Alexandra Mann 2.9.17 Outside Reading: Visions of Christianity

For my Visions of Christianity class, we read about the doctrine of immaculate conception. In regard to worship in the Catholic Church, God receives latria. Latria is a type of worship that involves the bending of the knee. Mary was the next in line to receive worship. This form of worship was called hyperdulia. Lastly, the saints were worshiped and this is called dulia which means service. What is important about this hierarchy of worship is that Mary is above the saints and Jesus. Mary is known as the Mediatrix. She has a special connection between Christ and the believer. Mary was known as a special prayer warrior of her time. She was someone that you could ask to pray for you. She was like a mediator. This is an important tenant of the Catholic Church. Sometimes, it confuses me to think about how someone could pray to Mary instead of God or Jesus. After hearing that people within the early church saw Mary in the ways listen above, I am beginning to understand their approach. As I did more research, I realized that Catholics believe that those in heaven are alive. This means that it is acceptable and encouraged to pray to those in heaven. Protestants would use an analogy similar to this one to argue against those of the Catholic religion. “When I go to a doctor, I don't want to talk to his/her mother."

Alexandra Mann 2.7.17 In Class Discussion (Malia's Discussion Leader)

Malia asked a question during our class period. “If we consider ourselves a Christian, does that mean we have to be an environmentalist?” 

In class, we had varying opinions. Some students said being a Christian means being an environmentalist, while others very much disagreed with statement. I believe that Christians have a responsibility to steward and subdue the earth. This is directly seen through the command in Genesis. Most Christians can agree on that. 

My next question is, “What does it mean by stewarding and subduing the land?” and “How far is too far?” I would say that being an environmentalist means respecting nature, caring for nature and believing that God gives nature as a gift.  Christians, in my opinion should view nature in this way. Christians should not value nature above humans. To an extent, Christians need to be the ones to protect the world and its resources from being abused. On the other hand, Christians have been given nature as a gift. It is here for us to eat, and advance. The point where this becomes dangerous is when we try to play our own God. This is seen through Genetically Modifies Organisms. The concept of a GMO is trying to play the role of God. Even though we can never be God or do what God does, ee still try to be our own Gods. 

The Aura of Nature

Outside reading: Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”

“We define the aura of the latter as the unique phenomenon of a distance, however close it may be. If, while resting on a summer afternoon, you follow with your eyes a mountain range on the horizon or a branch which casts its shadow over you, you experience the aura of those mountains, of that branch” (p.434).  

In Benjamin’s essay, he discusses the idea of aura (defined in the quote above) applying it mainly to the area of art but using nature as another example. He explains aura as the space and time that art occupies and the reverence that we have when we encounter a work of art. This idea of aura is incredibly intriguing to me, almost a recognizable feeling when I reflect on times when I have stood in wondrous places. I think this concept of aura sheds light on our infatuation with “the real thing.” This seems to apply to almost every facet of life: we want an authentic brand, we want to go the place where something memorable happens, we want to see a piece of artwork in real life. Particularly in nature, a photograph does not ever do it justice. There is a difference between seeing a picture of the Grand Canyon and standing on the edge of it, gazing at its beauty, and being in awe of its vastness. There is something very human about this idea of aura and I wonder if it has something to do with the history of what we are gazing upon. When we look at the Grand Canyon, we are participating in a landscape that humans beings for thousands of years have looked upon. There is something universal about this aura – perhaps if I stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon and feel this reverence of aura, someone else before me felt the same thing, and someone else before that person, so on and so forth. Thus, being in nature has the potential to be more participation than simply viewing, participation in the grander human narrative.