[The Dawn of a New Era]

The English set their sights on colonization late in the game. Embroiled in religious wars and civil unrest, England lost the "choice picks" in the New World as Spain, France, and the Netherlands staked their claims in the western hemisphere. By the time English ships intent on forging settlements set sail across the Atlantic, all that remained was Virginia, a thousand-mile stretch of shoreline from present-day Maine to South Carolina. The other European heavy-hitters hadn't paid it much attention: they saw the land as fruitless, since (a) major cash crops couldn't be grown in its climate, and (b) precious metals, such as gold and silver, couldn't be found. A third reason (which the English would be forced to subdue by disease and the sword) is that the land had already been claimed by thousands of native Americans. The Spanish had all but given up on their ambitions in Florida, and they didn't press colonization farther north precisely because of the hostile Indian presence. All these reasons made Virginia questionable for colonization, but the English leaders came to see Virginia as the perfect place to cast unwanted beggars and criminals out of England proper. This essay focuses on the early settlements at Roanoke, Jamestown, and Plymouth--and on the native Americans who decided the fates of these settlements.

The Dawn of a New World

Coming up next on my "colonial essays" is The Southern Colonies.
Yes, you'll want to keep your eyes out for that one!
(and on the heels of 12 Years a Slave, at that!)

"The Way" (III)

Do penance: bury your negligences, offenses and sins in the deep pit dug by your humility. Thus does the farmer bury rotten fruit, dead twigs and fallen leaves at the foot of the tree that bore them. And what was unfruitful, even harmful, makes a real contribution to a new fertility. Learn to draw from your falls a new impulse: from death, life.

Say to your body: “I would rather keep you in slavery than be myself your slave.”

I want you to be happy on earth. But you won’t be if you don’t get rid of that fear of suffering. For as long as we are “wayfarers,” it is precisely in suffering that our happiness lies.

Make this firm and determined resolution: to recall, when you receive honors and praise, everything that brings you shame and embarrassment. The shame and embarrassment are yours; the praise and the glory are God’s.

Conduct yourself well “now,” without looking back on “yesterday,” which is really going, and without worrying about “tomorrow,” which for you may never come.

Said a prayerful soul: In intentions, may Jesus be our end; in affections, our love; in speech, our theme; in actions, our model.

I don’t doubt your good intentions. I know you act in the presence of God. But—and there is a “but”!—your actions are witnessed or may be witnessed by men who judge by human standards… And you must set a good example for them.

Sadness, depression. I’m not surprised: it’s the cloud of dust raised by your fall. But… enough of it! Can’t you see that the cloud has been borne far away by the breath of grace? Moreover, your sadness—if you don’t reject it—could very well be the cloak of your pride. Did you really think yourself perfect and sinless?

Don’t think any more about your fall. Besides overwhelming and crushing you under its weight, that recollection may easily be an occasion for future temptation. Christ has forgiven you! Forget the ‘old man’—your former self.

“Father,” said that big fellow, a good student of the University of Madrid, “I was thinking of what you told me—that I’m a son of God!—and I found myself walking along the street, head up, chin out, and a feeling of pride inside… a son of God!” With sure conscience I advised him to foster that “pride.”

It’s necessary to be convinced that God is always near us. Too often we live as though our Lord were somewhere far off—where the stars shine. We fail to realize that he is also by our side—always. For he is a loving Father. He loves each one of us more than all the mothers in the world can love their children, helping us and inspiring us, blessing… and forgiving. How often we’ve erased the frowns from our parents’ brows, telling them after some prank, “I won’t do it again!” Maybe that same day we fall again… And our father, with feigned harshness in his voice and a serious face, reproves us, while at the same time his heart is softened because he knows our weakness. “Poor boy,” he thinks, “How hard he tries to behave well!” We have to be completely convinced, realizing it to the full, that our Lord, who is close to us and in Heaven, is a Father, and very much our Father.

an ode to ohio

The passion, the sincerity, the longing... 
This is why I love Damien Jurado. 

Eden Park

[sunday meditations]

INTERMISSION: 1 PETER 1.1-12

Having examined the first twelve verses of 1 Peter, it would be good to step back and see how they all fit together from a bird’s-eye point of view. In verses 1-2, Peter identifies both himself and those to whom he is writing: the Christians in Asia Minor. His letter, as we saw in the introduction, was written to encourage and strengthen the eastern Christians as western persecution threatens to spread like wildfire throughout the Roman Empire. Peter begins this letter of encouragement and strengthening by focusing the Christians’ perspectives: instead of focusing on this current life, and thus on life in this present evil age, Christians are to focus on the future age, the consummation of God’s kingdom. This, the Christian hope (including the resurrection of the dead, glorification, and the inheritance of a new heavens and new earth), energizes and strengthens spiritual muscle; but if the Christians are wholly focused upon the current state-of-affairs, they’ll miss out on all of this.

Peter’s brief mentioning of several key eschatological themes serves as a reminder rather than an instruction to the Asia Minor Christians. Peter isn’t telling them anything they don’t know; rather, he’s reminding them of what they already know, and urging them to focus on that. The Christian hope, which is so often taken as a tidbit of Christian doctrine, or side-lined in lieu of more “important” matters (such as the order of salvation), is a defining characteristic of Christian belief, identity, and praxis.

In terms of belief, Christians can be identified by the way that they understand not just the present but also the future. Christian theism teaches that history is going somewhere, and the “where” is the total victory of God over evil and the renewal of all things, human beings included. The Christian message has just as much to say about the future as it does the past and present, and these different “phases” in history are intimately connected and informed by all the others. This isn’t sideline theology or just another aspect of the Christian faith; it’s integral to Christian belief! In 1 Peter 3.15, Peter tells the Christians to be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks about the hope that is in them. Hope is so integral to the Christian faith that pagans know Christians for their hope, and are intrigued by it.

In terms of identity, the Christian hope locates Christians on the map of history. There’s no ambiguity regarding where we stand on the “divine timetable.” Christians are identified in the New Testament as those who have already participated in God’s future, by virtue of participating in Christ’s death and resurrection, so that they are “new creations”. Christians have been “spiritually resurrected” in the present, and this spiritual resurrection is no less real than our future bodily resurrections. Christians ought to find their identities not in the existential morass drenching our culture but in the fact that we have died with Christ and have been raised from the dead (spiritually-speaking), and with the promise of future bodily resurrection, we are to live as resurrected beings.

In terms of praxis (behavior), the future informs Christians on the right manner of living in the sense that Christians are to live in the present as if the future has already arrived. Christians are to put into practice, in this present evil age, “kingdom-living”, anticipating in word and deed and thought God’s complete and realized kingdom.

Again: Peter’s decision to focus on eschatology isn’t done at random, nor is it a clever little trick. It makes perfect sense. While eschatology has become, at least in some circles, merely a matter of interesting study, it should be integral to our belief, identity, and behavior as it was (or, at least, as St. Peter believed it should be) for the Christians in Asia Minor. Now, having given a panoramic view of the future, Peter demands that his readers/hearers not simply dismiss what he’s written as mere doctrinal peculiarities, but, rather, put it at the forefront of their minds and shape their thinking and living around it.

this, the day of my birth

My 27th birthday has been pretty great so far: morning writing at The Anchor followed by brunch there with Jessie and Tony (I treated myself to a western omelette, wheat toast, and hash-browns covered with onions and cheese; oh, and orange juice and coffee!). We took the party back to the Hobbit Hole, where Jessie signed her lease over to me (now I have two cars, so I'm rich!), and we spent the afternoon drinking beer (well, I did) and talking about life, the future, and everything with the Wisconsinite. They headed out, and I talked with Mandy for a little while before heading to Blue Ash to hang out with the guys. I'm helping Ben fix dinner and am amping up to chow down on some sushi I brought from Fusian. Here's a pic of my new car:

#carpaymentsareforlosers
also, #carpaymentsareforthosewhocanaffordthem

The absolute BEST part of my birthday, however, is what I woke up to: a wonderful "Happy Birthday Rap" from the Wisconsinite, coupled with her singing me Happy Birthday and yet another video on Facebook cleverly put together that made my heart melt and a smile grow wide on my face. Really, she's the only one who makes me grin ear-to-ear. I thank God for her every morning, every day, every night. In a sense, that's a figure of speech: I thank God for her all the time. In another sense, it's literal: I literally thank God for her every time of day. She really is an answer to prayer, and I hope and pray I will be a continual answer to her prayers as I strive to lead her and love her as Christ leads and loves the church. "Where did that come from?" you ask. Don't be fooled: as The Black Keys put it, "Girl is always on my mind." The best birthday present is simply seeing her face and hearing her voice. I'm not even being sappy, that's straight-up truth. 

Now I'm going to eat some sushi.

And watch Jumanji for like the sixth time in just as many days.

a quiet night in dayton

bored at work...

It's late in the evening. Mom and Dad are finishing off their pizzas and I'm cuddling with Sky on the sofa as we watch "Elementary" (a show about Sherlock Holmes). I've filed my tax returns and am looking forward to getting half a grand in my account over the next couple weeks. It'll be transferred directly to my "Wisconsin" fund. 

Sometimes I fear I have too many irons in the fire. I've engaged myself in so many books and intellectual projects, and at times it can be overwhelming (better than being underwhelming, I guess). Part of me wants to "pare down" all those things I'm intellectually investing myself in: colonial American history, reading countless books, trying to piece together a work of historical fiction, trying to "relearn" the fundamentals of Koine Greek... And yet, in the midst of all this, I know that (a) despite all the hours I spend at work, I have a decent amount of free time to spend doing nothing to save money, and since I don't have TV or internet, such projects are an easy and delightful way to pass the time. Also (b) once Mandy and I are hitched, and especially when we start having children, my free time will vaporize like mineral water under a mercury sun. 

Oh, I forgot another "task" I'm throwing myself into: after watching "Son of God," I found myself itching to just plunge into studying the life of Christ. When I got back to Dayton after my trip in northern Illinois, I crawled into the crawlspace (that's why they call it that) and fished out several commentaries on the gospels and my classic "A Harmony of the Gospels." Beginning with John 1.1-18, I'm starting an intellectual journey through the life of Christ, focusing primarily on (a) the social-historical context of the events, parables, and teachings, (b) how said events, parables, and teachings would be seen from various perspectives of those involved [disciples, followers, "sinners," Pharisees, Roman occupiers], and (c) the disposition of Jesus towards those involved, paying particular attention to the way he showed love in word and deed. If we as Christians are to be "little Christs" in the world, practicing the "presence of Christ" (something like WWJD, except on steroids), then what better way than to immerse ourselves in the life of Christ? This study will be far from boring (in the "dry intellectualism" sense), for I'm doing it in the context of a meditative technique where you use your imagination to experience the contours of the events and teachings so that it comes alive to all the senses. For this to work, of course, there's going to be considerable study of the "background information" pertinent to 2nd temple Palestinian Judaism in the Roman occupation, especially in regards to daily life. 

In the midst of all this work and study, I'm making "play" a priority. Thursday nights are one of my only free nights (I'm off work at 1:30 PM). I was going to the Young Adult Group at U.C.C., but I've decided instead to use that time for hanging out with my friends and family. Since I will be going to Wisconsin around the end of the summer, my time with them is limited, and I'd much rather continue seeing these friends than trying to forge new friendships at a bible study (which I thoroughly enjoyed) before suddenly jumping ship. Thus Thursday nights have often found me in Dayton with Mom or Dad, or hanging out with Pat D., or making time to see Ams. This past Thursday Corey, Mandy H., Kevin, Ams and I went to Rock Bottom for dinner and drinks. I cherish these friendships, most of all my friendship with Ams: we laughed until we cried, and I found my soul refreshed. I'm so thankful for the relationship we have. She really is one of my best friends, and she'll be the one I miss most when I move north, that's for sure. I'm glad we've both been more proactive about spending time with one another; we're making memories I'll cherish during those early "hard months" of living in an entirely new place, an entirely new "world". 

Oh, I forgot another "task" I'm throwing myself into: after watching "Son of God," I found myself itching to just plunge into studying the life of Christ. When I got back to Dayton after my trip in northern Illinois, I crawled into the crawlspace (that's why they call it that) and fished out several commentaries on the gospels and my classic "A Harmony of the Gospels." Beginning with John 1.1-18, I'm starting an intellectual journey through the life of Christ, focusing primarily on (a) the social-historical context of the events, parables, and teachings, (b) how said events, parables, and teachings would be seen from various perspectives of those involved [disciples, followers, "sinners," Pharisees, Roman occupiers], and (c) the disposition of Jesus towards those involved, paying particular attention to the way he showed love in word and deed. If we as Christians are to be "little Christs" in the world, practicing the "presence of Christ" (something like WWJD, except on steroids), then what better way than to immerse ourselves in the life of Christ? This study will be far from boring (in the "dry intellectualism" sense), for I'm doing it in the context of a meditative technique where you use your imagination to experience the contours of the events and teachings so that it comes alive to all the senses. For this to work, of course, there's going to be considerable study of the "background information" pertinent to 2nd temple Palestinian Judaism in the Roman occupation, especially in regards to daily life. 

This post has been unnecessarily long.

And so I'll close with a photobomb!

(It rhymes, so...)