Jesus, the unique Son of God, took on a body, where he embraced people, touched people with his hands to heal them, placed his hands, feeling hands, underneath the harsh nails of Roman crucifixtion.

Human Embrace and Holy Kisses

There is much to be said about being able to embrace another, to confort one with touch in the midst of sadness, to hug in the midst of joy, to hold a newborn baby, to high five. The early Christians, and many today, customarily would greet each other with embraces and holy kisses (Rom 16:16, 1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12, 1 Thess 5:26). What can we learn from this? There is something of the soul that feels much more when embraced. As embodied beings, we love to talk to someone face to face. There is a presence that is comforting, there is an intimacy in looking into the eyes, there is a realness, and authenticity to giving yourself to another. In fact, such language is used to speak of our longing for God - that we would see him face to face (1 Cor 13:12). A shoulder to cry on, a hand held in comfort all point to the importance of touch in our lives. Finally, the very act of marital love, the sharing, touching, and connection of bodies brings an intense intimacy that is not possible without physical presence. Touching, the intensity of presence in human relationships, are all pointers to a higher intimacy, a higher relationship, where the infinite God touches our finite being - gathering us under his wings, embracing us as his own, yes even calling us as his bride. The small embraces are ever pointing to a deeper embrace from the living God.

Thomas and the Resurrection

The most glorious of all touches took place after the most glorious of miracles. The resurrection of Christ, for our justification before God, was bodily, real, fleshy, tactile - God could be touched. Such an amazing truth was and perhaps always be doubted by some. Thomas' always abound, yet the Saviors own hands and pierced side are ever present to be examined and touched. Jesus' felt pain, bore our sins upon his own body, was crushed for our transgressions with not a gentle touch from evil men. And his invitation is ever before us, come and see, taste, yes even touch - and in our souls he calls to us - Believe

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:27-31 Holy Bible: English Standard Version

Out...
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Ahhh Yeah - long term view of being strong and surviving - Will Smith bringing his flavor to the hip hop mix

World Magazine AP News - Weekly News, Christian Views

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This looks like a good balanced view of the Emerging Church over at Modern Reformation Magazine. They do a good job in the intro to the issue "Cool Kids Church" at stating the strengths of the movement and a brotherly affection for our emerging brothers. Now I'm sure the theological/philosophical issues will emerge (sorry, I could not resist) but the tone of this seems right, in the Spirit of Christ. For that I am thankful and look forward to the read.

Very cool - Faith a La Carte? The Emergent Church (July / Aug 2005 Modern Reformation Magazine)

HT - Theologica.blogspot.com

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Al Mohler has a two part review of Don Carson's new book "Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church" - I was going to review it since I just finished it last night, but figured since Mohler/Staff have already summarized the book well - why not save the time. Maybe for a blog entry to try and convince Dr. Mohler to change the picture on his blog - suits were once cool, but maybe time for a golf shirt picture? Mohler's blog is one of the most thoughtful out there - the picture may freak some folks out - smile.

Link: What Should We Think of the Emerging Church? Part One

Out...

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Some great exerpts from Louis Giglio's The Air I Breathe over at Theologica Between Two Worlds: Who Do You Worship? --------

What is Scientology? Information on Scientology From the glossary of terms on the Church of Scientology thetan: an immortal spiritual being; the human soul. The term soul is not used because it has developed so many other meanings from use in other religions and practices that it doesn’t describe precisely what was discovered in Scientology. We use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter theta (Theta), the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual.

This indeed is a very old idea indeed. The greek leter Theta - which begins "Theos" or God - it is not suprising that this is used to describe the scientologist. For indeed an ancient foe of humanity once said "You shall be as gods".

Man's continual self-deification is no surprise, but one would be wise in treating celebrities, like Tom Cruis, as gods. They just might start believing it and call themselves "Thetans" - connecting back to the Greek letter theta - which was actually the traditional symbol for "god" not simply thought or life.

Out

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The Emergent church has now emerged. There is a national director (which was quickly renamed - national coordinator), and a board of directors (for legal status as a non profit - 501 c 3), and a coordinating committee. The national coordinator will be funded from contributions - perhaps like a coorperative program...apologies, I couldn't resist.

There are also streams of cooperation which are very interesting. Here are these streams (somewhat like focuses)

• Justice: partnering with individuals and organizations that are working to end hunger, poverty, human trafficking, and environmental degradation

• Community, Connections, and Cohorts: coordinating the efforts of existing networks and establishing cohorts around the country

• New Networks, Outreach, and Affiliates: establishing new connections with various networks and organizations

• Events: coordination of events that Emergent hosts, co-hosts, and sponsors

• Diversity: a thrust to broaden the Emergent conversation, to bring in persons of different ethnicity, socio-economic, racial, and theological persuasion; also works to ensure that the male-female ratio in all Emergent initiatives are as close to even as possible

• Communication and Development: coordination of our efforts to communicate clearly and to raise funds

The emergent-us blog has all the 411...

It is good to see the comittment to justice, I only pray that the movement maintains a theological disposition friendly to the gospel of Jesus Christ as articulated in the New Testament. I am praying for Emergent, that orthodoxy does not become so generous that it is no where to be found - in reading some recent books by Emergent authors, I fear that many have already left long ago - but perhaps many will hold the faith once entrusted to the saints...

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1

I pray that passage from James always drives me to my knees...may all teachers of the Word, emergent or not - take heed.

Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura, Sola Christos, Soli Deo Gloria

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For years George Barna has been the apostle of "marketing church" to the masses that he understands through polling and market research data. It seems now that after years of frustration in trying to "fix the church" he is reorganizing his organization to create new structures that will bring about the revolution he seeks. A few years back it seems this was brewing as he was pretty down on church leadership. This is from Christianity Today in 2002:

"The strategy was flawed because it had an assumption. The assumption was that the people in leadership are actually leaders. [I thought] all I need to do is give them the right information and they can draw the right conclusions . …Most people who are in positions of leadership in local churches aren't leaders. They're great people, but they're not really leaders."

The Barna Group will now create the leaders (starting with 8-12 year old kids) - this is from their web site:

As involved and enthusiastic as I am about these first three divisions, the one that really gets my juices flowing is the Josiah Corps. The paucity of godly leadership in the local church today is not because God failed to provide the leaders required. The obstacle has been how we define, identify, train, resource and support godly, called, gifted, visionary leaders. Unlike the popular teaching in many churches today, you do not decide to be a leader; you are a leader only if God calls you to that ministry. To address the church’s leadership paralysis, the vision for the Josiah Corps is to annually identify a nationwide collection of kids between the ages of 8 and 12 who have the calling and gifting to be godly leaders, and to pour 10-15 years of resources into their lives so that they are ready to lead us in fighting the good fight by the time they reach their early twenties. Through a combination of evaluation tools, mentoring/coaching, character formation, skill development, leadership teaching, hands-on experiences, team building, networking, apprenticeships, peer clusters, prayer, and feedback and assessment, we pray that the Lord will allow us to help raise up a mighty army of strong and courageous young leaders who will help our nation to honor God more completely.

Maybe it is just me, but does this seem weird? Should not family and local church form the next generation of children? The Barna Group?

I have been puzzled by his methodology "analyze research data" - then predict and plot trends of what is going to happen, report to "church leaders", say to them "you need to change" (sometimes "change or die"). It is amazing to say that we might predict the work of the Spirit of God by data, market trends, etc. Seems almost silly at times...Is it not true that God in his good pleasure, and eternal plans, loves his church and his purposes for his bride shall prevail. It makes me appreciate all the more, those who take their direction from the Word of God rather than the changing winds of the opinions of men.

Now, I am all for engaging culture, using modern technonlogy, speaking the lingua franca of our day. Putting eternal truth in new clothes for a new generation...etc. But Barna seems to act like "he knows what everyone should be doing" because of his "data" and sends scurrying church mice running to and fro trying to avoid irrelevance. We can do better.

Here is Barna's new plan as laid out on his web site - Reinvention of the Barna Group

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Justin Taylor has linked to two incredible reading lists available online. One from Desiring God and the other from Mark Dever at 9 Marks

Here is Taylor's entry Between Two Worlds: Recommended Reading

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Al Mohler gives a helpful reminder to the urgency of exposition in churches today rather than feel good pep talks or group counseling sessions.

The Urgency of Preaching

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A fun quiz to take to see what theological viewpoint you most align with...QuizFarm.com :: Which theologian are you?

Here are my results - I did like the Proslogion but did not realize I would come out Anselmian. One of my good friends will be pleased to see that Barth showed up - but if you ask my doctrine of revelation you will see that Barth and I would soon part. It is good to see Edwards and Calvin on the list, but my baptistic views (believers baptism rather than paedo/infant baptism) would keep me from them.

Anyway, kind of fun - smile.

You scored as Anselm. Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man's primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read 'Cur Deus Homo?' Karl Barth 87% Anselm 87% Martin Luther 80% Jonathan Edwards 73% John Calvin 67% Friedrich Schleiermacher 67% Charles Finney 33% Augustine 33% Paul Tillich 20% Jürgen Moltmann 20% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

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This week there will be a mass protest in Madrid, Spain. What could it be against...for have not the rebels for a certain version of "freedom", fully routed all forms of repression, oppression, and all religious obsessions from the continent. No, this rally, which could number at 500,000 is from religious lay people, who care that each child has a mother and a father, that the family is not blasted into oblivion by all manner of "new definitions."

Of course the BBC must label this "anti-gay" - but those who are pro family, pro design in sexuality and child raising, need not bow to aggressive, intolerance from their governments, who seek to make a moral conscience a crime.

Link Spaniards to stage rally

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The other day my daughter was watching an old Disney movie and one of the characters, an old bird, was explaining to some mice about the nature of fate. Not wanting my daughter to buy into what was being said, but with you a reactionary move to condemn and turn off the film I engaged my little girl in a short discussion.

Kayla, is what that bird saying true? Is something called fate in control of our lives?

Daddy…God is in control of our lives

Right kiddo...God is a person who loves us, and he is in control of our lives. Fate cannot do or control anything, it has no will at all. Fate is not a person who can choose.

Now this was at a 3 ½ year old level, but the question is very relevant to us all. Many in our society, in fact, most people around the world have some concept of all things happen for a reason Western cultures, with the influence of the Christian Gospel and the biblical witness have held in the past to the concept of Divine Providence, that God is working all things out in this world according to a loving and good plan. In the East, the pantheistic worldviews have believed in the concept of Karma, which means action, will, or destiny. In the west today, many have held on to the notion that all things happen for a reason by clinging to concepts such as fate or destiny. Indeed, many of us are disciples of darth Vador - Luke, this is your Destiny

Many cultures have wrestled with various flavors of Determinism
we will look at just a few.

Mechanistic Determinism

1. The Universe is Out of our Control -- Mechanistic determinism flows from the worldview of philosophical or metaphysical naturalism. That nature is all there ever was, all there is, and all there will ever be. The universe is like a big box. Inside the box is matter and its relationships to itself. Matter operates according to the laws of nature and all of history and reality is a link of causes and their attendant effects, marchiblindlyess into the future. This worldview held by some philosophers and scientists (and many others) holds that the idea of a "self" and "consciousness" and "free will" are illusions created by our brains. What we actually are is determined matter operating blindly according to physics, and biochemistry, the mere bumping around of the brain.
   
2. What is actually controlling the world? Nothing actually is controlling anything in the world. The only true law active is the laws of matter and natural interaction. Human choices (which is a result of this same blind, mindless, irrational process) are small ways in which we can attempt to place our own control upon the universe
3. What does it mean for Human Beings? Humans beings looking at this reality have three choices. First, one can despair, this was the move of nihilism. Second, one can realize the real world cares nothing for you, and it is empty of all value and meaning, but you can then choose, against reason, to create value and meaning for yourself. This is the move of existentialism. Third, you can whistle zippy di do da, and remain ignorant. Some have
suggested noble lies - stories to trick ourselves into believing that we have value - the only problem is that lies have no effect on those who know the truth; and I never find lies to be noble

Pop Destiny in the West

1. The Universe is Out of our Control? Seeing that a world of meaningless despair does not help optimism (nor the economy) many in the West want to maintain belief that though the world is not in our control, it is itself in control.
2. What is Actually Controlling the World? Not trying to be funny, but many of us actually believe in something akin to the force in Star Wars. That there is a great unknown, that somehow makes every thing work out "right" - whatever right means.
   
3. What does it mean for Human Beings? Many people who think this, actually still believe in some conception of God. But this god is not actually willing and controlling the Cosmos, he is just there on our pillows at night so that we know everything will be OK as I direct my own life. So who is control in this pop-providence. Usually the autonomous self - ME - at least when things go wellWhenhen they do not go well, which is often, the pillow awaits us and we can say "all things happen for a reason." What and who has a reason for this or that coming to pass is left like a blank stare. Like the reflecting eyes of Darth Vador - we are left but looking at ourselves

The Cycle Goes Around in the East

1. The Universe is Out of our Control? Death, Disease, and Suffering - this is common to the world, and especially known in the east. We are part of a great ultimate, infinite, unchanging, reality known as Brahman and we know that we are in no way in control
   
2. What is Actually Controlling the World? We are all trapped in the endless cycle of reincarnations (samsara) where the law of Karma determines the level of our rebirths. This law is impersonal and cares nothing for us - it is a built in factor to the universe, that our post apositionion in life is due to some transgression in past lives. If you are of a low caste or lot in society, you deserve it, you are working out past Karma and ought to suffer as you do.
   
3. What does it mean for Human Beings? Human beings must aspire to escape the endless cycle of birth and rebirth and move towards the oneness of Brahman. One may take many paths to this - works, knowledge, devotion to a manifestation of a god. Others (in Buddhist paths) may meditate to absolve personality and merge into the oneness of the void thereby escaping all desire and suffering. As Yoda once said "desire leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering"
   

Is there another way? The Christian Scriptures do present another alternative, a view fused with the beauty of God, and the happiness of his people, the view of Divine Providence. How does a view of providence measure against our three facts/questions?

Divine Providence

1. The Universe is Out of our Control - Yes, this is so, we feel the immensity of all things around us. The course of nature, the hopelessness and finality of death, and our having but a small play in it all.
2. What is Actually in Control? Here is where the gospel answers quidifferentlytly, there is not a WHAT in control at all, but a magnificent WHO. This world has been created, is sustained, and governed by God. A person of infinite love, power, and wisdom accomplishing his desires for the world.
   
3. What does this mean for Human Beings? Our intuition that all things happen for a reason is quite correct. And things do happen according to reason - an actual mind of a person (not a human person, but a personal God), that there is a will, a reason, and desired end for all things. This makes our intuition far from empty - we know that things appear purposeful because they actually are. We need not despair as the nihilist, tell our selves noble lies with the existentialist, nor flay our bodies before idols like many in the East. The doctrine of providence holds a different key - one of relationship, one of mystery, one of worship. The amazing truth of the gospel is that the one who is working out all things after the council of his will (Eph 1:11), actually should be loved and worshipped. The gospel, the good news, is that the God who made the world, is saving a people out of this world to be his very own. If you sense His call on your life, respond, indeed It is Your Destiny. Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved. And all things do happen for a reason. The reason of the one who does all according to his own good purposes - to bring glory to his Name on the earth.

Out...

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Where do you stand amidst the current Christian Millieu? This is a bit funny, but follow the flow chart...

The "Denominator"

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Bill Dempski has an interesting quote from those who are enlightened, secular, and tolerant...well, you decide.

Uncommon Descent � Timothy Shortell — Enlightened Bigot

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Midwestern Baptist Seminary has produced a series of audio files on interacting with the views of Dan Brown's popular novel The Da Vinci Code

I have not listened to these yet, but thought they were worth a look - Davinci Code Workshop

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Brad Wilcox of the University of Virginia makes the astounding claim in his book Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands, that evangelical faith makes men good husbands and dads. From the inside flap:

According to W. Bradford Wilcox, the divergent family ideologies of evangelical and mainline churches do not translate into large differences in family behavior between evangelical and mainline Protestant men who are married with children. Mainline Protestant men, he contends, are "new men" who take a more egalitarian approach to the division of household labor than their conservative peers and a more involved approach to parenting than men with no religious affiliation. Evangelical Protestant men, meanwhile, are "soft patriarchs"--not as authoritarian as some would expect, and given to being more emotional and dedicated to their wives and children than both their mainline and secular counterparts. Thus, Wilcox argues that religion domesticates men in ways that make them more responsive to the aspirations and needs of their immediate families.

A few links:

• University of Virginia News Story
• Book Review: Soft Patriarchs, New Men by W. Brad Wilcox
• Interview with W. Bradford Wilcox about his book Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands

I just put this work in my Amazon.com shopping cart (oh shopping cart, what a troubling thing thou hast become) - I'll put in the queue for late summer...

Out...

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The conservative site Human Events Online has a list of what they are calling The Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries. I usually do not try to get involved in leftist/rightist political web sites, but this list is insightful. Ideas do matter, for human beings act upon ideas. Beliefs are action guides.

Some beliefs are more central, more crucial than others in our view of the world. AW Tozer once rightly remarked that what we believe about God will influence us more than anything else.

Look for a moment at the beliefs that are derived from our understanding of God:

• Why is there a universe?
  
• What is our place in it?
  
• What is my place in it?
  
• Is there any meaning to human history?
  
• What happens at death?
  
• How can I know anything at all?
  
• How should I live? What is right, what is wrong?
  

As important as our beliefs about governments, economies, etc. our belief (or lack thereof) about God is more influential. The writings of Marx, Hitler, Dewey, Mao, are what they are because of their philosohpical assumptions - especially about the existence and nature of God.

See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Eccl 7:29

Such is the testimony of history

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Dr. Howe was the professor for a Logic class I took a few years back - this is the kind of stuff that makes philosophers laughFavorite Quotes --------

There is a great article in Nature Magazine as to the nature of designed objects in the real world - things designed by human minds. The article articulately describes how the laws of physics seem to do nothing in predicting things which will be caused by human minds. This is a problem for those who hold that the world is just a set of determinate arranged matter. The minds of people continually do things, create objects, etc .in ways that cannot be predicted by physics showing the order that mind imposes onto the natural world. Paul Nelson of the Discovery Institute rightly sees the implication. If teapots have design imposed upon it by a mind, how much more the higher complexity and design of cells, DNA...

You can read Nelson's post at the ID Blog at Intelligent Design the Future - Teapots today...cells tomorrow?

Interesting factoid - I just read a printout of this article in class here at Southern Seminary. Bill Dempski sent it to our professor this morning and he sent it around class - I of course hogged it for a few minutes to read it - smile.

Oh for the manifest wisdom in making cells and human minds to be known and marveled at in the world.

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The New Scientist has an article about a new project to attempt to simulate the human brain in silicon.

The article is a fascinating look into The "Blue Brain" project between IBM and a group of Swiss researchers. The hope of the project is described as:

The hope is that the virtual brain will help shed light on some aspects of human cognition, such as perception, memory and perhaps even consciousness...It may also help in understanding how certain malfunctions of the brain’s “microcircuits” could cause psychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and depression, he says.

A super computer will be set up now to mimic the functioning of the brain. Due to my background in computer science, this is an interesting process. The goal is said to be "set up a virtual brain" that will "shed light" on aspects of human cognition. Yet to build a brain simulator you must be able to already do several things in order to know that your simulator in any way will actually simulate the brain:

1. Know how to map out the brain in hardware. A complete mapping of the physical structure of the brain in corresponding hardware
   
2. You must already know how that hardware should interact so as the brain will function as a brain. This "intelligence" then must be programmed into the hardware and software of the system so that the functionality will be as a brain should function.
   

It seems that you must set it up to produce certain behaviors in the system - this seems to require knowledge of how human cognition works in order to set it up. What then is our assumption of how human cognition functions. Are we not making a philosophical assumption, that consciousness, congnition, etc. is no more than certain electrical patterns in brains that can be mimicked...it seems the latter faith may be involved in such brain simulations.

Here arises a philosophical problem. When we observe the electrochemical interactions of the brain, we have no knowledge as to what these reactions are producing in the mind of the person. For this we must ask somone - namely the one who is having a first person experience of his own mind. Thoughts and their correlated brain states are not identical - they have different properties. Take for example the truth that 2 + 2 = 4. If you don't think this is true, please consider it again - you are scaring me. Now think of that truth just for a moment. When you did your brain did certain electrochemical gymnastics. Now is you thought of 2 + 2 = 4, the same as my thought of this? If you say yes, and if you are a materialist (thoughts are only electrochemical processess in the brain) you have a problem. Your thought and my thought had completely different brain matter involved, different hunks of matter/energy - they are not indentical...so our thoughts of this truth must somehow not be equated simply with brain chemistry. Our thoughts of truths must be thoughts of something that is "not in your brain"

It is a welcome thing to understand brain function better, to be able to treat maladies and injuries to the brain in more effective ways. But let us remember that thoughts and consciousness are different than the hardware in which these things work out in the physical world. To do otherwise is to make a philosophical blunder - and we will misunderstand human cognition if we only look at brains - real or virtual.

Out...

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It appears that some publishers guessed well as to the election of the new pontiff of Rome. Seems like they were sitting on read with a satchel full of new books.

Source: We have a passel of pope books! - Yahoo! News

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Over at Al Mohler's blog he has an interesting commentary on an intramural squabble among atheistsAn Argument Among Atheists -- Always Worth Watching

One, Dylan Evans, is calling for a more gentile, play well in the sandbox with religious folk version of atheism:

'My kind of atheism takes issue with the old atheism on all three of its main tenets: it values religion; treats science as simply a means to an end; and finds the meaning of life in art.' Or, in other words, 'I think the best way to think about religion is to see it like the painting in this parable. In other words, religions are beautiful things, but their beauty can only be truly appreciated when they are seen as human creations -- as works of art.'

With atheism's lessoning influence, even in the once atheistic den's of University philosophy departments, perhaps Evans sees some writing on the wall. Maybe we will not dominate the world; maybe "skepticism, disbelief, incredulity towards religion" is not the best path.

Mohler makes a great observation:

Evans' atheism is not anti-religious, you understand, just anti-supernatural. Religion is just fine, so long as you don't really believe anything about God."

Such atheism is still atheism - perhaps it is a "be nice" atheism, but the arrogance stance of agonosticism and unbelief about the real substance of faith (that knowledge of God is possible and essential to human beings and their flourishing) is denied. You may have your religious parties and drink your koolaid, I will now just smile and instead of scorn, linger rather than lash out.

Salman Rushdie (author of the anti-muslim Satanic Verses thinks this is the wrong course for the nonmystical prophets of matter. Rushdie does not see religion capitulating to accept unbelief - they will not beat their intellectual swords into plowshares. The atheist would be wise to keep his arms as well according to Rushdie.

Mohler has a great exhortation amongst the squabbles of our friends on the other side of the metaphysical divide:

As Christians, we had better present authentic Christianity as the faith they are so determined to reject. Soft Christianity is countered by soft atheism. The truth claims of biblical Christianity leave no room for compromise -- no neutral zone.

Amen. Let us love our secular neighbor, in word and in deed, in truth and love. But be not unaware of the halls of unbelief.

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United Airlines announces in-flight WiFi plans - Engadget - www.engadget.com

United Airlines announces in-flight WiFi plans - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Now you can fly and stay connected - this could be a huge help for international travels. Plus, it is cool...I would love to see a complicated graphic of all the pieces of this system (Satellite, routers, air born access points etc.)

You can take the boy away from geeky stuff, but you can't take the geeky stuff out of the boy.

Out.

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Gee - I knew this thing did not work as well as advertised...and the science of vibrating blades did sound a bit dubious...but having a face that bleeds at all razors, I did go out and give this one a try... Alas, I am most likely doomed to a heavy beard, sensitive skin, face cutting experience for life... Link:Judge Rules That Gillette Ads Are False - Yahoo! News --------

This week I am in Louisville Kentucky taking a class at Southern Seminary. It has been a blessing to see all that is going on here on the campus. The school's facilities are quite impressive and the people are humble, professional and friendly. I am taking a course called "Intro to Christian Philosophy" which began today. I will be buried in classes from 9-5 every day and then studying at night. The blog will slow a bit...but I'll try to keep some cool stuff flowing that I find on the net. --------

Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing the forthcoming book Sex and the Supremacy of Christ edited by Justin Taylor and John Piper. The book published by Crossway, will be released in mid-June and is based upon talks given at the 2004 Desiring God Conference of the same title.

The book is sectioned off into Five Parts and I will review each in turn

• Introduction
• Part I - God and Sex
• Part II - Sin and Sex
• Part III - Men and Sex
• Part IV - Women and Sex
• Part V - History and Sex

Many thanks to Justin Taylor over at Between Two Worlds for making a pre-release copy available to bloggers and online reviews. Due to the fact that I suddenly have about 950 other pages to read in the next few days (long story), the review will roll out over time. I will keep it on the top for the next few weeks.
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World Magazine Blog has an interested post about Islamic law being advanced and debated in Canada.

I honestly assumed this sort of thing would happen first in Europe, but Sharia law is gaining ground north of our boarders in Canada. Secular, postmodern relativism, seems unwiling and unable to hold back the encroach of even absolutist systems like Sharia. This seems to be the strategy of Islam in the west.

Claim to be one of many views that needs to be tolerated

Under this cover, continue to advance its laws and beliefs - even those which are contrary to the same "tolerant" society which has given freedom to exercise the beliefs.

If any of their beliefs are questioned, countered, or refuted (gasp) - scream "Intolerant" and continue on its way while secularists open wide the door for them.

The recent avalanche of news on "Koran abuse" is a great example. Someone looks crossly at a Koran and muslim victims will scream and riot, even kill. All the while, Muslim communities are shredding Bibles and suppressing other religions in the countries where Islam has the strongest footholds.

Be not asleep.

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Justin Taylor has some great advice for young believers in our day:

The church often fails in two directions, I believe: (1) they are both in and of (impossible to distinguish from the world), or (2) they are of but not in (worldly but isolated). The biblical road is much more difficult: remaining and engaging without accomodating and capitulating.

Full post here: Between Two Worlds: Philadelphia Inquirer on Emergent --------

World Magazine Blog: Bible shredders

It is amazing to think that Muslim people rioted and 16 people were killed over a false story put out by Newsweek magazine for "wrongly handling the Koran". But the Saudi's will shed the Bible without a blink...

Are we awake?

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To some in the secular world the terms "sin and sex" will perhaps conjur up images of puritanism (which are not accurate) and scarlet letters dangling from repressed people's necks. For those who have made sex the central deity of a hedonistic worldview, associating sin with sex is a sort of blasphemy. Yet in our world we are well aware of the pains of sexual sins; the fruit of our own cultures so called sexual liberation engulf us like a swarm of African killer bees. Molestation, abuse, predatory adults, heart break, multiplicity of sexually peverse materials, the objectification of each other all amidst a growing ever waning of intimacy in relationships are the ghosts that haunt our freedom.

Part II of the book contains two considerable essays dealing with the issues of sin and sex in our day. The first by Dr. David Powlison entitled Making All things New: Restoring Pure Joy to the Sexually Broken. The second by Dr. Al Mohler, hits an issue of great controversary in our times, Homosexual Marriage as a Challenge to the Church: Biblical and Cultural Reflections.

Powlison's chapter begins with putting sexuality into context - it is like a garden which brings delight and joy within its proper lattice or framework or it is a soiled darkness swirling with pain. Powlison's thesis is that most of us are somewhere between these two poles - somewhere in the middle moving towards either pole. The trajectory we all so desparately need is to be moving away from teh dark and toward the light (page 66). We all know this, but the power of our captivity to sex in our age is very strong - Powlison highlights this by quoting what is classic Augustine:

As I prayed to you for the gift of chastity I had even pleaded, ‘Grant me chastity and self-control, but please not yet.’ I was afraid that you might hear me immediately and heal me forthwith of the morbidlust which I was more anxious to satisfy than to snuff out.

Augustine, The Confessions, trans. Maria Boulding (Hyde Park, N.Y.: New City, 1997), book 8, chapter 17, page 198.

How do we move from sexually broken to the enjoyment and freedom that Christ brings? Powlison, a biblical counselor, goes to great length in answering this question.

The first section expounds the point that we must Bring to Light All that Darkens Sex (page 68). For Powlison this means all the unholy pleasures of our day (both explicit and implicit - motions of the affections towards objectifying sex aprt from love for God) must be brought before Christ in repentence, receiving grace and forgiveness rather than continuing to hide in fear and despair. Unholy pain, caused by sex must also be brought to the great comforter of souls, to find safety and refuge. A great quote on page 72:

In different ways, both violator and violated are stained with the filth of a fallen world. In different ways, Jesus Christ washes both. And there’s still other dirt on the shop floor, and other fresh mercies.

Guilt must be brought before the throne of grace. Another aspect of sex is a misplaced view that sexual sin is just a problem with men. Powlison does a great service in dispatching this commonly held idea. We all struggle with temptation, although men and women struggle differently - this section was very helpful indeed. Finally, this section closes with a reminder of the many problems within marriage can be struggles with sexual sin (both from the past and continued into the future). As a married man of nine years, I found his treatment here to be very helpful.

Powlison, then moves to encouraging his read that our battle with sexual temptation is A Longer War. His exhortation is clear - the road of sanctification and repentance and trust of God and orientation of our passions is not conquered today and henceforth dispensed with. No, we live a live of trust, repentance, dependance, and by the grace of God transformation.

Our war is also a Wider War one that cuts to our deepest longings, our expectations about God, our affections for him, our allegiances, our belief or lack thereof. The war is life wide - our love for Christ is what is at stake, and focusing in only on "resisting sexual sins" on certain nights of the week is a recipe for failure. The war should be expanded, the soul should be discipled and life brought under Christ's yoke. Powlison describes how he helped a man named Tom wage a wider war:

We spent far more time talking about self-pity and grumbling as “early warning sins,” about how the desire for a wife becomes a mastering lust, about how the selfrighteousness construct falls before the dynamics of grace. Temptations to sexual sin greatly diminished. The topography of the battlefield radically changed. The significance of Jesus Christ’s love went off the charts. The lights of more accurate and comprehensive self-knowledge came on. A man going in circles, muddling in the middle, started to leap and bound in the right direction. We experienced the delights of a season of gazelle growth. Ministering to someone who has struggled for twenty years with the exact same thing is disheartening, and frequently a recipe for futility. Ministering to someone who is starting to battle a half-dozen foes that were previously invisible is extremely heartening! Widening the war served to deepen and heighten the significance of the Savior, who met Tom on every battlefront.

page 89,90

I will have to pick up the review later - one thing about this chapter is that the organization and structure runs on a bit. Section after section...but this war is for our affections, so that the god of eros has no lofty throne above the Almighty, so I will pick the review back up at a later date...

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Coming soon to the blogsphere - girl talk - a look at Biblical womanhood from Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters. Should be a great place for the ladies - and the inquiring minds of the fellas who want to know! Come on guys, put "girl talk" into FeedReader (or you favorite syndicated RSS/atom reader) and peek into the inscrutible world of girl talk. You know you want to.

Site to Launch on June 20th.

(HT: Between Two Worlds: Girl Talk Blog)

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The saga over the film "A Privileged Plant" continues with the Smithsonian Institute. Very interesting read over at Evolution News & Views --------

Al Mohler has a great piece on the theological and ideological landscape of Europe. In following the thought of George Weigel's The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God, Mohler lays out the predicaments of secular Europe.

Having spent much time in a very secular eastern European nation, I too have thought that Europe's radical secularism is creating a vacuum of ideas which Islam will rapidly fill. For hundreds of years, Europe withstood the advances of Islam. She did this with two swords - the sword of battle and the sword of the intellect. The military efforts of Charles Martel and the theological/philosophical mind of Thomas Aquinas. Europe today seems to lack both even as its Islamic populations expand. It has little will to act or to put forth any ideas which will stay the advance of rapidly growing Islamic communities. America should be wise in watching Europe in the coming decades. America's democracy was founded by religious people in reliance upon a kind Providence, while many of Europe's democracies (ala France) were founded upon autonomous man. Such men who claimed to be guided by reason, now distrust even their own minds. Uncertain of its own footing, the secularist ideologies of Europe will stumble upon its own uncertainty. May Europeans look to their history anew and see the greatness of the gospel; if not there may be dark days ahead yet again for the continent.

Reference - Politics Without God--Europe's Secular Crisis

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