Welcome to the Paradigms section of The Paradigm Exchange. This is where you'll find an archive of articles from some great guest contributors.
Dec 22, 2009
Living Out Love
Knowing the answers and living the answers have proven to be very different. How we feel and how we act are often not only different but, at times, even antithetical. What i know about God and how i should treat people is easy. I have all the right answers. I could write a book or get a PhD on what I know about the right answers. How I live and how I love, alas, that can be a different story. Can I love... read more
Dec 11, 2009
The World Zach Braff Created
Zach Braff has been considered a quadruple-threat of film and television. You probably know him best as Dr. John J.D. Dorian on TV’s Scrubs or maybe as Andrew Largeman in the 2004 film Garden State. On top of being an actor, he’s a writer and director (Garden State) but also a soundtrack producer. How threatening is this quadruple-threat? Not very. I compare Zach Braff to Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg... read more
Oct 11, 2009
Guilt is Like Watching The Passion of the Christ While Stoned: Terrifying but Forgotten by Morning
A few weeks ago, my mother ended a phone conversation saying, “Well, maybe some day you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with your parents.” She knew this was a completely unfair statement, but was trying, one last time, to get her way. She and my father wanted to come with me to Oklahoma as I looked for a place to live. The plan was to meet with the department chair up at the school and then look at... read more
Jun 19, 2009
Self-awareness of Theology
This morning one of my interns led the devotional and spoke about how we see ourselves. He said something to the effect of how we see ourselves reveals our theology. Something that I know a lot of people struggle with is body image. Just yesterday, I was thinking about how much I hate my body and feel trapped in it. As I sat by a pond I cried. I just thought how what was going on inside me was not of God.... read more
Jun 16, 2009
The Progression & Limitation of Faith
Introduction Throughout history, there have been many pivotal moments that have affected the way that humans view Christianity. These pivotal moments began with the Apostles witnessing the death, burial, and resurrection, as they finally understood what their rabbi had been teaching them for three long years. From this point they sought to instruct others in accepting a message of eternal love and... read more
May 6, 2009
The Value of Community
When I was teaching a Bible class a few weeks ago, I received a nugget of wisdom from a 4 year old: “The song should say Jesus loves uuuuuus, not me.” For the rest of the song she loudly sang, “Jesus loves US.” Beautiful! There is a lot to be learned from that tiny voice crying out with the Truth. When did this paradigm shift occur? Christian culture went from prioritizing community and unity,... read more
Mar 9, 2009
Am I Doing God's Will?
What a question! There are so many variables to consider. What is God’s will? Does God’s will include specifics for my life? If God is omniscient then can I truly live outside of His will? Or does His will supersede any decision I make? I’ve been a believer my entire life. This question of God’s will and what it means in my life has been one I’ve struggled... read more
Mar 9, 2009
The Constantine Impact
T.S. Elliot, in Christianity and Culture, wisely states that, “The development of culture and the development of religion, in a society uninfluenced from without, cannot be clearly isolated from each other; and it will depend upon the bias of the particular observer, whether a refinement of culture is held to be the cause of progress in religion, or whether a progress in religion is held to be the cause... read more
The Paradigm Exchange is an opportunity for an evolving community to share and exchange their paradigms. We are faithful, we are passionate, we are sons, we are daughters, we are sisters, we are brothers....and these are our stories.
