Week 6 Discussion Board
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California State University, Fullerton *
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Course
210
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
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Uploaded by stenyv06
Week 6 Discussion Board
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Explain in your own words how Smith applies his main thesis (that we are desiring
creatures shaped by liturgies/habits) to the following: family, youth ministry/education,
vocation/work.
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The main message that Smith tries to convey to readers through his book, is that
humans are liturgical creatures. We are driven by our desires which are formative
of the habits and practices we implement in our daily lives. In other words, the
title of his book best explains his thesis, “You are what you love”. Smith applies
this overall theme to a couple aspects we prioritize in our lives. We invest our
time in the things we love. Family is one the biggest influences in our lives, as a
result it molds us to be who we are. Secondly, he focuses on youth ministry and
how we practice our Christian faith. He makes the claim that youth ministry today
has been turned into an ‘expressivist affair’ that is concerned more with keeping
adolescents entertained during worship. This focus on keeping young people
physically present in church is not the same as keeping them ‘in Christ’
spiritually. This creates a false sense of desire in young people, leading them to
secular liturgies that create a false vision of God’s kingdom. In terms of
education, vocation, and work, Smith states that these aspects of our lives are
powerful formative practices that have the ability to either propel us to or away
from true Christian discipleship, therefore, we must choose to use them as a way
to pursue God.
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Having completed the book, what are your overall impressions? Did you have any strong
agreements or disagreements with the book? Would you recommend it to others? Why or
why not?
○
As someone who struggles to finish most books I start, this book was one of the
few books I’ve read that immediately captured my attention and kept me engaged
until the very end. Smith skillfully writes in a way that is thought-provoking and
insightful as he tells stories from his own life as well as provides real world
examples. I would highly recommend this book to others because it not only gives
you a chance to ask yourself the essential question, “Are my habits/practices
leading me to false visions of God’s kingdom?” but helps you to differentiate rival
visions from God’s true purpose (telos) for us in order to reassess and redirect our
desires.
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