Perspective on Human Flourishing

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Perspective on Human Flourishing
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Human Flourishing

• Before the Fall--human flourishing in the garden
• After the Fall--sin impacts human flourishing
• Distortions of the meaning of flourishing
• Distortions of the perception of flourishing
  (Psalm 73)
• Loss of connection with our Source of flourishing

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Human Flourishing (cont.)

• The Redemption and human flourishing
• We of all people must be agents of hope for our
  worldwe have reconnected with the Source of
  human flourishing
• And he has committed to us the ministry of
  reconciliation 2 Corinthians 518
• Flourishing now involves both creation and
  redemption, both healing of our structures and
  disciplines and offering hope

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Who Flourishes?

• All people are image bearers of God
• The common grace of God leads many to offer
  insight into flourishing
• Consider the example of Csikszenthihalyi

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Psychological Research

• Literature review by Nakamura and
  Csikszenthihalyi
• the fullness of a persons participation in the
  world has been granted central importance in the
  study of Flow.
• Source David Mashburn

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• Czikszentmihalyi summarizes his work by saying
• Contrary to what we believe, the best moments
  of our lives are not the passive, receptive,
  relaxing times- although such experiences can
  also be enjoyable, if we work hard to attain
  them. The best moments usually occur when a
  persons mind is stretched to its limits in a
  voluntary effort to accomplish something
  difficult and worthwhile.

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• Findings suggest that apathy of many people
  around us is not due to their being physically or
  mentally exhausted. The problems seem to lie more
  in modern workers relation to his job, with the
  way he perceives his goals in relation to it.
  Workers flourish best when they have a sense of
  calling. (C)

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The Mandate for Christians

• Offer hope to the world
• Identify ways our work can bring hope to others,
  including ourselves
• Concern sometimes we model despair that fails to
  demonstrate the Kingdom of God. This is a
  natural tendency
• When confronted with a new situation, humans
  tend to see loss before they see opportunity.
• Leadership on the Line
• Linsky and Heifitz

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Engineering
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The Arts
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Business
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• Shalom represents the world as it was meant to
  be. It is the content of the Kingdom of God. It
  provides the conditions necessary for all of
  creation to flourish. When shalom is present,
  truth, beauty, justice, plenty, and the good
  flourish and bring life.

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• These dimensions of creation will only fully
  flourish at the end of time, at the full
  restoration of all things, at the coming of the
  city of God to the New Earth. Our calling is to
  live in the light of this alternative vision of
  the future rather than submitting to the dominant
  ideologies of the present.
• Don Flow
• Engaging the World
• Vocation, Eschatology, and Shalom

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• Don Flow example

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The Challenge

• How do we redefine human flourishing from Gods
  perspective?
• How do we apply this to our disciplines?
• How do we use this to offer hope and model the
  Kingdom of God to our world?
• Internally in our work by creating a flourishing
  environment for our employees
• External to the world by offering services that
  address real needs in the world