The first post in this series introduced four characteristics I think are vital for a hermeneutical approach 'after postmodernism': It must be growth-oriented, holistic, integrating, and inclusive of complexity. This post will focus on the first of these characteristics. I’ve written a lot already in this space about growth and why I think it’s important … Continue reading Toward an Integral Hermeneutic: Growth-Oriented
The written word is nothing short of a miracle, transforming patterns of marks on a surface into meaningful communication, across space and time. It should be no surprise, thinking of the miracle that writing actually represents, that understanding the written word is often challenging. Even more than understanding face-to-face oral/aural communication, it is really nothing … Continue reading The Written Word (Toward an Integral Hermeneutic: Introduction)
I’ve always been a collector. As a child, I collected anything from leaves (that was for a Cubs badge) and sugar packets (to alleviate boredom on long Summer road trips) to baseball cards and pennants. As an adult, this tendency manifests itself less in physical objects (though I do surround myself with my favorite books … Continue reading Florilegium
As I wrote the other week in my reflection on the Resurrection, I have long appreciated the metaphor of Spring. Since growth is also a favorite metaphor, this should come as no surprise, and indeed, the first blushes of new life are so very welcome after a long and difficult winter! But more than just … Continue reading Change of Seasons
For this week’s sacred practice, I returned to an old favorite: the gratitude practice known as ‘Three Good Things.’ This is a practice I have been doing consistently for close to six years, and is the one practice I actively recommend to friends who are going through difficult seasons of life. Despite its simplicity — … Continue reading Three Good Things
Matthew Root 