1st day of sabbatical

June 28 blog

Yesterday was the 1st day of my sabbatical.  

Title - God in the Creative Process: In Search of the Story

Thesis

God creates

We are made in God’s image

We have the God-given need and capacity to create

We need more than just words to grasp, communicate,  and live our  spiritual journey story

We can better know God and ourselves through the creative gifts of His people

Do we have a responsibility to create

Components

Classes / Events

June 27 – July 1     All That Jazz:  A Christian Take – Regent College

July 27 – 30            KindlingsFest:  Turning Mourning into Dancing - Orcas Island

Workshops

July 16           Glassblowing at Uptown Glassworks

Independent study

Interviews

Blogging

Personal expressions

Outcome

My desire to enter more into the mystery of God to get a fuller picture  of Him

Engage others in this conversation

Written dissertation

Creative expressions

This week I am at Regent College which is a Christian college on the University of British Columbia campus.  Quite the 'city'.

My class this week is "All That Jazz:  A Christian Take."  David Gill, Professor of Workplace Theology & Business Ethics, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Bill Edgar, Professor of Apologetics, Westminster Theological Seminary. are the instructors.  Bill is a jazz pianist who is going to China from here to teach this type of class.  If you want to know more about Bill, check this out - http://www.wts.edu/faculty/profiles/wedgar.html

Yesterday was Jazz Intro, History, & Potential Witness to God’s Truth.

I have already written up papers on two books that were assigned:  Finding the Groove:  A Jazz Shaped Faith by Robert Gelinas and Moving to Higher Ground:   How Jazz Can Change Your Life by Wynton Marsalis.  Both were very informative.

There are several summer classes going on.  Alister McGrath is here and spoke last night on "Why God Won't Go Away:  Reflections on 'New Atheizm’” (UK spelling)  

He says that the New Atheists bring good questions to the discussion.  He addressed three of their main points:

1  Religion is intrinsically violent

2  Religion is fundamentally irrational

3  Science destroys religion

He was fantastic!

I'm looking forward to blogging about tomorrow's class.