tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post8663340980968792855..comments2024-03-25T13:40:30.747-04:00Comments on Faith and Theology: Living gently in a violent world: Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier on the witness of L'ArcheBen Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800127501735910966noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-77347033361252885752009-04-05T01:37:00.000-04:002009-04-05T01:37:00.000-04:00Although I reluctantly hold that abortion is, tho...Although I reluctantly hold that abortion is, though always tragic, sometimes the least evil possible, I have never held with aborting just because the developing fetus would be a special needs child. My wife and I refused amniocentisis tests because the main thing they would test for is Downs--and we would've raised a Downs child. Meanwhile amniocentisis actually INCREASES the risks of miscarriage.<BR/><BR/>The doctor had a hard time believing we would choose not to avail ourselves of this test. Well, our genetic history wouldn't make it possible to have Tay Sachs or Shattered X syndrome, genetic diseases where the child-to-be has no future (brutal and short), so there was nothing to tell us.<BR/><BR/>I do not think one need hold to the absolutist view against abortion to be horrified at the "designer baby" trends and desires for perfect children. Receiving not only OUR lives, but the lives of others as gifts seems to flow naturally from Christian faith.Michael Westmoreland-Whitehttp://levellers.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-77928293919355708652009-04-02T08:49:00.000-04:002009-04-02T08:49:00.000-04:00@MattFor me, there is a palpable sense of God wen ...@Matt<BR/>For me, there is a palpable sense of God wen I read Vanier...I believe it is because of his humility...the power of his 'crucified' life...?<BR/>I love Krista Tippett by the way.roger flyerhttp://rogerflyer.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-20027423334005869292009-04-01T11:08:00.000-04:002009-04-01T11:08:00.000-04:00Those were her words when I talked to her. Clearl...Those were her words when I talked to her. Clearly I do not think she believes Vanier is God, but there is something of Vanier that seems akin to God for her.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01072191456699372239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-81128357300975546352009-03-31T23:15:00.000-04:002009-03-31T23:15:00.000-04:00Matt-I think Krista might be referring to the genu...Matt-<BR/>I think Krista might be referring to the genuine presence of humility...?roger flyernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-58476482476613895662009-03-31T16:03:00.000-04:002009-03-31T16:03:00.000-04:00Another great resource on the topic of reconciliat...Another great resource on the topic of reconciliation and justice is Miroslav Volf's <I><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/End-Memory-Remembering-Rightly-Violent/dp/0802829899/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238529099&sr=1-1" REL="nofollow">The End of Memory</A></I>. Volf argues that remembering “rightly” the wrongs suffered is fundamental to reconciliation. By “rightly,” he means in the exact way the wrongs occurred, that is, not recalling or recounting them to be more than they actually were (as one might do when they catch a guppy, but report it to be a large mouth bass). To remember “wrongly” is to make the crimes greater than they were, which equates to injustice for the perpetrator. Seldom is justice concerned with the perpetrator. Yet, Volf contends that the cross of Christ makes justice concerned with both the perpetrator and victim, because all are perpetrators when considering the necessity of the cross.Josh Winnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13959645128442260529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-19245995347393216722009-03-31T01:22:00.000-04:002009-03-31T01:22:00.000-04:00Krista Tippett said she has felt in the presence o...Krista Tippett said she has felt in the presence of God twice in her life, with Thich Nhat Hahn (not a theist) and Vanier. If you haven't heard her interview with Vanier entitled "Wisdom of Tenderness", I would do so. <BR/><BR/>Favorite Vanier moment: he was visiting our home and all of us got some time with him. One of our core members walked in, looked at him and turned right around to walk out. One of the communities members asked her if she knew who the man was. She said no. He said "he is Jean Vanier." She said, "that's nice" and walked out of the room laughing. Jean found this instance hilarious and chuckled with her.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01072191456699372239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-14872690935580089312009-03-30T18:36:00.000-04:002009-03-30T18:36:00.000-04:00Jean Vanier is one of the great theologians of or ...Jean Vanier is one of the great theologians of or time.roger flyerhttp://rogerflyer.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-43373710858092985952009-03-30T16:40:00.000-04:002009-03-30T16:40:00.000-04:00That's very interesting, JM. Although this is a ch...That's very interesting, JM. Although this is a chilling story, the phrase "choosing not to terminate" sounds like the perfect fulfillment of pro-choice discourse: having a baby is now defined as "choosing not to terminate". (You hear the same thing in all those movies where a pregnant woman "decides to keep it": apparently death is the rule, and life merely an exception.)Ben Myershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03800127501735910966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-77025355193533325162009-03-30T16:08:00.000-04:002009-03-30T16:08:00.000-04:00Last year in the UK Downs rates actually went up, ...Last year in the UK Downs rates actually went up, and it was surreal to see the reaction of journalists baffled that fewer people were having them aborted, even though prenatal tests for Down have gotten better. They even had the audacity to go to new parents of Downs babies and ask them why they 'chose not to terminate.' I found it chilling.JMhttp://thehearth.blog.comnoreply@blogger.com