I can't believe it's October already...I'm incredibly excited to think that in 3 months, I will be boarding a plane for Greece and Turkey. I don't think the reality of how cool this trip will be really set in until a few days ago, when I was talking with a friend of mine who went on the study tour last year. He said that a candidate for being one of his favorite moments of his life was his first morning in Istanbul, waking up to a Muslim call to prayer. Since I have long been fascinating by Muslim/Middle Eastern/South Asian culture and music, and since I am absolutely in love with traditional chanting or chant-like music, I am looking forward to experiencing this in person.
In addition to visiting a variety of historical sites (Athens!) and ruins (which greatly appeal to the part of me that is also into Urban Exploration), I will also be exposed more first-hand to Eastern Orthodoxy, which I have recently become fascinated with, partly due to friends of mine who are also interested in it, partly due to one of my theology professors who took courses at a Greek Orthodox Seminary, and largely due to the readings I have done for that class of the works of early Greek church fathers and theologians. Having grown up very immersed in Swedish Protestantism, I never realized how narrow-minded that line of thought is. Orthodoxy has a much more fluid approach to theology, focusing not on doctrine or minutely-defined beliefs, but rather involving a more mystical approach based on "via negativa" - the idea that we can never truly know God in his entirety. Thus, based on that thought, Christianity is not about knowledge of doctrine or holding a fixed set of certain beliefs, but rather much more relational.
If anyone is interested in this, I would highly recommend the works of Origen (whose idea of universal salvation and emphasis on an allegorical approach to the bible I also find very appealing), Iraneus, and Gregory of Nyssa.
For purely aesthetic reasons, I also love Byzantine Art and iconography (thus my new header image).
If anyone is interested in this, I would highly recommend the works of Origen (whose idea of universal salvation and emphasis on an allegorical approach to the bible I also find very appealing), Iraneus, and Gregory of Nyssa.
For purely aesthetic reasons, I also love Byzantine Art and iconography (thus my new header image).
On a totally unrelated note, I have discovered loads of amazing music lately (mostly due to the wonder of itunes). Sigur Ros, Lovedrug, Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, Stars, and Death Cab for Cutie are among my current favorites. I have also revived my love of Haley Bonar's music. She's a local songwriter, and is giving a free concert this week which I am hoping to attend.
Also, I finally saw the movie War of the Worlds, which was way, way better than I ever expected.
PLEASE take note of the information I posted above the counter/photo on the top left. I would greatly, greatly appreciate it if you would help me out by clicking on those ads. Thanks!
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The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Also, I finally saw the movie War of the Worlds, which was way, way better than I ever expected.
PLEASE take note of the information I posted above the counter/photo on the top left. I would greatly, greatly appreciate it if you would help me out by clicking on those ads. Thanks!
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A god who let us prove his existence would be an idol.
The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
