A Penguin with a Book

Now that I’m almost done with Great Books V, the fact that I’m almost done with the program seems crazy to me. My journey with a program that has shaped my life so much is close to ending. Throughout my time in the program, I’ve learned and grown so much; I can definitely see that I’m not the same person I was when I started taking Great Books almost three years ago. My journey through Great Books has been one of growth spiritually, socially, and academically. Great Books V focuses on spiritual works, which I was ecstatic to read, hoping they would help me with my faith journey. For a while I was craving to dive deep into God’s word in a way that I hadn’t gotten during my high school years. Great Books V satisfied that need. I think I understand God and Christianity on a deeper, more meaningful level now. As Henri Nouwen writes in The Return of the Prodigal Son , “And along this route I will discover the joys of second childhood: comfort, mercy, and an ever clearer vision of God” (...

Throughout The Cost of Discipleship , Bonhoeffer addresses what being a disciple of Jesus truly looks like. This discourse leads to the call to discipleship, for one cannot be a disciple unless they are called, and then briefly to the apostles. The apostles were called by Jesus, which includes Judas Iscariot. The fact that Jesus called Judas presents the question of why He would present the offer of discipleship to him since He would have known what the future held. Additionally, Judas blended right in with the rest of the apostles, none of them ever believing that any of the group would turn on Jesus. Judas’ calling holds many lessons for Christians regarding the nature of the call to discipleship, the people who are at church, and of one’s own calling. Judas is a complex figure in the Bible, being called to discipleship but betraying his master. Bonhoeffer presents an assessment of Judas: “Even Judas went forth to Christ-work, and the fact that he did so will always be a dark rid...