Sometimes when reading the Bible I see things that seem like a paradox that cannot be explained. And, while I've read that it is a sign of intelligence to be able to hold two opposing thoughts in the mind at the same time without letting of either, some of the paradoxes just seemed a little too large. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because the author tackled these issues head on. This book was very readable, sometimes humorous, always thought provoking and so on point. It was divided into five parts and I will give a brief overview of each part here.
Part 1: A Strange Sort of Comfort has three chapters - Chapter 1: A Strange Sort of Comfort; Chapter 2: Fog; and Chapter 3: Newton's Apple
In part 1 the author explores the concepts of mystery and paradox how important and intrinsic they are to the Christian life. If there is no mystery, no paradox, if we as humans can understand everything about God and how He works, how is He God? By embracing paradox, which is one of the mysteries of God, we more fully experience the mystery of God. Paradox is that strange state of tension that is created when ideas that seem to be opposite each other are brought into a relationship. These relationships and resulting tensions are apparent throughout Scripture. And, when embraced, these tensions bring a "strange sort of comfort." There is the realization that God is God and I am human and that is OK.
Part 2: Serious Playfulness has five chapters - Chapter 4 - Serious Playfulness; Chapter 5: Try Harder!; Chapter 6: New Frames; Chapter 7: Terror and Ruth on Flight 451; Chapter 8: Pavlov's Dogs
In part 2 the author looks at how Jesus often approached a serious theme with a bit of seeming playfulness. He would say things like, "Whoever wants to save his life must lose it," leaving the listener with a bit of a prod to the imagination and a paradigm shift. It's in these moments of playful paradoxical tension that we learn to see in new ways. I will have to admit however, that while I understood the basic premise behind this part, there were some examples used that didn't seem playful to me, especially in Chapter 8: Pavlov's Dogs. But I did feel that this chapter had some valuable insight and allowed me to see some situations in my life in a new light.
Part 3: The Tuning Fork has another five chapters - Chapter 9: The Tuning Fork; Chapter 10:"Course He Isn't Safe . . . But He's Good; Chapter 11: Now My Eyes See; Chapter 12: Who Chooses First; Chapter 13: Already . . . Not Yet
I think Part 3 was my favorite. I love the idea of harmonic tension. The tuning fork is a delicate instrument, and both tines within it must work together perfectly to produce the correct sound. Each of the two tines within the tuning fork can produce a sound but only by vibrating together can they create the sweet, pure note needed. Relationships often carry such paradoxical tensions such as serving and being served, drawing personal boundaries while respecting another's needs.
And then there's the use of the scene from The Lion, The Witch, and Wardrobe (one of my favorite books) where Lucy asks if the Aslan, the great Lion is safe. And Mr. Beaver replies " 'Course He isn't safe . . . but He's good!" And herein lies the paradox!
These two examples are just a small sample of the treasures in this part as Hansen further explores the harmonic tensions of Biblical paradox.
Part 4: The Two Handles contains five chapters - Chapter 14: The Two Handles; Chapter 15: Eagles and Hippos; Chapter 16: Treasure and Vessel; Chapter 17: All for a Letter; Chapter 18: The Absurd
Hansen introduces us to this part of his book by describing watching his grandfather dig post holes in the hard soil on his farm in Nebraska with an old-fashioned auger. Hansen noticed that maximum efficiency was achieved when both hands were placed at the far ends of each handle.
I'm going to use a few quotes to summarize this part of the book. Hansen uses a quote from C. K. Chesterton to introduce us to this type of paradox. Chesterton argues that Christian orthodoxy must resist minimizing the stark polarity of opposite extremes: Chesterton says "It hates that evolution of black and white which is tantamount to a dirty gray. . . . All that I am urging here can be expressed by saying that Christianity sought in most of these cases to keep two colors coexistent but pure." (quotes in italics) Chesterton also stated in his classic Orthodoxy "It was only a matter of an inch; but an inch is everything when you are balancing. The Church could not afford to swerve a hair's breadth on some things if she was to continue her great and daring experiment of the irregular equilibrium."
Like the last three parts, Part 5: The Shell contains five chapters - Chapter 19: The Shell; Chapter 20: If Not Certainty; Chapter 21: Three Tensions; Chapter 22: Simplicity and Complexity; and Chapter 23: Coastal Water.
In this last part of this book, Hansen shows how important it is to continue to grow. Our world view is like our shell, a comfortable place where we live and from which we make our decisions and choices in life. Just as a crab must shed an old shell so that it can grow into a new one, so we must continue to learn and grow, shedding our old shells of belief as we learn more and more and grow into new ones. We must not be afraid to face the truth of paradox for it is as we examine and live within the tensions of these paradoxes that our minds and our beliefs stretch and grow. As Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. writes, "Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions. Balancing the fear of changes is the exhilaration of new ideas and insights."
This book is one that I will return to again and again. It has a permanent home in my bookcase and a special place in my heart as I learn to embrace paradox in the Christian life.
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