lectures on jurgen moltmann by barry ballard: October 2014

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.

Monday, October 13, 2014

ALEXANDER KOJEVE : "Hegel through the Master/ Slave parable"

click link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/q5ye14ykk0kmvo5/kojeve.mp3

BEFORE THERE WAS “PHENOMENOLOGY”, THERE WAS “KOJEVE”:

This volume on Hegel was first published in 1947, well ahead of the French post-modern movement. But it rose to popularity in the 1960’s, along with that movement. Kojeve was a prophet, well ahead of his time.

Fundamentally, Kojeve interprets Hegel’s entire phenomenology through the parable of the “Master & Slave”. This parable functions for Kojeve as the generic-concept of interpretation. This parable is to be understood as depicting the internal dialectic that takes place internally within a singular self-consciousness. Therefore, we are to understand Hegel as depicting the progressive unveiling of the individual self-consciousness in its journey to develop itself; and then, after this moment, move on to seeking to double itself.

For Kojeve, the key moment in the phenomenology is the “AXIS-FLIP”, where the master-self slips back into latency and the slave-self takes priority (where just prior, the opposite was true). This occurs just prior to the moment of entering into the realm of “praxis”.

I’ll give you the summary moments that might assist you in your own reading.

1. The “assimilating-I” is interrogated by speech
2. The “negating-I” begins to surface but must pass from preservation to historical status.
3. The “historical-I” emerges in dialogue between desiring-selves at the threshold of dialogue
4. The “master-I” dominates in the realm of the notion-of-the-true.
5. The axis-flip, where “master-I” and “slave-I” exchange places of priority
6. Praxis stages of “slave-I” are 6-fold. Resulting in “citizen-I”
7. “slave-of-realization” reaches absolute idea and “idea” & doubling of self-consciousness.

Every serious student of Hegel’s work should read this work. It is the perfect text for any class or seminar. 5 stars.

Monday, October 6, 2014

FIRST PETER THROUGH THE MIND OF BENEDICT DE SPINOZA - chapter one

click link: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/w69qzbjfl84u2ky/peter01.mp3

GLOSSARY FOR FIRST PETER, CHAPTER ONE: verses 1-25

LOGOS: substance as whole organism, with innate tendency to suffer through creation.

SARX: diverse modalities of extension, passive modes where divine attributes are hidden

RHEMA: primary attributes of substance, Telos-of-Soteria, thought-as-voice, nested within logos

SPOKALUPTO: realm of unveiling suspended between Sarx & Rhema; where self employs

“Hupakouo”

ANA-GENNAO: realm of subjective psyche where awakening in “new spiritual birth” takes place.

OURANOS: extended presence of attributes in creation; usually translated “heaven”. Reveals elements for formation of our

lectures on jurgen moltmann by barry ballard

MY BRIEF TESTIMONY