Well figured I'd conclude my thoughts on Hauerwas.
I think this is typical Hauerwas humor: A couple years back the world was confronted by a great illness. But, the medical profession found a cure..and the TV was flooded with ads about the relief we could all have from this dire medical epidemic...baldness. Now when did being bald become a medical problem? It so odd how physical limitations require cures. We have an entire industry of 'medicine' to heal physical 'illnesses' : We have surgeries for breast enhancement...aging is an illness. It seems that people are afraid of getting old..or maybe more accurately our bodies aging. The interesting thing that Hauerwas notes is that we come to the medical profession to heal these diseases that they have no real cure.
Hauerwas thinks that due to the way we view the medical industry, people have lost a vital skill: how to die. We do everything in order that we don't die....or maybe more percisely die when we choose...take for example Dr. Kevorkian. People went to him for permission to die. We are the ones who can determine our time of death. Hauerwas doesn't really blame Kevorkian for this..merely giving people what they want. Not that Hauerwas think Kevorkian was a good person...he says.."if i wasn't a pacifist i go and kill him".
Hauerwas believes that the modern story..has created a culture where we have nothing in common...we share no goods in common..so we can't say what it means to die well..we don't really know each other. To add to the problem..a stages of death was created. The stages consist of denial, anger, bargaining, grief,/apathy, and acceptance...the problem is that this process has become so normative that the medical profession almost keeps people alive to go through the process...Hauerwas disagree with this...he believes if we live a crappy life we deserves a crappy death(i guess just part Hauerwas humor..or maybe honesty).
Hauerwas believes a hope in an after life is foreign to the history of Christianity. It like the modern age has this notion of 'rights' to life. But, life is a gift from God. But, Christians have a hope that distinguishes us from the world. While the modern story of having no story is not adequate. We have a story given to us by God...to hope in the after life..is wrong..we hope in God. It the same reason why Christian need to be non-violent..its not that Christians are anti-war..but that we can't imagine anything else for this world that is so violent.
Hauerwas believes that part of being a christian almost requires us to die early, because of all the things required of Christians. Christians have fears a coward never knows of..The main difference between Christians and others with the modern story is that we don't know our story till God tells us...death doesn't determine our story..God does.
The christian life points to the grace and goodness of God. Christians are joyfully dependant on a community..we don't want to be autonomous. The Devil wants us to stare at death...Jesus wants us to look to him. To die in a christian understanding is not abandonment..its is presence with one another..not avoidance. For Hauerwas dieing is a Christian privelge..they are part of us..friends do not give us hope..they are our hope. Death is never to be done in isolation..but with loved ones..God gave us Christ. Our hope is real ..we die looking to Christ.
In the Q&A afterwards...Hauerwas mentioned his contentment for fertility clinics. I think this was classic Hauerwas...calling fertility clinics..pagan..since it is all about our genes keeping 'US' alive....thinking that we are so bent on keeping our genes..while there are so many kids in the world looking for a home..but we need our child to be our own flesh and blood. Hauerwas believes this idea is perverse....What do you guys think about that? Hauerwas was so irate at the thought..you could tell he just wanted to curse, which by the way is when i believe Hauerwas is at his best. Not sure what you think of Hauerwas..but i think every time i read or hear his stuff..i feel like i am wiser...and can face the problems of living this life with a better understanding of what it means to be 'Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony.'
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2 comments:
Thanks for the synopsis. Wish I could have been there!
Can you believe anyone would want to treat baldness, when it makes people as handsome as we are, Chris? It is enough to make me sick.
Yes, I read the rest of your entry too, but for some reason that comment struck a chord with me. = )
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