Monday, December 24, 2007
Adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
In the interests of efficiency I'm going to be doing stuff on Facebook. So this blog is over (for the time being anyway). Those who know who I am can look me up. If you don't know me, well you're not going to be missing much.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
O Sing a song of Bethlehem
O Sing a Song of Bethlehem
O sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there,
And of the news that came to them from angels in the air.
The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today;
Of Jesus’ birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway.
O sing a song of Nazareth, of sunny days of joy;
O sing of fragrant flowers’ breath, and of the sinless Boy.
For now the flowers of Nazareth in every heart may grow;
Now spreads the fame of His dear Name on all the winds that blow.
O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill,
Of Him Who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still.
For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll,
When faith has heard the Master’s Word, falls peace upon the soul.
O sing a song of Calvary, its glory and dismay,
Of Him Who hung upon the tree, and took our sins away.
For He Who died on Calvary is risen from the grave,
And Christ, our Lord, by Heaven adored, is mighty now to save.
O sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there,
And of the news that came to them from angels in the air.
The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today;
Of Jesus’ birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway.
O sing a song of Nazareth, of sunny days of joy;
O sing of fragrant flowers’ breath, and of the sinless Boy.
For now the flowers of Nazareth in every heart may grow;
Now spreads the fame of His dear Name on all the winds that blow.
O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill,
Of Him Who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still.
For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll,
When faith has heard the Master’s Word, falls peace upon the soul.
O sing a song of Calvary, its glory and dismay,
Of Him Who hung upon the tree, and took our sins away.
For He Who died on Calvary is risen from the grave,
And Christ, our Lord, by Heaven adored, is mighty now to save.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Reasonable Faith Newsletter
While William Lane Craig's intermediate level works have been a great help to me, I also enjoy his regular newsletters. He is one busy person. See the December newsletter here
Monday, December 03, 2007
Kindling a new revolution: a book lover’s dream or nightmare?
Amazon’s new e-reader, Kindle, is probably the coolest electronic device I’ve seen recently (or possibly ever). Check out the video on the Amazon site. And Newsweek has a story about it. Will it catch on? Will it mean the death of the paper based book? Am I technically proficient enough to use one? And most important of all: Can I afford it?
And yet, I still love the feel of paper pages, stiff book bindings, and the smell of binding glue. I even somewhat enjoy grousing about the inadequate binding quality of some of the books I own. Maybe I can simply enjoy the benefits of both the digital and analog worlds. After all, the important things are the thoughts behind the scribblings, not the manner in which those scribbling-represented thoughts reach our brains through our eyeballs (I wonder if anyone will invent or has invented something similar for Braille readers).
And yet, I still love the feel of paper pages, stiff book bindings, and the smell of binding glue. I even somewhat enjoy grousing about the inadequate binding quality of some of the books I own. Maybe I can simply enjoy the benefits of both the digital and analog worlds. After all, the important things are the thoughts behind the scribblings, not the manner in which those scribbling-represented thoughts reach our brains through our eyeballs (I wonder if anyone will invent or has invented something similar for Braille readers).
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Jacques Barzun
Monday, November 26, 2007
One Blog Away from Death
Why do I spend so much time reading different blogs? Christian blogs, philosophy blogs, theology blogs, atheist blogs, political blogs, book blogs, friends’ blogs, church blogs, famous people’s blogs, etc. I’m one step away from spending the bulk of my time watching lame videos on YouTube. (I did watch one called something like What if George Lucas directed the Lord of the Rings – mildly funny). Is there something in me that tends towards voyeurism? Do I need to know what’s happening in the lives or minds of other people? Just because someone has written something somewhat interesting must I read it? I’m spending way too much time in front of a computer screen and not enough time reading, or listening to Bach, or doing daily chores. There’s simply the soft whitish-blue glow of a flat screen monitor, pounding me with its extremely low frequency radiation. There’s the sound of the computer fan humming away oblivious to my near addiction.
I often think what it would be like living in a monastery. I wonder if Protestants have anything like monasteries. My picture is of a group of people spending time studying the Bible and other great books, growing their own food, making wine, discoursing on the great questions of life, spending time in contemplative prayer and meditation, performing music. Perhaps this sort of life is too insular. Don’t Christians need to be out in the world sharing the gospel? I guess that could be one of the core activities. Anyway, my inner luddite is showing himself. I’m already technologically incompetent. May I should just go with the e-flow and hope I don’t end up face down in a silicone sludge.
The computer has replaced the television as my primary time waster. Before, at least, there would eventually be nothing interesting showing on my 30 (or so) channels, so that, by dint of boredom, I’d turn the thing off. Not so with the computer. At least, not so with one that has a broadband internet connection. The paradox here is this: there is so much interesting stuff on the web that I could not possibly read it all. Thus I’m relegated to simply skimming along the surface in a futile attempt to read as much of it as possible. The end result is that I retain very little of what I read. And this can take hours upon hours of time. Springsteen complained about 57 channels with nothing on? Try myriad upon myriad of cyber sites with too much on and no way to absorb it all. I open multiple windows with different bits of information only to see a blur. I long for the days when all we had were books. Even if you read more than one, there was at least a physical limit. And you could only read one at a time (for the most part).
So my point? Nothing. Just a clump of electrons lighting up your life.
I often think what it would be like living in a monastery. I wonder if Protestants have anything like monasteries. My picture is of a group of people spending time studying the Bible and other great books, growing their own food, making wine, discoursing on the great questions of life, spending time in contemplative prayer and meditation, performing music. Perhaps this sort of life is too insular. Don’t Christians need to be out in the world sharing the gospel? I guess that could be one of the core activities. Anyway, my inner luddite is showing himself. I’m already technologically incompetent. May I should just go with the e-flow and hope I don’t end up face down in a silicone sludge.
The computer has replaced the television as my primary time waster. Before, at least, there would eventually be nothing interesting showing on my 30 (or so) channels, so that, by dint of boredom, I’d turn the thing off. Not so with the computer. At least, not so with one that has a broadband internet connection. The paradox here is this: there is so much interesting stuff on the web that I could not possibly read it all. Thus I’m relegated to simply skimming along the surface in a futile attempt to read as much of it as possible. The end result is that I retain very little of what I read. And this can take hours upon hours of time. Springsteen complained about 57 channels with nothing on? Try myriad upon myriad of cyber sites with too much on and no way to absorb it all. I open multiple windows with different bits of information only to see a blur. I long for the days when all we had were books. Even if you read more than one, there was at least a physical limit. And you could only read one at a time (for the most part).
So my point? Nothing. Just a clump of electrons lighting up your life.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Around cyberspace
It's time again for another of my regular, infrequent posts which consists only of links to other sites.
Doug Groothuis on being literate
An interview with Rosalind Picard
John Stackhouse on Santa Claus
Praise for C.S. Lewis
A Cumulative Case for the Resurrection of Jesus
Doug Groothuis on being literate
An interview with Rosalind Picard
John Stackhouse on Santa Claus
Praise for C.S. Lewis
A Cumulative Case for the Resurrection of Jesus
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Saturday, October 06, 2007
This week's random quote - Tennyson
More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of.
Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are people better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friends?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Than this world dreams of.
Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are people better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friends?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Favourite Hymn #3
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!
Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.
My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!
What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.
My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.
Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.
The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see
,Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.
My Savior, be Thou near me when death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me, forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish, oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish by virtue of Thine own!
Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.
O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!
Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.
My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!
What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.
My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.
Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.
The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see
,Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.
My Savior, be Thou near me when death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me, forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish, oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish by virtue of Thine own!
Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Flew's New Book
Former dean of intellectual atheists, Antony Flew, has written a new book about his turn to theism/deism (or just deism).
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Is Jesus your boyfriend?
John Stackhouse opposes the fluffy, trite, and emasculating qualities of certain contemporary worship songs. In one comment (#30), he writes:
" My son tells me that his clever friends at Wheaton College call these songs “Susie songs.” You can spot a “Susie song” if you can substitute “Susie” for “Jesus” and both the lyrics and mood of the song stay pretty much the same…!"
" My son tells me that his clever friends at Wheaton College call these songs “Susie songs.” You can spot a “Susie song” if you can substitute “Susie” for “Jesus” and both the lyrics and mood of the song stay pretty much the same…!"
Monday, August 27, 2007
This week's random quote
According to CNN, one in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year, which reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain:
"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."
"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."
Friday, August 17, 2007
Information Overload
Alan Jacobs tells us that "the 'information flood' has a longer history than we suppose." He provides a nice quote from Francis Bacon:
"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."
"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Dawkins and the trilemma
Vic Reppert has a short response to Richard Dawkins' criticism of C.S. Lewis' trilemma argument for Christ's divinity.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Random quote of the week - Thomas a Kempis
Try to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, whatever they may be. Remember that you also have many failings which others must bear.
If you cannot make yourself what you would like to be, how can you expect to have anyone else exactly as you would like them?
We would willingly have others perfect and yet we do not amend our own faults.
-Imitation of Christ, Book One, chapter 16
If you cannot make yourself what you would like to be, how can you expect to have anyone else exactly as you would like them?
We would willingly have others perfect and yet we do not amend our own faults.
-Imitation of Christ, Book One, chapter 16
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Inerrancy and the Resurrection
William Lane Craig has written a clear and helpful piece on the resurrection.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Favourite Hymn #4
Praise My Soul The King of Heaven
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!Praise the everlasting King.
Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Glorious in His faithfulness.
Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Widely yet His mercy flows.
Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
Our God lives unchanging on,
Praise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah
Praise the High Eternal One!
Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Praise with us the God of grace.
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!Praise the everlasting King.
Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Glorious in His faithfulness.
Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Widely yet His mercy flows.
Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
Our God lives unchanging on,
Praise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah
Praise the High Eternal One!
Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Praise with us the God of grace.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
Praise ban(ne)d
I prefer hymns to praise songs and so does this guy (read).
But, I can live with them.
But, I can live with them.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
More words about books
This pastor's blogpost gives his take on what to read. He also links to a post by Scot McKnight on building a personal library. Two comments: they both dislike fiction (I wish I could read more fiction) and they both have good paying jobs (that's why I like the library - the books are dingier than at, say, Chapters, but at least it's free - as long as I return them on time).
Monday, June 18, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Favourite Hymn # 5
Abide With Me
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Death in the City - Chapter nine (final - and finally!)
Death in the City Chapter 9 – The Universe and Two Chairs (Final)
Schaeffer now turns his attention to how the life of faith works itself out in the twentieth-century world. (No doubt he would, were he alive, extend this to the twenty-first, as well.) Even while scientists have been seeing farther through their telescopes and at smaller and smaller things through their microscopes, thus making the universe seem much more complicated than humans had ever dreamed, in reality, the universe, from a biblical standpoint, is simple.
He gives us a parable about two men (the only men in the universe) sitting in a room on two chairs. One man is a materialist; the other a Christian. The materialist examines the room thoroughly, writes a number of books describing the universe. The Christian appreciates the effort, but informs the materialist that despite his intense study, he has missed something important. The materialist, in his system of knowledge, can describe the universe but he cannot tell where it came from. Thus, his knowledge is incomplete. The Christian, on the other hand has a book that tells him where the universe came from and that there is an unseen portion of it. Ultimately, the two reach an impasse. The materialist thinks the Christian is crazy. The Christian thinks the materialist is unbalanced because of the incompleteness of his view. Schaeffer’s point is that the two views are mutually exclusive. There can be no synthesis of the two views, only antithesis.
He writes, “What we must see is that no matter how deeply we get into the particles of matter or how much we learn by our telescopes and radio telescopes about the vastness of the created universe, in reality the universe is no more complicated than the room we have been talking about. It is only larger; that’s all. Looking at the bigger universe, we either see it as the materialist sees it or as the Christian sees it: we see it with the one set of presuppositions or the other.”
Many Christians, however, live like materialists most of the time. It is not enough to say that one is a Christian. The “new” theology is no different than materialism. The theological view that explains the resurrection as merely psychological, the rising of the Easter spirit in the hearts of the disciples, is tantamount to materialism: it generates unbelief. Liberal theology is handmaiden to materialism.
What can we say about a person who says he believes in the resurrection but doesn’t act upon his belief in faith on a daily basis? Schaeffer calls it unfaith.
Or, when it comes to prayer, if a Christian doesn’t pray or live in an attitude of prayer, he has planted himself on the materialist chair. That is, “he is living in unfaith if he is afraid to act upon the supernatural in the present life.” Unfaith turns Christianity into merely a philosophy. While Schaeffer considers Christianity a philosophy, it is more, much more. God has given us the answers to the big questions already. In this sense, Christianity is the true philosophy, one that satisfies not only the intellect but the heart, one that addresses not only the theoretical and abstract but the practical.
He concludes: “We must fight the Lord’s battles with the Lord’s weapons in faith – sitting in the chair of belief. Only then can we have any part in the real battle. If we fight the Lord’s battles merely by duplicating the way the world does its work, we are like little boys playing with wooden swords pretending they are in the battle while their big brothers are away at war in some distant and bloody land….Living supernaturally does not mean doing less work; nor does it mean less work getting done, but more…If we through faith stay in the Bible-believing chair moment by moment in practice, and do not move into the chair of unfaith, we and the world will see God act. Christ will bring forth His fruit through us.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*This book makes a good complement to Schaeffer’s other books such as The God Who is There, and Escape From Reason (at least that’s what it says on the back of the book…) It’s short and readable, if somewhat repetitive at times. This is probably due to the fact that it’s a series of lectures. Anyway, notwithstanding the critiques thrown his way (by such great minds as Thomas V. Morris), Schaeffer is an important Christian thinker whose works should be essential reading for thinking Evangelicals. So, tolle legge. *)
Schaeffer now turns his attention to how the life of faith works itself out in the twentieth-century world. (No doubt he would, were he alive, extend this to the twenty-first, as well.) Even while scientists have been seeing farther through their telescopes and at smaller and smaller things through their microscopes, thus making the universe seem much more complicated than humans had ever dreamed, in reality, the universe, from a biblical standpoint, is simple.
He gives us a parable about two men (the only men in the universe) sitting in a room on two chairs. One man is a materialist; the other a Christian. The materialist examines the room thoroughly, writes a number of books describing the universe. The Christian appreciates the effort, but informs the materialist that despite his intense study, he has missed something important. The materialist, in his system of knowledge, can describe the universe but he cannot tell where it came from. Thus, his knowledge is incomplete. The Christian, on the other hand has a book that tells him where the universe came from and that there is an unseen portion of it. Ultimately, the two reach an impasse. The materialist thinks the Christian is crazy. The Christian thinks the materialist is unbalanced because of the incompleteness of his view. Schaeffer’s point is that the two views are mutually exclusive. There can be no synthesis of the two views, only antithesis.
He writes, “What we must see is that no matter how deeply we get into the particles of matter or how much we learn by our telescopes and radio telescopes about the vastness of the created universe, in reality the universe is no more complicated than the room we have been talking about. It is only larger; that’s all. Looking at the bigger universe, we either see it as the materialist sees it or as the Christian sees it: we see it with the one set of presuppositions or the other.”
Many Christians, however, live like materialists most of the time. It is not enough to say that one is a Christian. The “new” theology is no different than materialism. The theological view that explains the resurrection as merely psychological, the rising of the Easter spirit in the hearts of the disciples, is tantamount to materialism: it generates unbelief. Liberal theology is handmaiden to materialism.
What can we say about a person who says he believes in the resurrection but doesn’t act upon his belief in faith on a daily basis? Schaeffer calls it unfaith.
Or, when it comes to prayer, if a Christian doesn’t pray or live in an attitude of prayer, he has planted himself on the materialist chair. That is, “he is living in unfaith if he is afraid to act upon the supernatural in the present life.” Unfaith turns Christianity into merely a philosophy. While Schaeffer considers Christianity a philosophy, it is more, much more. God has given us the answers to the big questions already. In this sense, Christianity is the true philosophy, one that satisfies not only the intellect but the heart, one that addresses not only the theoretical and abstract but the practical.
He concludes: “We must fight the Lord’s battles with the Lord’s weapons in faith – sitting in the chair of belief. Only then can we have any part in the real battle. If we fight the Lord’s battles merely by duplicating the way the world does its work, we are like little boys playing with wooden swords pretending they are in the battle while their big brothers are away at war in some distant and bloody land….Living supernaturally does not mean doing less work; nor does it mean less work getting done, but more…If we through faith stay in the Bible-believing chair moment by moment in practice, and do not move into the chair of unfaith, we and the world will see God act. Christ will bring forth His fruit through us.”
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(*This book makes a good complement to Schaeffer’s other books such as The God Who is There, and Escape From Reason (at least that’s what it says on the back of the book…) It’s short and readable, if somewhat repetitive at times. This is probably due to the fact that it’s a series of lectures. Anyway, notwithstanding the critiques thrown his way (by such great minds as Thomas V. Morris), Schaeffer is an important Christian thinker whose works should be essential reading for thinking Evangelicals. So, tolle legge. *)
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The Best Heroic Films
John Mark Reynolds writes: "Could we relate a set of great texts to a series of low-brow and high-brow film explorations of the “hero and savior?” (read post)
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Another book meme
I like this one:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 161.
3. Find the fifth full sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
Here it is:
"Their island is perfect for wet rice cultivation, and rice is the fountainhead not only of Balinese prosperity, but of its culture and religion as well."
The instructions don't say whether to give the title of the book. So I won't.
(via RightReason blog)
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 161.
3. Find the fifth full sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
Here it is:
"Their island is perfect for wet rice cultivation, and rice is the fountainhead not only of Balinese prosperity, but of its culture and religion as well."
The instructions don't say whether to give the title of the book. So I won't.
(via RightReason blog)
Monday, May 07, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Surprising News
Well known Christian philosopher, Francis Beckwith, has become a Roman Catholic, a return to the church of his youth. He has written extensively on pro-life, cultural, and political issues. I confess to being sympathetic to his move. The intellectual and artistic riches in the Catholic tradition are undeniable. My own reservations are theological (though I confess my limited knowledge of R. Catholicism theology). But I also have some reservations about being a Presbyterian (or at least attending a Pres. church). That church's guiding creed, the Westerminster Confession, contains a section equating papists with infidels and idolators, and the pope with the antichrist. Since I don't believe these to be true, perhaps I should leave the Presbyterian church for another denomination. On the other hand, I wholly accept the ecumenical creeds (Nicene, Chalcedon, Athanasian). I also have some problems with the whole free will/presdestination issue. I wonder if joining the Anglican church could allow me to have a foot in both worlds. Of course, stepping onto an apparently sinking ship is probably not the smartest thing to do right now.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Are we crossing that (a)bridge(ment)?
Is the new trend to shortened classics a case of cutting fat or meat?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Death in the City - chapter eight
Death in the City Ch. 8 – The Justice of God
Schaeffer asks: “Is God really just in judging the man without the Bible?” He undertakes a thought experiment where a newborn baby has a tape recorder placed around his neck. The recorder works only when moral judgments are being made. Throughout the person’s life, every moral act or thought is recorded. After he dies, he stands before God. God then pushes the play button and the person hears his own moral judgments as they were expressed throughout his lifetime. There are thousands of these moral judgments. At the end of them, Schaeffer has God ask, “On the basis of your own words, have you kept these moral standards?”
What can a man say in response to such a question? He can do nothing else but be silent. “God says, ‘I will judge you upon your own moral statements (those judgments upon which you have bound and condemned others), even if they are lower than moral statements should be. Are you guilty or not guilty?’ No one will be able to raise his voice.”
Men will be judged based not on what they did not know but on what they did know. “So all men must say, ‘Indeed I am justly condemned.’”
Schaeffer quotes Luke 12:2-3: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
So is God just? If He judges based on the standards that we judge others, then His judgment is indeed just. But judgment is not the end when mercy also exists. Schaeffer states: “God has provided a way that no philosophy would have thought of. It is a way that would take us by surprise if we were not just thinking by evangelical habit. There should be everlasting surprise in it. I stand here. I am significant. God must be holy. Is all lost now that I have sinned? The answer is no! God has provided a propitiation, a substitute. There whole of God’s answer rests upon the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Because of who He is, His death has infinite value; it can cover every spot; it can remove true moral guilt (and not just the guilt feelings that exist) in the presence of God as the perfect Judge of the universe. Thus three great things fall into place: God’s holiness, man’s significance, and the possibility of man’s redemption. I don’t know about you, but I believe it is time to stand up and sing the doxology. Here is an intellectual answer that nothing else has ever presented!”
Schaeffer asks: “Is God really just in judging the man without the Bible?” He undertakes a thought experiment where a newborn baby has a tape recorder placed around his neck. The recorder works only when moral judgments are being made. Throughout the person’s life, every moral act or thought is recorded. After he dies, he stands before God. God then pushes the play button and the person hears his own moral judgments as they were expressed throughout his lifetime. There are thousands of these moral judgments. At the end of them, Schaeffer has God ask, “On the basis of your own words, have you kept these moral standards?”
What can a man say in response to such a question? He can do nothing else but be silent. “God says, ‘I will judge you upon your own moral statements (those judgments upon which you have bound and condemned others), even if they are lower than moral statements should be. Are you guilty or not guilty?’ No one will be able to raise his voice.”
Men will be judged based not on what they did not know but on what they did know. “So all men must say, ‘Indeed I am justly condemned.’”
Schaeffer quotes Luke 12:2-3: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
So is God just? If He judges based on the standards that we judge others, then His judgment is indeed just. But judgment is not the end when mercy also exists. Schaeffer states: “God has provided a way that no philosophy would have thought of. It is a way that would take us by surprise if we were not just thinking by evangelical habit. There should be everlasting surprise in it. I stand here. I am significant. God must be holy. Is all lost now that I have sinned? The answer is no! God has provided a propitiation, a substitute. There whole of God’s answer rests upon the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Because of who He is, His death has infinite value; it can cover every spot; it can remove true moral guilt (and not just the guilt feelings that exist) in the presence of God as the perfect Judge of the universe. Thus three great things fall into place: God’s holiness, man’s significance, and the possibility of man’s redemption. I don’t know about you, but I believe it is time to stand up and sing the doxology. Here is an intellectual answer that nothing else has ever presented!”
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Favourite Hymn #6
When life gets tough (which has been frequently so lately), I often turn to this hymn. And especially now, I dedicate it to a friend from church whose granddaughter is in critical condition in the hospital.
Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Monday, April 02, 2007
Death in the City - Chapter Seven
Death in the City Chapter 7 – The Man Without the Bible
There are a few instances where Paul addresses people who did not have the Bible such as Lystra (Acts 14) and Mars Hill (Acts 17). Romans 1 is addressed to a church made up mainly of Gentiles and possibly a significant minority of Jews. Though the Jews had scriptures, the gentiles would not have; so Romans 1 & 2 constitute an extended discussion about God based not on a written revelation but on the evidence from within (conscience) and without (nature). His example is important for us who deal with a generation which has never read a bible. How does one start to speak to a person like this, by quoting Bible passages? Paul didn’t (even though, interestingly, his words later became part of the bible).
There is, Schaeffer says, a moral law in our universe which corresponds to the character of the Almighty Himself. He writes: “There is no law behind God that binds God. Rather God Himself is the law because He is not a contentless God but a God with a character….when a man sins, he sins against the character of God, and he has moral guilt in the presence of the Great Judge.”
In knowing the truth, albeit suppressed, man is different from animals. He has “moral motions, [a] need for love, [a] fear of non-being, and [a] longing for beauty and for meaning.” All men, even a Marquis de Sade who says there is none, by their actions and in their writings, demonstrate what they deny, namely that an objective morality exists. Schaeffer writes: “I have always enjoyed the thought of Kruschev sitting at the United Nations, pounding on the table with his shoe and shouting, ‘It’s wrong. It’s wrong.’ Isn’t that an interesting thing for a materialist to say? He didn’t mean that something was merely counter to the best interests of the Soviet Union. He was saying something was wrong.”
Schaeffer makes reference to several thinkers: Levi-Strauss’ work which showed that all men, from primitive peoples to cultured societies, think in the same fashion; Michael Polanyi’s (in response to Francis Crick’s determinism) view that DNA’s chemical and physical properties alone cannot explain what a man is; Mortimer Adler’s view that man knows within himself that he is not the same as non-man.
Paul’s words in Romans is as applicable today as it was in the first century: men suppress the truth of what they know. All men, primitive, cultured, ancient, modern, eastern, or western know that man is more than what their theories explain.
He writes: “What Paul is stressing here is that when you turn away from God and follow other presuppositions, the more consistent you are to your presuppositions, the further you get away from reality itself….Therefore, a breakdown in morality occurs. God says to man in this position: You are under my judgment. And so these questions arise; ‘How are men without the Bible going to be judge?’ and ‘Is this just?’”
There are a few instances where Paul addresses people who did not have the Bible such as Lystra (Acts 14) and Mars Hill (Acts 17). Romans 1 is addressed to a church made up mainly of Gentiles and possibly a significant minority of Jews. Though the Jews had scriptures, the gentiles would not have; so Romans 1 & 2 constitute an extended discussion about God based not on a written revelation but on the evidence from within (conscience) and without (nature). His example is important for us who deal with a generation which has never read a bible. How does one start to speak to a person like this, by quoting Bible passages? Paul didn’t (even though, interestingly, his words later became part of the bible).
There is, Schaeffer says, a moral law in our universe which corresponds to the character of the Almighty Himself. He writes: “There is no law behind God that binds God. Rather God Himself is the law because He is not a contentless God but a God with a character….when a man sins, he sins against the character of God, and he has moral guilt in the presence of the Great Judge.”
In knowing the truth, albeit suppressed, man is different from animals. He has “moral motions, [a] need for love, [a] fear of non-being, and [a] longing for beauty and for meaning.” All men, even a Marquis de Sade who says there is none, by their actions and in their writings, demonstrate what they deny, namely that an objective morality exists. Schaeffer writes: “I have always enjoyed the thought of Kruschev sitting at the United Nations, pounding on the table with his shoe and shouting, ‘It’s wrong. It’s wrong.’ Isn’t that an interesting thing for a materialist to say? He didn’t mean that something was merely counter to the best interests of the Soviet Union. He was saying something was wrong.”
Schaeffer makes reference to several thinkers: Levi-Strauss’ work which showed that all men, from primitive peoples to cultured societies, think in the same fashion; Michael Polanyi’s (in response to Francis Crick’s determinism) view that DNA’s chemical and physical properties alone cannot explain what a man is; Mortimer Adler’s view that man knows within himself that he is not the same as non-man.
Paul’s words in Romans is as applicable today as it was in the first century: men suppress the truth of what they know. All men, primitive, cultured, ancient, modern, eastern, or western know that man is more than what their theories explain.
He writes: “What Paul is stressing here is that when you turn away from God and follow other presuppositions, the more consistent you are to your presuppositions, the further you get away from reality itself….Therefore, a breakdown in morality occurs. God says to man in this position: You are under my judgment. And so these questions arise; ‘How are men without the Bible going to be judge?’ and ‘Is this just?’”
Friday, March 23, 2007
Favourite Hymn #7
Be Thou My Vision
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Death in the City - Chapter Six
Death in the City: Chapter 6 – The Significance of Man
Educated men of the modern era have increasingly turned to determinism as an explanation for our existence. Determinism is usually expressed as one of two varieties: chemical determinism, where life is just the outcome of chemical forces, and psychological determinism where humans are not responsible for what they do or who they are. Man has been reduced to simply a cog in the giant machinery of the cosmos.
Schaffer emphasizes that the biblical view is radically different. Quoting Romans 1:21-22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” he states that if man can truly turn away from the truth, then man is wonderful: he “can really influence significant history.” A creature made in God’s image cannot be trapped in determinism. Man’s ability to choose, even to turn away from his creator shows his greatness.
Naturalistic humanism leads to a lessening of man’s significance. Only the biblical view can produce a real humanism, one that recognizes man’s greatness. Humans are not part of a theatrical play where the lines are set. Humans are responsible beings. Their choices influence history. To be sure, man is lost; but he is great. He matters.
Christianity is not Platonism which views the body as bad and the soul as the only thing that matters. God made the whole man; therefore “the whole man is to know salvation, and the whole man is to know the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The great teaching of the resurrection of the body is not just abstract doctrine; it stands as a pledge and reminder of a very important and a very hopeful fact.” God made humans with both body and soul, so He is concerned with both. He made man with intellect and so He is concerned with the intellect. He created man to be artistic so He is concerned about the creation of art and beauty through such creative capabilities.
Salvation, then, is not concerned with just a small area of our lives. It applies to every part, every division of our being. “Man is separated from God…he is separated form himself, thus the psychological problems of life…he is separated from other men, thus the sociological problems of life…he is separated from nature, and thus the problems of living in the world, for example, the ecological problems. All these need healing.”
Educated men of the modern era have increasingly turned to determinism as an explanation for our existence. Determinism is usually expressed as one of two varieties: chemical determinism, where life is just the outcome of chemical forces, and psychological determinism where humans are not responsible for what they do or who they are. Man has been reduced to simply a cog in the giant machinery of the cosmos.
Schaffer emphasizes that the biblical view is radically different. Quoting Romans 1:21-22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” he states that if man can truly turn away from the truth, then man is wonderful: he “can really influence significant history.” A creature made in God’s image cannot be trapped in determinism. Man’s ability to choose, even to turn away from his creator shows his greatness.
Naturalistic humanism leads to a lessening of man’s significance. Only the biblical view can produce a real humanism, one that recognizes man’s greatness. Humans are not part of a theatrical play where the lines are set. Humans are responsible beings. Their choices influence history. To be sure, man is lost; but he is great. He matters.
Christianity is not Platonism which views the body as bad and the soul as the only thing that matters. God made the whole man; therefore “the whole man is to know salvation, and the whole man is to know the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The great teaching of the resurrection of the body is not just abstract doctrine; it stands as a pledge and reminder of a very important and a very hopeful fact.” God made humans with both body and soul, so He is concerned with both. He made man with intellect and so He is concerned with the intellect. He created man to be artistic so He is concerned about the creation of art and beauty through such creative capabilities.
Salvation, then, is not concerned with just a small area of our lives. It applies to every part, every division of our being. “Man is separated from God…he is separated form himself, thus the psychological problems of life…he is separated from other men, thus the sociological problems of life…he is separated from nature, and thus the problems of living in the world, for example, the ecological problems. All these need healing.”
Monday, March 12, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Should I go to seminary?
No. (Though, if I had the money, I wouldn't mind taking a few courses). But I think those who want to be pastors and church/parachurch leaders (never mind theologians) should. Read John Stackhouse's take on this
Monday, March 05, 2007
C.S. Lewis's Case for Christ
C.S. Lewis’s Case for Christ by Art Lindsley (IVP, 2005)
Lindsley’s book takes a brief and concise but quite thorough look at the thought of Lewis and the importance it has for those today who are seeking for answers to the meaning of life. It covers Lewis’ views on myth and imagination, rationalism and miracles, chronological snobbery, the problem of evil, belief in God as wish fulfillment, postmodernism, relativism, non-Christian religions, and death and immortality. The discussion on all these topics hinge on the person of Jesus Christ whom Lindsley, through the lens of Lewis’ writings, considers to be worthy of trust and commitment
Each chapter begins and ends with the narrative device of a Lewis seminar given at a bookstore (such as, say, Chapters or Borders bookstore). This allows for some discussion between a cast of characters (e.g., an atheist, a pluralist, etc.) that gets the ball rolling for the main body of text. The exposition that Lindsley provides is quite good. He gets Lewis’ main points without getting lost in the smaller details. Given the short and succinct, yet satisfying, nature of his explanations, this book would make a great introduction to Lewis for those who are asking the question: “Why should I believe in Christ?”
And those familiar with Lewis should find this book interesting as well.
Lindsley’s book takes a brief and concise but quite thorough look at the thought of Lewis and the importance it has for those today who are seeking for answers to the meaning of life. It covers Lewis’ views on myth and imagination, rationalism and miracles, chronological snobbery, the problem of evil, belief in God as wish fulfillment, postmodernism, relativism, non-Christian religions, and death and immortality. The discussion on all these topics hinge on the person of Jesus Christ whom Lindsley, through the lens of Lewis’ writings, considers to be worthy of trust and commitment
Each chapter begins and ends with the narrative device of a Lewis seminar given at a bookstore (such as, say, Chapters or Borders bookstore). This allows for some discussion between a cast of characters (e.g., an atheist, a pluralist, etc.) that gets the ball rolling for the main body of text. The exposition that Lindsley provides is quite good. He gets Lewis’ main points without getting lost in the smaller details. Given the short and succinct, yet satisfying, nature of his explanations, this book would make a great introduction to Lewis for those who are asking the question: “Why should I believe in Christ?”
And those familiar with Lewis should find this book interesting as well.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
More on the Jesus Tomb
Ben Witherington has a second great post on the Jesus tomb.
One note: Christians who, when confronted with this controversy or the Da Vinci Code, should remember that the purveyors of these controversies are presenting their side of the story only. It's easy to make a case for something when you only present one set of evidence, the set that supports your viewpoint. But, orthodox Christianity has evidence on its side too, lots of it. We ought to weigh the evidence on both sides and see which fits the facts the best.
There are plenty of books one could read, for example, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels by Craig Blomberg; and there are plenty of internet resources such as this article by W.L. Craig, The Historicity of the Empty Tomb, as well as various articles at Tekton Apologetics
One note: Christians who, when confronted with this controversy or the Da Vinci Code, should remember that the purveyors of these controversies are presenting their side of the story only. It's easy to make a case for something when you only present one set of evidence, the set that supports your viewpoint. But, orthodox Christianity has evidence on its side too, lots of it. We ought to weigh the evidence on both sides and see which fits the facts the best.
There are plenty of books one could read, for example, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels by Craig Blomberg; and there are plenty of internet resources such as this article by W.L. Craig, The Historicity of the Empty Tomb, as well as various articles at Tekton Apologetics
Friday, March 02, 2007
Morris on Books
Philosopher Thomas V. Morris has written a couple of articles on the value of reading good books.
Reading Great Books and Living the Good Life
Reading Great Books Part 2
Reading Great Books and Living the Good Life
Reading Great Books Part 2
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Fly the flag at half mast
I've decided, due to financial constraints, to not renew my subscription to Books and Culture. Fortunately, they're online (that's how I found out about the Plantinga review; otherwise, I would have waited for the paper issue to arrive, usually by the third week of the month in question). But still, it's nice having the actual thing in my hands (at least, it was nice). I highly recommend the magazine to all lovers of books.
Plantinga's Review of Dawkins
Is there anyone who can write like Alvin PLantinga? I enjoy reading even the stuff of his I don't understand (which is lot...anyhoo). Here's his review of Richard Dawkins' latest book.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Has James Cameron sunk Christianity?
Doubtful. See these two posts by Ben Witherington and Darrell Bock.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Fast Food Nation
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
The book’s humourously nostalgic cover art belies the scariness of its subject. I finished reading and recalled all the times as a kid I ate at McDonald’s. The nostalgia was somewhat nauseating. . Schlosser’s work has already garnered much attention, with even a motion picture made from it.
Schlosser begins the book with a description of Cheyenne Mountain, one of the most secure military combat operations centers in the world. It houses units of the North American Aerospace Command, the Air Force Space Command, and the U.S. Space Command. This is as well a guarded facility as one is liable to find anywhere. It can sustain itself for a month, with electrical generators, reservoirs of water, medical/dentist office, fitness center, and of course food. And yet, Schlosser describes the absurd juxtaposition of this most secure military site with a lone Domino’s deliveryman driving past signs reading “DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED” and heavily armed guards, unloading his arsenal of pizzas and collecting his money. If somehow the U.S. (including Cheyenne Mountain) ever gets wiped out by a nuclear attack, Schlosser writes, “future archeologists may find other clues to the nature of our civilization – Big King wrappers, hardened crusts of Cheesy Bread, Barbeque Wing bones, and the red, white and blue of a Domino’s pizza box.”
This book examines the effects, as well as the causes, of the fast food industry’s being firmly ensconced in American culture. Schlosser writes: “What people eat…has always been determined by a complex interplay of social, economic, and technological forces….A nation’s diet can be more revealing than its art or literature.”
The industry began with a small group of hamburger outlets a only few decades ago in California and has now spread throughout the world.
Fast food can be found everywhere: movie theaters, Wal-Marts, school cafeterias. In 1970, Americans spent $6 billion on fast food. In 2001 they spent over $110 billion. According to Schlosser, “[Americans] spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music – combined.”
The McDonald’s Corp. is now the source of 90 percent of America’s new jobs. They went from 1000 restaurants in 1968 to around 30,000 today. It is the country’s largest purchaser of beef, pork and potatoes. It owns the most retail property in the world. The biggest portion of the corporation’s profits come not from selling food, but from collecting rent. In a survey of American children, Santa Claus was the only cultural icon more recognized than Ronald McDonald. And the Golden Arches are more familiar than the Christian Cross.
Schlosser writes, “the…success of the fast food industry has encouraged other industries to adopt similar business methods….Almost every facet of American life has now been franchised or chained, [f]rom maternity ward[s] to…funeral homes….a person can now go from the cradle to the grave without spending a nickel at an independently owned business.”
It’s an interesting note of history that the pioneers of the fast food industry, which is so “dedicated to conformity” were iconoclasts, entrepreneurs who went against the grain. Many never attended college.
Schlosser writes, “Fast food has joined Hollywood movies, blue jeans, and pop music as one of America’s most prominent cultural exports. Unlike other commodities, however, fast food isn’t viewed, read, played, or worn. It enters the body and becomes part of the consumer. No other industry offers, both literally and figuratively, so much insight into the nature of mass consumption.”
The most humourous section is chapter 5 where Schlosser describes his visit to a chemical factory that provides the smells and scents for fast food. What you smell as walk through those restaurant doors is the chemical concoction of some scientist in Dayton, New Jersey. The most disturbing part is chapter 9: What’s in the meat. The statistics and stories he shares are chilling and heartbreaking, especially the descriptions of children who were poisoned with E.Coli O157:H7 from eating undercooked hamburgers.
If even a third of what Schlosser has written is true, then there is reason to be concerned. I haven’t eaten fast food in a while, and if I had any inclination to eat some more, this book has stamped it out. Anyone who, upon reading Schlosser’s book, continues to eat fast food would have to be described as either incredibly obtuse or astonishingly brave.
The book’s humourously nostalgic cover art belies the scariness of its subject. I finished reading and recalled all the times as a kid I ate at McDonald’s. The nostalgia was somewhat nauseating. . Schlosser’s work has already garnered much attention, with even a motion picture made from it.
Schlosser begins the book with a description of Cheyenne Mountain, one of the most secure military combat operations centers in the world. It houses units of the North American Aerospace Command, the Air Force Space Command, and the U.S. Space Command. This is as well a guarded facility as one is liable to find anywhere. It can sustain itself for a month, with electrical generators, reservoirs of water, medical/dentist office, fitness center, and of course food. And yet, Schlosser describes the absurd juxtaposition of this most secure military site with a lone Domino’s deliveryman driving past signs reading “DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED” and heavily armed guards, unloading his arsenal of pizzas and collecting his money. If somehow the U.S. (including Cheyenne Mountain) ever gets wiped out by a nuclear attack, Schlosser writes, “future archeologists may find other clues to the nature of our civilization – Big King wrappers, hardened crusts of Cheesy Bread, Barbeque Wing bones, and the red, white and blue of a Domino’s pizza box.”
This book examines the effects, as well as the causes, of the fast food industry’s being firmly ensconced in American culture. Schlosser writes: “What people eat…has always been determined by a complex interplay of social, economic, and technological forces….A nation’s diet can be more revealing than its art or literature.”
The industry began with a small group of hamburger outlets a only few decades ago in California and has now spread throughout the world.
Fast food can be found everywhere: movie theaters, Wal-Marts, school cafeterias. In 1970, Americans spent $6 billion on fast food. In 2001 they spent over $110 billion. According to Schlosser, “[Americans] spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music – combined.”
The McDonald’s Corp. is now the source of 90 percent of America’s new jobs. They went from 1000 restaurants in 1968 to around 30,000 today. It is the country’s largest purchaser of beef, pork and potatoes. It owns the most retail property in the world. The biggest portion of the corporation’s profits come not from selling food, but from collecting rent. In a survey of American children, Santa Claus was the only cultural icon more recognized than Ronald McDonald. And the Golden Arches are more familiar than the Christian Cross.
Schlosser writes, “the…success of the fast food industry has encouraged other industries to adopt similar business methods….Almost every facet of American life has now been franchised or chained, [f]rom maternity ward[s] to…funeral homes….a person can now go from the cradle to the grave without spending a nickel at an independently owned business.”
It’s an interesting note of history that the pioneers of the fast food industry, which is so “dedicated to conformity” were iconoclasts, entrepreneurs who went against the grain. Many never attended college.
Schlosser writes, “Fast food has joined Hollywood movies, blue jeans, and pop music as one of America’s most prominent cultural exports. Unlike other commodities, however, fast food isn’t viewed, read, played, or worn. It enters the body and becomes part of the consumer. No other industry offers, both literally and figuratively, so much insight into the nature of mass consumption.”
The most humourous section is chapter 5 where Schlosser describes his visit to a chemical factory that provides the smells and scents for fast food. What you smell as walk through those restaurant doors is the chemical concoction of some scientist in Dayton, New Jersey. The most disturbing part is chapter 9: What’s in the meat. The statistics and stories he shares are chilling and heartbreaking, especially the descriptions of children who were poisoned with E.Coli O157:H7 from eating undercooked hamburgers.
If even a third of what Schlosser has written is true, then there is reason to be concerned. I haven’t eaten fast food in a while, and if I had any inclination to eat some more, this book has stamped it out. Anyone who, upon reading Schlosser’s book, continues to eat fast food would have to be described as either incredibly obtuse or astonishingly brave.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Best Opening Lines...
...for books that is. This is one person's list of the 100 best first lines from novels.
Favourite Hymn #8
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Speaker pay-scale
The way we pay Christian speakers is an indication of how much we value their time and expertise. Read John Stackhouse's views on this.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Death in the City – Chapter Five
Death in the City – Chapter Five: The Persistence of Compassion
So what was the result of Jeremiah’s faithfulness in preaching to his own “post-Christian” society? “They gradually increased [his] punishment…stocks, to a prison, to a dungeon.” It takes great courage to stick to an unpopular message. Giving up would be much easier. Evangelicals can exist in their little ghettoes if they wish, ignoring the real dire situation facing their culture. Or they can follow the way of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah never saw any change in his lifetime. One can assume his trials were psychological as well as physical. We need to speak out for truth regardless of whether we see any immediate results. But, Schaeffer warns, those who are faithful to the truth will also experience times of discouragement. They will pay a real price psychologically. “It is possible to be faithful to God and yet to be overwhelmed with discouragement as we face the world….So many people seem to think that if the Holy Spirit is working, then the work is easy. Don’t believe it! As the Holy Spirit works, a man is consumed.”
Schaeffer sums up his take on Jeremiah. First, in such a time as ours, a negative message is required before a positive message can be given. Before giving the gospel, we must spend time explaining modern humans’ existential dilemma – to show that they are “more dead” than they could imagine; that is, morally dead because they are separated from God.
Second, we must acknowledge that our culture is under God’s judgment. We must emphasize this reality. Third, Christians who say they believe in truth must practice truth. Relativism will rust the church from the inside out. The outside will look shiny and new while the foundation rots away until it’s too late to repair it. Schaeffer quotes from his book The God who is There: “The full doctrinal position of historic Christianity must be clearly maintained; it would seem to me that the central problem of evangelical orthodoxy in the second half of the twentieth century is the problem of the practice of this principle.”
Fourth, we must understand that knowing truth and practicing it will cost us much, in terms of, for example, our family life, academic life, professional life, etc. Fifth, though the price be high, we need to keep on preaching the truth.
He writes: “Christianity is not a modern success story. It is to be preached with love and tears into the teeth of men, preached without compromise, without regard to the world’s concept of success. If there seem to be no results, remember that Jeremiah did not see the results in his day. They came later. If there seem to be no results, it does not change God’s imperative. It is simply up to you and to me to go on…whether we see the results or whether we don’t. Go on.”
So what was the result of Jeremiah’s faithfulness in preaching to his own “post-Christian” society? “They gradually increased [his] punishment…stocks, to a prison, to a dungeon.” It takes great courage to stick to an unpopular message. Giving up would be much easier. Evangelicals can exist in their little ghettoes if they wish, ignoring the real dire situation facing their culture. Or they can follow the way of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah never saw any change in his lifetime. One can assume his trials were psychological as well as physical. We need to speak out for truth regardless of whether we see any immediate results. But, Schaeffer warns, those who are faithful to the truth will also experience times of discouragement. They will pay a real price psychologically. “It is possible to be faithful to God and yet to be overwhelmed with discouragement as we face the world….So many people seem to think that if the Holy Spirit is working, then the work is easy. Don’t believe it! As the Holy Spirit works, a man is consumed.”
Schaeffer sums up his take on Jeremiah. First, in such a time as ours, a negative message is required before a positive message can be given. Before giving the gospel, we must spend time explaining modern humans’ existential dilemma – to show that they are “more dead” than they could imagine; that is, morally dead because they are separated from God.
Second, we must acknowledge that our culture is under God’s judgment. We must emphasize this reality. Third, Christians who say they believe in truth must practice truth. Relativism will rust the church from the inside out. The outside will look shiny and new while the foundation rots away until it’s too late to repair it. Schaeffer quotes from his book The God who is There: “The full doctrinal position of historic Christianity must be clearly maintained; it would seem to me that the central problem of evangelical orthodoxy in the second half of the twentieth century is the problem of the practice of this principle.”
Fourth, we must understand that knowing truth and practicing it will cost us much, in terms of, for example, our family life, academic life, professional life, etc. Fifth, though the price be high, we need to keep on preaching the truth.
He writes: “Christianity is not a modern success story. It is to be preached with love and tears into the teeth of men, preached without compromise, without regard to the world’s concept of success. If there seem to be no results, remember that Jeremiah did not see the results in his day. They came later. If there seem to be no results, it does not change God’s imperative. It is simply up to you and to me to go on…whether we see the results or whether we don’t. Go on.”
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
New C.S. Lewis Encyclopedia
This four volume work can be pre-ordered at Amazon. My birthday's coming up...
You can read the preface here
You can read the preface here
Redeeming movies
CT Movies has listed their top 10 redeeming films of 2006, as well as a runner's up list.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Favourite Hymn #9
I Cannot Tell
I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,
To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary
When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
And so the Savior, Savior of the world is come.
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.
I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
When He the Savior, Savior of the world is known.
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Savior, Savior of the world is King!
I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,
To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary
When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
And so the Savior, Savior of the world is come.
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.
I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
When He the Savior, Savior of the world is known.
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Savior, Savior of the world is King!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Death in the City - Chapter Four: An Echo of the World
Here, Schaeffer examines whom Jeremiah was speaking to. It was not merely to the ordinary man on the street, but included the leaders, to kings, prophets and religious leaders anyone drawing the people away from God. His audience included even the land itself.
An example: “The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth” (Jer. 34:19-20).
But his sharpest criticisms were aimed at the religious leaders who were leading the people astray. Jer. 2:8 – “The priests said not, ‘Where is the Lord?’ and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
Just as then, so today many religious leaders are leading people astray, away from God’s truth. Many try to treat people with love by toning down the message of Scripture. Today’s leaders and yesterday’s prophets are not speaking for God. Schaeffer says they are merely “taking the social consensus of their day and speaking as though that was the Word of God”. Their message is just an echo of those in society, those whom we could call secularism’s priesthood, such as unbelieving philosophers, scientists and sociologists. They merely couch the message in theological jargon.
In previous generations, even if the culture at large was mainly deistic, one could still walk into a church and hear the truth. This is not the case anymore in many churches. What you hear today are echoes. Jer. 23:30 – “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.” One prophet repeats a message he heard from another prophet. The theology of today is likewise merely an echo, an echo of what “man says, what materialistic society teaches, what materialistic psychology teaches, what materialistic economics teaches, what materialistic philosophy teaches.”
Schaeffer asks, “Do you expect God to sit there and just…say, ‘Isn’t that nice?...And if such a god existed what…would be the use of having him?”
Men of today are no different from those of Jeremiah’s day. Schaeffer says, “Men today do not perhaps burn the Bible…But men destroy it in the form of exegesis; they destroy it in the way they deal with it. They destroy it by not reading it as written in normal literary form, by ignoring historical-grammatical exegesis, by changing the Bible’s own perspective of itself as propositional revelation in space and time, in history….You who call yourselves Bible-believing Christians…should be filled with wonder and amazement that men dare so treat God’s Word.”
An example: “The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth” (Jer. 34:19-20).
But his sharpest criticisms were aimed at the religious leaders who were leading the people astray. Jer. 2:8 – “The priests said not, ‘Where is the Lord?’ and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
Just as then, so today many religious leaders are leading people astray, away from God’s truth. Many try to treat people with love by toning down the message of Scripture. Today’s leaders and yesterday’s prophets are not speaking for God. Schaeffer says they are merely “taking the social consensus of their day and speaking as though that was the Word of God”. Their message is just an echo of those in society, those whom we could call secularism’s priesthood, such as unbelieving philosophers, scientists and sociologists. They merely couch the message in theological jargon.
In previous generations, even if the culture at large was mainly deistic, one could still walk into a church and hear the truth. This is not the case anymore in many churches. What you hear today are echoes. Jer. 23:30 – “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.” One prophet repeats a message he heard from another prophet. The theology of today is likewise merely an echo, an echo of what “man says, what materialistic society teaches, what materialistic psychology teaches, what materialistic economics teaches, what materialistic philosophy teaches.”
Schaeffer asks, “Do you expect God to sit there and just…say, ‘Isn’t that nice?...And if such a god existed what…would be the use of having him?”
Men of today are no different from those of Jeremiah’s day. Schaeffer says, “Men today do not perhaps burn the Bible…But men destroy it in the form of exegesis; they destroy it in the way they deal with it. They destroy it by not reading it as written in normal literary form, by ignoring historical-grammatical exegesis, by changing the Bible’s own perspective of itself as propositional revelation in space and time, in history….You who call yourselves Bible-believing Christians…should be filled with wonder and amazement that men dare so treat God’s Word.”
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Jesus: An Inconvenient Truth
This First Things blog post makes some observations about the pretensions a certain film director cum "biblical scholar"
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