cambridge | archives [09.11.2004-29.10.2004]

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9.11.2004: Plantinga's Stanton Lectures

[Warning: academic post (including analytic philosophy!)] When I planned this time in Cambridge last year, I wasn't yet aware that Alvin Plantinga (long-time Calvin professor of philosophy, now O'Brien Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Notre Dame--and all-around famous philosopher of religion) would be delivering the Stanton Lectures this term at Cambridge. (Another pleasant surprise is the upcoming patristics conference, "The Future of the Past," which will consider nouvelle theologie's retrieval of the early Church fathers. The nouvelle theologie of de Lubac, Congar, and von Balthasar is a central impetus of Radical Orthodoxy.)

Last night was the first of a series of five. Al, being the rock star that he is, packed the lecture hall, plus two overflow rooms. The theme of the lecture series is "Science and Religion: Conflict or Concord?" This is really fortuitous, as I've been sensing for a couple of years now that given my previous work on matters of "creation," including what I describe as a "creational ontology" in Introducing Radical Orthodoxy, I've sensed a kind of obligation to do more work at the intersection of philosophy, science, and theology. After having begun some reading in these areas, this lecture series should be a great kick-start.

The argument of the series progresses with each lecture, but the basic line is this: There is no deep conflict between Christianity and science as such; there is not even a deep conflict between Christianity and evolution (even Darwinism). In fact, there is deep concord between Christianity and science (recall Kuyper's fourth of the Stone Lectures on "Calvinism and Science.") There is, however, a deep conflict between Christianity and naturalism. But naturalism is not, properly speaking, a scientific stance. It is a pre-scientific metaphysical commitment. There is no necessary reason for science to begin from this metaphysical commitment to naturalism. In fact, Plantinga wants to argue that there is ultimately a deep confliction between naturalism and science (and that naturalism entails skepticism). Should be a wild ride.

The title of the first lecture was "Evolution and Christian Belief." Here Plantinga makes the initial point that there is nothing inherent to evolutionary theory (or what he calls "Darwinism simpliciter") which is in conflict with Christian faith. For the one theme that must be essential to a Christian science must be a fundamental affirmation of creation. However, affirming creation only requires that we affirm a sense of design, or more specifically, what he calls "strong design": "the view that human beings and other organisms have been intentionally designed by one or more conscious intelligent beings." On Plantinga's account, even an evolutionary theory that operates on the basis of random genetic mutation does not a priori exclude the notion of special (divine) design. If, as the academic orthodoxy seems to think, there seems to be a conflict between believing in creation/design and evolutionary theory, this does not stem from science's commitment to evolution, but rather its non-scientific commitment to naturalism. [The next step, then, would be to challenge the alleged objectivity of naturalism.]

Tomorrow's lecture takes up the question of God's special activity in the world, challenging the naturalistic notion of the world as a "closed system." Should be fun stuff.

5.11.2004: Guy Fawkes Day

When we get back to the States, you'll have to ask one of the kids to tell you the story about Guy Fawkes. They've been quickly indoctrinated with English folklore, including the story of this fellow who once plotted to blow up the Parliament buildings. Apparently, the plot failed--and that's reason to celebrate! November 5th is thus called "Bonfire Night," and in most English towns this includes a big fireworks show and then the lighting of a huge bonfire (sometimes Guy Fawkes is burned in effigy [!]). So our Friday was filled with related activities [pictures below].

In the morning, Deanna attended Jackson's class assembly (I had to be at a parent-teacher conference for Grayson). So Jack got to show off his new school. Then, Friday night, we joined Grayson's youth group at St. Andrew's and the whole family joined what looked like the entire population of Cambridge for a fireworks show on Midsomer Common. It was one of the best we've seen (though still didn't top the best show ever: in Horsham, PA). Afterwards, we all went back to the church for soup, tea, toffee, and games. We got to meet some other families and just had a wonderful night. By the end of a long night of walking, though, "the littles" were pretty tired, so we had to carry them home (see last picture).

Jackson's "Year 1" Teacher	The Family at "Bonfire Night" with the StAG Youth Group
	Grayson with some of his new found friends (he's happier about it than he looks here! :-)
Tomato soup to warm up! Behind Dee, Maddie, and Cole is one of many cenitaphs around the church which signal the "remains" of various saints and parishioners from the past.	Coleson and Jamie trying to drag home "the littles," Jack and Maddie, who were pooped out after a long night of partying!

3.11.2004: Tea at "The Orchard"

Sorry it's been so long since our last post. Friday and Saturday were pretty much taken up by all of the kids getting the flu. Fortunately, it seemed to be a 24 hr. variety and they were all back on their feet to go to church on Sunday. Since the first week here we've been attending St. Andrew the Great, an Anglican church downtown with a vibrant ministry to students. This past Sunday, the associate vicar and his family had us over to their house for a wonderful lunch and a chance to meet another local family (though they moved here from the States). We got to see a new part of town as we all biked to their house. (We only have five bikes, but we've come up with a way for Maddie to ride on the rack of my bike when we all need to get somewhere.) On Monday Maddie got to go to a birthday/belated-Hallowe'en party for one of the girls in her class. She had a great time.

Today was beautiful--and with all the kids back in school (and looking for excuses to forget the dismal election results), Deanna and I enjoyed a wonderful lunchtime stroll to a nearby village called Grantchester. Just outside of Cambridge, there is a footpath from the end of our street that winds through some college playing fields, along the river Cam and meanders through some pastures into the quaint little village, complete with thatched-roof houses and an 11th-century church. But the biggest draw is a Tea Garden called "The Orchard" [see pictures below]. Set in an apple orchard, the Tea Garden has been a Cambridge tradition for over a century. It used to be a gathering spot for poets (Rupert Brooke), novelists (like Virginia Woolf), and a number of philosophers (including Betrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Alfred North Whitehead). We ate our scones and drank our tea out under the fruit trees. It was positively lovely.

29.10.2004: Our Punting Excursion

Yesterday was just gorgeous, and since the kids were still off on "half-term," we took time in the afternoon to enjoy our own punting experience. There are several places on the river that rent punts for "self-hire" by the hour, so we found the cheapest (a good Grand-Rapids-virtue!) and set out on the river Cam. It was great fun! Deanna and the kids lounged inside the punt as Jamie stood on the back, navigating with the Gondola-style pole. The river is very shallow, so the idea is to push the punt with the pole on the botoom of the river, and then drag it in the water as a rudder in order to steer. It's pretty hard to stay straight! But eventually Jamie figured out the system. However, the river bed is also quite soft in spots, so a couple of times the poles stayed stuck in the river bed. We then had to use a small oar to get back to it. (When a punt in front of us left their pole in the muck, Coleson retrieved it from our boat and gave it back to them.) Here's some pictures of the experience:

You'll notice the river is pretty busy with punts (we had a couple of bumps!). Students from the colleges bring along a bottle of wine when they go punting. A very romantic date.	The views from the river are beautiful--a different "angle" on the city. The river goes through the colleges, so we passed by Queen's, King's, Trinity, Jesus, and Magdalene Colleges and turned around at the Bridge of Sighs.
Maddie's first photo credit.

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