The Language of Becoming
For creative minds seeking transformation.
Course Summary
Transform how you read, interpret, and embody sacred language. Grounded in academic research on language ideology and translation, this course teaches you to recognize how words shape belief—and how you can consciously reshape them.
Language of Becoming
A course on the power of language to shape reality
01
PERCEPTION
"You don't choose your language. Your language chooses you."
The Trapped Word
McLuhan's concept: written language as time travel, freezing thought across centuries
Language Ideology
Irvine & Gal framework: invisible assumptions shaping linguistic inheritance
Frames of Reference
Goffman's theory: cognitive filters processing reality through inclusive/exclusive/metamorphic lenses
Personal Stakes
Why conscious language matters for creatives and believers
02
METAPHOR
"Poetry reveals what prose conceals"
Double Vision
Blake/Frye: literal vs. spiritual seeing; why metaphor transforms
Metaphorical Theology
McFague: how God-metaphors shape theology (Father, Shepherd, Fortress)
Translation Comparison
Genesis 1:1 across KJV, MSG, TPT - reading translations as theological arguments
Hermeneutic Circle
Interpretation as recursive spiral, not linear progression
03
TRANSLATION
"The Bible you carry is a political act"
Translation Politics
McKnight: how translation reveals worldview; "accuracy" is never neutral
Historical Explosion
30 translations (1450s) → 1,300 (1950s) → 3,000+ (today)
TPT Case Study
Heresy or innovation? What TPT prioritizes and sacrifices
Relevance Theory
Sperber & Wilson: tension between "what it meant" and "what it means"
Ideological Battlegrounds
Gender language, authority terms - how each era's wars appear in translation
04
TRANSMISSION
"You are not just a receiver. You are a transmitter."
Linguistic Determinism
Sapir-Whorf: language shapes thought shapes language - vocabulary creates reality
Hierarchy of Influences
Reese & Shoemaker: systems, institutions, individuals shaping inherited language
Personal Testimony
How changing vocabulary changed theology - concrete examples from journey
Frameshifting Practice
First steps toward linguistic agency and conscious frame selection
05
FRAMEWORKS
"Everyone inherits a theology. Few examine it to make it their own."
Three-Frame Model
Irvine & Gal: fractal recursivity (metamorphic), iconization (inclusive), erasure (exclusive)
Inclusive Frame
Strengths: unity, empathy | Weaknesses: dilution, loss of distinctiveness
Exclusive Frame
Strengths: clarity, boundaries | Weaknesses: rigidity, fundamentalism
Metamorphic Frame
Strengths: transformation, synthesis | Weaknesses: instability, confusion
Abstractive Frame (NEW)
Strengths: recalibrative, complex | Weaknesses: chaotic, regressive
Political Rhetoric Analysis
Obama (inclusive: 103) vs Trump (metamorphic: 17) - religious language co-opted
06
LEXICON
"You aren't trapped by your frames. Being human means you can chart a new path."
Metamodernism
Vermeulen & van den Akker: oscillating between hope and skepticism
Metamorphic Synthesis
Not compromise but transcendence - holding tension without collapse
TPT Three-Frame Balance
Thesis data: how TPT navigates all frames simultaneously
Living Lexicon
Building personal glossary - journaling, word tracking, reflection tools
Interpretive Authority
Co-creator of meaning vs. relativism - responsible interpretation
07
PRACTICE
"Words → Frames → Identity → Becoming"
Journey Synthesis
Recap: how the pieces fit together from perception to practice
Living Document
Bible as container of past, guide to future - "fixed text" ≠ "fixed meaning"
Co-Creator Role
Active interpreter, not passive consumer - responsibility of conscious language
Vision Casting
Life shaped by conscious language - prayer, relationships, vocation
Ongoing Practices
Reading with new eyes, language journaling, conscious daily communication
Community Invitation
Bible reading community, staying connected, collective interpretation
🔑 Recurring Themes Across Modules
Course Curriculum
Pastor Zen
Sanni Haruna (PastorZen) is a London-born, Chicago-raised artist and educator. His master's thesis explores how language shapes consciousness and culture. He has taught around the world, and founded TimeGROW Academy in 2025.
Curious wordsmith.
Course Pricing
The Language of Becoming: Cliff Notes
Free
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Access to research and tools for self mastery.
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- ✓ Concepts central to my thesis on Language Ideology & Cognitive Evolution.
- ✓ Access to course curriculum, documents, module topics.
The Language of Becoming: Full Course
£49
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Videos, community, and content for those ready to become.
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- Everything in the free tier plus...
- ✓ Access to Lexicon Web (beta): Curate frameworks, transcend the binary.
- ✓ Downloadable resources relevant research papers.
