...Seminary A THEOLOGICAL BOOK CRITIQUE: GOD IN THE WASTELAND A Theological Book Critique Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course Systematic Theology I - THEO 525 By Chad Stafford ID# 22235852 28 September 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Brief Summary Capitulation Keys to reformation Critical Interaction Jesus and McGuire Modernization Displacement of God Loss of God’s transcendence and holiness Loss of God’s authority Moral Irrelevance Regaining our voice Conclusion 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 6 7 9 9 10 ii. Introduction God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams is authored by David F. Wells, a distinguished seminary professor and theologian at Gordon-Conwell Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. No Place for Truth was his first significant treatise on the subject of evangelicalism’s theological corruption which grabbed the attention of the evangelical community. God in the Wasteland is a continuation and his second treatment of the subject, in a four-volume series, where the author seeks to further define the origins and problems of evangelicalism’s theological compromise while proposing solutions like radical resistance to modernity and restoration of God-centeredness as central to regaining ground that has been lost to modernity within the church. In this critique I will seek to primarily interact with Wells assessment of evangelicalism’s compromised condition, and secondarily, I will respond to his proposed...
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...The American Dream is the aspiration to obtain wealth, status and power based on the desire of self-betterment through self-reliance and accomplishment. F Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, is an effective critique on the corruption that surrounds the American Dream. It is also a commentary on the warped view of Western hedonism and idealized lifestyles. The dream is portrayed strongly through the characters, depicting undignified ways to obtain wealth, the amoral social interactions and the illusion of affection and false fellowship. Thus exposing the unscrupulousness, self-absorption and disillusionment that lie at the wake of the American Dream. Fitzgerald critiques on the ideal of ‘self-made’ men (financially) and how through sheer desperation, men stray from conformity and followed a deviated path in order to reach wealth. The American Dream is the belief that regardless of one’s socio-economic background, an individual could still reach financial triumph through hard work, education and drive-which has been the belief of the American society. According to American sociologist Robert K. Merton, American society has generated common desires and pressures for material possession-which is how success was measured- those who fail to succeed by conformity or valid means, resort to devious acts to do so. Fitzgerald comments on this aspect of his society through the portrayal of Gatsby in the novel; who employed unorthodox ways of obtaining wealth in order to gain his incommunicable...
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...politically, socially, and economically conscious films. This is very apparent in Terry Gilliam’s film, Brazil, which portrays a dystopian, futuristic society that is dominated by a totalitarian government. I believe that Gilliam’s use of intertexuality, mise-en-scene, storytelling, and subversive depiction of society is what makes Brazil a cult film. The plot revolves around Sam Lowry, a low-level government employee who often dreams about being a hero, escaping reality, and saving a beautiful woman. One day he finds a woman who looks identical to the one in his dreams, but she is an alleged rebel and wanted by the government. Sam tries to flee with her, but through a series of obscure twists and turns he ends up losing her and his own sanity. There are numerous similarities and references to George Orwell’s 1984 in Brazil. Both are set in a futuristic setting as imagined by people living in earlier periods, both feature a totalitarian government that reigns over its people, and as a result of the government a nightmarish dystopian society is created. It is also important to note that the two also offer no possibility of society changing or improving in any way. However, Orwell shows the physical and emotional effects of a totalitarian government, while Gilliam focuses his critique on the mindless consumerist society it produces. There are also various cinematic references that can be seen in Brazil. Besides the Casablanca quote, a lot of the cinematography reminded me of Stanley...
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...For my research paper I will be discussing the hit TV show Gossip Girl and it’s influence on societal values. More specifically, I will examine how in trying to critique society, Gossip Girl inadvertently equates money with happiness and distorts perceptions of class by romanticizing the negative aspects of upper class New York society. Through textual analysis of the show, a survey I conducted among viewers, and reviews and analysis from other authors, I will argue how the show looks down on the lower class; glamorizes materialism, corruption, and narcissism; and conveys that some people will always be excluded from the “Gossip Girl” world. Ultimately, the privileged Upper East Side lifestyle is a metaphor for the American Dream. While the show presents this lifestyle as the goal, it also suggest that like the modern day American Dream, it is unattainable....
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...Mexican Dream Act, which the issues of young people who graduated from our high schools and grew up in the United States but whose future is in jeopardy by current immigration laws. Their presentations raised several questions for me, ones especially involving these immigrant parents. I was wondering that when these children apply would it jeopardize the safety of their parents. For instance, is the address that they put down on paper confidential or will be used to track the location of their parents? If this and other similar examples were the case, then that would deter many in fear of losing their family. Their parents may also be unwilling to help their children in fear of jeopardizing their hidden status. Although I have been interested in researching the gaps in higher education of Latinos, in particular Mexican-Americans versus Cubans, this was the first time hearing of the DREAM Act. Even though my research paper involves second-generation immigrant children, I feel that the dream act would force some education reforms in the United States. Otherwise, as they said in the presentation, the US will fall behind other countries due to a significant part our population not attending higher levels of education...
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...The column you’re reading is at least in part the result of an accident – a happy one, I hasten to add. A few weeks ago, I was sitting on a panel with the philosopher Christopher Hamilton, discussing the question of whether a world without pain is an appropriate goal for mankind or whether pain serves some additional positive purpose other than the obvious biological one of directing us away from things that might harm us (a topic, perhaps, for a future column). Meeting Christopher after a long interval reminded me of his excellent book Living Philosophy: Reflections on Life, Meaning and Morality (2001). The volume includes a fascinating essay entitled ‘The Need to Sleep’, where he notes that philosophers have not paid sufficient attention to this extraordinary phenomenon. Well, a decade on, this is the beginning of a response to Christopher’s wake-up call. For sleep is rather extraordinary. If I told you that I had a neurological disease which meant that for eight or more hours a day I lost control of my faculties, bade farewell to the outside world, and was subject to complex hallucinations and delusions – such as being chased by a grizzly bear at Stockport Railway Station – you would think I was in a pretty bad way. If I also claimed that the condition was infectious, you would wish me luck in coping with such a terrible disease, and bid me a hasty farewell. Of course, sleep is not a disease at all, but the condition of daily (nightly) life for the vast majority of us...
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...Jekyll and Hyde Critique “Jekyll & Hyde” describes a story of how Doctor Henry Jekyll finds his dream and makes the dream come true. The dream, however, is horrible for others to accept. The story starts with Doctor Jekyll’s father suffering the illness, which makes Jekyll painful and decides to find out a drug can separate the evil and goodness within human beings. He wants to do the surgery on mental patient, but distinguished governors deny his assumption. His fiancée, Emma, support him no matter what the path he planned for his dream. Jekyll meets a girl called Lucy who is abused by her boss and Jekyll rescues comfort her when he goes to the bar with his friend Utterson. Jekyll decides to operate on himself and turns into a bad guy named Hyde. Hyde kills several distinguished governors for revenge and Hyde’s personality represents evil which opposite with Jekyll’s. Emma worries about Jekyll and enters into Jekyll’s office. After reading the dialogs of Jekyll, Emma knows everything about operation. Jekyll finally cannot control himself since Hyde always take charge of his body, so he asks Utterson to find another drug to separate himself and Hyde. Hyde is jealous about Jekyll since Lucy likes Jekyll and always thinks about him. After he killed Lucy, he goes to fight with Jekyll in his office. Jekyll survives and is going to get married with Emma. However, Hyde comes out on wedding, kills one guest and threats to kill Emma. Emma talks to Jekyll inside Hyde, hoping to Jekyll...
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...Dance Show Critique assignment: Assignment: Write a critique on a dance show you have seen or watch online. This will help you learn how to observe and critique dance, discover how dance emotionally effects you, foster dance appreciation, conjure critical thinking, and will teach you how to provide evidence to support your statements. Rules: -You may only critique TWO dances! - You may only critique professional dance companies. (Companies that have adults and are either non-profit or the dancers are paid to dance.) -This- is- an- essay! Do not treat this assignment as a journal or a worksheet! It-is-an-essay! -You must type your essay! -You must turn it in ON TIME! I will not accept late papers later than 1 week. Each day your paper is late, 5 points will be taken from your grade. Here are some local dance companies that have performances online: -Unity Dance Ensemble at: www.unitydanceensemble.com or find “Unity Dance Ensemble” on Facebook. Unity Dance Ensemble is a jazz dance company. -Culture Shock Dance Troupe at: cultureshockdance.org or find “Culture Shock Dance Troupe” on Facebook. Culture Shock Dance Troupe is a hip-hop company. -Malashock Dance at: http://www.malashockdance.org/the-company/company-photo-video Malashock Dance is a contemporary company. -Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theatre at: http://www.sandiegodancetheater.org/gallery.html (click on a video) Jean Isaacs is a modern/contemporary company. ****These are only suggestions. You can watch other dance...
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...Rob Williams Prof. Williamson Social Movements 17 December 2013 The DREAM Act When considering social movements, we think about a social or political development aimed at advancing a group of people or organization whose significance lies in their uniqueness. This advancement is not a literal, physical progression, but rather a symbolic movement with the intent to foster support and progress past some deeply imbedded issues. Today in the United States, we are at the center of attention for a social movement that is quite literally, a physical movement. Illegal immigration from Mexico and South American countries continues to be one of the most controversial and debated matters of public policy. The United States allows for an annual limit of roughly 675,0001 immigrants to legally enter our borders, which is extremely conservative relative to other countries. This very limited number forces the majority of immigrants from south of the border to either enter completely illegally, or overstay a temporary work visa issued by our government. While dealing with these illegal aliens serves to be a contentious problem by itself, an even more pressing issue rises to the surface when debating the rights of their children. Thomas Humphrey Marshall described the evolution of citizenship from civil, to political, and finally to social. This idea of social citizenship explained the governmental rights that citizens were guaranteed, “to live the life of a civilized being.”2 The two...
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...Critique of Jung and Bandura Terrin M. Schnee Psychology 1400 Psychology of Personality Theories Spring 2014 Critique of Jung and Bandura Throughout the semester we have examined numerous psychological theorists and their theories. Their ideas were displayed focusing on the major components of each. Through this lens, we were able to familiarize ourselves with each. While each theory had many interesting parts, it was only natural that we would begin to form a bias toward some and against others. I personally took a strong inclination to Bandura and his theory of reciprocal determinism. Towards Jung, my attitude was not as positive. Bandura's theory of reciprocal determinism spoke to me on a personal level. I see applications and implications of it in both my personal life as well as in the career path I have chosen. Unlike many other theories, Bandura recognized that behavior, environment, and personal characteristics all influence one another. While I think some things may influence other things to a greater level, I agree that there is influence occurring from all components. I find other theories to be a bit flawed since they tend to focus primarily on one part as a causal agent. Bandura also believed that people were in control over their behavior. Cloninger points out that Bandura believed people controlled what they did, but vary in how they exert this control (251). To me the clearest...
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...paradigm (exactly how we sense the environment and live with each other now) but have no idea the reality they are being fed is a simulation. In a situation eerily similar to the now cult classic film trilogy The Matrix, released just a few years after Putnam’s discussion, we are all trapped in a simulation and are both unable to escape it, and, as Putnam argues,...
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...Chapter I Summary As the novella opens, Mr. Jones, the proprietor and overseer of the Manor Farm, has just stumbled drunkenly to bed after forgetting to secure his farm buildings properly. As soon as his bedroom light goes out, all of the farm animals except Moses, Mr. Jones’s tame raven, convene in the big barn to hear a speech by Old Major, a prize boar and pillar of the animal community. Sensing that his long life is about to come to an end, Major wishes to impart to the rest of the farm animals a distillation of the wisdom that he has acquired during his lifetime. As the animals listen raptly, Old Major delivers up the fruits of his years of quiet contemplation in his stall. The plain truth, he says, is that the lives of his fellow animals are “miserable, laborious, and short.” Animals are born into the world as slaves, worked incessantly from the time they can walk, fed only enough to keep breath in their bodies, and then slaughtered mercilessly when they are no longer useful. He notes that the land upon which the animals live possesses enough resources to support many times the present population in luxury; there is no natural reason for the animals’ poverty and misery. Major blames the animals’ suffering solely on their human oppressors. Mr. Jones and his ilk have been exploiting animals for ages, Major says, taking all of the products of their labor—eggs, milk, dung, foals—for themselves and producing nothing of value to offer the animals in return. Old Major relates...
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...Dominic Kacich Professor Collett MUSIC 206: 3:00 P.M. 7 December 2011 Little Shop of Horrors Film Critique The 1986 film version of the Little Shop of Horrors directed by Frank Oz was based on the musical under the same name. Alan Menken wrote the music, while Howard Ashman wrote both the lyrics and book. The musical received very positive reviews and won several awards including the Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. The story is very well thought-out and has some interesting turns. I am going to analyze/critique the film version and discuss the following: the book, music (lyrics), dance, and screenplay. As stated in the introduction, Howard Ashman wrote the book. I believe it was a very well written comedy musical turned into a film. The simple plot line was easy to follow; however, it was hard to predict what exactly would happen next. The mixture of events that could actually happen versus those that could not added a very humorous side to the movie. The plot was very standard of the time, a store owner who is trying hard to keep business going along with a young, energetic man looking to make money and also find the woman of his dreams. The addition of the plant to the plot created many different opportunities for the story to go. The plant appealed to the people passing by bringing huge profits for the business, which was very good. However, on the bad side, the plants main intent was world domination. In my opinion, the plant was the reason...
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..."I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people." I truly am one of those people. I was born in 1993, thirteen years after John Lennon was murdered, but he has had an impact impacted me greatly on the way I choose to live my life. I decided at a young age to never conform to other people's views. My mother will not would not admit it, but she had a plan of how she wanted me to act and look around her friends. On the night of Halloween in 1995, my mother attempted to dress me in a Raggedy Anne costume. Instead of being forced into wearing something I had no interest in wearing, I threw a fit. I screamed and threw my fists until I got to wear what I wanted to, which was nothing but my birthday suit. From adolescence to the present I have tried my hardest to be an individual and keep away from stereotypes. I try to let people know that it is okay to be an individual by making a fool out of myself John Lennon sat in bed for a week to inspire peace and I went streaking through my camp to inspire individualism. I may not have made a worldwide impact, but when I explained to people why I had gone streaking, a few younger campers decided to be fearless and participate in the talent show. (This part is a bit jumpy. I understand you're trying to make a new point, but it doesn't flow too well)Friendship has always meant a great...
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...Criticism Chapter I 1.1 Introduction The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream. 1.2 State of Problem The Great Gatsby provides a critical social history of America during the Roaring Twenties within its narrative. That era, known for unprecedented economic prosperity, the evolution of jazz music, flapper culture, and bootlegging and other economy struggle that was the result of the materialism and capitalism damaging on social behavior, led to the widespread social distress. 1.3 Theoretical Framework Using literary criticism to interpret what is the ideal life of America in 19th century and what is the dream of American people after World War I. as a Marxist interpretation of the novel makes especially clear, reveals its dark underbelly instead. Through its unflattering characterization of those at the top of the economic heap and its horrifying examination of the ways in which American dream not only fails...
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