Please welcome new forum sponsor, Novum Institute

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TexAgs Sponsors
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From our Presenting Forum Sponsor: Novum Institute

Howdy Ags!

I am Dustin Valerius (NovumiAg) a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of '98 and co-founder of the Novum Institute serving as Director of the Novumi Community.

The Novum Institute is a newly created theological education, research, and consulting institution - a theological think tank. We invite you to learn more about us at Novumi.org and in the near future we will start a thread to answer any specific questions you might have about Novum. However, right now I would like to introduce you to my founding partner and let you know what we hope to bring to the R&P forum in the weeks ahead.

Mark Catlin(Mark_Novum) is co-founder of the Novum Institute serving as Director of the Novum Think Tank. Mark grew up in Birmingham, AL, attended Samford University, graduating with a degree in Classics. Along the way to co-founding Novum he would collect a couple of masters degrees and is currently in his dissertation only stage of a Ph.D in Old Testament. Despite all of that, rest assured, Mark is actually a lot of fun to hang out with at a tailgate party.

So here is what we aim to do as the sponsor of R&P. We want to create some guided discussions about theology and philosophy with the members of the forum. When we can, we will invite scholars of theology and philosophy into the discussion with you. Although Novum exists as an organization coming from a Christian perspective, we will work to invite scholars into the discussion that do not believe the same things we do, providing a point-counterpoint discussion between scholars. Having monitored this forum we know that there are plenty of you that will and can provide counterpoints as well and we welcome them. We want lively and entertaining discussions and we won't mind even contentious discussions. However, where we will work to draw the line is on personal or ad hominem attacks. Civil and meaningful discussion is our goal on the Novum related threads.

Trying to stay true to the TexAgs way, our starting point for future discussions will be mostly informed by you, the R&P forum community. The way will start this is by asking you to post questions of theology and philosophy that you would like Novum to address over the next several months with scholars joining as we are able to bring them into the discussion.

Novum will pick at least one question to address at the start of each week. Depending upon how many questions get posted in this thread, we will likely not get to every question. We will try to pick questions that are different enough to provide a variety from week to week, but if one topic is discussed in a way that it makes sense to continue the topic from a different vantage point the next week, we will make that call. The questions that have the highest chance of getting addressed will likely be those with the most stars or a similar question that gets asked several different times.

Our hope is that we will be able to introduce some interesting and entertaining features along the way. The Novum team is looking forward to reading your responses and questions. Our desire is to provide great content and guide great discussions about topics we love to talk about and we know you love to talk about.

So ask away!

Also, I know all of you have a burning question to ask Mark given the fact that he was born and raised in Alabama. You can ask that question, it will not be counted as a question for the R&P discussion threads!
Woody2006
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quote:
So ask away!
Why would you want to sponsor the R&P board? All participants on this board already know what they believe and are generally unwilling to have their minds' changed.
kurt vonnegut
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quote:
Also, I know all of you have a burning question to ask Mark given the fact that he was born and raised in Alabama. You can ask that question, it will not be counted as a question for the R&P discussion threads!

Is the question, why do most of the highways in Alabama have stop lights every mile?
jkag89
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quote:
quote:
So ask away!
Why would you want to sponsor the R&P board? All participants on this board already know what they believe and are generally unwilling to have their minds' changed.
Why does it have to be about changing minds? Just because one maybe secure in their faith does not necessarily mean one is uninterested in how others view the divine and/or our universe. IMO much of the discussion here has become rather stale and maybe this will reinvigorate the board.
Dustin_NovumiAg
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Good question Woody2006.

1) Having a discussion with people about theology, faith, and philosophy is fruitful no matter the outcome. Having a changed mind is certainly one outcome. However, there are many different outcomes achieved when we dialogue about these topics.

2)There is a possibility that the way we create discussions, topics we discuss, and the types of guest scholars we bring into the forum to discuss these topics will attract new people into this forum that either engage very little here or have never engaged here.

3)Our hope is that the community here will appreciate the ability to access and dialogue with various scholars that study and write about these topics. We think it will be an interesting new addition to the forum discourse, adding value to the community here at TexAgs.com. And given the track record of Texags, we have a pretty good idea that we will hear from the community if we fail at the effort to add value to your time in this forum.


Mark_Novum
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Well, Woody2006 maybe we can shake things up a little bit in here. Or maybe we could learn something from you and others? I look forward to the conversations and finding out!
Mark_Novum
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kurt vonnegut, you must be referring to 280 and 31. I wish I had an answer!
swimmerbabe11
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quote:
Despite all of that, rest assured, Mark is actually a lot of fun to hang out with at a tailgate party.

Why would we assume otherwise?

What can/should Christians be doing to be less apologetic about their faith and more excited? I see this with Christianity and especially in traditional churches..like they feel the need to apologize for it.

What does it say about the group as a whole when you say "I'm Christian, but (as opposed to those other Christians) I'm actually fun to be around!" ? "My church is liturgical, but (unlike new wave evangelical rock concert churches) it's actually pretty lovely and meaningful"

I'm a Christian and I'm fun. My church is traditional/liturgical and it is amazing and vibrant.
Dustin_NovumiAg
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I was thinking more in terms of college football. I've learned in my partnership and friendship with Mark that when you grow up in Alabama, not matter what school you attend in state or out of state.

You have four choices in life:

A) Auburn
B) Bama
C) Not Auburn, but Bama
D) Not Bama, but Auburn

Dustin_NovumiAg
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Actually, that comment has nothing to do with Mark's faith. In context of the paragraph, it has everything to do with Mark being someone that has spent the better part of his life in school and the last 10 years studying dead languages. It's a "nerd" joke, not a faith joke.

I can see how you would make the connection to his faith from the point of view of who we are as an organization. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Martin Q. Blank
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What happened to our last forum sponsor, The Point Foundation?
kurt vonnegut
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AG
quote:
IMO much of the discussion here has become rather stale and maybe this will reinvigorate the board.

We haven't even had a good gay marriage thread in a while. . . . . .
swimmerbabe11
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My post came off a lot more accusatory than i intended, my apologies
Woody2006
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
So ask away!
Why would you want to sponsor the R&P board? All participants on this board already know what they believe and are generally unwilling to have their minds' changed.
Why does it have to be about changing minds? Just because one maybe secure in their faith does not necessarily mean one is uninterested in how others view the divine and/or our universe. IMO much of the discussion here has become rather stale and maybe this will reinvigorate the board.
Yea, I agree with you that conversation has gotten stale. As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Woody2006
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AG
quote:
Good question Woody2006.

1) Having a discussion with people about theology, faith, and philosophy is fruitful no matter the outcome. Having a changed mind is certainly one outcome. However, there are many different outcomes achieved when we dialogue about these topics.

2)There is a possibility that the way we create discussions, topics we discuss, and the types of guest scholars we bring into the forum to discuss these topics will attract new people into this forum that either engage very little here or have never engaged here.

3)Our hope is that the community here will appreciate the ability to access and dialogue with various scholars that study and write about these topics. We think it will be an interesting new addition to the forum discourse, adding value to the community here at TexAgs.com. And given the track record of Texags, we have a pretty good idea that we will hear from the community if we fail at the effort to add value to your time in this forum.

1) Good point, although I think you'll find that discussions in which all parties simply learn from each other rather than devolve into tangential arguments / trolling are few and far between.

2) I'd be interested to see if this gains any traction. Perhaps you're right and the R&P board will become interesting again.

3) Here's hoping your attempts don't fail in spectacular fashion. Cheers!
Woody2006
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AG
quote:
Well, Woody2006 maybe we can shake things up a little bit in here. Or maybe we could learn something from you and others? I look forward to the conversations and finding out!
If you learn something from me, you'd be the first one.
kurt vonnegut
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AG

quote:
The questions that have the highest chance of getting addressed will likely be those with the most stars or a similar question that gets asked several different times.


Dustin / Mark,
Smart-ass comments about Alabama's Transportation Department philosophy aside, I welcome the attempt to give this forum a shot of adrenaline to wake it up. Just so I don't go barking up the wrong tree, what types of questions are you hoping to engage in or to address? If your interest is in the purely theological discussions, I suspect I will have little to contribute and will do my best not to insert my cynicism where it isn't appropriate. If you are open to discussions about secular / natural philosophy, roles of church and state, and broader philosophical topics that are not strictly theological, I am likely to not be without strong opinion.

I second Woody's attitude. Cheers!
jkag89
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As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
ramblin_ag02
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The Novum Institute is a newly created theological education, research, and consulting institution - a theological think tank.

What exactly is a think tank? I always got the impression that think tanks were funded by insanely rich or powerful people to push agendas for mass consumption. Think Warren Buffett buying green energy and then funding eco-friendly think tanks to promote alternative energy and planet-wellness. Also, most the people I've known in my life that wanted to work in think tanks were all very intelligent and very lazy. I always figured it was so they wouldn't have to work a real job.

So maybe you can educate my ignorance. Who funds you and why? What do you do to justify your think tank's existence? Is this a full time gig for y'all or a passion project?
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Amazing Moves
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Perfect thread to beer blast.
747Ag
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quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Dustin_NovumiAg
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Questions can be Theological and/or Philosophical in nature. We would certainly not sponsor a Religion and Philosophy forum and leave out half the name of the forum in what we address. Scholars that we invite into these discussions will come from one or both of those disciplines, but might also come from others academic disciplines as well. I think most discussions that occur on here fall into just a handful of topical buckets at their core, but the Novum team is interested to read what questions are asked.

So fire away! What questions would you want us to create a guided discussion on?

Woody2006
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Just because Catholics rarely evangelize doesn't mean Jesus didn't tell you to.
747Ag
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Just because Catholics rarely evangelize doesn't mean Jesus didn't tell you to.
Yeah, I'm going to hell.
Woody2006
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Just because Catholics rarely evangelize doesn't mean Jesus didn't tell you to.
Yeah, I'm going to hell.
I'll raise a glass to that
Dustin_NovumiAg
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You don't have to be shy. If you want to have a Novum thread discussion on Trappist Monk's, just ask the related questions.
jkag89
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quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Just because Catholics rarely evangelize doesn't mean Jesus didn't tell you to.
Who said I don't evangelize? I just meant to convey it is not the reason (or at least not the primary reason) was drawn to this board. If something I post here piques someone's curiosity about Catholic Christianity and are drawn to the Church, that is only a bonus.
Woody2006
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
As far as why it's about changing minds... isn't that the entire point of evangelism? To go and be fishers of men?
Maybe I'm the only one but I do not spend time on the R&P Board in order to evangelize.
Same here.
Just because Catholics rarely evangelize doesn't mean Jesus didn't tell you to.
Who said I don't evangelize? I just meant to convey it is not the reason (or at least not the primary reason) was drawn to this board. If something I post here piques someone's curiosity about Catholic Christianity and are drawn to the Church, that is only a bonus.
I wrote that with my tongue firmly planted against my cheek, but perhaps that wasn't obvious over the internet.

However, in my experience Catholics are much more likely to leave you alone than are Protestants, Mormons, etc. It's one of the reasons I like Catholics so much.
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Beer Baron
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AG

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3)Our hope is that the community here will appreciate the ability to access and dialogue with various scholars that study and write about these topics.
I'm interested in what you mean by "various scholars that study and write about these topics." Does "various" include Jews, Muslims, Atheists, etc., or are they all coming from various Christian perspectives?
SoulSlaveAG2005
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AG
quote:
I like them because they have their apologetics material organized and easy to find on the Internet.



We have had 2000 years to learn how to organize!
jkag89
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quote:
quote:
I like them because they have their apologetics material organized and easy to find on the Internet.



We have had 2000 years to learn how to organize!
And then invented the hyperlink! (Well kinda sorta)
kurt vonnegut
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AG
Don't forget the shout out to Al Gore for inventing the internet to begin with!
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