The Forest and the Trees

This is a summary and a response to the book, "The Forest and the Trees" by Allan Johnson

The Forest and the Trees: Sociology as Life, Practice, and Promise
Sociology is about life, it is the systems of life and the people in those systems. It is not just about the systems or just about the individuals but it is about when people participate in social systems. It is not just about the forest or the trees it is about both together. The social system affects people as they participate in the system; it affects how they think, feel, and behave. People make systems happen, yet these systems lay out paths of least resistance that shape how people participate in these systems.
Since everything connects in a system, all the events are contextual. Therefore, looking at just the individuals in a situation does not interpret the social system. Systems can develop in such a way that they promote evil occurrences without the people involved in them being evil themselves. There are problems inside the social system that are systemic. The individuals participate in these evils because of social conditioning within that culture. One of these problems built into social systems is race privilege. This privilege becomes a normal part of the way this society operates; it is a part of the system but individuals continue it. Therefore, individual solutions cannot solve the problem of racism. The problem is on the level of the system including how the individuals participate in the system. The solution must then be systemic which then affects the individuals in this system. This connection between people and systems is very complex and this creates social life.
People construct reality because of certain physical sensations. Words construct perceived reality as do symbols. This “reality” consists of ideas that individuals develop about the perceived world around them. This “reality” then creates culture. Culture is a way to understand and develop beliefs and values. Beliefs help people decide between true and false. Whereas values help, people choose between options that may be similar or equivalent. Morality is also important here. It is the feeling of attachment that binds people to the group and its moral rules. It is living within the norms for that system or within the ideas of what people ought to do. This “reality” blends with emotions and results in cultural attitudes. People’s perceptions of reality form the culture then the culture forms the ideas of reality for the people involved in that culture. Thus, it creates beliefs, values, norms, and attitudes in a certain way that determines individuals’ way of living and thinking.
The concept of the structure of social life is a key to understanding the social life. Structure is about the way social relations are organized and how this affects certain distributions among the individuals in that culture. A status is a concept in the culture that indicates position and location. Then a role is a set of beliefs about how the person in a particular status should live in connection to the values, norms and beliefs of that society. These statuses and roles determine interaction in relationships and determine the distribution of power and many other issues in the context of the society. These issues can also enforce inequalities that exist in the system.
People and systems also exist in relationship to the physical environment. The way physical space is used is determined by the thinking of the culture. Then cultures use the environment to produce according to their desires to expand. This expansion can produce surplus and inequalities as well.
Individuals to locate themselves in the system must develop the concept of “self.” This self develops as we grow into adulthood and is a socially constructed view. Individuals develop
this self concept in learning to relate to others. This is a basic part of sociology. As a result, individuals live in their cultural reality in its values, beliefs, and attitudes; this is the foundation of participation in social systems. The social system exists as those individuals in it actively shape and support it. It is about the forest and the tress.
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Response -
I realize that all of us operate with certain bias' and there is no bias free application of reality. This author seemed to operate from a Marxist bias with everything surrounding the issues of economy and power. Not that those are not important issues. However, this bias tilted his conclusions in a way that were predictable at best. I am not saying I would challenge him on sociology as the science. He definitely has a firm grip of the process but his "reality" once injected into the process moves the conclusions in certain directions.I realize that my bias is Christian theology and I think the main issues of society are spiritual rather than economic. But again that is predictable since I come from a Christian culture. Though my early roots were not Christian even though I was raised in the USA. In his view on population he said it is a common view. This hardly seems like a method to build a philosophy on in addressing systemic social problems. I realize this is a bit of a critique and I am not saying I know more about sociology than Allan Johnson I am simply saying that his bias proved the point of the book. It is about people and systems. People make up the systems but the values, beliefs, and attitudes of the individuals in the system are driven by the system. So how do we break out of the circle? I think this is one of the questions for sociology. I think it lies somewhere in the realm of entering each other's cultural systems for understanding, dialogue and challenge that must be deeply pondered and evaluated.

The Texture of Texts

This is a summary and a response to the book, "The Texture of Texts" by V. K. Robbins

Exploring the Texture of Texts: A Guide to Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation
The Socio-Rhetorical approach to the interpretation of Scripture is intensely involved in the text as well as in the world of the writers of the text and our contemporary world. This approach brings several approaches (literary, social scientific, rhetorical, postmodern, and theological criticism) together in an integrated system of interpretation. This method brings multiple textures into the interpretive mix these textures are: inner texture, intertexture, social and cultural texture, ideological texture and sacred texture.
Inner textual analysis considers the words, their meanings, and patterns in a close reading of the text. Repetitive texture recognizes and considers repetitions of words or phrases in a given pericope. These repetitions often give insight into the overall movement or picture of the defined text. Progression of words or phrases then proceeds from repetition, which can lead to an outline and a way of viewing the divisions and the direction of the text. Narrational texture is the speech patterns of the text and the actors in the text that gives movement to the story. This texture can move from speech by a narrator to speech by one of the actors or it can move through a series of questions. These discourse patterns can reveal meaning as well as the separation of different scenes in the text. The three preceding types of interpretive textures in the text work together to form the opening-middle-closing texture. This is the process of discovering the places of opening, middle, and closing of the discourse, which can take various forms.
The argumentative texture looks for reasoning in the text that is either logical or qualitative. This aspect of interpretation looks to rhetorical theory in analyzing these texts. The sensory-aesthetic texture first looks for clues in the genre of the text in the way they appeal to the emotions of the reader. Another aspect of discovering this pattern is to look for ways the text refers to a body part or action.
The intertexture analysis examines the text in the context of the world around the text in its contemporary setting. Studied in this area would be history, customs, values, roles, systems, norms looking for implications for the text. This comparison would also include an examination of oral tradition and other texts that were relevant to this textual situation. In comparing other texts, one would not only look for exact repetitions but also for fulfillments, amplifications, or elaborations. In these theological elaborations, arguments use ancient rhetoric, which gives rise to their interpretation for relevance to the message of the text. This part of the examination brings the realities of social knowledge (roles, codes, institutions, and relationships) and the historical data to the text to facilitate contextual understanding of the periscopes.
The social and cultural texture analysis considers the common social and cultural world of the text and the people in the text. Specific social topics emerge from the text for example looking for the underlying belief system of how Christianity should relate to the surrounding culture. Examining the common social and cultural concepts of values, codes, and beliefs bring new light in understanding the text. In doing this anachronism (confusing customs of different eras) and ethnocentrism (viewing life through the arrogance of ones own culture) hopefully will not hinder the exegetical process. The final cultural categories define the location of groups in their particular society. This helps the interpreter define the culture rhetoric of an individual or group in the text in that particular situation which informs the understanding of the text.
The ideological analysis of a text examines the biases, opinions, and preferences of the writer and the contemporary reader. As the contemporary reader one examines her/his own social and cultural location realizing that this brings with it certain interpretive baggage. It is also possible to view the texts from different locations of the writer bringing much broader possibilities to interpretation.
Sacred texture analysis examines the interaction between humanity and the divine. This includes perception of God as well as His work on the earth. It also includes how humans respond to God in the way they relate to Him and to other people. This texture comes to the surface in the analyses of other textures and brings fuller understanding to the text.
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Response -
I have finished reading the Robbins book and I have attached a one page summary of the text. However, a one page summary does not do justice to the intricacies of this method or text. I found the text enlightening and intriguing. Some of his concepts are very detailed and I will have to use them to get the real meat of the method. Some of the issues I found familiar and other parts vaguely reminiscent of other issues in hermeneutics especially in the postmodern context. I did find one of his categories a little artificial. When he spoke of counting body actions or parts or things like hearing especially when they were repeated this sounded artificial to me. This also seems a little artificial to the text. Would this have been something that theauthor put in the text or a part of his/her culture that was in the text inadvertently? I did not find his arguments convincing for this aspect of texture. However, I have not tried it yet, so once I try it then maybe I can see this differently.

Anthropology for Christian Witness

This is a summary and a response to the book, "Anthropology for Christian Witness" by Charles Kraft

Anthropology is a behavioral science that focuses on the concept of culture and worldview. These concepts have been helpful to Christian mission work in developing concepts for cross cultural communication and understanding. This understanding helps the worker bring the gospel in understandable terms to people with different assumptions and beliefs about life. These different beliefs permeate every area of life from the mundane to the profound. Therefore, it affects how the recipients, regardless of the intent of the messenger, hear the message.
Anthropology is also a social science in search of reality. The concept of reality is an important subject in that some will want an objective reality whereas others will opt for a subjective reality. Christianity sees an objective REALITY that is God’s reality. However, as we develop subjective realities we do this on the journey toward objective reality but we are not there yet. Therefore, discoveries of subjective reality move us farther on the trail to objective reality. Anthropology is one of the ways of discovery of this subjective reality particularly concerning, people, cultures, and crossing cultures. Since there are some strengths in both the discipline of theology and the discipline of anthropology these two disciplines could combine their strengths for maximum effect in bringing the message of the gospel cross culturally.
Though there are basic, human needs that are common to all people the ways people meet these needs are different among different groups thereby creating different cultures. At the core of a culture is the worldview, which manifests creatively in several subsystems. These subsystems proceed from assumptions, habitual, and creative behaviors. These subsystems include major areas such as social, technological, religious, and economic and communication subsystems. It is significant that in each culture, the forms used in the culture have meaning and these meanings may differ from culture to culture. Therefore, when terms and customs move from one culture to another they receive a different meaning. Therefore, it is extremely important to communicate in culturally relevant ways. This includes not only words but also customs. Understanding the customs of the culture comes through this developmental understanding of the meanings of the forms as well. Several areas of culture need understanding before effective communication can take place. Material culture and technology having to do with tools and methods of using the physical world for survival and protection this would include electronic advanced technology as well as bows and arrows. Economies and the way of communication are also a part of the cultural reality of a group of people. Religion is part of the culture as well which means as we communicate the gospel we need to understand this area of the culture so we do not repress their culture in bringing the gospel. Communication is an integral part of culture that not only communicates the messages of words spoken but also reveals thought processes in the people of the culture. Social issues are an important part of culture in the way families develop and function properly in that group. In social role, there are also different ways that status forms and then the roles that go with them. There are differences in the way these statuses occur in each culture as some societies ascribe them at birth and in others, they occur as a process. This difference causes deep differences in the societies particularly having to do with issues of freedom and security. As change agents Christians need to use contextualization, bringing the message in a way that is understood in that culture, and avoid syncretism, a mixing of Christianity and their culture in a way that the result is neither Christian nor their culture. There are barriers to change but there are also helpful processes. The messenger can become an in culture advocate of change by becoming part of the culture and being an implementor of change or by finding insiders who become acceptors of change then become implementors inside the culture.
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Response -
I have finished the Kraft book and I found it to be informative andinsightful in many areas. I think his explanations of worldview inconnection with culture were very good and the many connections hemade in the book concerning the ramifications of ethnocentrism weregood as well. He makes many good points comparing western culture withmany other cultures. Though I thought he was a overly negative in a couple of the comparisons. Western culture has been overbearing but there have been some bright spots along the way - like some of these anthropological insights. I found his negative stance on school a little surprising though I agree with some but not all of his insights there. I think again there are some redeeming qualities to western education - though it is not a cure all by any measure. And it needs to be adjusted for use in other places but it has some use - I believe. I thought his discussion about family and religion was very insightful and helpful. I did find his rather adamant stance on the evolutionary process a little troubling.I do not dispute that there is evidence. But I would dispute how he interprets the evidence. It has to do with worldview - from whence you begin in your thinking affects where you end up. This is how he processed the information in his book. Therefore my worldview is very supernatural because I oppose the Kantian view of life that there are 2 separate worlds. Therefore it affects the way I see the evidence.Now, I think he can interpret it like he wants because of his worldview presuppositions, but those interpretations do not have to be superimposed on all for the proper understanding of anthropology. I am not appealing so much to subjectivity here as to worldview issues. One of us is right and one is wrong on this but that does not have to be settled to overcome issues like racism.

The Social Psychology of Organizing

This is a summary and response to the book "The Social Psychology of Organizing" by K. E. Weick

The Social Psychology of Organizing
Organizing is like grammar, it is a systematic account of rules wherein interlocked behaviors form social processes. It is a way of getting things done when one person cannot do all that needs to be done. Organizations operate with subjectivity, guesses, abstractions, and arbitrary actions. These organizations are inventions of people superimposed on flows of experience with temporary imposed order. It is possible that the more self-determination allowed for the worker the higher the workers productivity and satisfaction. The actions, which precede goal definition, are a more accurate picture of organizational function than the goals.
In thinking about organizing facts, do not speak for themselves though they may make up the raw materials. Inquiry needs to be deeper than the facts. In exploring organizing ambivalent answers, allow for more flexibility and accuracy. There are different tactics for thinking about organizing in trying to grasp the flows, rivers, and streams of organizations. Metaphors facilitate this understanding and knowing that understanding about organizations can come from the perspective of thinking outside the norms. Here the considerations of cause and effect possibly work in reverse, in that what is normally seen as cause is really the effect and vice versa.
Though normally the thinking is that structures and things make up organizations, it is important to see that a large part of organizations involves relations and processes. In these processes causation and thinking is circular or at least curvilinear. This is true because the causation is not unidirectional; the stimuli affect responses, end affect means, and desires affect actions. Therefore searching is circular, which develops answers with thick layers. This is not a simple process or set of processes that flows in one direction. Then the reality that some of the sacred ideas in these areas are fictions becomes clear.
Organizing is accomplished by processes and people live continually in streams of ongoing events. People do not have to agree on goals to act together in a group they agree on the issue of means before they agree on the issue of ends. It is not the goal that makes the organization, but it is the means; then the goals develop later. It is not people that constitute organizations, but the influences of people that create organizations. However, people coordinate the means, which in turn create complex organizations. These processes create equivocal situations and questions that can best receive solutions by ambivalent answers. These answers then form multiple worlds in which the organization can operate and thrive.
Organizing processes resemble the processes associated with the theories of natural selection. In researching organizations, preconceptions about order do not prevail in the understanding of the evolution of organizations. Instead of a linear logical model of organizational growth, that which emerges is that the group enacts equivocal raw talk. This talk then viewed retrospectively, sense is made of it, and that sense is retained. The idea is to reduce equivocality and get some idea of what occurred. This retrospective idea creates the environment then imposed on the organization. It is not a linear cause and effect as much as random selection. This is similar to the concept of natural selection. It exists because that is what happened.
Environments of organizations are multiple and exist in the perspective of the viewer. People must recognize that they create many of their own environments and therefore people in organizations should spend more time reflecting on the things they do. Selection in organizing is selecting some interpretation of the world and then using this interpretation for decisions on subsequent activity. In this selection process, the problem is not the loss of order but of imposing too much order. Retention is the memory of the organization, which creates identity but can hinder creative progress. Understanding organizations involves intuition and imagination since so much of the pieces are in disorder and there are no simple set of causes or answers.
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Response -
I found his writing style difficult to follow at times and very dense in his explanations - though he did give practical applications. It seems that in his zeal to prove opposites like reversing ends and means he became so unorthodox that he had to spend a great amount of time explaining the details of how they fit together. I heartily endorse thinking outside the box and I think he has some good ideas for pushing outside the norms for answers. However, some of his ideas seemed almost reactive. In other words he took the unorthodox view just because it was opposite. While this stirs great discussions I hardly think the answers are found by this stance. His concept of the equivocal world needing ambivalet answers is a good place for discussion and research with good outside of the box answers in the process. His refrain in the book of "How can I know what I think until I see what I say" while pithy and innovative I think can be challenged on the grounds of psychological realities of the ways people process information. Also his concepts that he tied to evolution I thought neither helped the cause of evolution or organizations. Though I think there is something to be said for random activities developing certain realities. However, the difference is that I view it in the context of the Sovereignty of God and not the random acts of humanity. I think organizations exist because of certain creative and organizing tendencies put in humans by God at creation. Adam tilled the garden not because he had to work but because it was God's purpose for him. So I think organization though very thick and random appearing at times has to do with the human ability to organize, create and live out purpose given by God and affected by sin.

I am not saying the author did not understand organization more than I do - he is the expert. I am simply saying I think his premise may have caused him to miss the point at times. I think unorthodox answers are needed and that linear cause and effect logic needs to be questioned but based on Divine Sovereignty and not human randomness.

Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective

This is a summary of "Cultural Anthroplology: A Christian Perspective" by S. A. GrunlanCultural Anthropology is a useful tool for the missionary in crossing cultures to share the gospel. This discipline is a science concerned with discovering order in God’s creation. These discoveries help the missionary when entering another culture, which is the very nature of the work of the missionary. Cultural Anthropology helps the missionary gain a perspective about culture that will enable him/her to enter another culture with the least amount of culture shock. It will also prepare the missionary to enter the new field as a learner first instead of a teacher and to be able to find a proper status in the new culture.Anthropology is the study of humans in order to understand them in many different contexts and it is a behavioral science in studying people in the real world. A key concept in anthropology is the study of culture. Culture is the learned and shared attitudes, values, and ways of behaving of people as they live together in society. In culture, people agree together in the ways of meeting the seven basic needs as defined by Malinowski. These are needs of metabolism, reproduction, bodily comforts, safety, movement, growth, and health. Cultural Anthropology deals with culture as a whole and its related systems. These studies are important to several areas of mission work including Bible translation and de-culturalizing theology in bringing the message in a contextualized manner. Anthropology developed over time under different venues beginning with Herodotus who studied non- Greek cultures. Then it developed further under Darwin and under Franz Boas who developed the concepts of fieldwork for the study of anthropology. Later Missionary Anthropology developed to assist the church in crossing cultures for the work of missions. Enculturation is the learning process whereby children and adults internalize their culture thereby developing their identity in the group. This process occurs early in life through habituation and later through different forms of education. Acculturation is the learning of the appropriate behavior and concepts in another culture not the person’s original culture. In this process, culture shock can occur wherein the person has a negative emotional response to the new culture from mismatched cues and norms between the person’s old and new culture. Assimilation occurs as the person in the new culture takes on the total lifeway of the new culture realizing that he/she may never return to the old culture.An important aspect of study in this discipline is the study of language. One aspect of communication is verbal which uses sounds and systems to develop grammar and syntax. Language is also symbolic and its purpose is to communicate abstract concepts from one person to another. All languages are able to express any abstract concept. Language is the servant of the culture and thereby language acquisition relates to understanding that particular culture. Communication also includes nonverbal language, which uses symbols to transfer signals. Learning to interpret these nonverbal cues is an important part of communication. Several other important aspects of Cultural Anthropology are the economy and technology of a culture as well as the function of role and status in a culture and marriage and family issues. Added to this are studies of kinship, the network of social relationships and the understanding of the internal workings of these systems. There is also the study of groups and communities in the culture and the means used for social control in these communities. Religion is an important aspect of culture studied in anthropology to help in contextualizing the gospel for new cultures. Cultural relativism helps overcome ethnocentrism. It is the concept that the mores of that culture must be viewed in regard to that culture not ones home culture. This does not undermine Biblical authority it gives biblical principles direct application to each culture rather than through the lens of the culture of the missionary.
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Response -
Concerning the book "Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective." I found his writing to be very straightforward in his presentation of Cultural Anthropology in connection to the work of Christian missions. He included Christian and Biblical perspectives throughout his writing in the midst of his presentation of the science of anthropology. He brought a good balance. I thought his concepts about Biblical authority and cultural relativism were particularly insightful and helpful. Throughout he book he kept his eye on how this will help the missionary. He mentions this discipline as a tool for missions and the church. I agree that these concepts would give great benefits to the church and misson work in general. To the church so the church could understand that we are consumed in our own culture that has real baggage for the gospel in this country first before we take it to the nations. I work with many pastors who think that missions is doing the same thing you do here only you travel in a an airplane first. This is very problematic. The gospel must be deculturized first even as far as methods and social concepts before it can effectively be taken to other cultures.The only negative with the book is that sometimes his abundance of examples became cumbersome. It made the material a little more difficult to "take in." I realize that Spurgeon says that illustrations are windows to let light into your message but there were just too many windows - in my opinion.

Contextual Biblical Leadership

Contextual Biblical Leadership is effective leadership that is informed by the context of Scripture and the culture in which one lives endeavoring not to violate either. However, when in conflict the norm is Scripture. There are two sources for this type of leadership as they work together in synergy where possible, the two sources are Scripture and culture so that the leadership is biblically based first but also relevant enough to lead in that particular culture. The starting point for this type of leadership is Scripture, not culture. The Scriptures set the tone and direction then the cultural realities are brought in through the norm of Scripture. Also involved in this research are the anthropological, sociological, and psychological aspects of leadership.

Response to "Points of Influence"

Summary
Points of Influence: A Guide to Using Personality Theory at Work
edited by Morley Segal
These theories of personality help in understanding the individuals and influencing these individuals through points of influence. These points affect the rest of the person and therefore affect behavior. The exploration of several theories and points develop concepts of different ways of influencing human behavior. These different ways also yield results in different contexts. These points of influence are important in helping individuals through the processes of joining, conflict management, and psychological growth in the context of organizations.
Understanding some of the concepts of Freud will help in dealing with an organization in the process of rapid change and under stress. Individuals respond to messages from their own unconscious mind creating anxiety and stress in the organization. Freud’s concepts come from his premise concerning the unconscious mind that consists of three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the base nature, while the superego represents morality, though socially adjusted, and the ego, which is the arbitrator between the two or reason and the weakest part of the system. The ego at times will relieve pressure from anxiety created by the dissonance between the id and the superego by defense mechanisms. Two of these defense mechanisms important in organizations are projection and transference. As the consultant identifies and neutralizes the defenses in the group the stress in the organization is changed.
Jung develops concepts that identify the hidden side of the personality and he provides ways to develop lifelong psychological growth. This inner core of personality contains archetypes that are broad patterns and then behavior is a reflection of these inner patterns. This shadow archetype contains the unintegrated personal attributes that are negative to the individual. Organizations also have a personality that contains this shadow. This shadow is not evil but the less developed side of the personality. Using these concepts, myths help organizations to identify this underlying reality to tap into hidden sources of creativity.
Horney developed the concepts of the real self and the ideal self. The real self is the basis for growth and the ideal is the source of dysfunction. The ideal self is the idealized image of what the individual should be like in attitude and behavior, which lead to the despised self. However, organizations can bring out the potential of the individuals by encouraging the expression of the true thoughts and feelings not those of the idealized self. These concepts also help consultants work with the roots of dysfunctional behavior.
Ellis and Beck developed theories of influencing behavior by influencing thinking. Ellis deals with irrational thinking. Ellis teaches that action and its consequence have an intervening belief that affects the consequence. Many of these are irrational beliefs that need challenging. Beck challenges assumptions behind thoughts looking for personal biases. These methods of challenge can function in organizational contexts to influence behavior and feelings to help address the issues of the organization. Rogers identified organizational drive behind the human capacity to solve problems. These concepts find expression through feelings. The result of these theories is the methods of active listening and unconditional positive regard. Using these methods, the consultant can help the group discover their concerns, provide better communication, and resolve conflicts.
Skinner, Lewin, Perls, Perls, and Bowen developed concepts of the individual and the environment. Skinner looks to modify behavior through reinforcement of the behavior. Lewin developed useful concepts of change through the concept of life space. Then Perl and Perl developed Gestalt theory and how an individual can be unblocked to use the natural energy for change. Bowen utilized systems thinking in developing concepts for change related to the person’s family of origin as well as in the organization.
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Response

I have completed reading the book "Points of Influence" by Morley Segal and I found his premise to be intriguing. That psychological theories and methods could be applied in organizations. I think there are some really good things here as tools for consulting with organizations. However, there are a couple of problems as I perceive it. The first is the underlying assumption that each of the theories are more or less valid and can simply be used in different contexts or by preferences of the consultant. The problem here is that I doubt the validity of some of the theories. For instance I think that some of Freud's concepts are flawed and others have thought this as well since they developed other theories based on this same thought. I do believe that Freud was a pioneer and started asking some of the right questions. One of the theorists talked about being able to diagnose a problem but struggling to resolve it. I think this is true in many instances with some of these theories. Just because a method works in a particular instance does not mean it is effective in the big picture. What are some of the long term results of some of these methods? This needs to be examined and discussed. Many of these theories were developed because the existing ones were not sufficient. Also some are quite distinct from others like Rogers and Ellis one starts from feeling and one from thought. I realize we must allow different worlds and different contexts and that there are nuances of truth but certain presuppositions preclude other presuppositions. Secondly, some of these theories are pretty profound and to deeply grasp all of them would be a difficult task indeed. But also some of the dilemmas can be answered with a good understanding of the depravity of humanity and the image of God in humans. I am not saying I have solved any human dilemmas it just seems that many of them are asking the same questions with different answers but they are missing a basic premise about humanity.

I was intrigued by two things. One is his connection between the theorists and the theories that were developed. This is an issue that I think has great importance and could be pursued further though I am sure someone has done that. I was particularly interested in the fact that at least two of the people were Christians or at least had Christian roots and yet felt they had to leave the concepts of the Kingdom to answer the dilemmas of humanity. There were others who were Jewish but followed a similar pattern. I find this troubling and yet interesting. The second issue of interest was the concept of Kurt Lewin's theory of life space and his teaching that behavior is a function of the person and the environment. I think some of his theories and concepts may be relevant to constructivist educational models with his use of feedback and dialogue. I am going to look into this more deeply.

Do not get the wrong impression I learned a great deal from this book and I think he has some good ideas and excellent applications. But it does raise questions in my mind. One of the questions is what happened to the believers in Jesus? Do we not have any legitimate thoughts in this area? At one time people like Augustine entered these kinds of discussions about human motivation and he was the pace setter for centuries. So why are there no Augustine's in this discussion?