Systematic Theology Diagram…
February 10, 2005
Dr. Mark Taylor is one of my new favorite professors; he’s teaching our Systematic Theology (along with Dr. Johnson) and I’m also in his Cultural Hermeneutics course. He’s probably one of the most liberal professors here at PTS, definitely an anti-Empire kind of guy, and he is able to incorporate that into most of his lectures. He’s also one of the few professors I’ve had who lectures without a manuscript - which is like a breath of fresh air. My friends all joke about him being my mentor, because he’s most definitely “pomo.”
But…with all of that said…he’s been drawing this diagram on the board for the past few weeks and it was on our handout today. It’s a good graph, talking about the kerygma (a) message of theology, the different situations our theology addresses (b) and the theological circle (c) that we find ourselves in.
So, good idea. Well intentioned, but…the diagram is just too much for me…
…enough said. PTS…any thoughts?
UPDATE: Just in case anyone else isn’t quite “getting” this —- can Taylor make this diagram look any MORE like a phallic symbol?? I think not.
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
February 10th, 2005 at 3:38 pm
Cleave,
The real question is: WHERE did he get that SHIRT? Forget Paul Tillich: who’s Taylor’s tailor?
Dave
February 10th, 2005 at 3:42 pm
Yah, Dave, that shirt isn’t the best one - but you have to admit that Taylor is a pretty snazzy/pomo dresser. No suit and tie for Taylor (unlike nearly every other PTS male faculty)…
February 10th, 2005 at 5:09 pm
I didn’t get what you meant until I noticed the title you gave to the caption on the picture. Whoa.
February 10th, 2005 at 6:32 pm
I really enjoy Taylor’s lectures. I look forward to going to class every Thursday. As for the diagram, I agree that it looks phallic. However, I think it’s a neat diagram, especially today when he added the little people, the Bible, etc. I think it’s helpful.
February 10th, 2005 at 7:39 pm
but why are all the little people running back into the scrotum instead of towards the bible?
February 10th, 2005 at 7:57 pm
Ok, maybe I’m slow, but Keith, you meant the fact that the titles acronym, which we pastors love (vomit), could possibly represent S.T.D. Adam, please tell me you meant to do that. I will send people from far and wide if this true.
February 10th, 2005 at 8:07 pm
Sorry - can’t say that I meant to do that….damn, that would have been cool!
February 10th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
Well, here I am, flopping around in my head about kerygma and whether proclamation=message, and then you bring up the whole phallic thing… *sigh*
February 11th, 2005 at 12:24 am
That picture of Taylor was in the catalog when I started at PTS in 1995, and it was at least ten years old then. Would that make his wardrobe prepomo? Or is that just mo?
February 11th, 2005 at 3:09 am
I’d have to see the rest of the paper for context, but one thing I do notice is that in his model, people are in the center; it appears to be an essentially “anthropocentric” situation. Very Renaissance.
February 11th, 2005 at 4:06 am
OK, now I get it. Do you think he ment to give that subtle association?
February 11th, 2005 at 11:11 am
there are so many comments i could make…
i think i’ll just have to suck on them instead