Conflict/Resolution

“I can only answer the question “What am I to do?” if I can answer the prior question “Of what story do I find myself a part?” -Alasdair MacIntyre “The way we understand human life depends on what conception we have of the human story. What is the real story of which my life story is a part?” -Lesslie Newbigin

N. T. Wright “... a story is the best way of talking about the way the world actually is.”

Brian Walsh “... The world is temporal, in process, a worldview always entails a story...which provides its adherents with an understanding of their own role in global history... Such a story tells us who we are in history and why we are here.”

A story functions like: Spectacles - enable us to see, understand world Spectacles - enable us to see, understand world Maps - show us the way in which we should go Maps - show us the way in which we should go Compasses - provide us with direction Compasses - provide us with direction Lights - illuminate path Lights - illuminate path Foundations - give shape and stability to lives Foundations - give shape and stability to lives

Lesslie Newbigin In our contemporary culture... two quite different stories are told. One is the story of evolution, of the development of the species through the survival of the strong, and the story of the rise of civilization, our type of civilization, and its success in giving humankind mastery of nature. The other story is the one embodied in the Bible, the story of creation and fall, of God’s election of a people to be the bearers of his purpose for humankind, and of the coming of the one in whom that purpose is to be fulfilled. These are two different and incompatible stories. In our contemporary culture... two quite different stories are told. One is the story of evolution, of the development of the species through the survival of the strong, and the story of the rise of civilization, our type of civilization, and its success in giving humankind mastery of nature. The other story is the one embodied in the Bible, the story of creation and fall, of God’s election of a people to be the bearers of his purpose for humankind, and of the coming of the one in whom that purpose is to be fulfilled. These are two different and incompatible stories.

Both stories: Are normative: Claim to be true for all Are normative: Claim to be true for all Are comprehensive: Claim all of human life Are comprehensive: Claim all of human life Are religious: Centred in ultimate commitments Are religious: Centred in ultimate commitments Yet only one can be basic!

Living at the Crossroads

Problem Faithfulness depends on understanding the clash of these two stories. Yet... Faithfulness depends on understanding the clash of these two stories. Yet many Christians in West unaware of their cultural story and its danger! (So we are somewhat conformed to the world)... many Christians in West unaware of their cultural story and its danger! (So we are somewhat conformed to the world)... many Christians in West unaware of Bible tells one story about the world (So are not sufficiently transformed and renewed)... many Christians in West unaware of Bible tells one story about the world (So are not sufficiently transformed and renewed)

The Bible as one story... the whole point of Christianity is that it offers a story which is the story of the whole world. It is public truth. (N.T. Wright)

“I can’t understand why you missionaries present the Bible to us in India as another book of religion. It is not a book of religion—and anyway we have plenty of books of religion in India already. We don’t need any more! I find in your Bible a unique interpretation of universal history, the history of the whole creation and the history of the human race. And therefore a unique interpretation of the human person as a responsible actor in history. That is unique. There is nothing else in the whole religious literature of the world to put alongside of it. -Badrinath (Hindu scholar)

Danger! Breaking up the Bible into little bits—moral, sermon, theological, historical-critical, devotional Breaking up the Bible into little bits—moral, sermon, theological, historical-critical, devotional “If we allow the Bible to become fragmented, it is in danger of being absorbed into whatever other story is shaping our culture, and it will thus cease to shape our lives as it should. Idolatry has twisted the dominant cultural story of the secular Western world. If as believers we allow this story (rather than the Bible) to become the foundation of our thought and action, then our lives will manifest no the truths of Scripture, but the lies of an idolatrous culture. Hence, the unity of Scripture is no minor matter: a fragmented Bible may actually produce theologically orthodox, morally upright, warmly pious idol worshippers! (Drama of Scripture, 12) “If we allow the Bible to become fragmented, it is in danger of being absorbed into whatever other story is shaping our culture, and it will thus cease to shape our lives as it should. Idolatry has twisted the dominant cultural story of the secular Western world. If as believers we allow this story (rather than the Bible) to become the foundation of our thought and action, then our lives will manifest no the truths of Scripture, but the lies of an idolatrous culture. Hence, the unity of Scripture is no minor matter: a fragmented Bible may actually produce theologically orthodox, morally upright, warmly pious idol worshippers! (Drama of Scripture, 12)

Some story will affect the whole of your lives including your university education the only question is which one?

This course’s concern: To understand the Biblical story and worldview and its shaping power university education To understand the Biblical story and worldview and its shaping power university education To understand the Western story and worldview and its shaping power on university education To understand the Western story and worldview and its shaping power on university education To ask how we can be faithful To ask how we can be faithful

Which foundation will you build your university education on? Jesus’ challenge: Matthew Jesus’ challenge: Matthew Apostle Paul’s challenge: 1 Corinthians Apostle Paul’s challenge: 1 Corinthians