I'm Back...Kind of

Well, I decided to post again. I'll probably be more erratic now than I was before. I am a new father (my four month old boy is a blast and I love being a dad) (I also wonder at what point I stop being a new father and just am a father - does the newness every wear off?). I am also taking a doctoral seminar on the Trinity with Mark McIntosh (if you have not read his stuff, you should - especially his book Mystical Theology....Fantastic stuff) - this means that I have lots of reading to do. I am also studying for my comprehensive exams (which means I have 90-100 books that I need to know inside and out by October). And, I am presenting papers at both the Wesleyan Philosophical Society and the Wesleyan Theological Society (which reminds me, if anyone wants to share a room, let me know).

I just wanted to put up a few quick thoughts.

First, I watched a documentary on Howard Zinn (professor emeritus of political science at Boston University) yesterday. He is a major person in the promulgation of nonviolent resistance in the U.S. and of giving a voice to those who have traditionally not had one. It was a very good portrait of the man (the movie could be much better). It showed all the work he has done and how he has continued to stand up for those and with those who have had no voice or could not stand up for themselves - from the Civil Rights movement to the current Iraq War. In watching it, I wondered what it would be like if Christians had been inthe midst of standing up with Howard Zinn against oppressors? What would a Christian who took the actions of Christ seriously act? Like Howard Zinn?

Second, my beloved Bears are in the Super Bowl. This utterly excites me. However, it is also exciting that this Super Bowl will have two black head coaches. This is the first time that one black coach has coached in the Super Bowl (and we have two). To me, this is significant. Oftentimes there is still a certain amount of racial profiling that happens, where people assume that blacks play while whites coach/run the team/etc. And generally, this is how it goes (for wrong in my opinion) - just look at college football, where there are nearly no black coaches. However, these two men show that black coaches are just as capable. It also allows people who normally do not, black people in positions of leadership and authority - which is positive. Whether we like to admit it or not, the U.S. still has much racism to overcome (see Bonilla-Silva's book Racism without Racists).

One more note on the Super Bowl - I hope the Bears destroy the Colts...I really do. However, I hope that someone, some media person covers the story of the year that Tony Dungy has had. About a year ago, his son committed suicide. He almost quit coaching because it devastated him so much. Now he is in the Super Bowl. It could never replace his son, but Dungy has overcome a lot.

Peace.