Coolness Revisited

Digging deeper into hospitality. Considering the contrasting motives of the Judeo-Christian vs the Greco-Roman traditions.

This week I'll be sharing some thoughts and insights from Dr. Christine D. Pohl of Asbury Theological Seminary. Dr. Pohl is an emeritus Professor of Christian Ethics and has written several outstanding books on the topic of hospitality and Christian community. In this episode I'll read excerpts and share some of my own reflections as we consider the practice of welcoming strangers into the Beloved Community.

Random acts of kindness and beyond. Faith in action and Coolness as caring give us further insight into the Beloved Community. By looking at a few examples we learn about ordinary individuals who are seeking to make our world a better place. Here we are not looking for Captains of industry or charismatic social and political figures to guide us. Instead it's average people, like you and me, who loom large as everyday heroes. Whether it's the Director of a Mental Health Center or a part-time real estate agent, we see reflections of ourselves in these Snapshots of Coolness.

Building on the idea that coolness is real, but misunderstood. Coolness is not the prize you win in a popularity contest. The call of coolness may indeed require one to go against the crowd, but rebellion for its own sake is not cool. Resisting the demands of conforming to our society's expectations can wear us out. Finding our true tribe may be a life long search, but one with great rewards if we are true to ourselves. How can we progress towards authenticity while being badgered by peer pressure and secular socialization?

What is Hip, and who is Cool? Taking in the words and thoughts of a variety of musicians, authors and professors perhaps Coolness is not what we were led to believe.