In the first volume of Ecclesia Reformanda, Matthew Roberts discusses Herman Bavinck’s Prolegomena. For Bavinck, the center of God’s creation is man as image of God. The original intent in the garden remains God’s “purpose and… goal in creation (82).” Hence, creation’s telos is man’s eschatological destiny, which is fulfilled in the consummation when man “will come to bear the image of God in the full sense (83).” As Bavinck writes:
As the gospel is about God bringing his creation by grace to the completion of its original aim, so the centrepiece and linchpin of that gospel is the bringing of man, created to be God’s viceregent, to fulfill his original aim (84).”
I continue to read through Chalmers Johnson’s excellentbook Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire. As many of you may know, this book was widely read during the 2008 campaign thanks to the influence of Dr. Ron Paul. The book is a thorough assessment of America’s military involvement in different parts of the world and as a major contributor to many of its own woes. Namely, a blowback. The only thing that has changed since the writing of the book is that instead of Japan being the second largest economy in the world (84), China has now assumed the privileged spot. Beyond that, all remains the same. The US, who accounts for 80 percent of the world’s total military spending (86) continues to be the leading arms supplier in the world. In 1995, the United States was “the source of 49 percent of global arms exports. It shipped arms of various types to some 140 countries, 90 percent of which were either not democracies or were human rights abusers (88).” This latter fact is merely one of many, which prove the theory of Blowback. As Johnson observes:
Arms sales are, in short, a major cause of developing blowback world whose price we have yet to begin to pay (89).
Saddam Hussein’s case is perhaps one of the more famous examples of this. In the 1980’s he was an outstanding customer with an almost “limitless line of credit because of his country’s oil reserves (89).” Many, like former CIA director James Woolsey, were aware of the potential consequences of this selling game, yet these voices are quickly silenced.
Welcome to another book review. Today I would like to speak about a great novel I read entitled: Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The story in many ways has creation all over it. There are eferences to man, animals, God, sun, moon, stars, water, etc. I guess if you are going to write a novel, incorporating everything in heaven above and earth below is not a bad idea. Who in their right mind is bored by creation?
When I read the book I wasn’t looking for a defense of biblical theism, I was looking for a story that confirmed the majesty of the God of Scriptures, as Psalm 8 tells us. Life of Pi did that. It was creative and remarkably written.
If you wanted a tour of a zoo with the most descriptive terms, the beginning of the book provides that for you. In many ways, the author takes on the role of a zoo apologist. Pi grows up in the zoo and learns everything he needs to know about animals, and he also learns –which is important as the story develops—how to keep the animals controlled and content. The novel makes a fairly compelling case for the necessity of zoos. The standard argument that animals need to be free in the wild is addressed head-on and answered quite appropriately I think. Animals are free in any place where they know they can control. The two great dangers of the wild are foes and food. In the zoo, animals are protected from foe and food is provided abundantly.
The book takes on a syncretistic take when Pi becomes enamored by the three great religions of the world: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. He is confronted and even mocked by the obvious impossibility of believing in all three religions. One of the funniest lines of the book was when Ravi—Pi’s brother says to him: “At the rate you’re going, if you go to temple on Thursday, mosque on Friday, synagogue on Saturday and church on Sunday, you only need to convert to three more religions to be on holiday for the rest of your life.”
Religion and animals come back to the discussion in Part Two of the book with that great line: “The Ship sank.” The story of Pi’s survival in the sea for over 200 days is quite fascinating. You cannot help but be amazed at the wonderfulness of God’s creation and creatures. In order to survive, Pi has to abandon his vegetarian ways and eat whatever he can find…and the diversity is quite amazing from flying fish to turtles.
Throughout the whole story we know that Pi will live through it, but at times you are left wondering if he really will make it through another day. Will Richard Parker, the tiger consume Pi in a moment of desperation? You have in this book man and an unlikely animal at sea seeking the same objective: to live.
Life of Pi is a great journey through doubt, faith, and perseverance. I strongly recommend it. Until next time.
Welcome to another book review of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Blog.
Today I would like to talk briefly about a novel I read recently. The novel was Richard Matheson’s 1954 science fiction horror I am Legend. One famous novelist called this “the most clever and riveting vampire story since Dracula.” Of course, I watched the movie and thought it was terrific, intense, and added an entirely new dimension to this horror genre. What I also enjoyed about the movie was that it wasn’t merely interested in showing infected living-dead creatures eating other creatures, but it was deeply interested in revealing Will Smith’s character, Robert Neville and his love for his dog. I really enjoyed that dimension of the movie. I did not know what to expect from the book, but I was deeply impressed with it. The novel is about vampires, which is certainly different than the movie version. Some of these vampires cogent to point of calling Robert Neville’s name and others are animal-like. They wonder purposelessly. In the book, Robert Neville…the last living human being not infected. He establishes a routine, a life liturgy. He does things over and over again…but he gets tired of the sameness of his life and it is when he tries something different that his life engages all sorts of unique actions. Continue reading “Video Book Review#5 I am Legend by Richard Matheson”
Guroian is always aware that his efforts are not his own: there is a necessary synergy between human efforts and divine grace. He can plant, prune, and pray for good weather, but in the end the tastiness of the tomatoes that year depends on the efforts of Another.
Guroian writes that “gardeners do mark time by observances of seasonal changes in the garden (viii).” Gardening seems to establish a liturgy with seasons and colors.
Yann Martel’s fascinating Life of Pi describes zoo life and all it entails. I know little about animals. Typically, I stay away from them and friends will tell you tales of how I have sought to persuade them not to get a new cat after the death of an old one. “It’s time to move on,” I usually say. But alas, parents fall prey to their children’s sweet requests. Though my proselytizing against the animal race has failed, I am persistent. Martel’s book (given to me by a pet lover) is quite fond of animals, particularly, it is quite fond of zoos. The first few chapters give an elaborate and convincing case for the necessity of zoos. This abstract idea of “freedom” in the wild is completely meaningless and absurd in Martel’s world. Zoos provide the two things the wild cannot: a) protection and b) food.
Assuming zoos provide a decent and suitable territory, animals will make their territory their new wild. They will even behave (assuming they are being treated well). In fact, as the author stresses, the most dangerous animals in the zoo are humans. Go figure. Man, the king of beasts!
In the first volume of Ecclesia Reformanda, Matthew Roberts discusses Herman Bavinck’s Prolegomena. For Bavinck, the center of God’s creation is man as image of God. The original intent in the garden remains God’s “purpose and… goal in creation (82).” Hence, creation’s telos is man’s eschatological destiny, which is fulfilled in the consummation when man “will come to bear the image of God in the full sense (83).” As Bavinck writes:
