March 11, 2006
Volf on exclusion....
In all wars, whether large or small, whether carried out on battlefields, city streets, living rooms, or faculty lounges, we come across the same basic exclusionary polarity: "us against them," "their gain--our loss, " "either us or them." The stronger the conflict, the more the rich texture of the social world disappears and the stark exclusionary polarity emerges around which all thought and practice aligns itself. No other choice seems available, no neutrality possible, and therefore no innocence sustainable. If one does not exit that whole social world, one gets sucked into its horrid polarity. Tragically enough, over time the polarity has a macabre way of mutating into its very opposite--into "both us and them" that unites the divided parties in a perverse communion of mutual hate and mourning over the dead.
..........There may indeed be situations in which "there is no choice," though we should not forget that to destroy the other rather than to be destroyed oneself is itself a choice. In most cases, however, the choice is not constrained by an inescapable "either us or them." If there is will, courage and imagination the stark polarity can be overcome. Those caught in the vortex of mutual exclusion can resist its pull, rediscover their common belonging, even fall into each other's arms. People with conflicting interests, clashing perspectives, and differing cultures can avoid sliding into the cycle of escalating violence and instead maintain bonds, even make their life together flourish.
Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation, (pp.99-100)
Posted by rhett at March 11, 2006 10:15 AM
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Comments
This sounds similar to what I posted at Phil's site: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2006/03/fundamentalism-ecm-authentic.html#114210695334404073
While I do not embrace post-modernism, I do think that its criticisms of modernism and Christianity must be taken seriously.
If we dismiss the whole thing as "heresy," then we lose our chance to give staisfying answers to the questions it raises.
Then the critics could smugly say, "I told you so" while the world increasingly sees Christian faith as irrelevant and insignificant.
Posted by: Rod at March 11, 2006 12:04 PM
I put up my final analysis of Johnson's critique. I am on your side on this one. LOL, see I am not completely anti-emergent. :)
I felt as though I was an emergent-apologist. Perhaps I shall create a new group of such. The theologian/apologist side of the group. BWAHAHAHA
Hey, it is new, it can be molded into whatever direction my evil mind conceives.
Posted by: sofyst at March 12, 2006 02:33 AM
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