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"Christianity in Scottish Literature" edited by John Patrick Pazdziora
No full textReview ofJohn Patrick Pazdziora, ed., Christianity in Scottish Literature, Association of Scottish Literary Studies Occasional Papers no. 25 (Glasgow: Scottish Literature International, 2023), pp. xxxiv + 306, ISBN 978-1908980373. £19.9
Review: Claire Lebossé and José Moure (eds.), Modernités de Charlie Chaplin: Un Cinéaste dans l’Œil des Avant-Gardes
Full text linkShangdi: The Chinese Deus
Full text linkCentral to the Christian worldview is the monotheistic belief in an omnipotent and omniscient God, which is effortlessly rendered without much controversy in most European languages as cognates of the Latin Deus or conceptual equivalents, such as the English “God”. However, the Jesuits of the early sixteenth century found themselves in a conundrum upon arriving in China as the first ever European mission when they encountered an ancient culture possessing a wealth of religious traditions, yet with no word that would obviously accommodate all the meanings and connotations of “God” as understood by Christianity. Matteo Ricci, the leading Jesuit missionary and arguably the prototypical sinologist, believed that the solution lay in the adoption of the indigenous term Shangdi (上帝), a term that is commonplace in the Chinese Classics.
Rules Were Meant to be Broken: Len Cella’s Moron Movies (1983) Provokes Love, Hate, and Confusion from the MTV, YouTube, and TikTok Generations
Full text linkEcumenism in St Andrews: A fact and a mandate
Full text linkIn a three-way conversation, ministers from Baptist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal churches in St Andrews, Fife reflect on their experience of ecumenical theology and local church practice. As they wrestle with the reality of the Church’s disunity, they seek to draw out some specific biblical, theological, and practical resources which have been especially helpful in their own ecumenical practice as local church ministers. What clearly emerges as a central feature is the gift which denominational differences and diversities can bring out of ecumenical efforts. Encountering sisters and brothers in other ecclesial communities can play a crucial role in enriching our own ecclesial identities, but, as these authors emphasise, it requires pushing against the consumerist competition which can easily creep up on us in a shrinking church ‘market’. Remaining open to the gift of another – in this case, another Christian communal expression – is at the heart of anything that can be called genuine ecumenism
Why Rape Law Revisions should be Consistent with Anderson’s Negotiation Model
Full text linkIn this essay I argue that the current law structure unobjectionably fails to protect women against cases of rape and needs reform. I further maintain that Anderson’s suggestion of ‘negotiation consent’ is the most appropriate line of reform, and I will defend her proposal in the face of potential objections. The current rape law in the UK was implemented in 2003, which revised previous laws firstly defined in the Sexual Offenses Act of 1953. Despite the ostensibly ‘objective’ nature of this law, which will be further examined in this essay, many feminist philosophers have noted the biases within the law which favour male interests. This essay explores the present issues within UK law, as well as our current understandings of what constitutes ‘a reasonable belief of consent’, that fail to protect women in instances of rape. This foundational attitude towards such matters influence performative revision models, such as the No Model and the Yes model, which I consider within this essay. Yet the inadequacies of such approaches, as I demonstrate, mirror some of the current issues with rape law in the UK today; such as the lack of recognition of men’s frequent inability to interpret women’s nonverbal behaviour and disregard for instances where one person changes their mind.
Furthermore, I advocate for Anderson’s proposal of the negotiation model as an alternative reform of the law as well as society’s attitude towards sex and how consent can be clearly obtained. This model, when legally applied, will not only legally protect women in cases of rape, but eventually protect them from the present societal norms that perpetuate the imminent risk of rape and sexual exploitation.
Through making the act of negotiation a legal requirement, I maintain that there would be a ‘ripple effect’ throughout society that would, eventually, lead to a change in public expectations of men and women.
Anderson’s emphasis on either party being able to initiate the negotiation establishes a much more open-minded attitude towards gender roles and expectations of individuals based on their gender. This is the greatest strength of Anderson’s argument, as this equality-driven initiative would eventually seep into society’s wider expectations of individuals when initiating sex, and create a world where understanding what the other person is anticipating in a sexual situation is the norm.
 
Rolling with advantage: Why Dungeons & Dragons provides new insight into the Christian concept of the imago Dei for autistic Christians
Full text linkWhat is clear through an exploration of disability theology is that the imago Dei is a crucial component of a proper understanding of disability and creation. Whilst the imago Dei provides excellent utility in terms of the spiritual engagement of autistic Christians, there is much to be discovered concerning new pioneering methods of approaching dialogue between autistic and non-autistic Christians. As I shall explore through an autoethnographic study drawing from my own experiences, Dungeons & Dragons is one of these pioneering methods that is a creative tool for autistic Christians. Thus, new methods emerge regarding what the imago Dei means for those on the autism spectrum
Habit as Love in Christian Theology
Full text linkHave you ever tried to learn to play an instrument, to frame out a wall, or to run a mile without stopping? If you have, you know this: there is no way to build a skill without practice, practice which forms habit. And have you ever tried to squash a propensity for nail-biting, nose-picking, or some comparable vice? If you have, you know this: habit, once established, is as if carved in stone
‘Is that nice woman a Catholic?’: Ecumenism, kenosis and intercession
Full text linkThis essay explores the relationship between kenosis as a spiritual disposition, and intercession as making space to welcome others. Autobiographical episodes of ecumenical encounter, positive and negative, seek to earth theological reflection on kenotic intercession in lived experience of inter-church relations over a lifetime of ministry. It argues that self-giving love expressed in intercession, makes welcoming space into which others are invited and heard. This creates a context within which ecumenical relationships can be more hopefully nurtured. The correlation of kenosis and intercession arises from attentiveness to John 17, Philippians 2 and Ephesians 4
Poem: Emergent Properties
No full textThis poem, inspired by a photographic exhibition on the Ethiopian ‘forest churches’, invites the reader to consider the intricately interconnected nature of Christian life