Would You Like to Be a Part of This?
I’m a theologian in an age when academic theology is undergoing dramatic changes. Gone are the days when one could expect to walk out of their PhD and into a tenure track academic position. As a result, my family and I have decided not to live the vagabond existence of chasing down temporary teaching posts wherever they happen to appear. We are instead going to attempt a new thing with our lives, the details of which remain largely unknown, even to us. What we do know is that our values tend to be along the lines of minimalism and the creation of more space for living into the adventure of our true humanity. Thomas Merton (whom I write about regularly) has been perhaps my greatest inspiration on this point.
Part of my contribution to this plan is to leverage my writing as one element in what I suspect will be a tapestry of projects. That said, I hope to join the ranks of those who have sought to communicate whatever wisdom academic theology has to a wider audience (at least I will after I finish blogging through my dissertation!).
Here’s a few ways we can help each other out:
• If you have appreciated my writings, and would like to be a part of keeping me at it, please consider a small donation.
• If that’s a little too intangible, perhaps you’ve enjoyed the original photography that use in my posts. If so, you might consider buying a print or greeting card of my work here.
• And finally, I’ve partnered with Amazon so that if you buy a product from them using one of the links I happen to post from this blog, I get a small cut. Either that or simply doing your Amazon shopping through this link will have the same effect (Don’t be scared off by the “draggerseats” prefix in that web address. That’s there because I have to host that link on one of my other websites since WordPress won’t let me post this link on the free version of this blog. What’s “Dragger Seats,” you ask? Have a look for yourself… Heck, I suppose you could buy a seat from me too if you’re one of those types!)
Your support will go toward helping us be a new reality, and hopefully share that vision with the world beyond our little family. And part of that is keeping me writing! Gratefully, Alex
living through death 
Alex, I’m really excited to hear this! (“We are…going to attempt a new thing with our lives…”) There is an emerging awareness, a clear awareness, that how modern society lives is broken–in fundamental ways. And who’s going to try our new ways of living–and do so with great thoughtfulness and intelligence? Well, now I can say that I know someone. BTW: “church,” church, Church is hurting like every other part of society, and it can’t fix itself while remaining embedded in a broken culture. Lead the way, young man. (Jeannette and I are discussing what we can contribute monthly. I’ll be back to set that up shortly.)
Tracy Witham
January 27, 2015 at 6:20 am
Tracy, thank you for these words. We really are trying to tune our ears to “the new thing.” Trying to sort out how embedded we remain (and what that even means!) is an ongoing negotiation. But, like you say, there is indeed a movement afoot that is counter to the values of the majority of society. There’s a lightness to it, a freedom from the typical burdens “normal life” would have us carry, a yearning for a greater harmony amongst ourselves and with the planet that is our home. Thank you again, your words bring focus to my mind which (lately) seems so very scattered!
Alex
January 27, 2015 at 10:51 am