tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post2021776656823408389..comments2023-10-31T09:03:26.734-06:00Comments on Against Nothingness: Blogtour: "The Next Story" by Tim ChalliesAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16273184256419046916noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-58094612050585377802011-06-20T12:25:56.302-06:002011-06-20T12:25:56.302-06:00Jonathan
Sorry for the long wait on a response fr...Jonathan<br /><br />Sorry for the long wait on a response from me; I will do so shortly. <br /><br /><br />AndrewAndrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273184256419046916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-61180536044792497502011-06-14T19:28:44.045-06:002011-06-14T19:28:44.045-06:00Andrew, I am currently an associate pastor, but I ...Andrew, I am currently an associate pastor, but I have worked in both IT and web programming in the past. I am fascinated by computing technology, not so much the "gadget factor" (although I might be if I had the money), but learning about and making things (software or hardware). At the same time, I can easily observe the negative impact that "advances" in information technology have on young and old alike, and on me personally.<br /><br />Some of my happiest moments have been in working/playing with information technology. And some of my biggest regrets derive from the same. Strange.<br /><br />If I ever, by God's grace, discover that fire in the belly necessary for a doctorate, I think that information technology and theology will be a likely subject matter.<br /><br />I enjoy thinking theologically, but have often come up short in finding theologians who shed much light on our present dependence on complex electronics. Or that help me answer a deeply personal question: to what degree is my affinity for information technology compatible with following Jesus?<br /><br />I will have to read McLuhan. Those who I have heard interpret him in the past have been prone to over-generalization or ignorant of technical details regarding the technology they criticize. I will take your advice and go to the source. Thank you, also, for the other source recommendations.<br /><br />I have dabbled a bit in Jacques Ellul, a French theologian, and began reading <i>The Technological Society</i> (1964). It is not for the faint of heart, however, and I have not yet made the time necessary to get through it.<br /><br />Quentin Schultze's <i>Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in the Information Age</i> was a good read as I recall, but it has been awhile, and I should re-read the paper I wrote on it in seminary before recommending it unequivocally.<br /><br />Love to chat more if you are ever interested.Jonathan Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13145579730536890767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-51772828664827491812011-06-14T17:14:26.691-06:002011-06-14T17:14:26.691-06:00Jonathan
This afternoon I saw your comments on am...Jonathan<br /><br />This afternoon I saw your comments on amazon, and here as well, and I want to thank you very much for the encouragement. <br /><br />It is always affirming to know that my reviews are helping people. <br /><br />To answer your question: a lot of books on this topic are similar to Tim Challies book. Parts are helpful, parts are not. I find this especially true about more recent books which try to deal with the 'explosion' of technology. Of course, when you turn to older books parts are helpful and parts are irrelevant... <br /><br />One book that I highly recommend as a place to start is "The Way of the (Modern) World: Or, Why It's Tempting to Live As If God Doesn't Exist" by Craig Gay. Only one of his chapters focuses directly on technology, but it, and the whole book, is good. <br /><br />Another book that got me thinking a lot was "You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto" by Jaron Lanier. As far as I know he is not a Christian and he is definitely not writing about the intersection of theology and technology, however his perspective on technology is very thought provoking. <br /><br />Beyond that, I think that there is a great need to think deeply not just about digital technology, but technology in general. I also think there is no place to start but some classic texts... unfortunately, they tend to be difficult and specialized and take a lot of work to get into... so, I recommend these only hesitantly: "The Question Concerning Technology" by Martin Heidegger and "Understanding Media" by Marshall McLuhan. <br /><br />I hope that helps. <br /><br />What are your own thoughts on these issues? Do you have any books to recommend? How are you dealing with this whole host of issues as a pastor? <br /><br />Thanks, and God Bless,<br />AndrewAndrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273184256419046916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-2675054254416186092011-06-14T15:02:14.685-06:002011-06-14T15:02:14.685-06:00Andrew, this is a very thoughtful review. I found ...Andrew, this is a very thoughtful review. I found it on Amazon, and now this has led me to you. I have enjoyed my first impressions of your writing.<br /><br />Have you encountered other writers on the intersection of theology and technology that you recommend? (In addition to Jacques Ellul, that is.)<br /><br />Regards,<br />Jonathan BowmanJonathan Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13145579730536890767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-1938893031016236622011-06-02T11:18:56.606-06:002011-06-02T11:18:56.606-06:00Thank you very much for taking the time to read my...Thank you very much for taking the time to read my review and for your gracious response. <br /><br />You are right that you spoke about big-T technology as a God-given mandate at the beginning (of course; you would know your own book :) and I should have mentioned that in my conclusion; I will edit it accordingly. <br /><br />I do have a question though. Even here, in your comment, you acknowledge your mostly negative views of digital technology. From reading your book, I understand how you believe digital technologies are detrimental (and I mostly agree with you) but is there no positive aspect to them which can counterbalance the scales? Big-T technology is equally detrimental in many ways and yet you are able to speak well of it at times. Is there more to your negative view of digital technology or is it that you simply find very little positive about it?Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273184256419046916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901356.post-31592165391560386832011-06-02T06:35:33.095-06:002011-06-02T06:35:33.095-06:00Thanks for posting this review of my book. It'...Thanks for posting this review of my book. It's much appreciated. I'm sorry, of course, that you found it theologically weak. <br /><br />In reading reviews I guess I've seen that one point I could have pressed harder was the relationship of technology to our God-given mandate. I say this at the outset but perhaps do not circle around to it again. Technology in the big picture is good because it is a necessary condition to carry out our God-given mandate. So while I am often negative when it comes to digital technologies, big-T Technology is inherently good.Tim Challieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13193460464556897439noreply@blogger.com