Kj’s Corner: Real Presences & Adaptation
This summer I had the opportunity to serve as research assistant to Dr. Chelle Stearns for her course on “Theology & the Artistic Impulse.” This meant I got to give two lectures on the class material. (At MHGS we don’t use student TA’s due to dual relationship concerns- so research assistant is a kind of newish thing). Struck with the utter surprise and amazingness of this opportunity, I sort of wondered out loud about it to Chelle, and her response was, that since I’m likely heading into academia moreso than ministry proper, it makes sense that as I got to practice pastoring in my program, I should also get a chance to try on teaching before I graduate. I guess its a good sign that the thought of having two whole hours of class to do with what I wish felt like receiving a ticket to DisneyWorld. Frankly- i would have loved even more time, but two lectures was PLENTY work for this crazy final term. So twice I got to facilitate classtime, focusing on any aspect of the readings- through whatever lenses I felt like bringing to it. Chelle dubbed the time “Kj’s Korner.”
1st lecture: The week’s reading was George Steiner’s “Real Presences,” an incredibly difficult but fascinating text. The amazon review gives a good idea of what I had to work with: “Steiner asserts moral and metaphysical issues are the basis of all art and that our experience of meaning in music, painting and literature presupposes the existence of God as a “necessary possibility.” Dense, difficult, rewarding, this passionately argued essay ranges fluently over aesthetics, linguistics, philosophy, post-structuralism, the range of Western culture.”
As I do with all things, I read, asking myself, “What else does this bring to mind? Where do I see this applied in a way that makes sense to me?” I quickly landed on Charlie Kaufman’s film Adaptation. I used quotes from the book to explore scenes from the film and scenes from the film to explore concepts from the book, etc. Here’s some images my my lecture, as well as the opening scene of the film.
1 | Erin
June 21st, 2010 at 3:23 am
I can’t get the video/audio link to work. But I must admit, Adaptation is one of my favorite films and I’m excited that you’re incorporating it into your research.
2 | Kj
June 21st, 2010 at 5:42 am
hmm- anyone else have trouble viewing it?
3 | Blaine Hogan
June 29th, 2010 at 9:35 am
You may be the smartest person I know. What’s next for you?
4 | Kj
June 30th, 2010 at 2:16 am
Dude- thanks. I’m gonna TA this coming year at MHGS and I may have some writing projects in the queue. also- dreaming of PhD in near future maybe
5 | Garth
July 13th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
So proud of you! I wish I could have sat in on this class.
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