10 That Made Life Sound Better In 2010

Don't get a chance to see many movies in the theater, but saw Tron Legacy with the kids today. Considering I fell asleep during the original Tron (what 20-25 years ago? as second of a double feature with Blade Runner), this was a better movie than I expected, and actually a pretty good film. There were a couple of theological thoughts I had while watching:

1) Why is it that every "futuristic" vision looks more apocalyptic, sterile, minimalist, and monochromatic than our current reality? Why doesn't our future look more human, not less? When I think of the trajectory of scripture, we are to be more like the nth century church than the 1st century church, with the future breaking into the present making us a new humanity. The question is, Does the church create a more promising and colorful future, or a more boring and monochromatic one?

2) The main message of the film, I thought, was that perfection is ruthless, where perfection is the absence of mess, chaos, and what is ultimately human. It is perfection in a cold, steely, clinical sense - and ultimately dehumanizing. What to make of Jesus call then to "be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect"? Jesus' call is not to perfection as our ruthless and merciless accuser, but as call to a higher love, where perfection is the expression of love for that which is precisely imperfect - that is us. It is a radical call to relationship, a call to embrace all that is imperfect in the arms of grace.

Currently Reading

In many ways, these two outstanding books could not be more different - one from an important Latino theologian, the other from a National Book award winner in fiction. But both are similar in one respect - they are about hermeneutics, about interpretation, about the dissection of culture. Santa Biblia about the topics of poverty and marginalization from a Latino-Christian perspective, Freedom about those same topics from the context of suburban malaise and loneliness, from the absurdity of contemporary life.

Pics From JOYA Benefit with Clara C

Thanks to Clara for an amazing show and for being so great to JOYA! Some of our students got to meet Clara backstage, where they were greeted with words of affirmation and encouragement for pursuing their education. Such a wonderful evening...thanks to everyone for coming out to support our students and our program!

This Friday!!
Come out and support my non-profit JOYA Scholars and enjoy a great evening of music!
JOYA Scholars presents singer/songwriter Clara C, recognized by the OC Register as a You Tube sensation. Clara is premiering a new band and performing a full album set of her debut The Art In My Heart. The concert is a meet & greet with Clara after the show.

Friday, December 10th, 8pm to 11pm at the historic Spring Field Center in downtown Fullerton. All ages show.

Tickets are $25 at www.joyascholars.org

$30 at the door (cash only)

All proceeds will benefit JOYA Scholars