Perspective is important for all areas of life. In his book, A Non-Anxious Presence, Australian pastor Mark Sayers describes a strategic shift that took place during the Korean War when the US Air Force transitioned from propeller-powered aircraft to jet fighters. When flying propeller-powered planes, pilots were taught to use a linear, three step decision-making process in aerial combat: “observe where the enemy was, decide how they would respond, and act.” However, when jet fighters were introduced, pilots had to learn a new strategy. Because jet fighters were considerably faster than propellor-powered aircraft, pilots could easily become disoriented in flight, thinking they were flying in one direction when in fact they were flying in another, thinking they were climbing when in fact they were diving straight toward the ground. The presence of new aircraft produced a new environment for aerial dogfights that required an immediate change in strategy. A new element had to be introduced into the decision-making process: “orientation, knowing where you are in relation to your environment.” Pilots needed to observe, orient, decide, and act if they were to succeed in combat.¹

As Ted Gioia observes, North American culture “is changing at warp speed.” Social media platforms, rather than arts and entertainment, now dominate the cultural landscape. These platforms preside over a cycle of stimulation and distraction designed to elicit a dopamine release in its consumers and, through repetition and habituation, turn consumers into addicts. Fueled by TikToks, tweets, and VR experiences, this “dopamine culture” moves at Mach speech and shrinks our world to the size of our screens.² The shrinking of our perspective leads to a shrinking of our souls, simultaneously dimming our minds and dulling our desires. In such a context, the church needs pastors with a God-sized, God-centered perspective who can lead congregations in cultivating such a perspective as well. Theological education seeks to address this need by forming such pastors.

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Scott Swain | “Cultivating a Theological Perspective” | March 12, 2024

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