lectures on jurgen moltmann by barry ballard: October 2013

MY BRIEF TESTIMONY

BRIEF 5 min. PERSONAL TESTIMONY - BARRY BALLARD

On a warm summer day in Washington D.C., I sat in a small movie theater listening to a re-broadcast of a Billy graham crusade that had been previously given elsewhere. I was attending with a Christian group who ministered on the air force based where I was stationed, "Andrews Air Force Base". At the conclusion of the presentation, there was an invitation given to receive Christ and counselors were standing up front to pray with those who came forward. The house lights went up and I went forward and prayed to receive Jesus Christ into my life. This was not the moment of my true conversion, this was "preparation-of-heart", part one.

On a humid pitch-black night in 1969, my plane touched down on the Saigon airfield that was currently under rocket attack. Black-out conditions were in effect and we were rushed to trucks and then transported to our barracks and its inclusive bunker for protection. I was assigned an m16 rifle, two clips of ammo, and given a helmet and flack-vest. I spent my first night in Saigon standing in the bunker, wondering "why?" I was even here. I understood none of it, except that supposedly it had to do with communism and we were protecting democracy. But, I just felt abandoned to the most bizarre and remote assignment I could imagine. I worked "support", so I do not want to give the false impression that I was "combat"; but I did serve some time in the jungle. Only one man died in our group during the year I was there; and he told me beforehand that he wanted to die and never return home. He had received his divorce papers in the mail about a week before my arrival. He was shot down in a helicopter "one" day before he was to return home. My one year in Saigon was a lesson in the deterioration of the human spirit and soul. Eventually, I also learned to hate myself and "living" and could care less about what might lie ahead. I was returning to the states with a crushed human soul, devoid of all optimism. This was "preparation-of-heart", part two.

On a humid gray-dusk-like-evening, I found myself, in 1970, driving through the main gate of Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas. I soon settled into my tasks of working in the 7th bomb wing headquarters, in support roles again as usual. I also served on the honor guard for special occasions for fallen veterans funerals, or award ceremonies. Even though my personal psyche was "wasted“; I was considered an admirable employee and respected for my abilities. My inner life however was an absolute disaster that I did not "share" with anyone. Strangely enough; I was visited by representatives of the "Navigators"; the same Christian organization that had approached me in Washington D.C. I began attending bible studies two nights a week and felt a little better about life by receiving this follow-up. I'll call this "preparation-of-heart", part three.

During my term of service at Carswell, I met my wife to be, Beverly, who invited me to her church in River Oaks, "Trinity Baptist Church". They had a young pastor, John Hatch, who was just finishing his doctorate at Southwestern and the atmosphere attracted me. It was in 1973, “4” years after that initial "preparation-of-heart"; that I made an honest commitment to Jesus Christ and immediately followed that with baptism.

From there, the road did not get any smoother, but my “soul” began a healing process that eventually went from healing to true "Wonder and Discovery". The first thing that was revealed to me was my spiritual gift, which is "Teaching". While at Trinity, I ended up writing three commentaries: James, Colossians, and Philippians. All three helped me grow in my commitment to Jesus Christ.

True conversion was preceded by three moments of "preparation-of-the-heart" in my case. Over a four year stretch of time, God never gave up on me. I think the strength of my testimony must be given to the strength of God's loving patience; to lead me along the final path that would secure my faith. Thank You.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

KARL BARTH AS POST-MODERN

http://lecturesonromans2013signsandmeanings.blogspot.com/

Friday, October 25, 2013

New site on Barth's Romans:

direct link: http://lecturesonromans2013signsandmeanings.blogspot.com/

Thursday, October 24, 2013

HEIDEGGER AS A POST-MODERN

click on link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/rhe16rvnu8zyr64/heid.mp3

Thursday, October 10, 2013

JJEAN-LUC NANCY: DOCTRINE OF "PHONOLOGY" or "listening-to-spirit"

click on link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/d2c8kt9zcsdxa39/nancyxx5.mp3

BIRTH OF "PHONOLOGY". : In this "book-of-births", Jean-Luc next introduces the reader to the task of consciousness. He has given us a soul; and now it is time to go to work. Within consciousness, the self finds itself situated in "abandonment". We are left in a state of "suspension", where metaphysical meanings and language no longer apply. We must turn to a new idea of love as "inversion". We take up the task of defining the idea of "being-in-the-world"; which emphasizes the sensate-side of existence. We are given the task of "LISTENING". TO THE: "voice-of-sensate-ordering". This leads us to appropriating the "infinity" within finitude itself. This is called "phonology"; not ontology.

JEAN-LUC NANCY: "DOCTRINE OF THE SOUL

CLICK LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/uad09c5w8wi25of/nancyxx4.mp3

"7 ASPECTS OF THE "SOUL": Jean-Luc Nancy.

1. the soul is an "extended" soul.

2. the soul is always extended into spirit.

3. you never possess your soul as a thing.

4. being "born-again" is the constant-state of the soul; not a one-time event. we are born to spirit repeatedly.

5. your soul offers and receives affection.

6. your soul was first imparted with "gift and forgiveness" through your mother.

7. your soul must learn and arise within this finitude. through "3" stages : the child, adolescent, adult.

Friday, October 4, 2013

jean -luc nancy's ontology: how do we create spirit?

click link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/a6o87ezn8dxa2hs/nancyxx3.mp3

JEAN-LUC NANCY'S "TRACTATUS": at 60 pages, the only thing I dare compare this to is Wittgenstein's important work. This 60-page document is equally important. It comes 10 years after Nancy had formulated his system,; so there has been plenty of time for refinement. It is so compact with detail that, even if you are well-versed in Nancy; I would recommend reading Marie-Eve Morin's book on Nancy first; actually I'm referring to chapter one on "Ontology". This will help you here.

This is Nancy's ontology, in his own words; covering every aspect of his system, but compacted in booklet form. Think of it as 600 pages reduced to 60.

he presents his ontology as a triad consisting of: 1. "glorious-body"; 2. "Hieratic-body"; and 3. "Working-body". The triad works in a reciprocal manner until reaching the result of the "body-of-circulating-sense".

From here, he takes us into the actual realm of mutual-touch where he defines the aspects of "standing-in" and concludes by giving us the "13" concepts of his ontology of "standing-in"

I will give you these 13 concepts ahead of time and you can keep them as a reference when you approach the text: they are: 1. Relational-history; 2. Kenosis-of-eternity; 3. Transivity-of-being; 4. Wonder; 5. Desire-of-being; 6. Anticipation; 7. No-thing; 8. Hollowed-out; 9. Gap; 10. Archi-spatiality 11. Dimension-of-presence; 12. Gift; and 13. Decision.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

JEAN-LUC NANCY'S: "SOCIAL-BOND" FOR ART AND ETHICS

CLICK ON link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ss323a6rsss73cr/nancyxx2.mp3

5. "From body to art". Pp. 124-148. : Actually this was one of the more important essays. It actually is two essays in one; first, the "social-bond", 2nd. The "work-of-art". The social bond ties in with chapter one; so Morin actually takes us full circle. Every page here is important. In fact, she waits till the last page to give us the 3rd "stance" of social-bond. This constituted the end of the book for me. I was only interested in the "5" essays that made up the meat of the book.

lectures on jurgen moltmann by barry ballard

MY BRIEF TESTIMONY