In some recent comments it has come to light that some of you might have specific requests about what/who you’d like me to write on in the coming year. So, consider it open season. Any specific hopes for this year’s posts and focus? I certainly can’t promise anything, but I’d love to hear any thoughts.
If there’s any top contenders I’ll make a poll that you all can vote on.
I for one enjoy when you are breaking out of your box, even when I completely disagree with you. So continued engagement with Hauerwas, RO, EO and RC stuff. Especially on the possibility of Christian practices of holiness that aren’t simply non-violence (as important as that is).
I’m not sure you’ve talked about this much, but I enjoy the foreknowledge debate. Especially the Open Theist view. See: Clark Pinnock, Greg Boyd, John Sanders, William Hasker, et al. verses John Piper, Bruce A. Ware, John Frame, and co.
Are you still in the publishing business? I think it would be nice to have some posts concerning your advice on writing well. I’m sure you guys get a lot of junk submitted, and if you probably work with a profile in mind as to what constitutes good theological writing. I’d be interested to hear what encouragement or advice you might give to someone wanting to publish, but not knowing the first thing about it.
Perhaps this is a wholly selfish interest because I am currently working and studying in Egypt, but any theological reflections on power, politics and culture (to borrow Edward Said’s book title) particularly in regards to the relationship between the Church and the sub-altern would be of interest to me. Disucssion partners here could include Said, Chakrabarty, Sharpe, Foucault. I would be interested which theologians you would bring into discussion here.
Theological commentary on the non Pauline and Johannine NT Scriptures – everybody writes on them! I love John and Paul and they do seem to be the most ‘theological’ NT writers in some sense but James, Peter, & Mr. Hebrews need some play too. My apologies if you’ve covered these extensively and I’m just non in the know.
In general I remember voting for more theological commentary on the Bible in some poll you did last year and that would still be my request. You did some good stuff on John this year and I know those posts aren’t big comment generators but they are probably the most edifying.
I agree with you. Especially about Hebrews.
More on Yoder, especially Yoder’s hermeneutics.
I think you should write more about me.
Only if you write more about me.
Per mike d’s proposal of non-Pauline and non-Johannine literature, how about Jude? Jude’s extensive use of apocryphal literature has always seemed to me to be a big lightning rod in debates between Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox on just how flexible or inflexible “tradition” and “authoritative texts” in the canon were/are/will be. I admit it’s a pet topic of mine and since I run in circles where I run into people of all three streams of Christian thought it’s something I will inevitably run into.
More Zizek?
I remember a post of yours awhile back stated that two of your favorite thinkers were T.F. Torrance & (I think) Balthasar. Yet, you rarely if ever post on these guys.
I would love for you to especially engage T.F.T. b/c I would be able to keep up in the discussion. A more selfish motive to be sure, but I would also like to know why you enjoy him so much.
Also, I 2nd the writing advice.
Engage with Jacques Ellul
I second Derek’s vote for Torrance. And why not some revisiting of the ever-durable P.T. Forsyth?
As someone new to your blog and theology in general, I’d like some recommendations on where a newbie like me should start. So an entry along the lines of “Halden’s Intro to Theology 101 and Why” would make me very happy. I realize that this may not be in the interest of your general reader, but it could spark an interesting discussion on what a good foundation in theology is made of.
More bacon and beer and Mark Driscoll
Ha, well if we’re going to be impudent like roger flyer, pick a fight with Steve Hays about at Triablogue. ;-)
Impudent? harumphh…Who’s Steve HAYS?
I vote for more T. F. Torrance . . . and epistemology!
T.F. Torrance is a maybe, but sorry, I don’t think I’ll be writing about epistemology. Blerg.
Perhaps you could do a series on the new book from Cascade, “The New Yoder.”
Maybe it would be useful to post about how all this book-learnin fosters change or influences folks lives. I am also interested in learning more about the Church of the Servant King and other communities. Perhaps there could be some posts on Jewish theology/philosophy, most Christian blogs don’t seem to give it much attention. The new Pope has some interesting things to say, his dialogue with Habermas is worth a post or two, as is ‘Caritas in Veritate.” And in your spare time I think the Avataran theology of the Navi on the planet Pandora is worth some critcal analysis, especially how it relates to the belief system of the ‘Smurfs,’ their smaller blue-brethern here on earth (does size really matter…theologicaly?). Or, just keep doing what your doing, it’s a great blog, obliged.
What sold me on seeing Avatar just out of curiosity was a friend saying that Avatar is what you get if the Thundercats mated with the Smurfs and the resultant offspring fought Robotech. I can’t think of a more beautifully accurate description of what the film is about, either. :-)
more “Things that make you want to gouge your eyes out with your pinky, shove scalding hot pokers in your ears, and repeatedly slam the door of a 1950s-vintage, American-made sedan on your head.” …that stuff always makes my day! :)
I don’t know if Halden wants to write THAT much about Mark Driscoll and John Piper this year.
I second (or third) the vote on Hauerwas. And I’m always a fan of stuff on Yoder. Specifically, I would be interested in your thoughts on what Stassen and co. are attempting to do with Yoder and “just peacemaking”, e.g., in The War of the Lamb.
I second “The New Yoder”. Romand Coles’ essay in it is particularly interesing, I think. Actually any conversation with Yoder, Hauerwas, and Coles would be interesting.
Maybe a post on the post post-metaphysics eh… the return of metaphysics?
… or on Phillip Blonds Red Toryism?