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semiotics

Spiritual Conversations final part 5

January 7, 2010

Please click here for part 1.
Please click here for part 2
Please click here for part 3
Please click here for part 4

READING THE SIGNS
What we have been talking about here is an exercise in what is called semiotics. The Greek word semion in the Gospel accounts is the word for sign. You may remember Jesus in Matthew 16 saying, “You can interpret the appearance of the sky but you cannot read the signs of the times.” Semiotics is reading the signs of the times.

As we have read culture, we have seen a couple signs that give us hints and clues to entry points into conversations we just haven’t understood how to have. My experience as I have talked about this with many Christians, is while there might be initial resistance to think in these ways, they are simply looking for “biblical permission” to think and interact around these topics because they are so common in the cultural airspace.

Semiotics is exactly what Paul used in his now famous Mars Hill interaction. And I want to make sure we touch on it because I think it is another permission giving touch point for us as we head into a spiritually interested culture but one largely hostile to the Christian version.
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Semiotics, Opensource and Community.

January 4, 2010

We scream about exegesis and the bible and do an absolutely dismal job of exegesis and culture. All the right bible stuff poorly translated into culture is quite honestly a waste of time, is imperialistic and colonizing in effect.

We need to be semioticians, readers of the signs of the times. And I think Matt has some very interesting things to say. You may not know Matt Mullenweg, but you are intimately familiar with his work. But it is the philosophy underlying his work that may be enormously instructive for the church. Warning this is 72 minutes…but finding the time to watch it will yield a reward.

MFA Interaction Design Fall Lectures: Matt Mullenweg from MFA Interaction Design on Vimeo.

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