科幻、奇情、詭異 ...

以下是早一天即星期三凌晨發生的事。謹記。

有些事情太複雜，複雜得我無法描述。

經過一番曲折離奇糾纏不清的往還之後，我向他提議，既然我們的身份標記這麼接近這麼相似，只差那個1字，不如我們把身份融合起來，變成一個身份，以後就兩人共用這個新的身份，但要小心行事不能被發現。

他說，好。

那咱就進行吧，我說。

話剛說完，我就離開了那個地域，回到我認為是自家床上的地方。

張開眼睛，赫見身旁距離我不夠一呎，是個只有我的頭一半那麼大的人頭，雙眼緊閉沒有表情，色素蒼白，不知是死了還是睡了，也不知是人還是個甚麼。

我背後一陣寒意，腦袋不斷盤算，這到底是誰，還是個甚麼東西？

我甚至無法確定，這到底是甚麼地方。

但我默不作聲，身體也不敢亂動，只讓眼珠四處探視，先要確定究竟是甚麼回事。

這樣的狀態維持了三四秒或者更長時間，我終於確認，那個小人頭根本連眼耳口鼻都沒有，只是一塊淡白色的平面，因為那原來是我擱在一旁的小頸枕的側面。

舒一口氣，驚魂未定，也來不及笑。天，還是灰黑的，以目前四點多才日出來看，應該只有四點左右吧。看看床頭的錶，果然。

Believe in the Mirror: afterthoughts on cooking theology

【stir fry vegetarian chicken pieces with mixed peppers -
the dish I offered to the gathering of North Sea Shepherd Gang last Saturday】
(a better view of this and other dishes of the evening is HERE)

Let's face reality.

Normal human beings do not give an x to that so-called 'theology of cooking', categorically. Period. (In case you have no idea what I am talking about, please kindly take the trouble to have a glance at my last post.)

Having had centuries of experience with the media, I am conditioned to read audience pretests or sneak previews skeptically, and I know very well that they are often more positive than what eventually turns out with the real thing.
Initial market response to my proposed 'cooking theology', as evidenced in this round of sneak preview, is gloomy. So far, only 3 persons in the whole world have explicitly expressed interest in it. (See: the 2 comments and here)
Among them, only one said he would like to buy a book like that. (Thanks, Ben, for being so gracious!)
At the same time, the number of visitors to this blog has reached a record low shortly after that post appeared.
Even though a great editor from the Oxford University Press regards the book idea as publishable in the form of their reputable 'very short introduction' series (see here), general market response suggests otherwise.

Apparently, more people are interested in cooking than in theological thinking on cooking, and still more are interested in eating that which is cooked.

Though my core (read: professional) research has nothing to do with cooking whatsoever, still, this phenomenon is suggestive of the prospect of my whole theological endeavour (or theological career, to make it sound more personal).
More people are fond of being 'entertained' by the media than reflecting on the media critically and theologically, albeit everybody (???) agrees that what I am trying to do is important.

A small stumble of one man, a big stumble for humankind. (adapted from Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon)

Alas, wow to the general disinterest in theology -- which is, in essence, the indifference toward thinking seriously about the interrelationship between the Divine and human life.

cooking theology

Outlining a Christian Theology of/on/for/about/through Cooking in Everyday Life:
a preliminary draft

Main Chapters / Sections:

1. to cook or not to cook, that is the question - the enigma of cooking at home today

2. the joy of cooking - home is where your mouth is

3. the aesthetics of cooking – cooking makes the world beautiful and is beautiful in itself

4. the spirituality of cooking - you are what you eat, and you eat what you cook

5. ecological stewardship in the kitchen - cooking and the Creation

6. love your neighbour in the kitchen - socially responsible cooking

7. excursions: (this section only appears in the expanded edition)

   a. cooking in the monotheistic traditions: the Jewish kosher and the Muslim halal

   b. WWJC: what would Jesus cook? (yes, he did cook, mind you)

   c. cooking in the Christian church tradition

8. the carnivore, the vegetarian, the vegan, and the freegan

9. eat locally, think globally – cooking as a prophetic gesture in the postmodern world

10. epilogue: when the kitchen is too hot ... but the world is even hotter

繼續煮！

乘著各界反應熱烈，引來HMV艷羨目光，Ben同學也說我改寫食譜，就用些腦袋開小差的時間，繼續分享昨夜晚餐：『出人意表芝士生菜絲炒飯』！

【香港以外華文讀者注意：芝士，即乳酪，cheese。】

芝士都可以炒飯？有冇搞錯！冇。而且不是我發明的，是多年前在香港某餐廳吃過的，覺得好野，一於學。

飯，當然是早一天已經煮好的冷飯啦。正如《食神》(1996) 裡周星馳說，「炒飯，梗係要用冷飯架嘛！」

Cos lettuce四片，橫切成幼條。(洗淨已是基本動作，不需要再講囉，啊？) Cos lettuce無論外型長度和口感都介乎唐生菜與油麥菜之間，煮麵清炒樣樣皆宜，很好用。

先用油把蒜片爆香，然後用中火把飯炒得似模似樣，才加入生菜，加調味 (我只用鹽和紅辣椒粉)。到生菜呈半熟狀態，收慢火，再放grated mature cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)。至芝士有溶解跡象，即可上碟。

差不多兩個星期沒吃過蛋，很想吃蛋，也就煎了一隻。

炒飯本身成本約25p，那隻medium size free range egg約15p。

又一頓簡單經濟功效快的清貧留學生和味營養餐。好滿足。連再度煲好的雜豆濃湯都喝不下了。

相關前文：煮啊！煮啊！

還基督教本來面目

Subversive Christianity的網主早前宣布，在5月19日貼出最後一篇文章之後，
將會關門大吉告別blog壇，並把所有曾經出現的貼文刪除。

Blog壇豪傑，言出必行。
果然，他昨天把數月前開網時寫的
《回復基督教本來面目的八條綱領》再貼一次，作為結語，就走了。
今天，空餘『這個』。

Subversive Christianity當然並非篇篇精采，
而且主要是以美國為處境，但其基本取向跟我頗為類近。
既然正中下懷，自然看得過癮。

網誌關了，
特此轉貼他的八條綱領，
以為歷史見證：

8 Theses for the Recovery of Christianity

1. Christianity isn't the same as patriotism or civil religion. God doesn't love or protect the United States more than God loves or protects any other nation. The Cross always trumps the flag.

2. Genuine followers of Christ don't read the Bible either selectively or literally.

3. Genuine followers of Christ don't pretend that God blesses participation in warfare or any other form of institutional or personal violence.

4. If the Bible is any standard, God is a lot more worried about poverty, injustice, oppression, hatred, violence, and arrogance than about sex. We should follow God's example.

5. The Bible is a thoroughly political document (in addition to being many other things). The New Testament spells out a clear model (the Kingdom) for how people should live in community with one another. People who deny the Bible's political message generally do so because they disagree with it, not because it's not there.

6. Authentic Christianity is a scandal to the wealthy, powerful, complacent, comfortable, and privileged, because Christ teaches that riches, influence, and security corrupt. The moment Christianity becomes a faith associated with the wealthy, powerful, complacent, comfortable, and privileged, it ceases to live and takes on the character of an idol.

7. Christ was--Christ is--the Great Subverter, the Overthrower, the Cosmic Rebel, Creative Iconoclast, Countercultural Hero, and Gracious Restorer. Those of us who pledge loyalty to Him are likewise called to lives of radical subversion, holy anarchy, and gracious reconciliation.

8. The Church as the Body of Christ is also called to radical subversion, holy anarchy, and gracious reconciliation. But the Church as an institution is continuously tempted, as are all institutions, to strive for status and security. The ensuing tension is symptomatic of the ambiguity of the human condition.

阿們。

煮啊！煮啊！

昨晚吃完豪華餐，今夜來個『反璞歸真西芹炒意粉』，平衡經濟。

西芹降血壓通腸胃助消化營養高，而且便宜，一包可吃多餐，又可當水果生吃，是我每週必買食品。碰上LIDL半價的話，更可平至30p，平過香港。

把四條西芹洗淨，稍稍除根，隨意切成任何喜愛的形狀，長條幼絲小粒悉隨尊便。
蒜頭愈多與好，切片。

把鑊燒熱，放油。(本來最理想是橄欖油，但舍下家貧，橄欖油用光之後暫時捨不得再買，目前只有向日葵油sunflower oil。)
把蒜片爆香，加入西芹，加鹽，快炒數下，即收中火，加入昨晚已經煮好的意大利粉，一面輕兜一面加黑椒粉與混合香草，開大火，狂兜，再拋它幾拋。
上碟，立即灑上刨好的芝士/乳酪碎(我用grated mature cheddar cheese)，讓它在麵上停留一分鐘至稍溶。

是夜晚餐，成本估計在30p之內(不計燃料)，是我的典型開支水平。

也用信心領受，心中感謝。

補充 (5月20日)：
有位在墨爾本讀書但目前身在香港的ngcw讀者說，「好似幾好味，但我太太話咁樣D意粉可能唔入味個播。」
哦，嫂夫人大可放心。煮意大利麵，按照正統程序，是水滾即放油鹽，然後放入麵；而且水不宜過多，應該是麵熟的時候水差不多可以揮發掉，那時麵已經吸收了所需咸味了。


相關前文：煮啊！；未能節衣，唯有縮食

煮啊！

自從星期一晚煮了一『大』煲螺絲粉，造了一『大』鑊三色椒炒素肉鬆，便吃了三晚。雖然自問口感甚佳味道不弱，但畢竟連續吃了三餐，感覺有點那個了。

於是立志昨晚提早回家，再來煮啊煮啊的，創出這味...『鮮蘆筍炒鮮茄汁素雞柳配意粉』。(上圖)

新鮮蘆筍：LIDL特價，4條即半札，約35p。洗淨，除掉堅硬的末端，切成短條。

可以長時間保持新鮮的連藤番茄(vined tomato)：LIDL半價每公斤99p，一個即約15p。洗淨，切中小粒。

Quorn冷藏素雞柳：差不多兩個月前在Farmfood購入『大』批，每包£1.5可吃五餐以上。(我試過不同牌子的所謂『素肉』，以Quorn質素最高，以植物蛋白製造，無添加味道，且口感極佳。我最愛它的素雞柳、肉末和香腸。可惜自從附近的Farmfood關門後，要走到遙遠城南 —— 大學中央圖書館附近那家分店，於是只能偶一為之，而且每次都狂買足夠兩個月吃。)

先把素雞柳落鑊，加水煮滾，加油，放鹽、黑椒、蒜，whatever taste you like，開中至慢火讓素雞吸收水份和味道。等到水只餘少量時，放進番茄粒，混和煮溶。再加入蘆筍，開大火快炒，即成。

然後把熱辣辣香噴噴炒作一團的『鮮蘆筍鮮茄汁炒素雞柳』，淋在意大利粉/意大利麵上。(當然，因時間關係，意大利粉/意大利麵已經同時煮好，上了碟啦。)

這一頓，在我日常生活來說，是豪華餐。不計燃料，成本接近一英鎊。貴。不過好正。

之後再喝一碗早一天已經開始煲的雜豆濃湯，嘩，簡直舒服得叫救命。

且用信心領受，心中感謝。

後話：

回家途中又稍為繞道到Christian Aid Booksale一逛，結果 ... 哎呀 ... 一個不小心，買了些古典音樂CD。都說不再買CD啦，但是那裡最後一夜，竟然賣到每張50p，這樣也不買就好像有點對不起第三世界飢餓人民了，好啦好啦，就挑了一疊，自己也不知道有多少，多半是我慣常聽的貝多芬、柴可夫、布拉姆斯等等，莫札特都給身旁那位南亞裔哥哥仔掃光了。最後盛惠5鎊。回家吃過大餐，拿出來觀賞一下，咦？是12隻不是10隻啊。噢。

跟進：煮啊！煮啊！

Doing Theology from the Margin

Without being forced to give up control in the confrontation with people at the margins, the self will always end up worshipping projections of its own power, a problem that the early critics of liberal theology have already realised. Without developing respect for human others, talk about the divine Other easily misses the mark: What sense does it make to claim respect for the divine Other if we are unable to respect out neighbours? Likewise, without gathering a broader understanding of the texts of the church that includes the repressed texts and the texts of those who are repressed, the theological turn to the text easily ends up perpetuating the status quo.

Joerg Rieger (2001) God and the Excluded: Visions and Blindspots in Contemporary Theology, 178.

The Contextual Nature of Truth

Truth is contextual not in the sense that it is primarily a function of a particular context ... but in the sense that it aims at making a difference in people's lives. Liberal theology understood in part the contextual nature of truth. But there context itself is often either universalized, especially in the older liberal approaches, or atomized into a pluralistic "anything goes", the preference of current liberalism. [my italics]

Joerg Rieger (2001) God and the Excluded: Visions and Blindspots in Contemporary Theology, 183.

Afterthought (thinking aloud in the morning of 14 May):

The critique on classical (older) liberal theologies (a la Paul Tillich) is right on.
What intrigues me is the notion that truth is contextual in the sense that it aims at making a difference in people's lives. How is that so? Truth (or rather, the representation of truth) is contextual; I have always buy in to that. But I never thought of it as related to 'making a difference in people's lives'.
Does he mean that 'truth' makes a difference in people's lives within their specific contexts instead of making a difference in an abstract vacuum?
That is to say, 真理 (或者真理的表述) 並非空泛地、抽象地帶來不可觸摸的改變，而是在人的實際處境中改變人們的生活和生命。
This might or might not be what he means, but it is what I understand.

神學趁熱鬧

咱Ben同學找來這個『你似那個神學家』小測驗，他的這個朋友和這個朋友都做了。

我也來趁趁熱鬧吧。

You scored as Jürgen Moltmann. The problem of evil is central to your thought, and only a crucified God can show that God is not indifferent to human suffering. Christian discipleship means identifying with suffering but also anticipating the new creation of all things that God will bring about. Jürgen Moltmann 100% John Calvin 53% Paul Tillich 47% Augustine 33% Friedrich Schleiermacher 33% Charles Finney 33% Karl Barth 13% Martin Luther 0% Jonathan Edwards 0% Anselm 0% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

跟去年曾經做過的另一個類似的『你的神學立場』小測驗，這個來得比較簡單直接，結果也predictable(做的時候已經估到大概結果)，也不會太嚇人。(上回那個，我做完之後思前想後，終於按下不表，費事要學劉建明督察那樣說：「嚇親你呀？唔好意思。」)

小小遊戲當然不能作準，說我是100% Jurgen Moltmann 真是笑死(雖然係都唔錯)，其實可能因為我(至今依然)堅持『終末論/末世論』(eschatology)應該是基督教神學的核心而非結尾的一個appendix。

只是，小測驗給我的Paul Tillich 成份這麼高，有點意外，也許是出於內心深處的存在主義哲學陰魂不散；而Karl Barth 成份低得驚人，肯定不是實況，只不過反映了我對(新)正統系統神學那份故意的反叛罷了。

撒瑪利亞人不見了

時間：5月6日下午
地點：以色列特拉維夫附近
人物/事件：如下：



我想起了耶穌講的這個故事【路加福音10：25-37】
只不過，有個角色沒有出現，結局不一樣了。

母親的韌力

星期二深夜，我終於離開了香港。

三個星期，除了自己病了的幾天之外，天天到醫院看望老媽。

從最初看著她熟睡中痛苦呻吟，記憶混亂神智模糊答非所問，到最近幾天輕輕扶著她在走廊練習走路，看她談笑風生，又跟醫生鬥氣，如果再對比她入院時那每分鐘只有廿二下的脈搏，和在ICU掙扎的五天，母親的反彈力也真夠厲害。

今年以來媽已經坐過三次救護車，一次在家摔破頭到急症室縫了三針，兩次突然脈搏超低要進ICU急救。媽賭氣的時候說，上帝幾次都把她推回來不要她，不知是否覺得她未受夠苦。我說，上帝那邊還沒準備好，人家沒執拾好房間給你，你急甚麼？不然你在上帝外圍的接待處乾等，或者在天梯上半天吊不上不落，那你辛苦時我們也辛苦。媽沒好氣地笑，旁邊的護士們聽了，也在笑。

老媽的固執硬頸，在日常生活裡總叫人氣結，可是這份特質在病床上又往往化成極強的生命力，令劇情發展出人意表，就如年多前在外面跌倒，盤骨破裂，在醫生的最壞打算之下，幾個月後竟也基本上走動自如。這趟家人都作了更壞的打算，但故事的發展，起碼暫時來說仍是令人驚喜的。

只是她的固執有時其實也令她不必要地身陷險境。過度的自信，超強的生命力，常常令她忽略了危險的信號，大鑊當前以為冇野，好采的時候大步跨過，不那麼好采的時候就變成拿我們姊妹兄弟的心情精神體力來教飛了。

話說回來，我們得以長大成人，其實也多得老媽那份固執硬頸死唔認命的氣質。以她大家庭大小姐的背景，嬌生慣養得「做女個陣連點樣至算水滾都唔識」(in her own words)，若非有如此咬緊牙關背城借一的能耐，又怎捱得過早年喪夫兒女成群的困境？

每次媽媽住院而我又有幸可以長時間陪伴的話，都總會在無無聊聊東拉西扯之間知道一些從前未聽過的往事。那些小片段，讓我逐步拼貼出家族歷史的某些角落，我都會很慎重的儲存在記憶裡，因為那是一些跟我有關的過去。譬如今次，我就知道了黃泥涌道69號、做糧食出入口生意的漢記行、西環永樂碼頭、先父調任元朗的年份、還有據說如今還保留著的1953年那三千元的借據。

離港前的下午，聽著媽唱「多謝多謝耶穌，多謝多謝耶穌，多謝多謝耶穌在我心 …」，委實感動。媽在咱教會受洗十多年了，聽到她自己唱聖詩，還是頭一遭。

前文：母親的呻吟

到底研乜究？

『學術，對我來說，是次要。了解生活，才是重點。
……

研究，是解開一個一個死結的過程。有時候，死結真的是死結。有時候，死結解開來，變新的機遇。有時候，那些累人的研究評估，只是行政的形式主義，是簽名蓋章的例行公事，如果蓋過了熱情就把研究搞死了。

一個現代社會，如果有個小小的空間，讓文化工作者，做他們喜歡的工作，把生活、體驗、創意，自由抒發出來，那麼生活也許會豐富一點。』

馬傑偉：『人文館：北京筆記II』，《明報》時代版，2007年5月3日

三月十五的月光

晚飯後，從家裡的露台外望，
Regard! Regardez! Regardez la lune!
這麼近，這麼遠；
這麼遠，又這麼近。