A great theological debate between Stephen Colbert and the moronic Glenn Beck.
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Glenn Beck Attacks Social Justice – James Martin | ||||
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Best Christian T-Shirt
HT: clanotto
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I'm Against It!
If you have ever worked in the academy — or in the Church, or in a law firm — you will likely be able to relate to this.
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State of the Bride
The pastor of the Hope Center, an urban ministry with which I’ve done some volunteer work, posted this interesting video on my Facebook wall. I absolutely love the creativity of the visual arts work here, and the “performance art” aspect of the piece. The artist’s commentary is interesting: “the fatherless generation has brought about the shepherdless generation.” I’m not sure I totally understand or agree with the intent of that statement. Urban churches such as the Hope Center, in my experience, tend towards a Pentecostal style of theology that emphasizes the moral and spiritual apostasy of the institutional Church. Some of this critique is drawn from dispensationalist teachings about the “true” church in the end times. Unfortunately, this can lead to an anti-intellectual and insular form of Christianity, which overlooks the many good things God is doing in denominational and other churches. And having grown up in relatively wealthy suburban evangelical churches, I’ve been blessed with many excellent shepherds, so it’s a bit hard for me to relate to the urban context. Nevertheless, I think there’s truth here that we all need to hear.
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Tips for Theology Students
Ouch!
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An Augur of the New Year?
Yesterday morning I spent some time thinking an praying about the coming new year. I felt refreshed and encouraged about some things I hope to be able to do and enjoy in 2010. After celebrating in the evening with our neighbors, a gaggle of kids came by to sleep over our house. I went to sleep at about 12:30 a.m., feeling cozy.
At around 2:00 a.m., my eleven-year-old son woke me up, breathlessly explaining that his friend who was sleeping over felt sick. I trundled down to the basement family room, and there it was: chunky, pungent projectile vomit on the couch, the beanbag chairs, the Xbox remote, the kid’s clothing. Apparently, staying up till all hours playing video games while gorging on nachos and soda after eating platefuls of cocktail weenies and dip does not sit well with the stomachs of some 11-year-old boys. Did you know that if a kid has carrots for dinner, they still are recognizable as carrots when they come back out the same end six hours later?
But 2:45 a.m. or so I had everything cleaned up, nearly losing my own cookies several times in the process. The poor kid’s dad picked him up and I headed back up to bed.
Ah yes. It’s going to be a very good year!
The Bibliographic Society (B.S.) announced today the discovery of a previously unknown manuscript dating to the first century C.E. This spectacular find, hidden under a bushel in the Qumran caves, appears to be a record of an interview between a local journalist named Simon Bar Khoba and a person identified tantalizingly only as “the Nazarene.” I’m reproducing a portion here that has already been deciphered and translated:
SBK: It’s said that you refuse to sign the Jerusalem Declaration. My readers would like to know why.
TN: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting the authorities for me; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.
SBK: But surely you agree that the Roman law is inconsistent with God’s law! Isn’t it our duty as God’s people to change this?
TN: Put your sword back in its place. All who draw the sword will die by the sword.
SBK: Who said anything about a sword? I’m talking politics! We need to take back our nation!
TN: Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
SBK: Um… I guess. So go ahead, call out the angels and let’s transform this culture!
TN: You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
SBK: That hardly seems practical or fair. Our culture is in the grip of great darkness. It’s our responsibility to confront the darkness and show our leaders their errors. If we rebel against the government, it is an act of love, not retribution.
TN: You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
SBK: So we’re supposed to tolerate the scorn of these reprobates who over-tax us, over-spend on social programs, and all the while indulge in every kind of debauchery? Personally, I’m putting them on notice: I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore. Are you with us or against us?
TN: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
SBK: This is astonishing, if I may say so. We need to show these people we mean business, that we’re organized and unified. The Jerusalem Declaration lays out our core principles, a plan by which we can begin rightly ordering this society. What do you offer instead?
TN: Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days
SBK: No, no and a thousand times, no! The Temple can’t be destroyed, it’s the key to our restoration!
TN: Behold, I am making all things new!
SBK: You can’t be serious.
At this point, the manuscript becomes illegible. Hopefully, the BS will be able to decipher more of it soon!
I’m too busy at work to comment in detail, but I stumbled on an excellent series by David Congdon at The Fire and the Rose on the “Heresies of Evangelicalism” this morning. I would suggest that “evangelical” theology is changing in many ways that address some of these “heresies.” Nevertheless, Congdon articulates almost perfectly a number of concerns that have nagged at me for years. I also particularly appreciate the spirit in which Congdon offers the series: “Let me remind my readers that this series is not intended to condemn the church but to prod it toward maturity in the faith. We live in an age in which the line between piety and idolatry is very thin indeed. We must be diligent in weeding out “everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Heb. 12:1), but never at the expense of Christian charity toward all, especially toward those with whom we most disagree. Toward that end, I offer this series in the hope that churches in America will proclaim the gospel with clarity and integrity.” Amen.