By: Telile Fikru Badecha on February 7, 2014
Reading Evangelicalism in Modern Britain by D.W. Bebbington detailed analyses on the history of Evangelical religion from the 1730s to the 1980s was eye opening to realize the enduring impacts that the Evangelical religion has had not only in United Kingdom but in worldwide Christianity. For instance, Dr. Thomas Alexander Lambie (1885-1954) the first American missionary…
By: rhbaker275 on February 7, 2014
The Christian church throughout history has been defined in the cultural context of each era in which she has existed. As we move deeper into the twenty-first century, the church must define herself in the context of a post-Christendom and a post-modern era. I believe those who are leaders realize the difficult task to equip…
By: Julie Dodge on February 7, 2014
In Evangelicalism in Modern Britain, [i] David W. Bebbington provides a tour through history of evangelicalism as it developed and evolved from the 1730’s through the mid 1970’s. Bebbington aligns the start of evangelicalism with the ministry of John Wesley and his contemporaries. He asserts that there are four elements that define evangelicalism, in spite…
By: Bill Dobrenen on February 7, 2014
I taught a course for a few years called “Religious Themes in American Culture.” This course caused students to think about the implications of the Christian faith in American cultural evolution. I talked often about the “Sacred/Secular Dance,” a concept that helped students see that the secular culture often has great impact on the Christian…
By: Ashley Goad on February 6, 2014
Every week in our church staff meeting, one member of the staff gives a devotion to center the group. This week, it was my turn. Let me be honest… I had forgotten it was my turn, and in user error, my iPhone neglected to remind me until 8:55am before the 9:00am staff meeting. I quickly…
By: Deve Persad on February 6, 2014
I have a confession to make before you continue on in reading. It may change your desire to read, it may even change your opinion of me. I’m willing to take that risk. Ready. Here it is: “I love math”. Math makes me happy. There is a long list of things that I am unable…
By: Miriam Mendez on February 5, 2014
As I began to read The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time I could not disregard our reading from last week, Collateral Damage. Both texts deal with issues that have tremendous impact on society and humanity. And both books challenge us to not just sit and wait for “the power of…
By: Bill Dobrenen on February 1, 2014
I was married in 1981 and was a successful youth pastor at a large church with 300 kids in my youth group. My wife was a teacher at the adjoining Christian school. We were the perfect Christian couple. But within a month we began to argue about our differences. Perhaps this is somewhat normal with…
By: Julie Dodge on February 1, 2014
I bought a new pair of glasses this week. I used to wear contact lenses almost all of the time, but as my eyes have aged, and with the reality of my really bad eye sight, I pretty much stick to the glasses. My plan was to buy a box of contacts (six lenses total)…
By: John Woodward on January 31, 2014
The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time by Karl Polanyi is in many respects Collateral Damage written seventy years earlier. This book for me was a huge education in basic economics that included history, politics and social theory, covering topics from the gold standard, the causes of WWII, and the transition…
By: Richard Volzke on January 31, 2014
Polanyi, in his book The Great Transformation, traces the evolution of social and economic transformation in the early 20th century. This book was written at the height of World War II and explains how the economic system moved to a market based system around the turn-of-the-century. Polanyi discussed that world’s economy moved away from the…
By: Ashley Goad on January 31, 2014
In the past three months, I have traveled to Haiti, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Uganda. In each of these countries, the culture, the economy, the land, the people, the goods… they are all distinctly different. Yet in two weeks, as I venture to Russia, I cannot help to think it will be the most socially…
By: Telile Fikru Badecha on January 31, 2014
Reading Karl Polanyi’s brilliant work on The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of our Time is very instructive, and it raised my curiosity to learn more about my country’s economic and political system, and its impact on social life. One of the central pieces from Polanyi’s discussion that struck me the most is…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on January 31, 2014
Interestingly this week, while reading Karl Polanyi’s book The Great Transformation my daughter was assigned a three minute speech debating the pros and cons of tariffs vs. free markets. She had me read her speech wherein she biasedly sided with free markets, with the understanding that the freer the better. Using some critical thinking analysis,…
By: Stefania Tarasut on January 31, 2014
The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time By: Karl Polanyi The Industrial Revolution not only changed life in the way that business is done, but it changed our relationship with the land. Our relationship with the land is a reflection of our relationship with the poor. Before the industrial revolution it…
By: rhbaker275 on January 31, 2014
During the LGP4 cohort’s synchronous chat, it was noted by Jason Clark, cohort lead mentor, that reading The Great Transformation, The Political and Economic Origins of our Time,[1] would give insight into “how capitalism came to be and how it shapes social life… i.e. economic history.”[2] It was clear in the initial reading, as I perused the introduction, contents, and…
By: Liz Linssen on January 31, 2014
Polanyi’s work, written during the tumultuous times of the Second World War, serve as a reflection and critique of the current self-regulating free market forces against the market economy of centuries past. Written in response to the flaws of free market forces such as inequality, war, oppression and social turmoil, Polanyi attempts to convince the…
By: Carol McLaughlin on January 31, 2014
Perhaps you tuned in to watch President Obama deliver the State of the Union address this past Tuesday evening. During his speech the middle class was held up as the class for those in poverty to aspire toward and encouragement was sounded forth for employers to raise the minimum wage. The measure of success is…
By: Raphael Samuel on January 31, 2014
By: Karl Polanyi The title “The Great Transformation,” almost sounds like an action filled movie. In a sense Karl Polanyi’s account of the, political, social, and economic factors that led to the greatest period of transformation in Europe can be seen as an, action filled epic overview. The account has both historical and intellectual value…
By: Sharenda Roam on January 30, 2014
The Wild Core of Art & Music As I followed Erica and Harold through their conversations, activities, thoughts, and experiences I ran into a section of the book, “The Social Animal,” that gave my unconscious pleasure. It is a portion that discusses music and art. Certain patterns of music, David Brooks explaines, produce warm swellings…
