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Thursday, August 30, 2007 

Around the Blogosphere in 80 days

Reading: Witsius' Dissertations on the Apostle's Creed
Enjoying: strawberry cheesecake yogurt
Listening: Damien Rice 9

Good news, bad news, links, updates, and humor. What more could you ask for?

In God's good providence, more of the Korean hostages have been released. On July 19, 23 hostages had been kidnapped. Two have been martyred, two released. Now, the Taliban leaders are beginning to release more with plans to release the rest. Some question how this will affect relations with the Taliban in the future. We thank God for every life spared, and pray for repentance on all sides.

Adam L'Herault Stand Up Comedy

How great is this. For those of you in the Twin Cities, be sure to support Adam in round 2. Congrats, bro!

I found this discussion that included Dr. R. Scott Clark regarding righteousness and justification to be helpful. I thank God for Reformed "apologists" like the good doctor.

This cartoon was banned from several papers in several countries (click to enlarge).
GTD: Read blog posts with more discernment

The Complete Works of Rev. Robert Traill
(HT: Rev. Hyde)

The Critical Importance of Family Worship
amen

Updates
The Wilco concert that I went to on Monday rocked. Thumbs up: two encores, a beautiful evening (it was an outdoor concert), opening act Richard Swift, and Chipotle beforehand. Thumbs down: the guy who had bad weed behind us. whew... Here's a set list of the songs they played. Having already heard a number of blazing guitar solos early in the concert, I was still blown away when they played "Impossible Germany," a song I appreciate with an snazzy solo. Good job Wilco.

If you're looking for more good music ideas, check out K.C.'s music list (who just happens to be church planting in KC).

Also in updates:
Some guys have responded to the book meme. More good book suggestions.


Tags
[links]

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11:53 AM | |

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007 

Music Meme

Having already completed a recent book meme, David (father of Solomon) Griffiths of the normal christian life has tagged us in, this time on music. Turns out, we're even less interesting on music than I you thought.

I guess Mr. Griffiths got this from WORLD.
1. You would be surprised that I listen to __________.
2. You probably have never heard of __________.
3. I hope nobody sees this amidst my collection: ___________.


1. Beyonce? "Crazy in Love" with Jay-z is "fly." Godsmack? I really loved Cake's "Fashion Nugget" (I can play the bass line to every track on that album) and Bush's sixteen stone, though that is not braggable. Really braggable. Plankeye?

2. Silversun Pickups? Fielding? Plankeye?

3. Again... Plankeye? My amazing collection of Michael W. Smith? (Although to be honest, I'm not that embarrassed.)

Okay, the real all stars are
Silversun Pickups (see above) - "Lazy Eye"
Austin Britton - "Daily Resurrection" (though everything is good)
Matt Haeck - "Liberty on Parade"
Grins Edge - "This Melon"
And yes, Plankeye really is the answer to all of the above questions...

Tags
[meme] | [music]

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10:55 PM | |

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Monday, August 27, 2007 

Updates

Reading: Ridderbos When the Time Had Fully Come
Enjoying: weather and a nice cup o joe
Listening: Fielding - you look like a robot

Part of the reason updates are necessary is because we've been in between computers, but now have the new one up and running. An HP Pavilion dv9600t. Its nice, a bit bigger than our oldie. Its still HP, its got Vista Premium, but other than that its ok. Vista hasn't taken too long to get used to, and we haven't had too many problems with transferring programs and what not. Its shiny. Also, my iPAQ puked out over the summer, so I've upgraded to a Toshiba e830. That is provisional on the idea that I can get the Pocket PC's Bluetooth to talk to my bluetooth keyboard (Stowaway Sierra). But nice new gear.

My little toenail on my right foot is hanging on by a thread. I'll spare you pictures. I argue with my wife whether to pull it or not. So far she's winning.

I get to go see Wilco tonight in southtown. I'll let you know how it goes. If you're in San Diego and going to the show tonight, look for me. I'll be the one with brown hair and blue jeans.

I've restrung both my acoustic and bass guitar. This guitar string eclipse will match up perfectly with the lunar eclipse that occurs tomorrow night.

In preparing for the Fall semester of Sunday School, I've been reading Scripture and Confession, ed. J. H. Skilton. So far one of the best chapters has been by one Norman Shepherd. *gulp* Seriously though, its been terrific book. Machen, Clowney, Van Til, Murray, et al, have been heavy hitting. It was published in '73... should I feel somewhat safe?

Can Christians work with Muslims in a Two Kingdom theology? My questions.

"Multiculturalism was conceived by the Western elites not to celebrate all cultures but to deny their own: it is, thus, the real suicide bomb" (Mark Steyn, America Alone, p. 194).
(HT: Doug Wilson)

Greek Orthodox Calvinism? I hear Eastern Orthodoxy is the silent killer of non-emergents. Thoughts?

I'm getting a haircut today.
More to come. Its good to be back.

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1:57 PM | |

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Friday, August 17, 2007 

Et cetera

Korean Christian Hostages
Please continue to pray for the 23 Korean Christians who were abducted by Taliban leaders.

M. Malkin: The Martyrs No One Cares About
1 Korean Christian Executed by Taliban
2 Korean Christian Hostages Return Home

Piper: Sex, Culture, and God



More on Solzhenitsyn
Previously, we had posted on Alexander Solzhenitsyn's interview with Der Spiegel. This new title came out a little bit ago. (Ironic?) From the review:
If a single figure summarizes the meaning of the twentieth century—in its magnificent highs no less than its miserable lows—it is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Like all masters of culture both ancient and modern, his work transcends academic categories. As the editors make clear, Solzhenitsyn embraces the empirical and the ethical, the national culture of Russia and the global condition of Western civilization. The cloth of heroism is woven in respect for everyday life. Solzhenitsyn knows this, and this fine collection is a stark testament to the precious gift of his life and the enrichment he has given to ours.
The Solzhenitsyn Reader: New and Essential Writings (Amazon)

Banality
According to Google News, the things I should be interested in right now are lil' Bush is getting married, Michael Vick kills dogs and its a federal offense (too bad he didn't kill a human; it would have been a much lighter sentence) and David Beckham is changing American soccer. Hmmm... not so much.

Tags
[news]

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4:39 PM | |

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Book Meme

We here at What the Thunder Said... have been tagged by Mr. Wireman (who is either at blogger but sorta moved kinda to wordpress - you're tough to keep track of!) on a book list meme. If that interests you, click through.then you have a book fetish. If you have a book fetish, get help!then click through. (I'll try to keep the answers mildly interesting...)

Without further ado*:
1. One book that changed your life:
Silence, by Shusaku Endo. This was the book that forced me to challenge all preconceived notions and deal with overwhelming evil. This book is still the closest I have ever come to giving up the Reformed faith. I still love this book and refer to it occasionally.

2. One book you've read more than once:
"Batman: Year One", by Frank Miller. No lie. I am the Dark Knight.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
"How to Get Off A Desert Island." Zing!!
Um... probably The Christian's Reasonable Service, by Wilhelmus A' Brakel, I think. Head's up in left field, huh?! To be honest, I haven't even finished it yet, which is even one more reason to have it with when marooned. Who wants to die half way through a book?

4. One book that made you laugh:
The Stranger, by A. Camus. I'm like: Really? Is this really what you base a life system on? Summary of plot: "I cannot feel. The sun is hot, glaring on me. I will shoot the Arab. I am Meursault. I am upset with the priest. I hope I die." As an author, this is not the inspiring prose I want to build my life and work around. He makes Hemingway seem like Seuss. Really, Camus? Is this how you wanna go out. Laughing at absurdity...

5. One book that made you cry:
Going with the comic theme: "The Death of Superman." Ok, in sincerity, The Nature of Indwelling Sin by John Owen. In the words of Rabbi Duncan, "Prepare for the knife..."

6. One book you wish had been written:
The Sons of Elendil: Of the Fall of Numenor and the Rise of Men by J. R. R. Tolkien. This would round out the Second Age, and fill in Aragorn's lineage. Also, a history of the dwarves. Please take your "geek" and "nerd" responses elsewhere, thank you...

7. One book you wish had never been written:
This one is a tie. Systematic Theology, Charles G. Finney. Hello. Also, probably some of the Late, Great Planet Earth and Left Behind ilk.

8. One book you're currently reading:
I've listed some of them on my sidebar to the right. I haven't, however, listed any books that I'm reading for class. One title I'm excited for is by Sidney Greidanus.

9. One book you've been meaning to read:
The Chosen, by Chaim Potok. I've heard he is really good, and has a terrific lens on modern Jewish culture.

10. Tag 5 other readers:
Let's see:
Ben - Deus Dixit
Carney - Carn-Dog Comments
Morrow - Morrow's Words
Kyle - Synod of Saints
Recio (which, Recio, you have to keep this to ten questions and not the billions of books you read per day.)


* Let's be real. This is blund. If I were to be completely honest, all of the above answers would be answered with one of two Calvins ("Calvin & Hobbes" or John Calvin), Tolkien and Owen. I had to make it somewhat interesting.


Update:
A few guys have already posted. Check out Ben, Kyle.
Tags
[meme] | [books]

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2:33 PM | |

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Wednesday, August 15, 2007 

He's funny because millions of people in cubicle's everywhere can relate...

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8:24 PM | |

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007 

Of Being Anglican, on Catholicity and Reformed

Reading: Ridderbos, Coming of the Kingdom
Enjoying: vanilla ice cream
Listening: actually, not much lately. A bit of the Foo...

Just wanted to keep you posted on the nice conversation developing with Nigel. After wondering about the nature of being Anglican and its implications of holding to confessional identity, Nigel has some great thoughts in the comments. Choice quotes from the comments:
...communion with Canterbury is clearly accidental to the Anglican identity. And clearly ... unity with Canterbury is simply a pragmatic, rather than an essential, symbol of unity. If Canterbury has abandoned either the symbols (which it has not) or the doctrine expressed by those symbols (which it effectively has), then faithful Anglicans, to remain truly Anglican, must ironically enough separate themselves from a Babylonian Antichrist masquerading in English vestments.

...Reformed and Presbyterian denominations [show a] quicker willingness to separate and split themselves due to doctrinal variance on a very nuanced plane of debate, whereas Anglicanism has tried to maintain ecclesiastical unity despite, at times, overwhelming disagreements about some core issues... I don't think that it is sufficiently catholic to get together for NAPARC conferences or joint OPC-PCA picnics: what good reason can there be for these branches of Christ's visible church to be separated? Unity between these factions (I know it's a strong word) must be pursued... As Anglicans, we need to see our identity much more closely identified with a common kerygma (proclamation), and not just a common table, and we need to strengthen the force of our ecclesiastical discipline as well as unity.
What parts are correct, and what needs fine-tuning? Where are areas of ecumenicity that still need to be developed? Anglicans as well as others are invited to lend their voice to the discussion!

Tags
[catholicity] | [theology]

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1:28 AM | |

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Monday, August 13, 2007 

iBible


(HT: Compton)

Tags
[ibible] | [tech]

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2:14 PM | |

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Saturday, August 11, 2007 

Or... we could just stop making pictures of Him altogether...

...since no one has a clue what He looks like anyway.

What color should Jesus be [in artistic pictures]?
More on the color of Jesus

Remember, its not what He looked like, its what He even now looks like.

Tags
[Jesus] | [art]

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4:29 PM | |

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Link Mashup

Some of my recent browsing has led me to a number of similar themes, some that I though might be helpful here. It would be fun to annotate these, but its just too nice outside. There are too many hat tips to go around; my apologies to those who were slighted. Hope you enjoy!

[Update: Oops! Forgot one in Media!]

Church Planting

Sovereign Grace Ministries Church Planting Page
Acts 29: The Church Planter Ultimatum
Old School Presbyterian Church Planting
Keep your eyes fixed to this blog.

On the Rigor of the Ministry and the Need for Pastor-Scholars

Quote from Richard Baxter
Michael Horton on the Necessity of an Educated Ministry
Dr. Peter Jones (Westminster Professor) Interviews with Local Paper on Dead Sea Scrolls

Theology: Paul, Justification, and Assurance

Simon Gathercole on Paul and New Perspective(s)
Augustus Toplady on assurance and perseverance
John Owen on final perseverance and justification
J.I. Packer on Justification and Atonement
Works of Jerome Zanchi

Media
Duncan: How to Listen to a Bad Sermon
Gospel Coalition Audio & Video

Youtube: Christian & Christ-follower (Mac vs. PC parody) (Maybe the Updated Video Roundup ought to contain some of these?)
Christian vs. Church Planter
Christian vs. Christ-follower
This is my HSHD (Holy Spirit Hard Drive)
Counseling Session

Tags
[links] | [theology]

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2:41 PM | |

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Thursday, August 09, 2007 

When You Speak, We Will Listen


Der Spiegel interviewed Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the great writer, Nobel laureate, and critic. I was made to read A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in high school, and my amazement and admiration for Mr. Solzhenitsyn was cemented. The interview is quite good: despite his age, it is clear that Mr. Solzhenitsyn's fire has not yet flickered, and his keen mind seems still sharp. The interviewers comment early in the interview at the amount of work he still manages to accomplish, now well into his 80's.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky first awakened in me the love of Russia, in his The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot (among others). It was this love that was refueled in Mr. Solzhenitsyn's work, but along side of it was, in my mind at least, no trace of the Romantic view that Dostoyevsky still had. Solzhenitsyn seemed to be able to write free of any manacle, to capture things as they were. His grasp of the heavings of history astounded me.

An Interview with Alexander Solzhenitsyn: "I Am Not Afraid of Death"

(click through for some choice quotes!)

Solzhenitsyn: I have grown used to the fact that, throughout the world, public repentance is the most unacceptable option for the modern politician.

***

SPIEGEL: ...Communism was not the result of the previous Russian political regime; the Bolshevik Revolution was made possible only by Kerensky's poor governance in 1917. If one follows this line of thinking, then Lenin was only an accidental person, who was only able to come to Russia and seize power here with German support. Have we understood you correctly?

Solzhenitsyn: No, you have not. Only an extraordinary person can turn opportunity into reality. Lenin and Trotsky were exceptionally nimble and vigorous politicians who managed in a short period of time to use the weakness of Kerensky's government. But allow me to correct you: the "October Revolution" is a myth generated by the winners, the Bolsheviks, and swallowed whole by progressive circles in the West.

***

SPIEGEL: ...Looking back today, can you say to what extent [your book, The Gulag Archipelago] has contributed to the defeat of communism in the world?

Solzhenitsyn: You should not address this question to me -- an author cannot give such evaluations.

Tags
[Solzhenitsyn] | [culture]

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8:45 PM | |

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Tech Roundup

YouVersion has recently released their alpha model. YouVersion is a combination of Bible software along the lines of social bookmarking. Users will be able to tag their verses with categories and favorites, share across the net, and search amongst user tagging, among other options. If you are interested in learning more, seeing screenshots, finding out the other strengths of YouVersion, or being an alpha tester, click here.

Two tools that have helped manage time and keep on task are SLIMTIMER and workrave. SLIMTIMER, developed by Richard White, is a terrific time tracking applet that works within your web browser. You can assign various tasks and projects to keep time tracking separate, and further distinguish your tasks and projects with tags. After recording the amount of time you've spent on something, the applet syncs the time up with the server website, allowing you to view your time spent however you'd like. It is highly customizable, and quite versatile. The applet that opens is small, and you can keep it out of the way.

Workrave, on the other hand, is a kitchen timer plus project time keeper plus exercise monitor.By setting various alarms, workrave monitors the amount of time you spend at your computer, then forcing you to take appropriate breaks, thus emphasizing productivity as well as giving your eyes | body a rest from the computer. I've learned to love that little fluffy sheep. Granted, the various exercises the program suggests are not always followed by this user (*gulp*), but its helpful in its own right.

(Disclaimer: What the Thunder Said... is in no way affiliated with any of the above resources, nor do we benefit in any way from them. Except for the warm feeling in our collective stomach.)

Tags
[tech]

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4:37 PM | |

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Requirements for Anglican Communion

Reading: Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied
Enjoying: beautiful SoCal weather
Listening: MuteMath's self titled album

William G. Witt wonders whether communion with Canterbury really is necessary to be considered an Anglican. Contrary to a recent statement made by Archbishop Rowan, Witt concludes otherwise. From the article:
If one actually reads Cranmer or Jewel or Hooker et al, it becomes quite clear that (as they broke with Rome) they would have had no hesitation to break with Canterbury should Canterbury break with the doctrines and practices which encapsulate the gospel--because the identity of Anglicanism does not lie in communion with an historic see, but in doctrines and practices that adhere to the gospel.
What is more, Witt argues that aforementioned "doctrines and practices" probably did include sexual ethics, which early Anglicans mentioned in passing to defend themselves against charges of antinomianism or practices of adiaphora (which, by the way, were wedding rings, not the sexuality of your spouse).

I wonder what our Peruvian Anglican Nigel would think of all of this? He has written on concerns touching this before. What say you, Nigel? Is Mr. Witt going in the right direction? (Are you back yet?!) People want to know!

(HT: Dr. Koyzis)

Tags
[Anglican] | [theology]

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4:15 PM | |

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Monday, August 06, 2007 

We're Home!

Reading: Girl Talk blog with Sam
Enjoying: late night cereal (Sam gets extra milk!)
Listening: barking spiders...

The Lord graciously granted us a safe trip home. (Sam and I are co-blogging this one before we turn the lights out. She's a great blog editor!) We had a terrific summer, and are already missing all the family and fun we had. Today we ran errands and went to the beach.

We've been watching a lot of 35W Bridge collapse footage. We've been eerily fascinated by it all. Sam drove over that bridge twice every day to work (and home) for a number of years, and I was on the bridge at the time of the collapse two days before.

P.S. - Kyle and Rachel Borg are coming to visit in October, and we can't wait!

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9:46 PM | |

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Transplanted from the artic blight of Minnesota to the sunny paradise of SoCal, I am attending school and learning to say "dude." I like to think of myself as equal parts surf rash, Batman, heavy metal, Levinas, poetic license, and reformational. Other than creating blund blogs, I enjoy reading, sporting, and socializing with serious and funny people.
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    How does Rowling and the "Harry Potter" series stack up against Tolkien and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy?
    Rowling is the new dreamweaver. She is reigniting literature and fantasy as we know it.
    Tolkien is the undisputed favorite. We have not yet seen a match for his philogistic skill.
    This is apples and oranges. You might as well compare ping pong with Halo. Two different animals.
    Rowling wins, but only by one quidditch goal.
    Tolkien still stands, but only barely.
      
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