I'm sorry, I have not had the time or the mental energy to post of late. To be honest, I probably will not post again this semester until the very end where I hope to give an overview of my time in Europe. In the meantime, check out my website to view some pictures from my journeys to Paris, London, Geneva, Villa of Hadrian, and the Villa d'Este.
-Justin
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Crew Meets the Inklings
Have you ever had a moment in your life where multiple experiences clash together, in the way a Sigur Ros song, to merge into a single, ultimate, beautiful experience? I read the short story Sonny Blues to Sigur Ros music and dim lights causing my heart and soul to cleave to the words on the page. Incredible of experience. But that experience has nothing on what happened to me last Friday in Oxford, England...
For my spring break, I made my way to Folgaria, Italy, Paris, and London (more on the other places later). But I want to focus solely on my only 6 hours in Oxford.
While in Rome, I really only wanted to visit the pub that C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their group of friends known as the Inklings hung out in from the late 30's to the 60's. I wanted to sit in the room they sat in, drink the beer they drank, talk about the things they talked about, and enjoy company as they did. I mean, I was excited about the Colosseum, St. Peters, and such but for some strange reason, I wanted to lounge in the very place that the greatest Christian mind (Lewis) of the 20th century lounged. I had read about the Eagle and Child pub in Lewis' biography about his conversion in Surprised by Joy.
Why would I really want to go to such an obscure place in the vast history of the church? Honestly, I don't know. Other than the temporal desires previously mentioned, I think I desire to meet friends in a place that I call my own and talk about Theology with people who you love and who love you; a company who is not afraid to tear down your idea in the search for Truth. So count this as my stepping stone to fulfilling my desire one day back in the States.
So while in London, a few of us decided to make the hour train ride to Oxford. Everyone made fun of me in my unfettered excitement for this Pub, to the point that it frustrated me. But that is beside the point. When we arrived in Oxford, we set out on finding the pub. To all of our surprises, Oxford is not a small town. Hoping to find the pub on a leisurely stroll is not quite possible without a little luck. So after we asked for directions, we found our way to the Eagle and Child pub.
I literally spent all 6 hours of our time in Oxford sitting in the pub. When we went in, the room where the Inklings met had an open table for all 5 of us to sit. The others went to walk around before they would eventually come back but I stayed not wanting to lose the table.
When my friends left to go explore the town, I stayed at the table in the Inklings' room and took some time to read Lewis' Mere Christianity, while sipping on a nice, but strange, green ale. I don't know if he churned out some of his logical, rational arguments on the law of nature in the room, but to read his arguments there definitely was a treat. As Steve put it, it seemed as if you got smarter for just sitting in the room.
(Yes, the picture is staged)
Greatest of all was the friendship we built with the manager of the pub. In our time there, he shared with us stories he heard about what kind of conversations went on with the Inklings and things of that nature. Through the conversations, I assumed that he was a Christian. I mean, he told us he jumped on the opportunity to manage the pub when his boss offered it to him because he loved to read Tolkien and Lewis as a kid.
Once American politics came into the conversation, things started to get interesting. He made some jokes and jabs at Bush and Texas but we let them blow over in order to avoid conflict. He also asked us about our point of view on Obama. We kind of tip toed around that one too with a non-committal answer like "we just need to wait and see." But with all of this side stepping, Jennifer's blood pressure boils past her tolerance line since she avidly supports pro-life, and rightfully so. It showed deeply in her face. As calmly as possible, she mentions her pro-life stance in order to show her dissatisfaction with Obama.
This took our discourse in a completely different and incredible tailspin towards Religion and Christianity. Soon do we find out, our friend is an agnostic. But this conversation was not a harsh or irrational or angry discussion. Our manager friend asked sincere questions and added constructive thoughts that every thinking man or woman, Christian or non-Christian should ask and think about in their search for Truth. Questions and comments that involve the problem of pain, the nature of evil (if it exists) and how it pertains to death, the validity of the Bible, and so on and so forth. Amazing, a conversation like this usually delves into the irrational with random Christian phrases being thrown around with no substance or spit spewed out in anger because of the disconnect between the two opposing sides.
Here is the greatness of the day summed up: A few friends and I sat in the Inklings' pub, in their exact room, read Mere Christianity, drank a beer, talked about life and God to each other as well as to a man who did not believe in God. Amazing, huh?
More to come later on the rest of my spring break as well as something on Love (Christian, not marital/sexual), which I thought a lot about while on my break. It will probably be jumbled and incoherent, but hopefully not. Also, more pictures on Picasa later.
-Justin
For my spring break, I made my way to Folgaria, Italy, Paris, and London (more on the other places later). But I want to focus solely on my only 6 hours in Oxford.
While in Rome, I really only wanted to visit the pub that C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their group of friends known as the Inklings hung out in from the late 30's to the 60's. I wanted to sit in the room they sat in, drink the beer they drank, talk about the things they talked about, and enjoy company as they did. I mean, I was excited about the Colosseum, St. Peters, and such but for some strange reason, I wanted to lounge in the very place that the greatest Christian mind (Lewis) of the 20th century lounged. I had read about the Eagle and Child pub in Lewis' biography about his conversion in Surprised by Joy.
Why would I really want to go to such an obscure place in the vast history of the church? Honestly, I don't know. Other than the temporal desires previously mentioned, I think I desire to meet friends in a place that I call my own and talk about Theology with people who you love and who love you; a company who is not afraid to tear down your idea in the search for Truth. So count this as my stepping stone to fulfilling my desire one day back in the States.
So while in London, a few of us decided to make the hour train ride to Oxford. Everyone made fun of me in my unfettered excitement for this Pub, to the point that it frustrated me. But that is beside the point. When we arrived in Oxford, we set out on finding the pub. To all of our surprises, Oxford is not a small town. Hoping to find the pub on a leisurely stroll is not quite possible without a little luck. So after we asked for directions, we found our way to the Eagle and Child pub.
I literally spent all 6 hours of our time in Oxford sitting in the pub. When we went in, the room where the Inklings met had an open table for all 5 of us to sit. The others went to walk around before they would eventually come back but I stayed not wanting to lose the table.
When my friends left to go explore the town, I stayed at the table in the Inklings' room and took some time to read Lewis' Mere Christianity, while sipping on a nice, but strange, green ale. I don't know if he churned out some of his logical, rational arguments on the law of nature in the room, but to read his arguments there definitely was a treat. As Steve put it, it seemed as if you got smarter for just sitting in the room.
(Yes, the picture is staged)
Greatest of all was the friendship we built with the manager of the pub. In our time there, he shared with us stories he heard about what kind of conversations went on with the Inklings and things of that nature. Through the conversations, I assumed that he was a Christian. I mean, he told us he jumped on the opportunity to manage the pub when his boss offered it to him because he loved to read Tolkien and Lewis as a kid.
Once American politics came into the conversation, things started to get interesting. He made some jokes and jabs at Bush and Texas but we let them blow over in order to avoid conflict. He also asked us about our point of view on Obama. We kind of tip toed around that one too with a non-committal answer like "we just need to wait and see." But with all of this side stepping, Jennifer's blood pressure boils past her tolerance line since she avidly supports pro-life, and rightfully so. It showed deeply in her face. As calmly as possible, she mentions her pro-life stance in order to show her dissatisfaction with Obama.
This took our discourse in a completely different and incredible tailspin towards Religion and Christianity. Soon do we find out, our friend is an agnostic. But this conversation was not a harsh or irrational or angry discussion. Our manager friend asked sincere questions and added constructive thoughts that every thinking man or woman, Christian or non-Christian should ask and think about in their search for Truth. Questions and comments that involve the problem of pain, the nature of evil (if it exists) and how it pertains to death, the validity of the Bible, and so on and so forth. Amazing, a conversation like this usually delves into the irrational with random Christian phrases being thrown around with no substance or spit spewed out in anger because of the disconnect between the two opposing sides.
Here is the greatness of the day summed up: A few friends and I sat in the Inklings' pub, in their exact room, read Mere Christianity, drank a beer, talked about life and God to each other as well as to a man who did not believe in God. Amazing, huh?
More to come later on the rest of my spring break as well as something on Love (Christian, not marital/sexual), which I thought a lot about while on my break. It will probably be jumbled and incoherent, but hopefully not. Also, more pictures on Picasa later.
-Justin
Friday, March 20, 2009
Beautiful Greece
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man." Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this." So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
-Book of Acts
Ya, I stood on the Aeropagus. The very place Paul was in the 1st century A.D. It was awesome.
I also ran in the original stadium in which the Greeks ran in for the Olympics. All of the guys raced each other the full 200ish meters and I won. Another great moment.
While in Delphi, 7 of us hiked up the mountain in which the Throne of Apollo used to rest upon. The day was beautiful and the hike was relatively easy. That day, all 7 of us referred to ourselves as Bear Grylls.
Also, in Delphi, my dinner table controlled the restaurant. The place served us these doughnut hole things doused in cinnamon and powdered sugar. Since our table helped serve some water and french fries, they gave us 3 extra plates of the delectable desert.
Both nights in Athens we went to the local Starbucks. I miss good American coffee. We also ate dinner at KFC. It is not Babes, but it definitely hit the spot.
I also gained a new nickname in Athens: the Dog Whisperer. While we hung out at a local bar on the street, a pack of dogs made their residence next to our feet. All in all, about 7 or 8 sat around us. This pack of dogs attacked 3 men. One of them fended them off with a chair while another used his bag. But when the 3rd attack began, I yelled at the wild dogs and they all came and sat back down with us. The Dog Whisperer.
Have you checked the news lately? The Acropolis shut down the day we were supposed to go to it because of a strike by its workers. Great timing.
Our last stop was in Nafplio. If you want to know about my excursions up this mountain, which I am not proud of, email me or Facebook me and I'll send you a detailed story of what went through my head and heart.
Along with staying in Delphi, Olympia, Athens, and Nafplio, we visited Corinth and Mycenae on day trips. You can check out more pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mcgeejm/Greece#
-Justin
-Book of Acts
Ya, I stood on the Aeropagus. The very place Paul was in the 1st century A.D. It was awesome.
I also ran in the original stadium in which the Greeks ran in for the Olympics. All of the guys raced each other the full 200ish meters and I won. Another great moment.
While in Delphi, 7 of us hiked up the mountain in which the Throne of Apollo used to rest upon. The day was beautiful and the hike was relatively easy. That day, all 7 of us referred to ourselves as Bear Grylls.
Also, in Delphi, my dinner table controlled the restaurant. The place served us these doughnut hole things doused in cinnamon and powdered sugar. Since our table helped serve some water and french fries, they gave us 3 extra plates of the delectable desert.
Both nights in Athens we went to the local Starbucks. I miss good American coffee. We also ate dinner at KFC. It is not Babes, but it definitely hit the spot.
I also gained a new nickname in Athens: the Dog Whisperer. While we hung out at a local bar on the street, a pack of dogs made their residence next to our feet. All in all, about 7 or 8 sat around us. This pack of dogs attacked 3 men. One of them fended them off with a chair while another used his bag. But when the 3rd attack began, I yelled at the wild dogs and they all came and sat back down with us. The Dog Whisperer.
Have you checked the news lately? The Acropolis shut down the day we were supposed to go to it because of a strike by its workers. Great timing.
Our last stop was in Nafplio. If you want to know about my excursions up this mountain, which I am not proud of, email me or Facebook me and I'll send you a detailed story of what went through my head and heart.
Along with staying in Delphi, Olympia, Athens, and Nafplio, we visited Corinth and Mycenae on day trips. You can check out more pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mcgeejm/Greece#
-Justin
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Greece!
I know, I know, the posts have not been too much fun lately. I mean, what is good about studying hours and hours for tests? But it will change.
I probably will not get to post for 10 days because I will be in Greece! My entire class, all 103 of us, is making the trek to spend some time in Delphi, Athens, Olympia, and a few other places. Hopefully I will have good stories and pictures to tell and post.
Until next time...
-Justin
I probably will not get to post for 10 days because I will be in Greece! My entire class, all 103 of us, is making the trek to spend some time in Delphi, Athens, Olympia, and a few other places. Hopefully I will have good stories and pictures to tell and post.
Until next time...
-Justin
Monday, March 2, 2009
Hamlet
I struggle to catch on to big themes in individual works of literature. I really need the help of a teacher to point me to what the author intends for his reader to see. If I do catch on to something, it is usually a small quote from a character that cuts deep into my core. When a moment like this comes, I usually always relate to a character who commits some grave sin or to one who is deeply troubled.
Hamlet, when he confronts his mother on her act of marrying his Uncle 2 months after the death of her husband, tells his mother, "You go not till I set you up a glass (mirror) / Where you may see the inmost part of you!" The purpose of literature accomplishes this very idea to the reader. It sets up a mirror to flesh out the inner core of the reader by way of the action on the page.
While Hamlet is definitely a troubled character, something the Uncle/murderer/king said really stuck out to me after Hamlet, through the play, exposes the actions of his Uncle.
"Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that struggling to be free
Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay.
Bow, stubborn knees, and, heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe.
All may be well...
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
Does anyone else ever feel this way?
-Justin
Hamlet, when he confronts his mother on her act of marrying his Uncle 2 months after the death of her husband, tells his mother, "You go not till I set you up a glass (mirror) / Where you may see the inmost part of you!" The purpose of literature accomplishes this very idea to the reader. It sets up a mirror to flesh out the inner core of the reader by way of the action on the page.
While Hamlet is definitely a troubled character, something the Uncle/murderer/king said really stuck out to me after Hamlet, through the play, exposes the actions of his Uncle.
"Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that struggling to be free
Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay.
Bow, stubborn knees, and, heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe.
All may be well...
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
Does anyone else ever feel this way?
-Justin
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Random Notes
- For those who do not know what UD is about and how it is different than most schools, we thought this was hilarious when it was showed to all 103 of us here (me included for what I understood): http://home.comcast.net/~fuuchan/aeneidonfacebookfinal.png
- Christian community does not necessarily mean hanging out with a lot of Christians.
- When Augustus became the Emperor of Rome in 27 BC, he declared himself the high priest. He also made Julius Caesar a god, thereby making him, the current emperor, one as well. Because of this, maybe the book of Hebrews made sense to the Gentiles when it refers to Jesus as the High Priest.
Marcus Aurelius, the high priest/emperor, preparing to make a sacrifice.- A lot of the material that I have studied and read this semester point to Christ or some teachings from the Scripture even though it is written in the 5th and 4th century BC. If you are a Christian, do you think it is God using the ancient literature to place himself in it or is it the writers of the Bible taking common ideas and placing these ideas in the Christian tradition? If you are not a Christian, what do you think? Do you think it is a coincidence or is it the writers of the Bible ripping off the Greek and Roman tradition? This is a sincere question and I would love to hear from you, either through the comment section, email, or Facebook.
- I go to Greece next Friday for 10 days. I am pumped.
- I have learned a lot about the Catholic faith while in Rome, but I feel like I still don't know anything about it. It is very detailed and intricate. Very similar on certain doctrines but very different on others. It is definitely interesting.
Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
-John Donne
Batter My Heart
Saturday, February 21, 2009
My New Name
A new nickname has been coined for me here in Rome: the hobo. I'm not quite sure why my so called "friends" call me this, but they do with much joy. Here are some pictures. Maybe you can help me figure out why they call me a "hobo."
Supposedly a lady in Sicily asked Kara, Khang, and Robert if they were in any danger since I was following near them. The beard does wonders, I guess.
Supposedly a lady in Sicily asked Kara, Khang, and Robert if they were in any danger since I was following near them. The beard does wonders, I guess.
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