Reflecting on Writing (Jen Smith)

Click on the following link to read the an article in which Pierce Taylor Hibbs makes a range of claims about the theological nature of writing. We Who Work with Words. 

As you read, consider the following claims: (you may wish to handwrite some short responses): 

• “Writing is an act of faith” (p447)
• “Writing as marking the world with personal presence” (p445-456)
• “Writing is thoroughly Trinitarian. It is built upon and draws its effectiveness from the relationships and work of the persons in the Godhead” (p462)

Have you found these statements to be true in your experience of writing?

Do you think these statements are true for all kinds of writing? I.e. is every shopping list an act of faith? Or are there different modes of writing theologically?

Which ideas in the article do you find the most challenging? Can you identify why?

Joining the Dots

Make a list of all the different types of presenting and ordering information that you do in your life. For example, list and note making, essay writing, creating spidergrams, post-it notes, filling in forms etc. Go back through your list and think about differences in function rather than just output of those kinds of writing.

Now, think about the aims of your academic programme. If you’re not sure what they are, they can be found here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/common.awards/programmes/. Below, are the aims of the MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission programme as an example:

1. Open to the questions, insights and ongoing formation generated by engagement with research and thinking at the forefront of specialised areas of study or professional practice in theology, ministry and mission, and willing to go on being transformed by them;
2. aware of the critical skills and disposition needed to go on reading themselves, the church and the world in the light of Christian theology, ministry and mission, and to explore Christian theology, ministry and mission more deeply in the light of experience and practice;
3. more passionate, articulate and prayerful advocates for the mission of God;
4. more generous, open and empathetic in engaging and cooperating with others in and beyond the church, while, as appropriate, expressing their own identity with integrity and sensitivity.

 Think about how the different kinds of writing function in helping you connect with these aims and how? If you feel that they do not currently help, what support would you need to see this happen? In relation to the MA aims above, for example:

• Which forms of writing help you to be further open to questions, insights and transformation? How?
• Which forms of writing help you develop the critical skills necessary to read self, others and the world well? How?
• What forms of writing make you a more generous, open and empathetic person? How?

Something to write

Write a postcard / short note to someone who you only normally communicate with in electronic formats (i.e. via text or email). Notice the speed at which you write and how the ideas of what you wish to communicate are transferred to the page. Do you use a different tone or types of words? Do you set out your writing differently? How does this impact your communication?

Encourage your recipient to write back and notice how you feel as you read the response. Do handwritten communications allow for different relational connections/ personal presence (as per the above article)?

Something fun