Many decisions in modern life seem concerned with the goal of increasing the efficiency of processes, whether economic or engineering. This flows into the life of the church and personal decisions that Christians make. But I wonder is there a theological justification for this preoccupation? Jacques Ellul raised questions such as this in The Technological Society [which I am yet to read].
I really struggle to find passages in the Bible, and particularly teachings of Jesus, that support the priority of efficiency. There is certainly teaching about stewardship [not wasting God-given resources] but often this relates to "reckless" acts of generosity and faith, rather than "strategic" decisions that optimise personal benefit and comfort. God is certainly "economical" and "efficient" in that Jesus' death is "one sufficient sacrifice for all sin for all time". I can see that it is loving not to waste other peoples time, energy, and money. But it seems that prioritising technology and economic efficiency can do violence to relationships, community, and human dignity.
I welcome suggestions on how the Bible can be used to justify efficiency.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Wrestling with your conscience
In a work environment, when and how does one cross the line between "just doing your job" and being unethical?
Will lapses of ethics drive you crazy?
My son and I watched the movie Michael Clayton. It is a "thriller" about a the "fixer" in a large corporate law firm in New York. It touches on mental health issues, corporate corruption, and predominantly issues of conscience.
Will lapses of ethics drive you crazy?
My son and I watched the movie Michael Clayton. It is a "thriller" about a the "fixer" in a large corporate law firm in New York. It touches on mental health issues, corporate corruption, and predominantly issues of conscience.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Seek the welfare of the city
What should the role and responsibilities of Christians be in the public square?
How can secular democracies function when many citizens are religious?
This past month at my theology book discussion group we read and discussed Miroslav Volf's book, A Public Faith: How followers of Christ should serve the common good
My first problem with this book was that my expectations were too high. Volf's earlier book Exclusion and Embrace, is a hard act to follow. It is highly original and challenging, particularly in its engagement with postmodern literature.
I mainly recommend it because it wrestles with important issues that need to be addressed by both Christians and non-Christians.
What is the "common good"? It is "human flourishing". Christians can serve others. They can also question things in society that are preventing people from flourishing. An example is how Western secular society has degenerated into a focus on "experiential satisfaction." This follows the change in the USA from a focus on God to Nation to self, as described by Andrew Delbanco in The Real American Dream.
I think Volf may be a little weak in his view of the prophetic role of Christians. He seems so keen to find common ground and get a "seat at the table" that he is reluctant to be marginalised by them calling on society to repent and to right injustices.
I feel the book may be too controlled by responding to extremist agendas, caricatures, and critiques. Significant space is spend responding to the influential Muslim, Sayyid Qutb. It reminds me of yet another book on "creation vs. evolution" which is responding to a debate defined by extremists such as Richard Dawkins and Ken Ham.
Previously, I posted about how I don't like the label "science and faith". Similarly I don't like the label of "faith-based initiatives". The problem is that this plays to secularist claims that contrast "faith" and "reason" and "evidence". There is just as much "faith" and "personal values" in the views and policies of right-wing conservatives, Marxists, libertarians, Muslims, neoliberals, .... and Christian activists.
The book could have benefited from some concrete discussion and examples of how his proposals might work in practice. One example might be the Clapham Sect, associated with William Wilberforce.
Nevertheless. the book is a valuable contribution. Jeremiah 29 says
How can secular democracies function when many citizens are religious?
This past month at my theology book discussion group we read and discussed Miroslav Volf's book, A Public Faith: How followers of Christ should serve the common good
My first problem with this book was that my expectations were too high. Volf's earlier book Exclusion and Embrace, is a hard act to follow. It is highly original and challenging, particularly in its engagement with postmodern literature.
I mainly recommend it because it wrestles with important issues that need to be addressed by both Christians and non-Christians.
What is the "common good"? It is "human flourishing". Christians can serve others. They can also question things in society that are preventing people from flourishing. An example is how Western secular society has degenerated into a focus on "experiential satisfaction." This follows the change in the USA from a focus on God to Nation to self, as described by Andrew Delbanco in The Real American Dream.
I think Volf may be a little weak in his view of the prophetic role of Christians. He seems so keen to find common ground and get a "seat at the table" that he is reluctant to be marginalised by them calling on society to repent and to right injustices.
I feel the book may be too controlled by responding to extremist agendas, caricatures, and critiques. Significant space is spend responding to the influential Muslim, Sayyid Qutb. It reminds me of yet another book on "creation vs. evolution" which is responding to a debate defined by extremists such as Richard Dawkins and Ken Ham.
Previously, I posted about how I don't like the label "science and faith". Similarly I don't like the label of "faith-based initiatives". The problem is that this plays to secularist claims that contrast "faith" and "reason" and "evidence". There is just as much "faith" and "personal values" in the views and policies of right-wing conservatives, Marxists, libertarians, Muslims, neoliberals, .... and Christian activists.
The book could have benefited from some concrete discussion and examples of how his proposals might work in practice. One example might be the Clapham Sect, associated with William Wilberforce.
Nevertheless. the book is a valuable contribution. Jeremiah 29 says
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
A highly creative engagement of science and theology
Tom McLeish is a Professor of Physics at Durham University and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Next week, Oxford University Press is publishing his book Faith and Wisdom in Science. It looks like a refreshingly new and constructive approach to exploring the relationship between science and theology. Here is are some of the book highlights from the publisher website.
- Communicates science from within real stories over a timespan of millennia
- Argues that science can be a deeply religious activity
- Takes the most significant Biblical book for science to be Job (rather than e.g. Genesis)
- Takes the most significant science area for thinking about science and meaning/purpose as Statistical Mechanics (rather than e.g. Quantum Mechanics or Cosmology)
- Insists that rather than debating "science and theology" we need both "science of theology" and a "theology of science"
- Readers will be able to use suggestions practically, whether in church, politics or university
McLeish recently gave a seminar, related to the book, at the Faraday Institute. Here is a summary of the talk from Ruth Bancewicz and you can watch it here.
An article in The Conversation puts the book in the context of broader social debates.
I thank Leigh Trevaskis for bringing this to my attention.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
How selfish can we get?
I was very disappointed with the latest Australian budget. One of Australia's most prominent economists John Quiggin called it a "moral failure".
My first concern is that the Government deceptively claimed that funding cuts are necessary because economic disaster looms because of continuing budget deficits. Look at Greece! However, this is purely a scare tactic because it is not an appropriate comparison since Australia's deficits and debts are much smaller than European countries that are in trouble. Second, the cuts in areas unpopular with conservatives [welfare, health, education, foreign aid] were accompanied by spending increases in defence, "border protection", and middle class welfare such as the paid parental leave scheme...
Maybe a coherent case can be made for making some of these cuts but it should be done with integrity and logical consistency.
My second disappointment was not just the cut in foreign aid, but the significant policy shift that foreign aid should not be about alleviating poverty but advancing Australia's commercial and strategic interests. How selfish can we get? This shift is similar to one made recently by the Canadian government and the problems are described here.
On a less serious scale, what was worse than the 3 per cent cut in funding for the Australian Research Council [from whom I get most of my research funding] was the declaration that it was an "efficiency levy"! Politicians don't seem to have the courage to call a spade a spade.
My first concern is that the Government deceptively claimed that funding cuts are necessary because economic disaster looms because of continuing budget deficits. Look at Greece! However, this is purely a scare tactic because it is not an appropriate comparison since Australia's deficits and debts are much smaller than European countries that are in trouble. Second, the cuts in areas unpopular with conservatives [welfare, health, education, foreign aid] were accompanied by spending increases in defence, "border protection", and middle class welfare such as the paid parental leave scheme...
Maybe a coherent case can be made for making some of these cuts but it should be done with integrity and logical consistency.
My second disappointment was not just the cut in foreign aid, but the significant policy shift that foreign aid should not be about alleviating poverty but advancing Australia's commercial and strategic interests. How selfish can we get? This shift is similar to one made recently by the Canadian government and the problems are described here.
On a less serious scale, what was worse than the 3 per cent cut in funding for the Australian Research Council [from whom I get most of my research funding] was the declaration that it was an "efficiency levy"! Politicians don't seem to have the courage to call a spade a spade.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Has science killed God?
Tomorrow evening I am giving a talk "Has science killed God?" at the Toowong Student Residence.
Here are the slides. I am looking forward to some lively discussion with the students.
Here are the slides. I am looking forward to some lively discussion with the students.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Facing a painful past
I enjoyed watching Saving Mr. Banks. It was much more emotionally intense than I expected. The movie claims to chronicle Walt Disney persuading author P.L. Travers to agree to the making of the movie, Mary Poppins, which is based on Travers' novel. The movie continually flashes back to scenes of her painful childhood. The movie is quite redemptive as Travers comes to terms with the past, forgiving herself and her father, and moving on. It seems this is not what actually happened historically but it terms of cinema is a great movie, with a strongly redemptive message.
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