March 11, 2011, Friday from Shanghai
Dear Ones,
This day dawned with possibility. Fortunately for me, it was all on Steve’s shoulders. I slept wonderfully Thursday night. Steve slept fitfully, imagining scenarios and answering hypothetical questions. We had our now well planned out breakfast of Cheerios, yoghurt, orange juice and coffee, gotten from a combination of stores that are open before 8:00. We were ready to go to the university by 9:00.
In significant contrast to my supposed lectured yesterday, there was a line up of folks waiting for the room to open up for Steve’s lecture on Kierkegaard’s critique of modern philosophy. By the time we were all assembled there were about 15 students and 2 faculty members there. I have never seen Steve better. He was passionate and clear. He managed to articulate the essence of the gospel while describing Kierkegaard’s view of epistemology and ethics. The questions were from many different angles. I also have never seen the breadth and depth of Steve’s philosophical knowledge displayed. (Ok, I’m a little OTT in my estimation of things, but, hey, I am his wife!) He showed his understanding in service of the truth he was conveying. I was so proud of him!
We were hosted for lunch at another of these Chinese restaurants where the biggest challenge is ordering your meal. It’s one thing if the host just takes it into his or her hands, it’s another if you are invited to make a judgment about all those different possibilities pictured in living color in the menu. This time our host was a woman, and I was more comfortable being forceful in my wants. We had a nice combination of beef and shrimp dishes with a soup that was very tasty. The chicken we had as an appetizer could have been kept in the kitchen. It was more bone than meat to eat. But never mind. We had a delightful garden to look at and very lovely company with our faculty host.,
The big event of the day, however, was Steve’s culminating seminar on the basis for morality. He had worked all week to represent various views, but today was the day to give the group his view that the ground of morality is God—and divine commands. He had such a diverse group to talk to. He had questions from the atheists about how this could possibly work for someone who didn’t believe in God to a young woman who was clearly a seeker who wanted to know how he responded to Romans 1. In all it was a perfect venue to speak the truth in grace, and he and I are most grateful for the chance to be in this place at this time. Only God knows what fruit will come of this labor.
So tonight we were in the mood to celebrate and do something special for dinner. We invested in the cab ride to get to an Italian restaurant in the French concession that had been recommended in our guidebook. When you get into a cab with just an address (written in Chinese characters for assurance) you do take your life into your hands. But all went well, and we arrived at the restaurant with little delay and so enjoyed our leisurely dinner.
Tomorrow we get to be totally tourists. Thanks so much for reading through all of this. We continue to be grateful for your prayers.
Love, jan
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