This discussion has four questions to be answered on three separate pages, with
300 hundred words each.
Question 1
What Makes a Life Good?
Drawing upon the course materials thus far (readings, lectures, videos), and your own experience, make an initial attempt at answering the following big question: What Makes a Life Good?
As a means toward answering this question, compare the vision of a good life presented in the Christian story (the ‘Shalom’ and ‘Justice’ videos) and the consumerist vision critiqued in the videos of Steve Cutts (‘Happiness’ and ‘Man’). Each story revolves around fundamental differences in how one defines what makes life good.
Your answer does NOT have to fit in the Christian story or use its language, but your responses should attempt to make fundamental statements about what you think a good life involves, whatever story you use to define it. DO NOT speak abstractly, generically, or idealistically. Be honest with your experience, motivations, and desires. If you think a good life means finding ways to maximize your security and significance (happiness) through accumulating power, protecting privilege, or material consumption then say so and explain why. If you think a good life means minimizing your own security, significance, and convenience in order to increase it for those who are marginalized or to sustain the planet (for whatever reason), then say so and explain why.
Make sure your response is prepared and not improvised, shows clear evidence of your engagement with the course materials, and that you directly address the question with a substantial and polished paragraph of no less than 300 words
Question 2
The Story Thus Far – McLaren 1-28
You are now over halfway through The Story We Find Ourselves In. Take some time to reflect upon what you have read thus far.
Note one character you have identified with and explain why. Note one question asked by a character that resonated with you and explain why. Note one answer given by a character that helped you and explain why.
Make sure your response is prepared and not improvised, shows clear evidence of your engagement with the course materials, and 9that you directly address each question with a polished paragraph of no less than 100 words. Your overall response to this prompt should be no less than 300 words.
Question3
Why Isn’t Life Good for Everyone
you answered the question ‘What Makes a Life Good?’ in the previous module. Now, address another big question every human story must answer: ‘Why Isn’t Life Good for Everyone?’ Many people, religious and non, believe some version of the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’. Now is your chance to reflect on the ‘reason’ why your understanding of a good life has not been realized by much of the human population (perhaps including yourself/family), and over much of human history.
Is ignorance to blame? Biased institutions? The wrong religion, or no religion at all? A flaw in human nature? Lack of empowerment (whether personal or political)? Geographical or physical liabilities? Lack of personal effort? Lack of social opportunity? God/evolution designed it this way? Perhaps a combination of some of the above? However you explain the discrepancies at this point in your development, now is the time to explore and reflect on this subject.
Your answers do NOT have to fit in the Christian story or use its language, but your responses should attempt to make fundamental statements about the barriers you think stand between your definition of a good life and the experiences of much of the human population. DO NOT speak abstractly, generically, or idealistically. Be honest with your experience and thoughts.
Make sure your response is prepared and not improvised, shows clear evidence of your engagement with the course materials, and that you directly address the question with a substantial and polished paragraph of no less than 300 words.
