Category Archives: the self

What is Identity and What Will Be Its End

Posted on October 25, 2017 by PaulVK

Identity is an interesting thing. Jordan Peterson makes the observation that it is indeed a public thing, but like reputation it is publicly constructed more than individually asserted. Our current POTUS surely has an opinion as to what his reputation … Continue reading →

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Hell’s Tourists in the Fields of Glory

Posted on September 15, 2017 by PaulVK

Visiting D_____ I visited D_____ in jail this morning. I had to register well in advance of the visit which meant I had a fair amount of free time before the visit. I had intentionally not brought a lot of … Continue reading →

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The “Good” I Don’t Need God For (and the Uncomfortable Good I Do)

Posted on April 2, 2014 by PaulVK

Good without God In the theist-atheist debates one of the flash points is morality. Theists like to tell atheists that their morality is foundationless without God. That’s a debatable point in the theoretical and philosophical but I must conceded is … Continue reading →

Posted in Pastoral Identity, the self, theological | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

From “hurt people hurt people” to “Graced people grace people”

Posted on March 17, 2014 by PaulVK

Religion and Mental Illness Read this interesting interview on Sam Harris’ blog where the interviewer was connecting religion with mental illness. I do think there is sound anthropological evidence that the first “priests”, the shamans of Siberia, were probably psychological … Continue reading →

Posted in Pastoral Identity, the self, theological | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What Story Did You Receive? What Story Do You Choose? What Story are You?

Posted on February 24, 2014 by PaulVK

Born to the Right Family When my oldest child was born in the Dominican Republic my wife and I brought him to the American consulate to get his American passport. When you arrive at the consulate in Santo Domingo you … Continue reading →

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