Last semester, my weakest and most difficult class that I taught was the 4th year Reformations Theology. Because this course is a study on the theology of the Reformation and not the history of the reformation, we spent a lot of time discussing the lives of reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc.) and we also read excerpts from some of their most important works. I had an extremely difficult time engaging the students in thought and conversation about the reading and various events in the reformation. The students wanted me to give them the facts so that they could memorize them. I wanted them to explore and ask questions so that we might discover the theology of the reformation together. Unfortunately, I spent the semester incredibly frustrated – and so did my students.
Over Christmas break, I spent a lot of time planning and restructuring my course. In addition to the readings, I have added reading quizzes – so that I know my students are actually reading. I also added hands-on activities involving string (we are in bondage to sin), playdough (re-form-ation), film clips, and more engaging discussion questions. I was hoping that if they could discover reformations theology through play they might find it more appealing – and they might actually try in class. This semester my students have the same readings and the same tests as last semester; however, the class looks and feels very different.
Last week, my fourth years took their first (very difficult, all-essay) test. I am still sorting through the results, but it looks like the students have a much better grasp on the material than my students last semester did. They also seem more content and motivated than last semester.
I thought that I might share with you some of their responses in the journals I require them to keep.
Journal Question: Would you rather know when or how you will die? Are you afraid of death? Why or why not? How does your understanding of death affect the way you think about God?
I am afraid of one thing – that I won’t accomplish all things I want in my life.
I am not afraid of death. Everybody of us will die. That’s part of life. I would say that death is fair but it’s not. Why some young people or children have to die? And why some people can live to the age of 100? It’s not fair.
In my opinion, life doesn’t end with death.
Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your thorn?
I would rather know how I will die. I think that if I know the exact date and time of my death it would scary me. Maybe it’ll be a time for preparing myself to the end of my life, but in my opinion it will scary my mind a lot. I will always be thinking about death which is coming to me. It will be horrible. I’d rather now the manner how I will die and leave this world.
In my opinion, everybody is afraid of death. For me actually it is not really fear better said I am confused about what it would be like after death.
Journal Question: What does reformation mean? Have you ever experienced a reformation? Has Slovakia every experienced a reformation? What would you like to reform in today’s society?
In my life, I have survived personally my reformation. The elder I am, the more sensible and experienced I am. But that happens to everyone. From a child, you will become a teenager and later an adult. Sometimes it is harder, but the outcome is amazing and it is worthy. Or as I watch my friends and their reformations. It is fairly interesting to see how they are growing up, how they are fighting with problem and I like to compare them with me. Or in tv, we all can see how the world is changing, what people are like and how our society is growing.
In our society, I would like to reform the behavior of teenagers. Because the way how they act is just not good for them.
About me? Sure, I certainly have experienced a personal reformation. I am convinced that everyone has gone through some kind of personal reformation. Even I think we all go through some reform every single day.
I have perceived the process of kind of spontaneous reformation in my first year at EGT. It was not a change in life but a change in my look on some things, mostly on school. I realized that even if I don’t study at home, I can almost easily pass in all classes. Sure, not passing at my best, but still passing and with no extremely bad grades. That was the last time when I realized, I do no more have the desire to be one of the best in the class. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad but I like it as it is.
I would surely reform the political system in our country. Politicians who do not have money or some good connecting cannot go to main stage.
If I were God or someone who has power to reform and change the world, I would begin with people. I believe that if people changed, the world would be better.
I think that Slovakia experienced a Reformation in history. It was during Romantic period in Slovakia around 18th century. Slovakia wasn’t a nation or country at that time – Slovakia was part of Hungarian monarchy. Hungarians wanted to take our area and to become one strong Hungary nation. People of Slovakia had to speak Hungarian language instead of Slovak and it was cruel time for our ancesdants. Hopefully there were people who tried to unify our nation and they reformed people by encouraging them that they should be proud of our history and our tradition and language. So after lot of difficulties our language became official and we can freely speak Slovak.
I thought about some reformations in my life and I found out that I made one. My very big reformation was one when I started believing in God. Before that I had many questions about the being and workings of the world. And as I started believing, my life is calmer and I am not as confused.
Slovakia’s greatest reformation, I think was a new regime. The fall of communism was biggest reformation because now everything is easier. We are more free. Communism was hard. People lived in fear. Now we live in peace.
Journal Question: Respond to one of Luther’s quotes on your handout.
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”
To be responsible means to stand up for what you say or do… Luther was a man who had known he is responsible for his words and thus he talked about God and other topics in a right way. That was the way how to start up the reformation. But also, he wanted to show us that if we did not say what we think, we cannot reform, we cannot take a breakthrough due to being quiet… In the end, I would like to sum up those lines in a small idea: the responsibility comes out of our mind (words) and deeds. If we talk in public, things can get better or worse and it is totally the same if we say nothing.
“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection not in books alone but in every leaf in springtime.”
Martin Luther in this quote said that Jesus gave us promise of resurrection, promise of new life in Christ. But this can be found in Bible but also in every leaf in springtime. It means that after long and cold winter every leaf of the tree is an awakening to new life, the leaf is rebirth again. Also, every piece of earth might show us how much God loves us.
“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection not in books alone but in every leaf in springtime.”
The first thing I must write about is why I chose this quote from Martin Luther. Immediately as I read this quote I said, “That’s nice. That’s beautiful.” In the autumn all nature goes to sleep. The flowers wilt, the grass dries out and freeze as all the ground and leaves of trees fall off. After that all nature waits for spring time. In the spring, nature starts waking up and everything, animals or plants, are bringing to life. They are living again and enjoying their lives. People are part of nature also. And we have the same cycle of life as the leaf in Luther’s quote. When we die, we will be resurrected by our Lord and we should trust Him as all the nature does. Because nature is proof of resurrection.
Journal Question: What does the word vocation mean? Do you feel a strong calling in your life? To what are you called and how do you know?
I don’t really feel I am called for doing something special. I like to do many things. While doing them, I feel comfortable and satisfied but I don’t consider them my vocation. On the other hand, you never know what will happen in my future. Maybe I will feel strongly about a vocation. But til that time, there’s poker. I really enjoy playing poker.
Vocation means that you can do heavenly work while you are living on earth. Vocation is something that you have in your inside.
I wanted to be a vet, a lawyer or an interpreter when I was younger. I liked animals, I love studying and I loved languages and still do. I was shy and thought those jobs would be appropriate for me. But I was wrong, I hate biology, laws and so far I have not heard any calling concerning those jobs. But I as I am growing up, I realize I am changing each day. Since I have come to EGT, I have become more self-confident, ambitious, immediate, intelligent and I am better man than I was. I am content with me and I am sure I will make something good and helpful for this world.
Luther also had (a problem with vocation). His father wanted him to be a lawyer but he entered the Augustinian monkhood and later he started up the reformation. I am fairly similar to him. My family wanted me to be a pastor, I wanted to be a diplomat.
Do I feel a strong calling to something? Yes, I do. I feel a strong need to help people. From the age I was seven, I really want to be a doctor. The reason? I don’t know. What I know is that it is the only thing I would like to do. And how do I know? I do not, but I feel it and it is stronger than anything else.
The word vocation means calling. It’s religious term and it means God’s call to everyone, to his every child to whom he gave life. Vocation is connected with all people and it doesn’t matter if they’re Christian or they believe in other religion. God sent us to this world not only to have fun and to be happy. Everyone who was born has some task or responsibility not only for himself but also for others. We’re supposed to take this task and fulfill it. Everyone has talents or gifts. We should use these gifts and talents for helping to others. We should do the heavenly work while we are on earth.
Journal Question: What is faith? Do you agree with Luther’s definition of faith? Why do you think he said that faith was not a belief in doctrine?
People need some kind of support and home what make them stronger and help them survive hard testing of live every day. We need to know that our lives make sense and it is worth waking up in the morning, start a new day, share our lives with others and do something for better life. Faith is trust, belief, hope. Faith helps us make sense of our lives. It is important to believe honestly in something. Every person has some kind of faith. Some people believe in God, some in destiny, some believe in happiness. People need something in which they could believe.
Luther’s understanding of true faith is that faith is God’s work in us, that it is some sort of absolute trust in God and God’s good works in us.
True faith for me is still a mystery, something far away and close at the same time.
Faith means to experience God in everyday life.
In my opinion, faith is kind of like a friendship between two best friends.
Faith is a confident belief in truth. I think maybe I disagree with this. Not everything is about God. What can a person like me who doesn’t in God say about this? I have faith in me, my dad and my horse.
Journal Question: Martin Luther started the reformation because of a personal reformation he experienced due to his own struggles and insecurities. What are you insecure about? What do you struggle with and how do you see this reflected in the world?
In today society, almost nobody is satisfied with his life. Most be struggle with something. It can be anything. For example, some people struggle with the things like their behavior, character, their figure or they struggle with their jobs and stuff like that…. What I really struggle with is myself. I am insecure about me as a person. This only started when I came at high school.
I struggle with my mother. With our relationship. I struggle with addiction to chocolate, sometimes sloth, my figure. People struggle with many important things.
The world is not about how we look in bikins and so on.
I am a Christian and I believe in God – not in Christian church. I don’t think that going ot church every Sunday or even every day I s a duty of a good Christian. I do not go to church very often and I don’t think that it means that I don’t believe in God. I hope you understand what I am trying to say.
No comments:
Post a Comment