Refusals as resolutions

Douglas Groothuis has listed what he resolves not to do in 2007.

Death in the city - Chapter three

Death in the City – Chapter Three: The Message of Judgment

Schaeffer continues his look at Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. Just as he wept, we too must weep over our church and culture. Neither Jeremiah’s life nor his message was easy. So must our message be. Schaeffer writes: “Christianity is not romantic, not soft. It is tough-fibered and realistic. And the Bible gives us the realistic message I am convinced the church today must preach if it is to be any help in the post-Christian world.” Such a message will make us unpopular both in the church and in the culture.

In Jeremiah’s day there was much external religiosity, but the people had turned away from God to other things. Thus, He rejected their offerings and sacrifices. “When men turn away from the propositional revelation of God, it destroys the acceptability of our worship to God. We are not jousting over abstract theological terms. We are dealing with a question of believing God and believing his revealed truth.”

Jeremiah also rebuked the people’s apostasy. This is the hallmark of our current generation and shows up in the church as relativism. “Men no longer believe that there are absolutes, and more and more it has become the accepted thing not to speak the truth….As men have turned away from God, who alone gives a basis for absolutes in truth, men have become untruthful and hypocritical with each other.”

Jeremiah also rebuked the people for looking to the world for help, everywhere except to God. But that help failed. In the same way the church today looks elsewhere, to mere psychology, to new theology. Schaeffer is adamant that we must look directly to God for help. “It must be the Lord’s work done in the Lord’s way.”

As a result, Jeremiah’s message to the Jews was: utter destruction. “When men turn away from God, the city becomes the city of destruction.” Jeremiah 9:11 says, “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals; and I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

Schaeffer concludes: “Our generation needs to be told that man cannot disregard God, that a culture like ours that has had such light and then has deliberately turned away stands under God’s judgment. God is a god of grace, but the other side of the coin of grace is judgment. If God is there, if God is holy (and we need a holy god or we have no absolutes), there must be judgment….The final reality is that God is really there….But does your Christianity end with something less than God who is there?

Favourite Christmas Hymn

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

This is without a doubt the greatest Christmas hymn written. It cuts through all the clutter (no cattle lowing, no angels with golden harps, no rustic little towns, no narrative of wise men or shepherds – not that there’s anything wrong with these things, but the hymn gives us the main point of it all). What’s the main point? God with us. God saves us. God for us. As C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Refrain

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

Refrain

The Christmas Star

There have been many theories regarding the star of Bethlehem. I happen to think that Michael Molnar's theory is the best one.

Will's way with words

Why do people like Shakespeare?
And what would it be like to be insulted by him? (of course I would never say such things to a person...though I might write them...anonymously...)

Blurbing books

Scot McKnight has a humourous post on writing book blurbs

Death in the City - Chapter Two: The Loneliness of Man

The current generation has a hunger for meaning in life (this seems to apply as much today as is did in 1968). Unfortunately, the “dust of death” is everywhere. They hunger for meaning because they have forgotten their main purpose in life. To quote the Westminster Shorter Catechism, our chief purpose is “To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Both parts of that succinct statement are needed. Since we’re made in His image, genuine fulfillment can only be in reference to God which brings about an “affirmation of life”. In Christianity the whole man needs fulfillment. This is unlike Platonism where the soul finds final fulfillment and the body is minimized.

Even though, like today’s generation, the Jews of Jeremiah’s day turned away from the true God, they at least turned to idols, recognizing that there was something out there. Only recent modern generations have turned away to God to a belief in a purely materialistic universe. But this means we’ve turned away from the only one who can comfort us and bring meaning, the infinite-personal God who is there.

What are the consequences of turning away from God? Not only the loss of individuals but the loss of our culture. Insofar as the culture was built on Reformation principles, turning away brings death to the city. Schaeffer quotes Lamentations 1:19. “I called to my lovers but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city while seeking food to revive their strength”. He extends the word “city” to include the concept of “polis”, the sociological group or culture.

But what sort of death will this be? It manifests itself most sharply in the form of loneliness. If we reject God, believing that there is no God, then there is no purpose for man’s existence. He is surrounded by thousands or millions of others in the city and yet he is lonely.
He concludes, “In Jeremiah’s day God worked into history upon the basis of His character, and He continues to do so….God judged [the Jews] as they had turned away from Him. He will do the same in our generation.”

Favourite Hymn #10

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

Death in the City - chapter one

Death in the City by Francis Schaeffer (IVP, 1968)

Chapter One

This book is an adaptation of a series of lectures Schaeffer gave at Wheaton College in 1968. He starts the book with the question: How should orthodox, bible-believing Christians view life in a post-Christian world? His goal is to attempt to answer this question through the lens of Jeremiah, Lamentations and Romans.

To those who long for revival, Schaeffer offers this corrective: “There cannot be true revival unless there has been reformation.” He also admits that reformation is incomplete in the absence of revival. The two go together. He writes: “Reformation refers to a restoration to pure doctrine; revival refers to a restoration in the Christian’s life.”

He lays the blame for the directionless and morally bankrupt nature of our society on human foolishness. Quoting Romans 1:21-22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasoning”. This foolishness in rejecting God is not merely religious foolishness, but intellectual foolishness. Man has taken a position that is out of step with what he, if he really examines things carefully, knows to be true about the universe. Thus, he is left in a position of intellectual and personal tensions. He laments that, while humans have always turned from God, the speed with which western society has rejected God in his own generation is remarkable.

His phrase “post-Christian”, is now part of the evangelical lexicon. In the generation before his, Christians could have had common ground on which to discuss question of value, ethics, and religion; but in the course of a generation, western (European/North American) culture has abandoned its cultural, religious and intellectual heritage.

He sums up the result of this rejection with strong words: Western culture is under the wrath of God.

There is currently a popular praise song called “Days of Elijah”. Schaeffer, however, believes that we are living in the day of Jeremiah. He writes: “The book of Jeremiah and…Lamentations show how God looks at a culture that knew Him and deliberately turned away. But this is not just the character of Jeremiah’s day of apostasy. It’s my day. It’s your day.”

How does God judge? Unlike Zeus who throws down thunderbolts, God can directly intervene or he can simply turn away, letting the natural course of history do what it has always done. Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome. These are the civilizations that make up the detritus of history. Western culture is in danger of the same fate. He concludes the chapter with this statement: “As the Jews of Jeremiah’s day were hungry for bread and had no comforter, our post-christian world is hungry in state and society and in the individual longings of the heart, for it too has turned in our own day from the only sufficient Comforter.”

Favourite Hymn #11

O God Our Help in Ages Past

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men:”
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Reformed Dogmatics - Introduction

Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics – Prolegomena (Baker Academic, 2003) isn’t exactly an easy book to read or summarize. So I'll just summarize the intro and let y'all read the book.

This is the first of a four volume set. The series is edited by John Bolt of Calvin Theological Seminary and translated by the late John Vriend.

The introduction is written by Bolt. Bavinck’s Dogmatics was first published a hundred years ago and represents the high point of four hundred years of Dutch Reformed theological thought. He was also serious about engaging other theological traditions such as Roman Catholicism and modern liberal Protestantism.

Kampen and Leiden

Bolt begins with a brief biography and a short history of the religious and political circumstances surrounding Bavinck’s life. Bavinck was born in 1854. He was indelibly shaped by the deep pietism of Reformed spiritual life, in particular that of the Christian Reformed Church which had seceded from the National Reformed Church in the Netherlands twenty years before his birth.

Although he began his theological training at Kampen Theological School, the seminary of the CRC, he transferred, to his parent’s dismay, to the Univesity of Leiden, the training from which was one of the biggest influences in his theological thinking. His reason was to “become acquainted with the modern theology firsthand” and to receive “a more scientific training than the Theological School is presently able to provide.” His time at Leiden seems to have shaken his faith somewhat. Bavinck wrote: “Will I remain standing in the faith? God grant it.” Bolt writes: “The Leiden experience gave rise to what Bavinck perceived as the tension in his life between his commitment to orthodox theology and spirituality and his desire to understand and appreciate what he could about the modern world, including its worldview and culture.” This tension in his thinking revealed itself in his attempt to reconcile modernity with Reformed pietism.

An example of this tension is found in his creation theology, where he engages the modern philosophy of Kant and Hegel, the scientific theory of Darwin, and the geological theories of his day.

Grace and Nature

It would probably be folly to try to encapsulate Bavinck’s theology in a short statement, but this might work: “His heart and mind sought a Trinitarian synthesis of Christianity and culture, a Christian worldview that incorporated what was best and true in both pietism and modernism, while above all honoring the theological and confessional richness of the Reformed tradition dating from Calvin.”

The framework Bavinck used to do this was Dutch neo-Calvinism, a theological movement propelled by its pioneer, Abraham Kuyper, politician, future Dutch prime minister, journalist, founder of the Free University of Amsterdam, and aggressive adversary of the modern spirit in church and society. Dutch neo-Calvinism set its sights not only on church matters but also on the whole realm of thought, “the arts, the professions, education, culture, society, and politics”. It was, like Bavinck, “appreciative of much in the modern world but not uncritically so.” Bavinck writes, “The thoughtful person places the doctrine of the Trinity in the very center of the full-orbed life of nature and mankind.” His whole theology is shaped by the Trinitarian concept that “grace restores nature.”

Prolegomena

Theological prolegomena deal with “introductory matters of definition and method”. Bavinck defines “dogmatics” as the “knowledge that God has revealed in his Word to his church concerning himself and all creatures as they stand in relation to him.” Bavinck never backed away from honestly engaging modern thought, notably, the Kantian claim that “God cannot be known and the subsequent effort to maintain the study of theology as a form of human religious experience.”

Traditional Reformed theology is organized around six loci (i.e. chief themes or places): the doctrine of God, humanity, Christ, salvation, the church, and last things. Bavinck follows these throughout this work.

Bolt’s words sum up things well: “Dogmatic theology is a science; it is a disciplined, rigorous, systematic study of the knowledge of God. Strictly speaking not every believer is or needs to be a theologian. The long history of theology parallels the life-history of the church but is not identical with it. In that connection, Bavinck’s lengthy discussion of the history of dogmatics has few parallels in any single volume published more recently…though it is a century old, Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics continues to be relevant to many issues still discussed in theology today….it is biblically and confessionally faithful, pastorally sensitive, challenging, and still relevant.”

I've got too much time on my hands.

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

The Great Depression

By Pierre Berton (Penguin, 1990)

I’m actually not going to summarize this book – the structure doesn’t lend itself to summarization easily (and if isn’t easy I won’t do it). I’m about halfway through it. Berton’s prose is light and readable and he has the knack of telling a story well. If all Berton writes is correct then one can only shake one’s head in disbelief at the incompetence of Canada’s leaders in the 1930’s – William Lyon Mackenzie King, R.B. Bennet, et al. Had Canada had reasonably competent leaders the suffering may have been mitigated somewhat. This is not to say that there would have been no suffering at all. Nor that there would have not been much suffering. But to have had as much suffering as did occur is unconscionable.

One story Berton tells is pretty sad. A couple with one son decide, after losing everything, that their only recourse is to kill themselves. They use what’s left to buy a little gas for their car, park in a school garage, connect a hose from the exhaust to the inside of the car and wait for death. Unfortunately, due to their poverty, they weren’t able to buy enough gas to do the job for the whole family. The parents survived but their young son’s cold lifeless body lay in the back seat. Distraught, the mother tells her husband to stab her to death with a butcher’s knife. In order to avoid any unnecessary pain, he tries to knock her out first with an engine crank. The carbon monoxide did just enough, though, to weaken him so that he couldn’t generate enough force. So he decides to just stab her, but he’s not strong enough to penetrate her winter coat. He tries to slice her throat but the blade misses her carotid and she ends up still alive but bleeding profusely. They use razor blades to cut their wrist but the cuts aren’t deep enough. They finally give up and wait for a slow and agonizing death. They were found in time. Later they were charged with the murder of their son.

Well, there are heartwarming stories in the book as well. I’ve also heard stories from seniors in my church about their experiences during the depression, stories of poverty but also stories of faith, compassion and God’s providential care. Berton’s story is worth reading. And the stories of those who went through those times are worth hearing.

What's next

In lieu of my actually writing anything interesting I think I’ll (try to) summarize some of the books I’ve been reading recently. I’m a slow reader so these may come somewhat less than speedily. Nor is it at all certain that I’ll be able to capture the relevant or salient points the author is making. In fact, it’s more probable that I’ll miss his/her point completely and lead you, cherished reader of this blog, on a wild goose chase of non-existent and/or highly underdeveloped ideas/content that were not even the main point(s) of the book. (I should probably edit that last sentence but, eh, whatever…). So, let the excitement begin! (yawn)

What kind of reader are you?

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Read this

Some people think Man or Rabbit may be C.S. Lewis' best short essay. I think they could be right.

Favourite Hymn #12

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Refrain:
Lord of all to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

Refrain

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Refrain

For Thy Church that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.

Refrain

For the martyrs' crown of light,
For Thy prophets' eagle eye,
For Thy bold confessors' might,
For the lips of infancy.

Refrain

For Thy virgins' robes of snow,
For Thy maiden mother mild,
For Thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesu, Victim undefiled.

Refrain

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven,

Refrain

Youth trends

Time magazine has a story on what I hope is a good trend in the church

Do great books always make great movies?

Austen is nothing if not acerbic and funny, her best dialog a fountainhead for the kind of writing that would take wing a century later in the work of Wilde, Huxley, and Coward — which may help to explain why she was so long in finding a devoted audience. Austen raises characterization to an audacious pitch, almost to the level of Moliére in the instance of Mr. Collins.The 1940 film, in which Austen's wit is augmented by Huxley's, was one of the funniest chamber comedies of its day, and remains so today.
In contrast, there are few laughs and no wit in the 2005 version...(read)

Favourite Hymn #13

The Church’s One Foundation

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

She is from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against both foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!

’Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master’s hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.

O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
rForever shall abide!

Books to read

Reynolds has also provided a list of books he deems essential reading ranging from preschool to high school.

I gotta get me some book learnin'

He's a tad too politically conservative for my taste but I like John Mark Reynold's take on education

Tim Keller's 9/11 Sermon

This short sermon is just one example of why Tim Keller is probably my favourite pastor/preacher.

Ben Witherington on Wealth

See his top ten reasons why God doesn't want you wealthy and the comments they drew.

Christian singleness

Scot McKnight started a post on singleness and has drawn a number of responses.

via GiCurlz

Neuroticism 92???? What the...actually that's about right.



My Personality

Neuroticism	92
Extraversion	1
Openness To Experience	26
Agreeableness	28
Conscientiousness	14

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report Bebo, MySpace Codes and MySpace Layouts by Pulseware Survey Software

You are introverted, reserved, and quiet with a preference for solitude and solitary activities. Your socializing tends to be restricted to a few close friends. You can be very easily upset, even by what most people consider the normal demands of living. People consider you to be extremely sensitive and emotional. As a practical person you like to think in plain and simple terms. Others describe you as down-to-earth, practical, and conservative. People see you as tough, critical, and uncompromising and you have less concern with others' needs than with your own. You like to live for the moment and do what feels good now. Your work tends to be careless and disorganized.

This report compares you to other men between the ages of 21 and 40 in Canada. It analyses you based on each of the five broad personality domains of the Five-Factor Model (Goldberg, L R. 1999), and the six sub domains at each level.

Now hear this

I've been enjoying William Lane Craig's Stob Lectures that he gave at Calvin College a couple of years ago on the necessity of apologetics.

Refreshments will follow the service...some of you may want to pass the plate (if you know what I mean)

Airplane and car manufacturers are designing bigger seats to accomodate larger bodies. Pew makers might have to follow this trend. (Link)

The axeman cometh

Guitars weren’t made for sissies (though if you are a sissy don’t let that stop you from picking one up. With regard to my own sissy quotient, uh, let me get back to you on that…)

Amazon Wishlists

I've added my Amazon Wishlist items on the sidebar. These are merely books and albums/DVDs that I'd like to read/hear/view, even possibly own. Not that I'm asking anyone to buy them for me, though you could if you wanted to (ha! fat chance eh?) I'd say I've read/heard/viewed about 10 to 20 percent of the lists, exclusively by borrowing from the library. I'll keep adding to them from time to time.

Republic

I finally finished Plato’s Republic. It only took eight months (or so). And Simon Blackburn has written this piece on the Republic.

More articles

Here are three interesting articles linked at Arts and Letters Daily:

Blood on the Tracks
Jolt Culture has Twice the Trivia
The Forbidden Experiment

Favourite Hymn #14

Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Witherington on 'Critical Scholarship'

Ben Witherington has a post explaining why skepticism is not the same as critical scholarship.

Science and faith

Here's an interview with Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Project

Book Meme

I was tagged (surprising since only so many people know that I exist…however).

1. One book that changed your life:
Beyond the Cosmos by Hugh Ross. The book itself was interesting (all about superstring theory, extra-dimensions and their theistic implications ); but it included an 800 number to Ross’s organization at the back of the book. I called the number, received their catalog, and was suddenly exposed to an abundance of books on science and philosophical apologetics that, up till then, I had been ignorant of. Those books later led me to read works by Alvin Plantinga and other Christian philosophers, as well as scientists such as Fritz Schaeffer and John Polkinghorne (though I make no claims to understanding much of what they wrote). The upshot was that my faith, which was flagging at the time got an energized boost. And the way that Ross’s book ended in my hands was rather strange as well, almost providential even.

2. One book that you've read more than once: Not counting the Bible, I’d have to say Mere Christianity. I received it as a gift and it sat on my shelf for almost 12 years before I actually read it.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
Not counting the Bible, I’d have to say Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ron Tacelli. It’s interesting reading but also fairly light. I would have said the Norton Shakespeare but it’s just too heavy (It would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean before I could get it ashore). A close second might be How to Build an Emergency Coconut Radio by the Professor from Gilligan’s Island.

4. One book that made you laugh: On the Road with the Archangel by Frederick Buechner. Also, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Also, Canterbury Tales.

5. One book that made you cry:
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

6. One book you wish had been written: A Beginner’s Guide to Living Life Without Looking Like or Being a Fool (on the other hand maybe Proverbs qualifies). Also, the sequel to Brothers Karamazov.

7. One book you wish had never been written: The Communist Manifesto. Also the Late Great Planet Earth. Also Left Behind.

8. One book you're currently reading:
Dog Creek: A Place in the Cariboo by Hilary Place

9. One book you've been meaning to read: Summa Theologia but I may have to settle for reading Kreeft’s Summa of the Summa.

10. Tag 5 others:
Do I even know 5 other people? Eh, you know who you are.

Power to Will

If you don’t have enough willpower, this article tells why.

A Method of Evangelism

Tim Keller has written a short piece on how to do evangelism/apologetics with urbans/postmoderns.

The polar ice caps are melting!!

But that has nothing to do with this post. I saw a couple of interesting things on TV Friday night. On Bill Moyers on Faith and Reason, Salman Rushdie was being interviewed. I only caught about 20 minutes, but I learned that he spoke recently at Calvin College at a writer’s conference. Moyers mentioned that some were concerned about having a self-avowed atheist speak at a Christian college lest he somehow corrupt weak-minded students into being led astray (or words to that effect). Those concerned probably know more about atheism than Rushdie knows about Christianity (his knowledge of the godhead is woefully uninformed, calling the concept “polytheism”). They know that a number of Christian youth (or even older folk) have, under the influence of persuasive atheists, been weakened in their faith or have even left the faith altogether. So, my question: should those who hold to atheism or for that matter any non-Christian perspective, be permitted to speak at a Christian college (not just at a writer’s conference but also in an academic setting where many students would be exposed to the speaker’s ideas)?

My response would be a qualified yes. The college is the entity in that situation which is controlling the overall message. College officials can bracket the atheist with whatever message they want to give. I presume professors would be prepared to engage in serious and deep discussions about the speaker’s topic and general position, as well as be prepared to answer questions from students. Under those kinds of circumstances, let speakers from all different philosophical and theological stripes be welcomed. One could point to the prohibition in 2 John 10 about allowing false teachers into a house church. But there, I take it the false teacher is passing himself off as a true teacher of the faith. In the case of someone like Rushdie, all concerned know his beliefs.

In some cases, in fact, Christians could themselves have an influence on the atheist (or non-Christian); at least one would hope that this would be the case. One example of this is Antony Flew. He has been invited to speak at Biola University on a number of occasions. What, and how much, influence the Christians at Biola had on Flew in his change of position about God, I don’t know. (see an interview with Flew) All I know is that the one who changed positions was the atheist (albeit only to deism, but deism is closer to theism than it is to atheism).

The danger (if I can call it that) of not being exposed to different ideas and points of views can be seen in various ways. One is in the political sphere. Right after Moyers’ show, I saw 20/20, where George Stephanopoulos examined the polarization of American politics. In 1976, 64% of members of Congress voted with their party. In 2005, that number rose to 89%. Today’s Congress is the most polarized in over a hundred years. The danger is that polarization stifles true debate. People simply end up shouting slogans past each other. In studies that were featured on the show, people who were like-minded ended up associating mainly with each other, pushing people from both sides further apart, not only in opinion but also in geography. Communities appear to be becoming more politically polarized, with landslide victories in particular counties going to one party over another. And with today’s opportunities for mobility, moving to a neighbourhood where the people share your beliefs is becoming easier than ever before.

Another example I heard was regarding theology/bible students. In a talk given by D.A. Carson, he mentioned that in his experience, the theology students most likely to lose their faith were ones who came out of very conservative Christian colleges where the teaching amounts to something like “don’t read (ie. be corrupted by) the works of that ‘liberal theologian/atheologian’- it’s the work of the devil!!!" When, upon going on to graduate studies at a secular university, they actually read the devil, they find that he’s not so dangerous sounding at all. In fact, he sound rather reasonable and balanced. So, whether suddenly or gradually, all that conservative Christian teaching is called into question. So says Carson. A good example of this is Bart Ehrman who went to conservative undergraduate schools but is now an atheist. (see a debate he had recently regarding the historical evidence of the resurrection).

Also, I spoke recently to a Christian youth teacher. She says that the Christian teens she’s trying to teach know next to nothing about Christianity. Nothing. Why? Most of them have gone to Christian elementary and high school. It seems the Christian education they receive is so a part of their usual background noise that it hardly gets noticed. Plus, the teachers at the Christian schools seem to be assuming that the kids are getting educated at home or at church. Well, someone’s dropping the ball here. One can anticipate the problems they’ll encounter if they go on to a secular college. This insularity, this existence in Christian-only enclaves poses a difficulty, I think, for students as well as their Christian educators. Exposure to non-Christian points of view, under controlled circumstances, could shake them out of spiritual lethargy. On the other hand, some of the students could still end up leaving the faith. Is that a risk worth taking? It might be a tough call, but I think so. But then what do I know?

‘Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.’ (Prov. 22:6)

Whew

The temperature has been in the low 30 degrees these past few days and my computer is in the warmest room of the house. Plus, I’m having connection problems with my modem. So, if you don't hear from me here it’s not because I’m dead (though that’s a distinct possibility – heat stroke maybe). In the mean time I leave you with this quote from the Canadian Bible Society magazine by Calvin Seerveld, professor emeritus of philosophical aesthetics at the Institute of Christian Studies:

It’s not easy to read the Bible. It’s easier to read it wrong or not read it at all. To read the Bible the way it is written takes some coaching (Acts 8:26-31). But a lot of people don’t want that. They want an easy fix, and after awhile they give up on Bible reading.

That’s because we often read the Bible for what it’s not and seldom read it for what it is. Here’s what it is not: It is not a book you use to prove a point. Neither is it a book written to solve your personal problems.

Here’s what it is: It is a true story of what God has really done in history. It is a true account of how God works and what God wants done on Earth.

To read the Bible the way it is written, you have to give up your own agenda. You have to dwell in the text and see the whole woven tapestry of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. When you do, you will find that God speaks to you and with you.

I don't get it

The result of millions of years of evolution

Will there be a party in hell?

People say if they go to hell at least they’ll at least have plenty of company. Have a party maybe. Could this really be the case? Are not companionship, the pleasures food and drink, raucous laughter all gifts from God? As well, would not the absence of the Spirit deprive those in hell the necessary restraint from performing egregious evils? In the absence of such divine gifts, a mass of people very probably could become a massacre (of sorts). If God took away his influence from our world right now, we’d have hell on earth. Rwanda, Darfur, Auschwitz are mere glimpses of such a situation. Genocides show that even God’s ordained means of restraining moral evil, namely governments, cannot completely control and overcome the insidious tendency of human depravity. Thankfully, God has mercy on us. Human governments are no match for divine grace.

But, some object, isn’t it unfair that God sends people to hell just because they happened to not believe in Jesus? That seems like a good question to me. The answer seems to lie in the fact that no one is sent to hell because he never heard of Jesus. He is sent there because he has committed serious moral crimes against a perfect, holy God. Such crimes require justice. And, as a free moral agent, he ought to have known better because God’s moral law is written on the heart. His existence is made evident in creation. But why does God require justice? This rather long article by Glenn Miller addresses this question (I’m still reading it – looks interesting though).

What in the world am I doing?

Well, notwithstanding my last post, I offer up a few more lame thoughts on different things. Quick, avert your eyes.

The Dea(r)th of blogging

I have nothing interesting to say. Mind you, judging from past posts, this has always been the case. I think I'll bid adieu to blogging for the time being and stick to reading a bunch of books sitting on my shelf. I reserve, of course, the right to leave silly comments on other people's blogs. I wonder what Peter Frampton might say:

Shadows grow so long before my eyes
And they're moving across the page
Suddenly the day turns into night
Far away from the city
But don't hesitate 'cuz your love won't wait
Ooh baby I love your way (everyday)
Wanna tell you I love your way(everyway)
Wanna be with you night and day
Moon appears to shine and light the sky
With the help of some fireflies
I wonder how they have the power to shine, shine (cough)

Er, let's make that, as Snagglepuss would say, "Exit stage left".

A voice from the past

Hear C. S. Lewis’ voice (reading a portion of Mere Christianity) from the BBC

A History of Pizza

An account of the ubiquitous pie.

Written like a true academic

A humourous article on how academics write. Also this article (yes, I’m too lazy to write complete sentences). (both via Arts and Letters Daily

Easter

Matthew 28

1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 "Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." 8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, "You are to say, `His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.' 14 "And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble." 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Good Friday 2006

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12

13 Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, {My people,} So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men. 15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.


1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no {stately} form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. 3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being {fell} upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke {was due?} 9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting {Him} to grief; If He would render Himself {as} a guilt offering, He will see {His} offspring, He will prolong {His} days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see {it and} be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

Luke 23:33-56

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent." 48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts. 49 And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.
50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. 54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Prayer Study

Recent research into prayer seems to show that intercessory prayer is ineffective when it comes to the recovery of patients. Philosopher Richard Swinburne has an interesting take on why this might be the case:

“So what is the point of petitionary prayer? The answer must be that sometimes, perhaps often, it is equally good that what we should pray for should occur as it should not occur, and that God wants to interact with us by answering our requests — so long as we ask for right reasons. Of course God wants to do for the person praying what that person wants just because that person wants it for a right reason.

One right reason is that he prays for a particular sufferer out of love and compassion. In the STEP prayer study, the people praying were not praying out of love and compassion for the particular sufferer. Although the form of their prayer might — dishonestly — suggest that they wanted the well-being of the patient for its own sake, that was not why they were praying. They were praying to test a scientific hypothesis.

Why should a good God pay any attention to these prayers? One might say: “In order to show us more evidentially that he exists.” But if there is a God, he does not need to answer such prayers to do this. If he wanted to do that, he could fill the world with “super miracles.”
There is quite a lot of evidence anyway of God's existence, and too much might not be good for us. The negative result of the STEP study is entirely predictable based on the hypothesis of a loving God who sometimes answers prayers of genuine compassion”. (read entire article)

Gospel of Judas pt. 2

Ben Witherington has two more follow up posts on the Gospel of Judas (here and here).

Articles on Jesus

In my opinion (humble it be), William Lane Craig is the premier(e) Christian apologist currently working. One of his specialities is the historical Jesus and the resurrection. As Easter approaches, it would be beneficial, I think, for Christians to familiarize themselves with the evidences for the resurrection. This page lists a number of Craig's articles on the topic.

Our faith of course is not in the evidences themselves but in the fact of the resurrection. We don't need evidence to be rational in our faith, but it's sure nice to know that it's available.

Gospel of Judas

Ben Witherington has some thoughts on the Gospel of Judas.

Colson Commentary on Christian Music

“The decision by influential Christian broadcasters and music companies to avoid moral controversies could result in the church withdrawing from the culture as it tragically did a century ago. What is the job of Christian radio, after all? To give people what they want, or—as with any ministry—to give them what they need? Music is important in the life of the church and can inspire us to focus on Christ. But it cannot take the place of solid teaching.The great strength of radio, as with books, has been to present in-depth teaching and moral discussion that engages Christians cognitively. This is something Americans find increasingly difficult. According to a recent study, the average college graduate's proficient literacy in English has declined from 40 percent in 1992 to 31 percent today. The study defines proficient literacy as the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences. Think about it: One out of three college graduates cannot read a book or absorb a serious sermon.” (read entire article)

Favourite Hymn #15

Immortal Invisible God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

A Pentecostal Looks at Anti-Intellectualism

This is a refreshing interview with a Pentecostal pastor who acknowledges the problem of anti-intellectualism in much of the Pentecostal movement. His insights can also be applied to the evangelical church as a whole as well.

Favourite Hymn #16

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross


When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Da Vinci Inquest

I haven’t read the Da Vince Code but I have seen the commercial for the upcoming film. I do have Holy Blood, Holy Grail on my bookshelf, though I don’t know when I’ll get around to reading it. For those who want a good debunking, Tekton has an article by J.P. Holding, Not InDaVincible which finds the flaws in Brown’s research and claims.

Favourite Hymn #17

Alas and Did My Savior Bleed

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His Soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

To LIve Happily Ever After

After reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles a while back, I thought, “Now that’s a bit of a downer”. Others seem to agree. Should great (or for that matter good or even half-decent) literature have happy endings?

Shiny Happy Evangelicals?

This CT article reports on a Pew Research survey.

Favourite Hymn #18

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Thought for Thinkers

An intriguing article on making choices

Favourite Hymn #19

Thine is the Glory

Thine is the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded graveclothes Where Thy body lay.

Refrain
Thine is the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us, Scatters fear and gloom.
Let His church with gladness Hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth: Death hast lost its sting.

Refrain

No more we doubt Thee, Glorious Prince of life!
Life is naught without Thee: Aid us in our strife.
Make us more than conquerors, Through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan To Thy home above.

Refrain

Unreality TV

How real is “reality TV”?

“A novel three years in the making, a painting slowly achieved after years of study, even a long-running television series—these may possibly possess the power to take us more deeply into the mysteries of the condition in which we find ourselves, and may, most crucially, cast a vision of what we might yet become. But "reality TV"? Its tacky melodrama, deus ex machina plots, unending musical manipulations, and pseudo-heroic corporate saviors only undercut what it pretends to be about. Instead of showing us our truest selves, it plays to our worst impulses and misperceptions, making, in the end, a spectacle of our inner lives. Like other forms of voyeurism, it actually diminishes our taste for reality.” (read entire article)

Favourite Hymn #20

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

One irritating thing regarding this hymn is that lately I see that the second stanza is often left out of some hymnals and overhead projections (where hymnals are not used). Ebenezer is the name of the stone that Samuel raised after the Israelites’ (actually God’s) victory over the Philistines (1 Sam. 7:12). To my mind that line is the centerpiece of the hymn. Go figure.

On Hymns

A quote in my hymnal, attributed to Martin Luther goes:

“I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I would not for the world forego my humble share of music. Singers are never sorrowful, but are merry, and smile through their troubles in song. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology there is no art than can be placed on a level with music; for besides theology, music is the only art capable of affording peace and joy of the heart…the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God.”

C.S. Lewis notes that “for many people…music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity.”

As I write this I’m listening to a composition by Bach set to Psalm 51. Known as “the fifth Evangelist”, J.S. Bach evokes, through his music, heaven like none other I know. That his theology permeates everything he wrote can be seen (or heard) in the fact that his “secular” works sound just as “sacred” as his explicitly religious works (I recommend reading Bach Among the Theologians by Jaroslav Pelikan).

The main musical selections we get in church today are hymns and contemporary worship songs/choruses. For my money, contemporary songs don’t come close to hymns in conveying the depth of emotion, theological conviction, and intellectual formation of the Christian faith. Modern choruses give us, unfortunately (in my view) simply a baptized version of the ubiquitous romantic ballad. Just replace “boy” or “girl” or “him” or “her” with God or “Him”. There are a few contemporary songs I do like though. The next few posts will include my 20 favourite hymns. I might give a few of my favourite contemporary songs as well (at least the ones we sing in my church. If not for those I probably would have little or no exposure to them).

A prayer

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy,
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

-Unknown

Mozart's Primitivism

What does Wolfgang A. Mozart have in common with Sid Vicious?

"It is true that one doesn’t normally speakof Mozart and Sid Vicious in the same breath, but they do have this in common: primitivism. Rock’n’roll began as a primitivist movement, and it renews itself with mini-primitivisms, of which punk is just one example. To see Mozart as a primitivist is a little harder, since his style is so identified with the civilized and the rational, things we think of as anti-primitive, and yet the Classical movement in music, like its companion neoclassicism in art, owed everything to the primitivist desire to begin anew by stripping away the false and inessential. Écrasez l’infâme. To the Baroque’s heavy sauces, multiple courses, and thickly layered combinations of tastes and textures, the Classical would propose a nouvelle cuisine." (read whole article)

Why Cultural Elites Attack Religion

This Spiked-online article examines the vitriolic attacks often directed at religion.

The Father of Ireland

This article from the Independent has an interesting story about the use of Y-chromosome research to identify a famous common Irish ancestor.

We are...amused

Is heart health a laughing matter? Apparently so.

Critiquing Richard Dawkins

This article from the Guardian calls “Richard Dawkins’ latest attack on religion” an “intellectually lazy polemic not worthy of a great scientist.”

(via DangerousIdea)

Brits Give

This TimesOnline story tells how British evangelicals outgive practically everyone else.

(via CTMag Weblog)

Book a film

Is the book always better than the movie as many seem to assert? That all depends.

(via Arts and Letters Daily)