Taylor Faculty Chili Cook-Off

The first (annual?) Taylor University College Chili Cook-Off was held today. This was an orientation event where faculty made a chili dinner for students. Each student was given one vote for whose chili was the best — and guess who won? Yup, yours truly. My bowl of red was voted number one.

I love chili (the spicier the better) and I made a huge vat for the students as well as a special “hot as hell γέεννα� version for those tough enough to try it out. I only entered the more mild version in the contest, since the other stuff is not suitable for mere mortals and I figured people wouldn’t vote for something that causes the skin to peel from the roof of their mouths!

Well, I can’t bask in my greatness too long… classes start tomorrow morning and I need to get my beauty sleep. Cheers.


Taylor Faith & Film Club

Another thing I will be involved in this academic year is a campus film club. One of my colleagues came up with the idea was soliciting help. I volunteered immediately to help organize it and we came up with four films to watch for the fall semester. We decided to only go once a month so we only had to choose four films — talk about a difficult task! This is what we came up with for the fall semester:

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We wanted to choose films from a broad cross-section of classics, foreign films, documentaries, and more popular fare. We decided to make sure the first film is critically acclaimed but accessible for students — and Millions (2004, Directed by Danny Boyle, Rated PG) fits the bill. Babette’s Feast (Babettes gæstebud; 1987, Directed by Gabriel Axel, Rated G) fills the category of a classic foreign film, while Born into Brothels (2004, Directed by Zana Briski & Ross Kauffman, Rated 14A) fills the category of a documentary. Hotel Rwanda (2004, Directed by Terry George, Rated 14A) is our pick for a social justice film (of course Born into Brothels also fits this category).

We haven’t decided on films for the winter semester, though I would like to view a film that touches on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in some way — whether Death in Gaza (2004), Wall (Mur, 2004), Paradise Now (2005), or the like. I would also like to show a Jesus film for around Easter — whether The Gospel According to St. Matthew (Il Vangelo secondo Matteo, 1964) or Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal, 1989).

All in all I think it will be a great time to get together with students and view and discuss great films.


2006 Taylor Public Lectures on Religion & Culture

2006_lecture_poster.jpgOne of my responsibilities as Chair of the Religion & Theology Department at Taylor is to organize our annual fall lecture series. This lecture series touches on on some facet of the intersection of religion and culture. This fall we have an exciting line-up of speakers and topics.

Dr. Jens Zimmerman, Associate Professor of English and Canada Research Chair in Religion, Culture, and Interpretation at Trinity Western University will be presenting on the “return of the gods� to contemporary culture and what that means for Christians. After emigrating to Canada from Germany in 1989, Dr. Zimmermann obtained his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at the University of British Columbia. He has been a professor at Trinity Western University since 1998. His most recent publications are Recovering Theological Hermeneutics: An Incarnational-Trinitarian Approach to Interpretation (Baker Academic, 2004) and The Passionate Intellect: Incarnational Humanism and the Future of University Education (Baker Academic, 2006).

In addition, we have lectures by two Taylor professors. Dr. Natasha Duquette will be lecturing on the novels of Jane Austen as well as their film adaptations, while Dr. Jerry Shepherd will be addressing the controversial topic of violence and the Christianity — especially in light of the biblical portrayal of God as a violent deity. The series will be brought to close with another guest lecturer: Dr. Stephen W. Martin, Assistant Professor of Theology at the King’s University College in Edmonton, will be presenting on theology in the popular culture phenomenon of Joss Whedon’s television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Each lecture will include time for discussion and interaction. Consistent with the aims of our institution, we will explore these topics from a distinctively Christian perspective. In support of this event, we would greatly appreciate if you could promote these lectures.

The four lectures for this fall are:

zimmermanjens.jpgLecture 1: “Return of the gods? Faith and Intellectual Culture after Secularism� by Dr. Jens Zimmerman, Associate Professor of English and Canada Research Chair in Religion, Culture, and Interpretation, Trinity Western University, B.C. (Thursday, September 28, 7:30-9:00 pm).

Cultural critic Terry Eagleton claims there is a crisis in Western culture. Global pressures are forcing the West to think deeply about its past and future at a time when our cultural habits have deprived us of the ability to do so. Christian and secular thinkers alike are now prepared to denounce cultural relativism in search of a common humanity. Intellectuals are now proclaiming the end of atheism, indeed even of the secular university and are discussing the return of religion to the academy. This lecture describes and attempts a theological assessment of this “return of the gods” to a formerly secular intellectual culture. What does it mean for our culture and its institutions when the Pope, atheist statesmen, and academics are jointly calling for a return to values and religion?

natashaduquette.jpgLecture 2: “Sense and Sensuality: Jane Austen on the Spiritual Pleasures and Dangers of Visuality� by Dr. Natasha Duquette, Assistant Professor of English, Taylor University College, Edmonton (Thursday, October 19, 7:30-9:00 pm)

This lecture will consider the treatment of visual dynamics both in Jane Austen’s novels and in the film adaptations of those novels, with a focus on Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park. Representing her heroines as landscape connoisseurs, Austen satirizes the wildly dangerous sublime, sympathizes with the rudely cultivated picturesque, and finally conceives of her own spiritually contemplative sublime. After considering this progression through Austen’s texts, we will critically examine our own complicity in the pleasures and dangers of landscape aesthetics as we view Austen’s spectator characters on film.

jerryshepherd.jpgLecture 3: “Christians: Servants of a Violent God?� by Dr. Jerry Shepherd, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Taylor Seminary, Edmonton (Thursday, November 2, 7:30-9:00 pm)

With the increase in terrorism and war in the Middle East, it is more important than ever for Christians to think through their approach to war and violence. This lecture will look at different perspectives on Christian engagement with culture in discussions on war and violence, in light of the biblical portrayal of God as a violent deity.

stevemartin.jpgLecture 4: “‘What’s the Plural of Apocalypse’? Disclosing the End(s) of the World in the TV Series’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel� by Dr. Stephen W. Martin, Assistant Professor of Theology, The King’s University College, Edmonton (Thursday, November 16, 7:30-9:00 pm)

N.T. Wright has identified apocalyptic “as a way of investing space-time reality with its full, that is, its theological, significance.� Rather than denying the world, this reading suggests that apocalyptic affirms the world by saying “no� to the finality of evil. This lecture will investigate how two television programs, each created by “rabid atheist� Joss Whedon, see the meaning of the world in terms of impending apocalypse, and how the stories they tell in its light serve to invest the world with theological significance.

All lectures are FREE and will be held in Stencel Hall, in the Taylor Seminary Building, 11525-23 Avenue (access from the West parking lot off 23 Avenue).

I will be posting MP3s of the lectures on the Lecture website (which will be here eventually). I may even video record the lectures and post them on YouTube. For past lectures (including free downloadable MP3s), please go to the Public Lecture Archive page.


School Supply Silliness? – White Out Banned!

correctionfluidban.jpgMy kids all go back to school next week, so naturally we have been getting together their school supplies for the year. Most of the items are standard: duotangs, paper, pens, pencils (HB pencils of course!), etc. What caught my eye, however, was a note on one of my kid’s supply list that White Out (aka Liquid Paper, white correction fluid, etc.) wasn’t permitted “for safety reasons.” This was the first time for this sort of notice.

My first thought was “Huh?! Why in the world are they banning White Out?!” I considered this to be another example of elementary schools going nuts with silly rules. But why White Out? Did the caretakers finally get sick and tired of cleaning it out of the carpet? Were teachers scared that students would hurl the little white bottles at each other?

As it turns out, I guess in some schools sniffing correction fluid has been an issue. In the 1980s a kid even died from sniffing the stuff. The state of Texas even had an ad campaign highlighting the dangers of sniffing correction fluid:

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So there you go… I guess I have been corrected! File this in the “things I didn’t realize” folder. Of course, since the 1980s the manufacturers of correction fluid have changed their formulas so that it isn’t as much of an issue any more. You can even get water-based correction fluid that won’t even give you a buzz.


Gearing Up for the Fall Semester

Well, I just spent the last few days in faculty meetings as we at Taylor get ready for the upcoming academic year (our academic year begins September 6). I don’t mind meetings; it’s just a bit jarring to go from the summer work schedule (which is quite flexible) to sitting in meetings for all day long (and pretend to be alert!).

This fall semester I’m teaching a full load of classes at the University College, including Old Testament Literature (a first year introduction to the Hebrew Bible; see the course web page here), Introduction to Classical Hebrew (a cross-listed university and seminary course), and Psalms (a senior university course). I am also teaching an extra course at Taylor Seminary (their OT professor is on sabbatical) called The Kingdom of Israel (I’m going to take a bit of latitude with this course and focus primarily on the book of Chronicles). I imagine my blog posts will overlap somewhat with the courses I am teaching, so you can look forward to (or dread) some posts on the Psalter, Chronicles, and Hebrew — among other things!

No more meetings for a while… now I just have to get my syllabi ready for the fall!


My Political Compass

Joe Cathay “tagged” me to do a quiz that maps your political compass. While I try to stay out of the political arena on my blog, I did the quiz and here are my results:

  • Economic Left/Right: -4.25
  • Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.18

That puts me in the same category as Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama — not bad company in my books!

I notice that I am on opposite sides of the graph than Joe, but that’s OK — we’re friends anyway!


The One Book Meme

Ben Myers over at Faith and Theology started this meme. I saw this last night, but didn’t have the energy to respond, but since I have now been tagged by Joe, I figure I should give it a go (hey.. that rhymed… I’m a poet and I didn’t know it!).

1. One book that changed your life:
The Bible (Really! I’m not being trite)

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:

You can do that? Read a book more than once! Wow. (just joking!) The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
Thomas Harris, I’m OK, You’re OK. OK, that was a joke. I would probably want the Bible — in the original languages.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Calvin and Hobbes, Far Side, Bloom County (I was at a friend’s cabin and then had a selection of comic books to peruse)

5. One book that made you cry:
Hmmm… I actually can’t think of any. Now, if you we were talking movies, then I would have to say Star Trek two. When Spock dies near the end I get teary eyed. “I have been… and always shall be… your friend.”

6. One book that you wish had been written:
I wish that Tolkien would have finished the Similarian himself.

7. One book that you wish had never been written:

I don’t have any strong opinions here, so let’s say The Book of Jabez.

8. One book you’re currently reading:
Only one book… fine. How about The Bible after Babel by John J. Collins (of course, I could have said Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament by Dominique Barthélemy to impress you all with my keen intellect and language skills… but I am far too humble a person to do that.)

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
Hmmm… I’m not sure. How about the nice copy of the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls that Jim West sent me?

10. Now tag five people:
Chip Hardy, Joey Walker, Kevin Wilson, Chris Brady, Talmida.


Hello, My Name is Tyler, and I Love U2…

Brandon Wason over at Novum Testamentum Blog likes Steely Dan, but I love U2. In my vehicle I only happen to have “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” (2000; Buy from Amazon.ca | Buy from Amazon.com) and I have been listening to it for days on end (hmmm… I guess I could always bring one or more of my other U2 CDs into the vehicle… but it is one of my favourites!).

My family, however, doesn’t seem to appreciate my music quite as much and suggested I log on to this website:

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Bono Fatigue: A Place for Bono Vox Detox

From site host Andrew Billings:

This site is for U2 fans suffering from Bono Fatigue as a result of an over-consumption of U2 music, Bono interviews, Africa-related relief ideas etc. (BF can manifest in many ways. If you don’t have it, you’ll know it when you get it.) Since people at this site are recovering from BF, and are hoping to work through it and re-introduce U2 back to their lives, please do not post band photos, art or quotes unless absolutely necessary to your comment. Give others a chance to walk through this at their own pace. Thanks! Heal and enjoy.

My name is Tyler and I love U2… (the site is actually quite the hoot )


Big Sigh…

Last night there was a collective sigh as the Oilers lost to the Hurricances. The score I predicted (3-1) was right — but for the wrong team. Well, it was very disappointing, though Oilers fans can be proud of their team for making it so far. And the Hurricanes played well and perhaps it will be good for hockey to have a market like Carolina win… I guess.

Well, I guess I should do something today… sigh…