What the Thunder Said...

EverNote is available free for download for today (Thursday, 11/15) only! Reaching near cult status in some circles, this app is note taker, project manager, and more all wrapped into one. From the Give Away of the Day site, this is perhaps one of their best offers yet.

Download EverNote

Labels: downloads, GTD, Technology

In other news on culture, evangelicals, politics, theology, movies, and other news...

Slate: Not All Its Cracked Up to Be
David Sessions, a self-described politically interested evangelical from Patrick Henry College, writes on evangelical presence in politics, a united front in the primaries, and whether the evangelical impetus is waning.
(HT: Cranach)


WSJ Articles for Free Online
In other written media news, the WSJ is offering material free online. With the help of social networking client digg, formerly reserved articles are now available to the public.
(HT: Lifehacker)

Olasky Manifesto, Gay Marriage & State Sovereignty
In other Cranach news, there is a post pointing out a section of the recent Olasky manifesto, specific to same-sex unions. There is some helpful discussion (I recommend reading into the comments) regarding the roles of state and family.

Americanitis: Wilson on Hart
In other news on culture, these are some of the posts Doug Wilson has posted in reading through D.G. Hart's A Secular Faith.

Transforming Culture with a Messiah Complex
(In other theology news...) Everyone's already linked to it, but this article by Dr. Michael Horton is so helpful, I think. Not only dealing with culture and the church, but also read it for fine theology on the ascension and eschatology.

Out of Ur: Willow Creek Repents
In other church news, awhile ago Bill Hybels "repented" and "had the wake up call of his adult life." A church poll of Willow Creek reported that while the church was meeting the needs of those new to the faith ("kicking the tires of Christianity," as my pastor likes to say), older Christians were not being fed.

While I'm glad that Willow Creed is recognizing that they need a more biblical program in place, is this not the same old methodology? Willow Creek is, it seems, still being "seeker sensitive," its just that for once, the felt needs of the demographic really are the needs that need to be met. But what happens when this group tires of biblical teaching? Is it on to whatever they ask for next? My prayer is that during this season when they ratchet up their bible teaching, they'll realize whole new paradigms - biblical ones - for doing church. Perhaps something along the lines of gospel, water, bread & wine, and applying these in discipleship/discipline.

The Logical Fall Out of the 7 Deadly Sins
When theology and geometry meet, watch out. I think this just proves that total depravity extends even to the laws of mathematics.

His Dark Materials vs. Christianity
Philip Pullman's trilogy is about to gain a wider audience when the first episode, The Golden Compass, hits the silver screen this winter. An important part of Pullman's project is to undermine the Christian world-and-life-view by offering a new mythology. Hanna Rosin in the latest issue of the Atlantic:

In the books, Lyra is the new Eve, but an Eve who brings humanity to its full realization by eating the fruit. The climax of the trilogy comes when Lyra, the 12-year-old heroine, shares a red fruit with her friend Will. They kiss and Pullman draws a discrete curtain over the rest: "Around them there was nothing but silence, as if all the world were holding its breath" is as explicit as he gets.

Pullman told Rosin that this Eden-reversal scene is crucial to his effort to unravel Christian mythology: "They become aware of sexuality, of the power the body has to attract attention from someone else. This is not only natural, but a wonderful thing! To be celebrated! Why the Christian Church has spent 2,000 years condemning this glorious moment, well, that's a mystery. I want to confront that, I suppose, by telling a story that this so-called original sin is anything but. It's the thing that makes us fully human."

No doubt Dr. Peter Jones would have a field day with this, but the ironies abound. Pullman, like so much of the hedonism characterizing the current culture, is vainly struggling to realize human sexuality. In the Christian "mythos," however, Adam and Eve are created naked, are told to fruitfully procreate - i.e., they are given divine fiat to engage in sexual intercourse - and all of this nudity and sex is "very good" in the eyes of God. Contra Pullman, humanity doesn't become aware of sexuality at the Fall, rather their once beautiful nudity becomes shame to them. Where Pullman wants his prototypical Adam and Eve to attract attention with their bodies, our first parents were created to serve one another and, ultimately, their Overlord, Elohim. Pullman, like all of us sinners, would sooner get what he wanted if he would quit kicking against the goads and find his hopes already graciously promised and answered in biblical witness to Jesus Christ, who has come to restore and redeem all the problems already in this world, problems created by visions of humanity and reality like that of Pullman's.

Labels: Art | Culture, blogging, City of Man, GTD, Technology, theology, WtTS Stuff

On the AM dial, 1210 comes in as KPRZ (which is to be pronounced "K-PRAISE"). This channel of Christian Radio has come up with a new (to me) slogan to promote itself: "Here's the KPRZ promise: listen to K-Praise just three hours a day and your walk with God will increase." That's right. For just three hours of your listening time, the station guarantees greater sanctification. But that's not all. I've also heard them promise improved relationships with your parents, a more dynamic relationship with your spouse, etc. The model and ratio are straight from many of the fat supplement commercials they advertise: you give us x number of hours, and we guarantee you these stipulated results.

Now wouldn't this match nearly sacramental terms? Hasn't listening to the radio become a means of grace? What I find so surprising, however, is the near ex opere operato status of this blank check. There's nothing about faith or obedience on the part of the listener. Nothing about being a Christian, merely a blanket appeal to anyone with ears. There is certainly nothing about faith in the work of Jesus.

While there's a lot to say about this, its getting late, so let me surmise this: this actually isn't a sacramental view, but I'm afraid its not for the wrong reasons. I think if pressed, no one at the station would actually admit that listening to their programming would give grace. However, I do think they would honestly and earnestly contend that their broadcasts do help people become better. In other words, I'm afraid that people aren't becoming closet sacerdotalists, but rather that they don't think we need grace anymore to get better; we just need better advice. And that, of course, is the Pelagian position.

Thoughts? Is this a helpful/correct analysis? Have you heard similar things? What is really being meant here?

Labels: City of Man, theology

We've already noted our propensity for this kind of black humor, and now it seems we've hit the motherload.You mean other people think these are hilarious too? I apologize, but I can't stop.
(that last one's for you, Dad!)
Check them all out.

And if you into a particular niche, why not combine demotivation with NBC's The Office?You can find more here.

Labels: Art | Culture, City of Man, WtTS Stuff

Reading: HALOT
Enjoying: pork chops
Listening: the reindeer section "you are my joy"

The Warfield lecture was quite interesting, and, as Ben mentioned, look for both Mr. Glomsrud and Dr. Horton in the forthcoming Engaging Barth.

Tomorrow marks Dr. Bauckham's lecture on the canonicity of the Gospels, and then several lectures at the ETS convention. I'll post some of the lectures I get to.


A few more Westminster resources:
The new audio page has podcasts, mp3's, and more to peruse and download.

Also, keep in mind the upcoming faculty conference: Missional & Reformed. Need a place ot stay? The Lund B&B is always open...

Labels: blogging, Events, Technology, theology

Sufjan: Rock is dead
(HT: Cawley)

... so own his music. Merry Christmas!

A great interview and a great offer. Sufjan Stevens, folk-indie hero, has a couple of juicy little offers out there to tantalize. Stevens in conclusion:

“Rock and roll is a museum piece. It has no viability anymore... You’re watching the History Channel when you go to these clubs. They’re just reenacting an old sentiment... It’s been done. The rebellion’s over.”

Thoughts? Rebuttals?

Labels: Art | Culture, City of Man

Reading: Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
Enjoying: warm San Diego weather
Listening: Indelible Grace

I apologize for the lack of blogging here at What the Thunder Said... There has been far too little of it, a fact we hope to correct. That being said, this is the worst of weeks to renew one's commitment to blogging, for its going to be quite the hectic week.

This week features ETS and AAR/SBL conferences in San Diego later this week, and Dr. Bauckham will be taking some time out to lecture on campus. There are tests and a project due next week, as well as concerts and birthday parties.

One item on the docket is tomorrow's Warfield Lecture with WSC alum Ryan Glomsrud. He'll be lecturing from a recent project of his entitled "Barth's Reception of Calvin zwischen den Zeiten". He interacts with Barth's initial introduction to Calvin, especially as a "cultural critique" allied with the likes of Plato, Nietzche, Dostoyevsky, and Kierkegaard against the neo-Protestantism of his day. I'm especially interested in what he has to say regarding the dialectical approach of Platonic onto-theology in meta-ethics vs. Calvin's de-ontological ethics (pun intended).

Now here's where I need help. I need all you quasi- and closet Barthians to let me know some questions to ask to press Mr. Glomsrud. What concerns do you have of Barth's use of Calvin? How does Barth's attempt at meta-ethics and ontologizing history escape the problem of Schleiermacher and modernity (or fail to escape)? What kind of influence did Calvin have on Barth's Romerbrief? Broader issues in Calvin, Barth, or methodology of 1920's historical theology? All these and more I need questions for. Have any questions you would pose? Leave any suggestions in the comments.

sorry for the short notice...

Labels: blogging, theology, WtTS Stuff