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Student ID: 92185

Dr. Chase

Senior Seminar

2 December 2020

Essay #3

Communicating is an essential part of what it means to be human. However, providing a

definition for communication is not an easy task. Scholars have provided many different

conceptions of communication through the years, and I have been taught many different

definitions throughout my time at Wheaton. For example, I learned in Communication Theory

that communication “is the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a

response” (Griffin, Ledbetter, & Sparks 6). On the other hand, classes such as Media Studies and

Digital Society focus on the medium of communication because “the medium is the message”

(McLuhan 7). In Senior Seminar, we were presented with Professor Julia T. Wood’s definition of

communication as “a systemic process in which people interact with and through symbols to

create and interpret meanings” (Wood 12). Others, such as Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin,

see communication as constitutive, “which in general asks not how communication transmits or

represents a speaker’s internal stakes and beliefs but instead inquires how communication

between persons creates, or constructs the social world, including our selves and our

relationships” (Baxter and Akkoor 26). In light of all of these views and my own personal

beliefs, I consider communication to be a relational process in which we use symbols to create

and interpret meanings, helping us understand ourselves and our relationships while living in a

broken world.

A deeper understanding of communication can help me live out my vocation more

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faithfully. My vocational calling is the way in which I live in light of my identity in Christ. This

call means cultivating habits and practices that speak to the hope and renewal of God’s coming

kingdom. More specifically, my personal vocation is to live in diverse spaces of hospitality

where each person has the freedom and space to grow, learn, and develop in community. The

two specific communication concepts of embodiment and Standpoint Theory impact the way I

approach my vocational calling.

First, the idea of embodiment has taught me the importance of being present when

communicating with others. Human beings are embodied creatures, and I believe that this

embodiment serves a divine purpose. As Christians, we should not take our embodiment lightly.

Here at Wheaton, many of my Media Studies classes have taught me to be wary of the ways in

which I use technologies, and not to use them in a way that diminishes human embodiment and

connection. Author Craig M. Gay tells how when Christians forget the importance of the

theology of embodiment, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for the church to speak into

society (Gay 135). The gospel of Matthew states, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a

hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand, and it

gives light to all the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may

see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (English Standard Version,

Mat. 15.14-16). If we are to be the light of the world, we must remember the importance of

embodiment and critically consider how we are using our technologies to enhance this call or

detract from it. For example, my first semester at Wheaton, I participated in Dr. Schuchardt’s

semester-without-a-phone experiment. Through this experience, I gained deeper insight into

what it can look like to relate to others without technological distractions. This example is drastic

and not practical for everyday living, but it highlights the importance of using our technologies
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intentionally.

Second, the Standpoint Theory of communication, by Sandra Harding and Julia T. Wood,

has better equipped me to live out my vocation purposefully. This theory says that our view of

the world depends on our social location. Harding and Wood’s idea of “strong objectivity” says

that in order to better understand how the world or specific systems operate, we must begin by

looking from the perspective of marginalized groups (Griffin, Ledbetter, & Sparks 402). Harding

and Wood often look at women as a marginalized group, but it can be extended to include the

poor, racial minorities, or other marginalized groups. This theory provides important insights

into what it means to live well in community. In order for me to live vocationally in diverse

spaces of community, I must critically analyze whose viewpoints I am considering. I should seek

to welcome all voices to the table, especially the voices of the marginalized.

A deeper look at communication can help me live out my vocations well. It can allow me

to live faithfully in diverse spaces of hospitality. Communication is a relational process in which

we use symbols to create and interpret meanings. It helps us understand ourselves and our

relationships while living in a broken world. Personally, understanding the importance of

listening to marginalized voices, a concept from Standpoint Theory, provides a new

understanding for what it looks like to live well in community. Critically considering the ways in

which we use our technologies can enhance our ability to connect with other people.

Communication is a mighty tool that can help me live a faithful life.

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Works Cited

Baxter, Leslie A., and Chitra Akkoor. "Aesthetic love and romantic love in close

relationships." Communication ethics: Between cosmopolitanism and

provinciality (2008): 23-46.

Gay, Craig M. Modern Technology and the Human Future: a Christian Appraisal. Downers

Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2018. Print.

Griffin, Emory A., Ledbetter, Andrew, and Sparks, Glenn Grayson. A First Look at

Communication Theory. Tenth edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education, 2020.

Print.

Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Crossway, 2001.

McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media; the Extensions of Man. [1st ed.]. New York:

McGraw-Hill, 1964. Print.

Wood, Julia T. Communication Mosaics: An Introduction to the Field of Communication.

Cengage Learning, 2013.