By: Cedrick Valrie on September 7, 2013
In the natural and to the naked eye, there is not much special about water, food, and a community of people that are wandering in the desert. From an ancient perspective, such resources are a sign of strength, provision, and wealth. From a modern perspective, water and food are commonly viewed as necessities, while building…
By: John Woodward on September 6, 2013
Richard Paul and Linda Elder’s The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking, 6th ed. is a tremendously helpful and brief tool for reasoning and research. While filled with much helpful advice, what these authors do so well is provide a laundry list of potential pit-falls that researchers often unknowingly fall into. These include recognizing that one’s…
By: Telile Fikru Badecha on September 6, 2013
Reading Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking concepts and Tools, 6th ed. has been an eye opening for me. I am not a critical thinker and I really need to learn how to cultivate critical thinking. Reading this book took me back to my middle school and high school experience…
By: Sam Stephens on September 6, 2013
In all my years of ministry, even though I have enjoyed art, I have never given it serious thought and consideration as one that adds value to ministry. My protestant puritanical upbringing has not allowed me to reflect upon its value and worth in worship and discipleship. Reading Visual Faith – Art, Theology and Worship…
By: Carol McLaughlin on September 6, 2013
I remember sitting at my desk in fourth grade dutifully coping my geography text. Perhaps my teacher was a kinestic learner that transferred her learning approach into her classroom teaching or perhaps we were just doing busy work to keep a room full of active ten year olds quiet. Whatever the pedagogy behind her assignment…
By: Richard Volzke on September 6, 2013
Everyone’s thoughts can be biased based on their experiences, cultural exposure, and education. Because of this, our world outlook can be skewed unless we train and exercise ourselves to think in a critical manner. I always thought that critical thinking was a natural, ingrained trait, as it seems that some people “just get it”. They…
By: Julie Dodge on September 6, 2013
A student of mine posted a meme on Facebook last week. A three sentence statement that compared two vastly different political and economic events to American immigration. She asked, “Is this for real?” I responded by stating that as the post was worded it was misleading and perhaps inaccurate. I did not say that it…
By: Fred Fay on September 6, 2013
Art and the Christian Faith have had close historical ties. It has been shunned and embraced. But defining what Christian art is and how it is to be used in church has been controversial. Emerging younger congregations have both embraced and avoided it also. In our city there are many churches started in schools. Their…
By: Stefania Tarasut on September 6, 2013
Overall this tiny booklet was refreshing. If I had a highlighter handy I would have highlighted most of the book. The way we think can either move us forward or hold us back. Our way of thinking determines how we solve our problems, how we relate to people and how we live our lives. We…
By: Sharenda Roam on September 6, 2013
“Idol vs. Icon” William Dyrness, in his book “Visual Faith” explores the concept of spiritual and religious art. He discusses the historical transitions of art within Christianity due to theology and iconoclasm, especially after the Protestant Reformation; as well as the contemporary resurgence of religious art in its variety of forms. I decided to take…
By: Phil Smart on September 5, 2013
I am often in the Atlanta airport. Never it seems, is my departing plane in the same area as where I land, so I find myself traveling from concourse to concourse. There are two options of navigation in this, the world’s largest airport. One is to take advantage of the tram that whisks between the…
By: Michael Badriaki on September 5, 2013
I found this week’s reading rather refreshing and timely, because the material was relevant to the nature of conversations and discussions that came to bear. One might wonder as to how a petite pamphlet titled; “The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools”would yield the above appraisal. During the past couple of weeks, a…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on September 5, 2013
Can you count how many times you have encountered a person who, for one reason or another, has the belief, or thinks a certain way, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. As you listen to them spout off what they think to be truth you realize that there is no logical reasoning to what they…
By: rhbaker275 on September 5, 2013
I am not a critical thinker, at least, according to the definition given by Paul and Elder in their book “The Miniature Guide to Critical thinking: Concepts and Tools (loc.32, Kindle ed). The authors state, “Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.” The book is chock-full…
By: Miriam Mendez on September 5, 2013
As I read “The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools,” I was reminded of a statement made by a young woman in my faith community, “Pastor, I never knew there were other versions.” She was talking about other versions of the Bible. How could this young woman, who has been in the…
By: Garrick Roegner on September 5, 2013
I grew up in the mainly drab evangelical Bible Church/Southern Baptist religious confines of functionality and perhaps a sewn banner with a Bible verse on it. The visual and art were of little consequential value, perhaps only found in the dying faith and idolatry of ornate Catholicism. It was in college when I began to…
By: Liz Linssen on September 5, 2013
Perfectly academic? (video) (Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
By: Liz Linssen on September 5, 2013
Critical Thinking is a real gem of information, a vast wealth of knowledge to the new student, given its small size. For me one of the most profound statements the authors Elder and Paul make, almost unnoticeable given its location on the last line at the very last page, is: If we want critical societies…
By: Chris Ellis on September 5, 2013
I’m not an art buff. In grade school, I couldn’t even color in the lines. Despite my great lack of art knowledge and ability, I’ve always appreciated art. I love seeing the art and architecture of ancient churches. I enjoy going to galleries and looking at the creativeness of others. I can still vividly remember a painting…
By: Bill Dobrenen on September 5, 2013
For as long as I have been a Christian, there has always been a wrestling match going on between faith and reason. As a young believer, doubt was looked at with suspicion, even with disdain and shame. I remember hearing sermon after sermon that put “carnal” labels on thinking, reasoning, and questioning. I know; I…
