Wednesday, April 20, 2011

KUHN

I'm not a big fan of Thomas Kuhn. Honestly, I actually can't stand the guy. He's the dude who coined the phrase, 'paradigm shift.' Ten years ago, everybody was talking about paradigm shifts. Everybody was part of one - everybody was in one - everybody should get one. But half of the people who said they were in one couldn't pronounce paradigm (NOTE: PAIR'-UH-DIME) and nobody could say for certain what it really meant. (See June 26, 2008 blog.)

According to the 'man' himself, paradigm shift means "a major change in theory, behavior and worldview." He should know; he created the word.

But the truth is - if that is the real definition - Jesus exploded paradigms all the time.

He never hesitated to reject the practices of other teachers. A teacher's top priority was to pass down and preserve the oral tradition, being sure to cite past authorities in the process. But Jesus never taught like that. He spoke with an authority independent of other teachers. He didn't base it on any daisy-chain that linked Him back to Moses. He spoke simply, yet confidently.

Also, in the early centuries, it was the duty of the disciple to find a teacher. Jesus reversed that completely. He sought out His disciples.

Jesus was a misfit of sorts.

But even as He shook up first century pair'-uh-dimes, He also rattles 21st century ones. Because of that, we have a couple of choices. We can accept His message and allow it to naturally transform our lives so that we never go home the same again - or we can opt to say 'no thanks' and go about business as usual. What we cannot do is say 'yes' to Him and continue living more or less like we were before our encounter with Him.

That is a paradigm He simply will not allow.

And be blessed.

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