Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Templeton Prize Awarded to Al Plantinga

The announcement was made a few months ago.  A 1.1 million pounds sterling prize would be awarded to Alvin Plantinga for his contributions to "affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works"--the goal of the Templeton Foundation.

I will quote the first line of the program tribute:  "Alvin Plantinga is an American scholar whose rigorous writings over a half century have made theism--the belief in a divine reality or god--a serious option within academic philosophy."   His Warrant Trilogy published by Oxford University Press in 1993 and 2000 stated that "religious beliefs are proper starting points for human reasoning and do not have to be defended or justified based on other beliefs."    His five minute acceptance speech distinguished between two types of beliefs--one that accepted that George Washington was our first president because we had read about it or been told about it--and the second one (in his quirky style) was a belief that you had an annoying itch in your left leg.  I think he was saying that belief in God is like that second type of belief.  You know it and no one has to tell you that and it is not irrational.  That's seems pretty deceptively simple, he stated, and I am not sure I understand how that can be the basis of many books and words and lectures--and a Templeton prize--but there it is.

We were surprised to be invited to the Templeton Prize Ceremony but we accepted this invitation.  As Al said, he was not sure he deserved this honor but he was not going to turn it down!

Our connections with Al are through several channels.   Jim studied logic and modern philosophy with him at Calvin College in the 1960s.  Years later, when Jim was appointed to the Department of Philosophy and Religion at North Carolina State University, his colleagues in philosophy were impressed to hear that he had studied with Al Plantinga and may have given him more respect because of it!

In 1991, when Jim was appointed to Notre Dame's Theology faculty, he became a colleague of Al's. .  But more importantly, we worshipped together at the South Bend Christian Reformed Church and became friends.

The memory of Al that comes to mind for me more than any other is worshipping with him during the often sparsely attended evening services we used to have at our church.  There were opportunities for prayer requests and Al often asked for prayers for his family or his many acquaintances.  Somehow that always struck me that this world renowned scholar was humble enough to ask for prayers for people he cared about.


The event itself this past Sunday at the Field Museum in Chicago was an adventure.  We took the South Shore train into Chicago and stayed at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel--where we were upgraded from our "hip and historic" room to a business class room on the 20th floor--spacious and with a lovely view.  We met our friends Julie and Nathan Hatch in the lobby and had pizza and drinks with them--catching up on families and the years gone by since they too were at Notre Dame and our church.  A shuttle bus took us to the Field Museum where we listened to six speeches, three chorale numbers by the Calvin College Alumni Choir, two videos, and one piano solo by Al's brother Leon.  A reception followed in the large museum hall--home of T Rex.

Al apparently had been taken to the hospital at 1 am with what he thought was heartburn.  The hotel staff was concerned because it could easily be heart issues instead.  In typical Al fashion, he may have neglected to  bring his usual meds along for the weekend.  In any case, he was released at noon and was able to participate in fine fashion in the evening.  This information was not publicized but we chatted with family members while waiting for the shuttle.

A great aspect of the evening was reuniting with many graduate students who had been members of our church during Al and Kathy's years there--some coming from Grand Rapids, but also from Florida, California, and the Netherlands.  Al has had an amazing legacy of influencing generations of philosophers and he stated that he hoped this prize would encourage them towards "greater creativity, integrity, and boldness."


Monday, September 18, 2017

JBC

JBC, husband of Kelly, father of Asher and Carter, elder and musician in our church,  a PhD in history from Notre Dame, employee in IT at Notre Dame, and friend of many, suddenly passed away a week ago Friday afternoon at 4 pm in his home.  It has been a week of many tears and questions and plans and hugs.

The phone rang at suppertime last Friday and we ignored it lest it be another robo-call.  Later Jim went to the phone to see if he could play a few holes of golf and heard the voice mail signal.  He called Eric, our elder at church, knowing it was probably bad news and it was.  In shock, he came into the family room and told me it was Jeff and he was gone.  We sat in disbelief--and Jim did not go golfing.

I texted Chris, our pastor, to say I was praying for her too because I knew she would have to be in the midst of it all.  She texted back with her thanks.  And then shortly after that, she asked me to get meals started for the family.  Joanne called and said she would bring breakfast; I said we would do lunch.  I then passed it on to Mary who is in charge of meals at church.  I was so glad I did because with many, many offers it got to be a complicated undertaking.

Early Saturday morning, I went to Martin's and bought a large sub--of which they had many for game day at Notre Dame.  We added brownies, fruit, carrot sticks, and a potato salad and brought it all over to the house at 12:30.  Little Asher, age 5, came up to us and said, "You go to my church."  Later, as he was bouncing all over the room and under the blanket on a make-shift cot, he said, "My daddy died."  Those words haunted me all day.

I prayed and prayed, "God, be with Kelly."  As I did, I thought of D who would care about Kelly a lot, but not yet having made the commitment to join our church, might not be on the elder list to call.  I didn't want to have her hear about it on Sunday morning so I contacted her.  She was very appreciative.  I thought about how prayer works.  In this case, I could do nothing more for Kelly but did God put D into my mind?

Sunday's church school was a time of support for each other.  The worship service was changed also into a time of lament, not only for Jeff, but also for the horrific hurricanes experienced this week.  Chris had a short meditation in which she admitted to "being shaken to her core."  She spoke of Jesus calming the seas and raising Lazarus but not Jeff.  Yet Jesus was in the boat and he wept--and then he died as the ultimate gift of being one with us. Joel's congregational prayer was so meaningful--also full of lament and questions.  He mentioned that there was no drummer this morning--Jeff's role.  He expressed the guilt we all felt when we laughed or smiled in spite of this tragedy.  He was so bold as to refer to two "unstable men" on either side of the world threatening nuclear war. There were many hugs and tears and tissues in each row ready for use.

David asked me to play the organ for the funeral service.  There was just one congregational hymn for organ  but I had to find music for before and after the service.  I did so with care--choosing strong hymns but not sentimental ones.  I could not play "It is well with my soul"  for now. "For All the Saints" was an easy choice for the postlude.  The idea came to me to ask the guitar players to join on the two Taize songs and even without any practice, that worked out so well.  "Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer, Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer" and "In God Alone, My Soul Can Find Rest and Peace."   The timing, which had concerned me, was perfect because the family began walking in at that point and then I could play "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

We had gone to the visitation in the afternoon in spite of my hesitation to see the open casket which I avoided.   Kelly was alone in a chair at the time we walked in and she greeted us with great sobs and hugs.  We just held her and loved her.  Somehow, she was so gracious as to tell us, "Jeff loved you guys." A few hours later, Kelly was strong enough to give a profound and emotional and theological eulogy for her husband.  She ended with recounting a letter he had written to her when they spent a year apart during their engagement 12 years previously in which  he told her to stop worrying about their next "Good-bye" but instead think of their "Glorious Hello."

The church was packed with friends and family.  It was strange to look out over our sanctuary filled with folks dressed in dark clothing. Cars were parked on the grass and at the school next door.  That in itself was a tribute to Jeff and Kelly.

Now life goes on.  There is a fund to help with finances without the primary income for this young family.  Kelly will have to go back to work as a therapist.  How can she help others when her own world has fallen apart?  Her family is far away.  We will be her church family as we have been.  I wish I had known Jeff better; I do feel as if I know Kelly better having had a few one on one conversations with her--initiated by both of us at different times.

David posted this on Facebook after the service and it made me weep once again when I read it Friday:

Today I heard a eulogy given by a distraught wife that knocked the socks off everyone in the (very full) room. I saw a lot of people who haven't been around all together in the sanctuary to celebrate the life of this man. I listened to a Roman Catholic priest say "Amen!" multiple times as our female pastor delivered an excellent, profound, and personal meditation. I listened to amazing voices lead us through "Shepherd me, O God," and the congregation responding with an outstanding communal voice, and my dear friend playing Taize' songs on organ with guitar accompanist - it was excellent. Jeff's work wasn't done. Tonight he accomplished a great deal of kingdom building.
The Body of Christ is an amazing thing. Tonight we saw a wonderful part of it in the midst of a tragic situation. We mourn together. Together we will work through this. Together we have the ability to support Kelly and the boys. Together.

October 11, 2017

An update:  Monday night, Jim and I along with about 20 others, were invited to the Kuyers for a grieving session with Kelly.  It began with a meditation read by Chris and then Kelly told her story of Jeff's last minutes and her great loss.  Then others were invited to share their immediate reaction to hearing about his death and reflections on their own loss.  We toasted Jeff with his favorite beverage--Maker's Mark--and then told stories about him--many funny, many appreciative.  His ashes were in a box next to Kelly--which she said Jeff would like because it would make us uncomfortable.  It did.

To do this was very courageous on Kelly's part but she felt it necessary to connect with others again.  I admire her and respect her for that.  Chris directed the evening well.  There were many tears from both men and women.

I am haunted by the evening.  I think of Kelly's description and I won't even write the words down because I don't want to dwell on them as I have been doing--day and night unfortunately.  Her grief is so enormous and we can't lift it for her.  We can't make it better.

 I will continue to ask her over for supper with the boys. They came the first night they were alone without family.  

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Feminist Theory, Part II

Our lives and thoughts right now are consumed with the tragic death of a young friend of ours from church.  I can't write about that yet.  I can't begin to process it, let alone thinking of his wife and family processing it.

Another friend had the congregational prayer and among many hard things, he mentioned our feeling guilty when we laughed at something this weekend.  I know exactly what he meant.

But I am in a writing mood so I will write with some amusement about the Feminist Theory class again.

No, I am not a "Smick."  What is a Smick?   This is a self-described term for a St. Mary's chick. It's OK to call yourself a Smick but not so OK if others do.  Apparently, the alumna are not fond of the term.

Yes, I am "woke."  Or I would like to think I am woke--politically aware.  Apparently this term, which not all the ladies knew, has been applied to the women of color in the class.  The stereotype is that they are more "woke" than others.

 I think I was woke today when I told Karie after class that I thought the "guilty" in the Central Park Jogger case had been exonerated years after the 1991 article we read today.  I googled it later and yes they had--which probably only adds to the racism of that particular retelling of that tragedy.

Three of the four young ladies of color in the class speak up more than anyone else.  Is this because of their "woke"-ness?  Or just their own personalities?  One refers to herself as "mixed."  I never liked that term and still don't.  I do however find hearing about their experiences a very interesting part of the class.  The most outspoken of the three told us that when asked by other St. Mary's women, "No, she cannot and will not introduce others to the ND football players, No she cannot teach someone else how to twerk, and No, this is not the night that you are going to f... a black girl for the first time."  So, yes, she is a victim of stereotyping!

I enter into the discussion only if I really feel I have something to contribute or need clarification.  I try to sit in different places so that no one group gets subject to my always being in their group discusssions. Karie says I am being disruptive in that respect!  I have noted that at least in the warmer weather I was the only student without a fancy water bottle.

It has been fun to watch my friend Karie, aka Professor Cross Riddle, in action.  She runs the class well.  She accepts student comments and furthers them. She praises and applauds the student discussion leaders.   Her presentations clarify our reading material.  She ends the class positively with thanks for a good discussion.  She clearly finds the material compelling and important for social justice and not just of academic interest.

These St. Mary's women have impressed me with their interest, enthusiasm, and ability to present their ideas to others.  I feel very "privileged" (and not just as a white, educated woman!) to be able to sit in on this class. One suggestion made today to further "intersectionality" was to have converstions with others who were not of your race or for that matter, sexuality.  This class is giving me the opportunity to listen to women who are definitely not of my age group, some not of my race, and sexuality unknown thus far at least.