At the end of the Spotlight session on Wednesday, Dr. Beck showed a powerful video based on a commencement speech that David Foster Wallace gave at Kenyon College in 2005. If you would like to watch the video again, you can do so here. The video is undeniably powerful, but it’s an abridgment of his speech, and it leaves out some really good stuff. You can read a transcript of the full speech at this site.
Discussion Questions:
- In the full speech, Foster Wallace discusses religion at much greater length. What do you think about what he says? (His comments on worship are particularly thought-provoking.)
- You also need to hear Foster Wallace’s speech in light of the larger context of his life. Read his obituary on the NY Times website. How does what you learn here affect the way you interpret his speech?
- As the speech and video imply, Foster Wallace does confess to be a Christian. How should that affect how you hear what he has to say? Can non-Christians say something true about the human condition? Can they critique and correct the church?
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