Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Useful Distraction (could be a definition of Blogging)

http://www.cutsinger.net/wordpress2/?p=8
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6 comments:

Jason said...

where did your affinity for JAMES S. CUTSINGER come from? Was he one of your profs in school? Is he Orthodoxy?

August 16, 2007 at 6:43 AM
The Wrangler said...

He would say he is Orthodoxy, with the capital "O" and all. Many would say he is not, and there is much for most of us to be scandalized about in his outlook. I heard about him through my Godfather/teacher Mr. McCombs at St. John's. Cutsinger was McCombs favorite teacher in college. Cutsinger, and the writings that influence him, those by Frithjof Schuon, were key in my becoming a Christian.

August 16, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Jason said...

I actually have a book published by IVP (a level-headed evangelical publisher)that was edited by him. The name of the book is called Reclaiming the Great Tradition

I have not heard of Frith Schuon. What's his story and what was it about his writing that influenced you to consider the Christ of Christianity?

--Jason

August 17, 2007 at 6:46 AM
The Wrangler said...

Frithjof Schuon was raised Catholic but joined Islam in his 20's. He became the head of a Sufi order (those are the whirling-dervish type guys). Many people, including Christians, looked to him for spiritual guidance. Nothing in Schuon's biography can prepare you for his writings. It seems like he knows everything essential about the world religions, but he never gets lost in the details.

When I was in college, I doubted that one could become a Christian and still objectively seek the truth. Schuon's and Cutsinger's writings, coupled with Mr. McComb's presence and help, convinced me otherwise.

I would have to think awhile about how Schuon influenced my view of Christ. It has something to do with his teachings on whatever faculty it is in man that allows him to know, to really know,the Truth. Schuon thinks (actually he seems to know) that being a Christian can be, for some people, primarily about getting in touch with the this faculty, which he, with reservations, identifies with the Logos. Not to say that I am this type of Christian. The jury is still out on that one. But, I think it was important for me to be assured that the Truth-seeker, the philosopher, the Platonist, has a place in Christianity.

August 17, 2007 at 9:35 AM
Jason said...

Poem Master,

Thanks for the clarification.

Religious pluralism presents some of the greatest challenges to the Christian faith. Historically, the Church taught (and still teaches) that Jesus revealed Himself as the Truth, the Life, and the Way, which by definition excludes others who might make this same declaration—at least from the Christian’s perspective.

It would be much easier, wouldn’t it, if the truth claims people espouse lined up better (at least in our own small minds), but that’s hard to do when you consider, for example, the claims of Christ and then try to match them up with what other religious leaders teach and believe. (No doubt there’s similarities when it comes to morality and how to live, but once you consider the role of salvation, the message of the Cross quickly eliminates our best religious efforts.) With that being said, however, I don’t want to sound like a post-modernist who deny that objective truth can’t be found or known. I believe it can, and I believe it’s found in the person of Christ himself.

Go in peace and serve this Christ who has revealed Himself to you as well.

Jason

August 17, 2007 at 10:04 AM
The Wrangler said...

Peace to you, sir! Thank you for this chance to think together about this stuff!

August 17, 2007 at 10:38 AM

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