tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76043531080738399902024-03-17T23:04:01.615-04:00Bible ImmersionLet the Messiah's message dwell among you all richly!BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-74837503773088757952011-09-19T08:51:00.000-04:002011-09-19T08:51:22.744-04:00Do You Want An Autographed Bible?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/epic-fail-photos-classic-autographed-copy-fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/epic-fail-photos-classic-autographed-copy-fail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rumor has it, there's a special copy available at certain local stores...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-68313192254125116842011-09-03T21:38:00.003-04:002011-09-02T21:42:31.343-04:00N.T. Wright Clip of the Day - Evil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0osvzN2p7rTv7qGIhct629HR3jFOC_Er-S-YGs0NOS4aNaXSaF1xBSGeN38KRjyQlhVsVn0-PbbUPFV2KkqOIbnLDTk-S-NuJ61IBKZC_Wr8fNSyxxblrU7v7sedY9N2Pz3BCrYKNUqw/s1600/bishop-tom-computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0osvzN2p7rTv7qGIhct629HR3jFOC_Er-S-YGs0NOS4aNaXSaF1xBSGeN38KRjyQlhVsVn0-PbbUPFV2KkqOIbnLDTk-S-NuJ61IBKZC_Wr8fNSyxxblrU7v7sedY9N2Pz3BCrYKNUqw/s320/bishop-tom-computer.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's a clip of the esteemed bishop giving his pitch, of sorts, for one of his great popular (as in for everyone, not just scholars) books, <i>Evil and the Justice of God</i>. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">In this book N.T. Wright lays out his critique of modern Western culture's failure to recognize evil for what it is, and for going about "solving" the problem of evil through arrogant, misguided, harmful, and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ultimately ineffective means (which is an intregal part of his take on post-Enlightenment thought), while infecting at least part of the Church with this mindset along the way. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's worth the read for anyone who wonders, "Why is God doing about all the suffering in the world?" or "How can God be a just god?"</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsIdTcTVaNY"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Evil and the Justice of God</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If interested, feel free to use my convenient Amazon link here below and support me for free!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bibleim-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0830837442" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-91525974710095523122011-09-02T12:51:00.003-04:002011-09-02T16:12:56.595-04:00What Did a Synagogue of Jesus' Time Look Like?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://zwingliusredivivus.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/cap_syn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://zwingliusredivivus.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/cap_syn.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>If you enjoy reading the Bible, you might enjoy the Gospels. And if you're one who enjoys the Gospels, you probably try to picture what Jesus' ministry was like. Part of that ministry involved teaching, reading, and speaking in synagogues in and around Palestine.<br />
<br />
Well, what was a synagogue like there? The Gospel writers give us little to no details. Was it like a small bungalow? Was it a marble building? Was it akin to a Greek stadium? For those answers, check out this informative and concise article by Paul Flesher:<br />
<a href="http://www.bibleinterp.com/opeds/fle358001.shtml">What Did a Synagogue of Jesus' Time Look Like?</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-88479921780632233902011-09-02T12:33:00.001-04:002011-09-02T12:34:35.384-04:00Free Online Academic Bibles Are Now Available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://rdtwot.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/0415112013b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://rdtwot.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/0415112013b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Right now, everyone in the world has <b>free</b> access to some of the best (arguable) scholarly work on the biblical texts. The internet is awesome.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not sure how long this site has been up, but the German Bible Society (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft), which is well-known among Bible scholars for their critical editions of the Bible and apocryphal texts, have published them online for your viewing pleasure!</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The online Bibles are the BHS (minus accents and Masorah), Nestle-Aland 27, UBS, Septuagint (Rahlfs/Hanhart), Vulgate (Weber/Gryson), King James, Luther (1984 revision), and NET (one of my favorites!). You need to sign up to get access to certain online features (like searches). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can imagine, especially for mission fields and amateur (or cheap) Bible scholars, this will be a great tool!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.academic-bible.com/en/online-bibles/">Enjoy! </a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-58101754494922988372011-09-01T00:14:00.001-04:002011-09-01T00:18:34.169-04:00Bibleworks ManuscriptsOk, so this alone almost makes me want to get Bibleworks 9.<br />
<a href="http://nearemmaus.com/2011/08/27/bibleworks-9-the-mss-tab/">Bibleworks 9 - the MSS Tab</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Codex_Vaticanus_B,_2Thess._3,11-18,_Hebr._1,1-2,2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Codex_Vaticanus_B,_2Thess._3,11-18,_Hebr._1,1-2,2.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br />
For those who may not be textual biblical text nerds, this is obviously a good idea that I've dreamed of using one day, but clearly a lot of work at the same time. Basically, what it does is let you look at specific biblical manuscripts as you look at certain verses of the Bible. This way you can analyze for yourself the manuscripts and perhaps do some textual criticism for yourself, instead of depending solely on published critical editions.<br />
<br />
Just think how useful and crazy awesome this would be if every ancient witness to the text were digitally imagined and searchable in this way...<br />
<br />
And as a side note, the more at least some people start (hopefully) reading manuscripts, the more and more they'll see how the Koine pronunciation of this time was akin to how the esteemed Dr. Randall Buth lays it out here: <a href="http://www.biblicallanguagecenter.com/assets/pdf/PRONSYS1_US.pdf">http://www.biblicallanguagecenter.com/assets/pdf/PRONSYS1_US.pdf</a>.<br />
(I did see an εκει spelled εκι in the video...)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-55326080695224875372011-08-26T23:24:00.003-04:002011-08-26T23:28:28.006-04:00Would It Be Ok To Burn the Koran?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://silentmajority09.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/BurningBible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://silentmajority09.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/BurningBible.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you said no to the title of this post and you're honest to yourself, the following link should just rankle you silly, <a href="http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/08/iranians-seize-6500-bibles-burn-300-claim-they-are-protecting-youth.php">Iranians Seize 6500 Bibles, Burn 300</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remember Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who made all the fuss in burning ONE Koran? Will those non-Muslims (at least for the sake of argument) who were offended at such insensitivity now condemn the action of the Iranian government here? Is there any reason they shouldn't if they claim to be fair to all people?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(By the way, I don't think it's ok to burn a Koran. I'd rather have someone actually read it [I know, I know, translations aren't inspired..., but you can get a "gist,"at least] and get back to me. :) )</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-21146817976852603242011-08-24T11:48:00.000-04:002011-08-24T11:48:09.214-04:00N.T. Wright Clip of the Day - Character<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/NTWright071220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/NTWright071220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is why Christians don't live "good" or moral in order to "get to heaven" or "avoid hell."<br />
<br />
Here's N.T. Wright succinctly giving the biblical rationale for developing character and virtue, keeping in mind the proper eschatology.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRA_t954tqA">After You Believe</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-3315037493492557732011-08-20T02:03:00.000-04:002011-08-20T11:31:12.068-04:00What Do Most Americans Think Jesus Did?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Codex_Bruchsal_1_01v_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Codex_Bruchsal_1_01v_cropped.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>I find this fascinating. On one of the blog sites I follow via RSS, the Friendly Atheist, the author shared a video of a secular Jew telling what she knows about Jesus' life by piecing together bits from Christmas stories specials (which I admit, I haven't seen many of, if at all...) and the trailer for the Passion of the Christ. Here's a link to the page: <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/08/19/a-secular-jew-explains-the-new-testament/">A Secular Jew Explains the New Testament</a><br />
<br />
Now, before perhaps a Christian shrugs it off before looking at: Yes, I know it's a semi-impromptu synopsis of the Gospels and NOT the New Testament, but just remember, the blogger Hemant's expertise isn't in the biblical texts. And that's fair enough since he doesn't claim to be (and I take his comment "Sounds perfect to me" to just be him being facetious, hence the :)). And just think, how well do most Christians know the Gospels beyond several snippets?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>If I had more free time or could organize some people to do this: <b>Interview</b> people at random in public places, and ask them what they know of Jesus or any biblical stories and topics, Christian or not. (If you know a site or have seen a video where this was done, send me the link!)<br />
<br />
So this is what Jamie basically lays out (and I think it's decently representative of what the general American public "knows"): <i>As a caveat, I'm recounting what she said, not what the Gospels say!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<b>Part 1) </b>The virgin Mary gives birth to Jesus, some "star" magically appears at Bethlehem, the Magi visit with gifts like frankincense and myrrh (amazing how many know that, and not other details!). Overall, Jesus has a humble birth (she says born in hay).<br />
<br />
<b>Part 2)</b> Then once Jesus is grown up he turns water into wine at a wedding sometime. Then basically he travels around with outsiders, including prostitutes as he heals people and tells parables or stories. Jamie knew something about the woman caught in adultery (we'll leave the account of Solomon and the babies out for now).<br />
<br />
<b>Part 3) </b>The way Jamie put it, Jesus started a "new religion" as he gained popularity. So for whatever reason, the Romans become angry and jealous, so they crucify him. But the next day he rises from the dead and there's a dinner to celebrate.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not going to point by point show how nearly all of this is a <b>caricature or distortion</b> of the Gospel stories. I mean, how can anyone properly describe what Jesus did without using the word <b>kingdom</b>? Anyways, this is what I took away from seeing this video.<br />
<br />
We as Christians need to take the Gospels <b>seriously</b>. We need to immerse ourselves in those narratives (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and let the authors speak, and not already assume we know what they're going to say. Leaders in the Church have a responsibility to in some way enable their people to experience the Gospels for themselves, and not do injustice to them by giving people only a synopsis or "highlights." Perhaps certain traditions in Christianity have focused more on Paul's letters where the "meaty theology" is found, and in practice treated the Gospels as basically a collection of neat anecdotes and illustrations.<br />
<br />
Also, this illustrates how the Gospels are NOT independent stories that don't need any historical and literary (canonical) contexts to interpret them correctly. In other words, when you remove the Israelite context <i>(the people God formed through Abraham to restore God's fallen creation, and the promises and covenant Yahweh made through Moses and the Prophets)</i>, and when you are totally ignorant of the historical situation (<i>1st century Palestine and the ongoing exile of the covenant people</i>), the Gospels make little to no sense. How could they? At best you might "glean" some <b>moral or ethical</b> <b>anecdotes </b>here and there, akin to Aesop's Fables, but not much more. And, of course, Christianity is NOT a system of ethics and morality. How shallow that would be, but that's a post for another day...<br />
<br />
Said from another angle, if you don't see Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels becoming Israel's king Messiah and embodying Yahweh through his life, death, and resurrection to fulfill Israel's redeeming and restoring purposes for God's world, then you're <b>completely </b>missing what the Gospel writers are saying.<br />
<br />
So here's a question for my readers: What's desperately missing in Jamie's synopsis that you would include in telling anyone what Jesus did?<br />
<br />
UPDATE:<br />
I commented on the post at Friendly Atheist a few times with a sentence and a link, but for some reason it keeps being deleted. I was looking forward to a response to comment by Jamie or Hemant, but oh well.<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-29992776409256206172011-08-19T16:03:00.000-04:002011-08-19T16:03:34.374-04:00Machine Gun PreacherThanks goes to my brother Stephen for sharing this:<br />
<a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/machinegunpreacher/"> http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/machinegunpreacher/ </a><br />
<br />
Now, I know nothing at all beyond the trailer. But I have a few questions to throw out there:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/MachineGunPreacherPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/MachineGunPreacherPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a>Does this show what a genuine faith could look like which takes the good news to heart that God created and redeemed this world through the work of Israel's Messiah Jesus, and through his Spirit he sets people apart (sanctifies) to be part of his restoring purposes?<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Does this insult or denigrate Africans in that they need the help of seemingly <b>one American </b>to fix their problems (implying that they themselves don't realize people need places to sleep or that they can't make them on their own)?<br />
<br />
What is the situation like in Sudan, and what is being done or can be done better to heal the pain and violence happening there?<br />
<br />
Is Gerard Butler joining (or has joined) the ranks of the handsome, yet rugged actor whom women fancy and men want to be? (Hey, I'm just throwing it out there...)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-73672118578281862262011-08-19T15:49:00.000-04:002011-08-19T15:49:49.162-04:00Craigs Evans on the "Third Quest" of Jesus StudiesIf you're interested in what's been called the "Third Quest" of Jesus studies, or have never heard of the various "Quests," you'll find this short interview with Craig Evans interesting:<br />
<a href="http://nearemmaus.com/2011/07/28/the-future-of-historical-jesus-studies/">The Future of Historical Jesus Studies</a>.<br />
<br />
This is something N.T. Wright covers as well in detail in volume 2 of his Magnum Opus, "Jesus and the Victory of God" (isn't that an awesome title?). It's a book I'd highly recommend to anyone who wants to check out the Gospels in a fresh perspective, while looking at the big narrative picture in the Bible and incorporating much of what we know from modern Jesus research and Second Temple sources we've now discovered in the past century.<br />
<br />
I've attached an Amazon link below if you want to give it a look:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bibleim-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0800626826" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-47793166928459312382011-08-19T15:37:00.001-04:002011-08-19T15:38:21.355-04:00What Did Jesus Look Like?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/bt_assets/system/idea_thumbnails/39516/original/Rembrandt_Head_of_Christ_PMA_crop.jpg?1311990811" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/bt_assets/system/idea_thumbnails/39516/original/Rembrandt_Head_of_Christ_PMA_crop.jpg?1311990811" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I say an article about a week back about Rembrandt's painting(s) of Jesus on Veith's blog (<a href="http://www.geneveith.com/2011/08/11/rembrandt-the-face-of-jesus/">The Face of Jesus</a>). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's interesting to me is two things, and they both are related. One, how different people in different ages and countries have depicted Jesus in art. I think it's healthy and good to have Jesus looking different, aka, not ALWAYS a 1st century Galiliean (though those are probably my favorite ones...). This personalizes him and can move people to engage the good news with their senses. Of course, the good news itself that Jesus is Lord and God raised him from the dead is God's power (Romans 1), but that power works psychologically and through our senses. </span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two, the comment quoted in the blog that: <i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">From the earliest days of Christianity up until Rembrandt’s 17th century, the idea of portraying Jesus as human reeked of blasphemy. Iconoclasts often violently repressed any attempts to portray Christ as anything less than fully, perfectly divine."</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He might be right overall, but I'd like to see his sources for non-iconoclast Christians. Certainly the Reformers (16th century and beyond) did NOT share that sentiment. As Veith stated:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">I would add that it isn’t just that Rembrandt’s pictures of Jesus show Him as “human.” They affect us more than that. They depict Him as human while also being divine. They are personal rather than impersonal. I ascribe that to the <b>Reformation understanding</b> of Christ and the Gospel, that Jesus is “for you.”</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">There's always a careful balance to be made in not over-stressing Jesus' "divine nature" (aka, the way in which he embodied Yahweh and carried out Yahweh's promises, and also thereby replaced the Temple and its cultus) and his "human nature" (how Jesus was born and raised as a true human being, like any one of us).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are your favorite images or pictures of Jesus? Why?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-8953204736486355392011-08-14T14:57:00.005-04:002011-08-15T11:08:10.343-04:00The KJV, Tyndale, and Translating the Good News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/William_Tyndale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/William_Tyndale.jpg" width="263" /></a>The infamous N.T. Wright recently presented a paper in London at the International SBL conference on Bible Translation. I've given the link here: <a href="http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_SBL_Monarchs_Message.htm">N.T. Wright SBL Monarch's Message</a>.<br />
<br />
This is a must read for <b>anyone</b> involved in the current dialog and debates about which Bible translation(s) to use, and whoever has interest into the story and development of the 1611 King James Bible.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I agree with most, if not all of his points, including his point that people should be comfortable with multiple translations, and that there are so many "layers" to give in a translation, that no one can do it good enough.<br />
<br />
Check it out and let me know what you think! I'll be pondering this for a while, no doubt, and I can't wait to get my hands on his own translation (not to mention get a couple of his "For Everyone" New Testament commentary series).<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bibleim-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0062064916" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-44835308160286952712011-08-13T01:04:00.000-04:002011-08-13T01:04:44.946-04:00That's not in the Bible...Have any one of you "liturgical" guys out there found yourselves in a similar discussion?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wabashakelloggparishes.org/images/Liturgy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://www.wabashakelloggparishes.org/images/Liturgy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLutheranSatire#p/u/22/tFX8i8RQPEU">Talking With Biblicists</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-66778474787185415992011-08-12T00:57:00.002-04:002011-08-12T01:01:31.686-04:00Quite the Useful Term, Christianism<a href="http://equalmarriagenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/politics-of-jesus-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://equalmarriagenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/politics-of-jesus-button.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I just may be slow, but I came across the term "Christianism" in a recent blog post and it caught my eye. The link is here: <a href="http://theamericanscene.com/2011/08/11/hcristianism-redux">CHRISTIANISM REDUX</a>. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The concise definition he gives is: "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19px;"><i>the fusion of politics and religion for the advancement of political goals.</i>" Nifty, eh?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, generally speaking, calling most things an "-ism" is a convenient and quite often pejorative way to overgeneralize and brush off opposing arguments. However, this is a useful term I will start using since it's so dominant in American politics and in my opinion, to be avoided in the Church (<i>una sancta </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for you "dogmatophiles" out there). In other words, I think it's something most people "get," and therefore can be useful for discussion.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also, if you're wondering what my view is on this, keep in mind my thoughts from a previous post, <a href="http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-jesus-kingdom-political.html">Is Jesus' Kingdom Political?</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-70144144118590515002011-08-12T00:25:00.010-04:002011-08-12T00:44:37.688-04:00Has the New Atheist Movement Fizzled Out?<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Alister_McGrath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Alister_McGrath.jpg" width="143" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a sort of follow-up to my previous post on New Atheism, <a href="http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/06/naive-epistemology-of-new-atheist.html">The Naive Epistemology of the New Atheist Movement</a>, a recent book was published by Anglican priest Alister McGrath on the sort of "fizzling" of the New Atheist movement. I've only read excerpts, but it looks promising! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I mean, I have noticed personally that on several (by several, I mean 20+) of the prominent "atheist" blogs (which for the time will remain nameless) I regularly follow that the bloggers tend to keep repeating the same basic ideas, and thereby not really advance much discussion or ideas...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is a link to a concise review:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://biblicalstudiesorguk.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-review-why-god-wont-go-away-by.html?">Book Review: "Why Won't God Go Away" by Alister McGrath</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you're interested in purchasing a copy, please use my conveniently placed Amazon.com link below:</span><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=bibleim-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=084994645X&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-39730082964536694182011-08-10T14:13:00.001-04:002011-08-10T14:15:05.541-04:00Quote of the Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxH7Fan-0qK9oj3RO07XEf2cw3bI3gK6zSm7rnZHSevgxv1EC5C_QIeAold05zWrvzF5nlamG023ZwwvTnX_Ptmvz1OEMNlrN8U8jDPVVJVXABHrFnXG-1a642_3MQ7tPSKUtJOKHjYvE/s1600/Funny+pic+of+a+dog+begging+or+praying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxH7Fan-0qK9oj3RO07XEf2cw3bI3gK6zSm7rnZHSevgxv1EC5C_QIeAold05zWrvzF5nlamG023ZwwvTnX_Ptmvz1OEMNlrN8U8jDPVVJVXABHrFnXG-1a642_3MQ7tPSKUtJOKHjYvE/s400/Funny+pic+of+a+dog+begging+or+praying.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">'When Luther's puppy [n. 116, Luther's dog Tölpel is mentioned again and again in his "Table Talk".] happened to be at the table, looked for a morsel from his master, and watched with open mouth and motionless eyes, he [Martin Luther] said, "Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Luther's Works, Volume 54, Table Talk (Philadelphia: 1967), pp. 37, 38. May 18, 1532</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-76270657482030848412011-08-10T02:22:00.005-04:002011-08-12T11:50:31.406-04:00NNIV, Good or Bad? Why?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://peculiarpilgrim.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/bible-languages-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://peculiarpilgrim.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/bible-languages-600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but here we go!<br />
<br />
I've been following many blogs and comments on the NNIV (or the NIV 2011), and there's a little love, but a lot of hate. And personally, as I've stated in a previous post (http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/06/some-other-blog-comments-on-niv2011.html), I haven't been in the habit of reading any Bible <b>translation</b> in general (I read the Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). So it's hard for me to get behind many who strongly favor this or that translation, because all of them fall so short in so many ways.<br />
<br />
Actually, the more I look at the NET (http://bible.org/netbible/index.htm), the more I like that one. But that's a post for another day. This is what gets me. A lot of people saying in general why they don't like the NNIV without giving compelling specific verses. Many just cite "gender neutral language" or "obscures messianic prophecies," etc.<br />
<br />
This post is my invitation to all the list ONE specific verse (or a few passages, I suppose, if necessary. But be <b>CONCISE!!!</b>) that the NNIV treats exceptionally well or exceptionally bad. Then we can look at it and get some discussion going. Let's see how this goes...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-7360465868436628852011-08-09T01:37:00.000-04:002011-08-09T01:37:03.035-04:00You, Only You, Have I Wronged - Psalm 51<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn1.pastorgraphics.com/thumbs/14545_Psalm_51_t_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://cdn1.pastorgraphics.com/thumbs/14545_Psalm_51_t_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You can't read through the Psalter without reflecting on this gem here.<br />
<br />
Psalm 51 is used heavily in the liturgy, and given King David's awful spiral of lust, adultery, and murder, this Psalm gives us a vivid setting (2 Samuel 11-12) to contemplate how a man so great and after God's own heart went so wrong.<br />
<br />
First off, notice how David quickly admits his multi-faceted wrong. He doesn't say, "Change my circumstances." He says, "Change me." He says this because his evil self, the natural self which doesn't have God's renewing Spirit, is conceived in sin and is rotten to the core.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The verb used in 51:10 for "create" is that same verb used in Creation. It's something new and majestic that only God can do. Only God can truly deal with evil and turn us from our ways, and he accomplished that when Jesus the Messiah lived, died, and rose to become the saving king of the world.<br />
<br />
One other thing I should mention is the ending. Many have a tendency to see this as a sort of tack-on or afterthought, but I think it's essential to the whole Psalm. Jerusalem was the city where God chose to have his name dwell and his temple be founded. The temple was where heaven and earth met and where God's Instruction (Torah) and saving power was found. David's restoration is intricately linked to the temple's restoration. And it's only because the one greater than even the temple, Yahweh in the flesh, Jesus, accomplished his purpose to fulfill Israel's destiny of restoring, redeeming, and renewing all creation are we forgiven and made heirs and rulers over a kingdom from heaven. How cool is that?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-46401584369664816162011-07-26T22:13:00.000-04:002011-07-26T22:13:39.271-04:00World Trade Center Cross - Should It Stay?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you haven't heard, recently a steel beam cross has been erected at the site of the World Trade Center as a memorial. It's set to become a permanent exhibit at the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. So the American Atheists have filed a formal complaint to have the cross removed (<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/07/26/new.york.wtc.cross/index.html#ixzz1TEMlu4Qq?is_LR=1">Atheist group wants to stop World Trade Center cross</a>).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/911site_cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/911site_cross.jpg" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, proponents claim the cross wasn't chosen because it represents Christianity, but because the symbol "provided comfort to so many people - it is a part of the history of the space." - Joe Daniels, President of the Memorial Foundation. As an interesting point, the cross-shaped girder was left standing in the midst of the wreckage, which is the why the symbol has gained fame (which makes sense given how buildings are constructed).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> He also went on to state that steel girders of other Eastern religious symbols would be part of the museum as well. Plus, p</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">roponents have stated that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">no complaints or concerns were filed during the discussion process. Does that matter here?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This has to do with the issue I brought up in my previous post of an "atheocracy" <a href="http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/07/americas-atheocracy.html">America's Atheocracy?</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Should the government be indifferent towards religious expression in the public sphere, or should it seek to squelch religion expression in the public sphere? What do you think? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How is an American Christian to view this?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-49373828835225605912011-07-26T21:47:00.004-04:002011-07-26T21:51:31.806-04:00Have Me Know, Yahweh, My End and The Measurement of My Days - Psalm 39<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ingodsimage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Future-Next-Exit-Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://www.ingodsimage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Future-Next-Exit-Sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I don't have anything particularly profound to say about this Psalm, but when I read it yesterday and used it as my morning prayer it reminded me of this: I can't wait to immerse my own kids (future kids at this point) in the biblical texts and have them know the Psalter well.<br />
<br />
There's so many good reasons that the Psalter has always been popular, but one is that there's a psalm, it seems, for every sentiment and every situation in life. How many young people today seriously contemplate their end? How many think about their death, and linked to that what or whom there hope is in?<br />
<br />
What are other reasons you enjoy (or maybe don't enjoy!) the Psalter?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-28833531860548539082011-07-21T17:57:00.004-04:002011-07-21T18:22:14.012-04:00Michele Bachmann and the Antichrist Fiasco<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Signorelli-Antichrist_and_the_devil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Signorelli-Antichrist_and_the_devil.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not really sure what to say about the recent media and blog storm over Michele Bachmann and former membership in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), but due to the number of emails and comments I've received and been asked to give, I figured I've say my two cents here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First of all, this is purely political, and I think most people realize this. But what makes this more ridiculous is the fact that this is about a church body she LEFT prior to taking office and isn't a hot-button issue. People brought up similar discrepancies, to say the least, between President Obama's (former?) church, and obviously high profile politicians like Vice President Biden and Representative Pelosi belong CURRENTLY to churches with whom their politics don't agree (the Catholic Church declares homosexuality and abortion to be sinful). It's actually quite ironic that members of their party would lambaste a republican hopeful for saying the Pope is wrong...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But anyways, she hasn't shown demonstrably "anti-Catholic" behavior, and she left the church body years before her presidential campaign began. So it should be a mute point, but that's national politics for you, I suppose.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The reason it's a point at all is because I think many picture "The Antichrist" to be a political figure akin to the Left Behind Series who's bent on world domination and the like, and not an office or position the Bible warns about. I'm not going to go into whether or not the Bible teaches this, since that's not the issue here. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't think I'll try to state anything beyond what WELS leaders have said in regards to this fiasco with Michele Bachmann:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">"Some people have this vision of a little devil running around with horns and red pointy ears. Luther was clear that by 'Antichrist' [he meant] anybody who puts himself up in place of Christ. Luther never bought the idea of the Pope being God's voice in today's world. He believed Scripture is God's word....[this belief ] has never been one of our driving principles." - Joel Hochmuth, Communications Director</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">We respect the right of people to hold beliefs different from ours even as we point out the error...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Testifying to the errors that still exist in Catholic doctrine is itself an expression of love." - WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And of course, the being a Lutheran at least nominally means adhering to the Lutheran Confessions (statements of belief based on the Bible and the Bible alone), in which they state in a section of Part II, Article IV of the Smalcald Articles (sorry to get technical on you. For a more complete treatment, read the whole article): </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">"Haec doctrina praeclara ostendit papam essem ipsum verum antichristum, qui supra et contra Christum sese extulit et evexit, quando-quidem Christianos non vult esse salvos sine sua potestate, quae tamen nihil est et a Deo nec ordinata nec mandata est. Hoc proprie loquendo est se efferre supra et contra Deum, sicut Paul 2 Thess. 2,4 loquitur." </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">"<i>This teaching so clearly shows that the Pope is THE very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above and positioned himself against Christ, seeing that he does not allow Christians to be saved without his power, a power which, in any case, is nothing and neither ordained nor commanded by God. This is, properly speaking, to raise yourself up above and against God, just as Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:4."</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Andrew Sullivan send from the Daily Beast:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">"Michele Bachmann used to be a pretty conservative Lutheran. Which means she's not a Roman Catholic and her church is not likely to be impressed by the Bishop of Rome. Big deal! Next: Red Sox fans disagree with Yankee fans. Amazing!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think also of Luther's ending words from the Diet of Worms in 1521 in which the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor commanded him to recant or have a price put on your head (execution, basically):</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">"Weil Eure kaiserliche Majestät, kurfürstliche und fürstliche Gnaden eine einfache und richtige Antwort wünschen, so will ich sie auch ohne Hintergedanken geben: Überzeugt mich mit den Zeugnissen der Heiligen Schrift, oder mit öffentlichen, klaren und hellen Gründen, also mit den Bibelworten und Argumenten, die von mir beigebracht worden sind. Denn die Autorität von Papst und Konzilien allein überzeugt mich nicht, da sie offenkundig oft geirrt und gegen Schrift und Vernunft gestanden haben. Nur wenn mein Gewissen in Gottes Wort gefangen ist, will ich widerrufen. Denn es ist nicht geraten, etwas gegen das Gewissen zu tun. Gott helfe mir, Amen. "</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Since your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns or teeth. Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason (I do not believe in the authority of either popes or councils by themselves, for it is plain that they have often erred and contradicted</span></i> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below are other articles I've read for more information and interesting points:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.wels.net/news-events/wels-view-scripture-alone-0</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.jsonline.mobi/125779863.html</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/07/michele-bachmann-the-antichrist.html</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://sharkandshepherd.blogspot.com/2011/07/silliness-on-wels-and-bachmann.html</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/07/michele-bachmanns-church-says-the-pope-is-the-antichrist/241909/</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-56036531330762815872011-07-20T23:13:00.000-04:002011-07-20T23:13:03.348-04:00Come, Let Us Reason Together<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Aleijadinho91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Aleijadinho91.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>So for my personal Bible reading, I've chosen to go with year B, which has a general focus on <b>Evaluation. </b>This year has some big hitter books since it follows the major prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and has Job, along with Romans following. The main reason I'm doing year B now is because this upcoming year at the seminary I will be having classes on both Isaiah and Romans. So I'd like to know at least dominate the Hebrew and Greek by the time we read them in class.<br />
<br />
I have to say, so far in reading<b> Isaiah</b>, it's starting to become my favorite book. It might just be my<b> favorite</b> by the end...In a general way Isaiah seems to crystallize very vividly themes that occur throughout the Bible (and imagery!), and give a complete picture of what the biblical texts are about from sin and rebuke, to grace and forgiveness, from judgement to mercy, kingdom and covenant, new heavens and new earth, it's all there. I almost feel that it gives you the grand overview picture of "Act 3 Israel" as I have it on my page <a href="http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/p/about-bible.html">http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/p/about-bible.html</a>.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Any scholar or pastor would admit it's a daunting book, and I like that. It's the second most quoted in the New Testament and a favorite in Second Temple Jewish literature for a reason. It's vivid. It's beautiful. It's mysterious. It gets to the heart of the matter. Israel, specifically Judah in many parts, failed to be God's light for the world. They failed to keep his covenant. But forgiveness is promised for the remnant one day, along with national and cosmic judgement of sin and injustice. God <b>IS</b> going to fulfill his covenant to Abraham in <i>some </i>way (I leave this vague on purpose...).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-82557113476002676112011-07-06T10:20:00.001-04:002011-07-06T12:10:57.250-04:00America's Atheocracy?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not sure if the author coined the term or not, but I read an interesting article by Denver Bishop <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">James D. Conley where he used the term "atheocracy." The article is found here, </span></span><a href="http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/07/americarsquos-atheocracy">http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/07/americarsquos-atheocracy</a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://peacearoundtheworld.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/coexist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="89" src="http://peacearoundtheworld.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/coexist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I share here a few excerpts:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; line-height: 21px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">But as we celebrate this Fourth of July, we need to recognize that some of the deepest problems in our public life can be traced to our collective neglect of America’s great founding document.<br />
</span></i></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Declaration establishes our common self-identity as Americans. It tells us that we are one nation under God, a people who believe that all men and women have God-given rights. It tells us that government exists for no other purpose than to defend and promote these rights. All this we find in the Declaration’s preamble, which still has the power to stir us.<br />
<br />
<strong>America’s founders never intended to establish a religious government, let alone a theocracy. </strong>In fact, just the opposite. They specifically disallowed any state-sanctioned religion. Yet the government they did establish was founded on theistic, if not explicitly Christian, principles. </span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; line-height: 21px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; line-height: 21px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>America today is becoming what I call an atheocracy</strong>—a society that is actively hostile to religious faith and religious believers. </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; line-height: 21px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; line-height: 21px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Our atheocracy has rejected what Chesterton called the dogmatic basis of American identity and liberties. An atheocracy has no ultimate truths to guide it and no inviolable ethical principles by which to direct political activity. Hence, it has no foundation upon which to establish justice, secure true freedom or to constrain tyrants.<br />
<br />
We see the consequences of this atheocratic mindset everywhere. We see it most clearly in the case of legalized abortion. Denying the divine origins of the human person, our government has withdrawn the law’s protection from unborn children in the womb—the most absolutely innocent and defenseless members of our human family.<br />
<br />
The legal extermination of the unborn is only the most egregious offense against God’s law. In fact, there is apparently no area of life over which our atheocratic government does not feel omni-competent—that government knows best. </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">I definitely don't agree with everything he OR his opponents say, but it's perhaps a useful way to phrase the debate which seems to only be carried out in short video segments or angry protesters chanting cliche lines. Do we want a government that's ambivalent to any religion, or one that's actively opposed to all religions (atheocracy)? For example, should we let any politician be whatever religion he wants, or should we demand all be atheists (a stark way to put it, I know. But you get my point)? Should we let any religion express themselves on public property, or no religion at all?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Given my previous post on the political side of Christianity (<a href="http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-jesus-kingdom-political.html">http://bibleimmersion.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-jesus-kingdom-political.html</a>), I would argue that most people today wouldn't even recognize a <i>biblical </i>theocracy, because I'm not sure the biblical authors, let alone most of non-modern Western world, would understand the "neat" categories of sacred/personal/civil etc. Now don't get me wrong. I think quite often it's useful to make these distinctions, but we shouldn't think of them of strict lines in the sand. The relationship between them all is blurry and messy when it comes around to concretely applying these abstract principles.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The main goal of Jesus' parables in the Gospels was to redefine what kingdom means as paradoxically through the cross he became king and has been given "all authority in heaven <i>and on earth</i>." I'm going to stick my neck out, but I think that saying, "Well, no Jesus. You rule in heaven, sure, but on earth only in people's hearts" is dangerously close to Gnosticism.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-11813713936700286282011-06-28T08:38:00.002-04:002011-06-28T08:45:47.411-04:00Fourth of July HiatusAs you can tell, I'm taking a little<b> hiatus</b> because I'm on<b> vacation</b> to see my family back in Columbus, Ohio for the 4th of July and to be in one of my best friend's <b>wedding</b>.<br />
<br />
I'm keeping up the reading (always do), but I'll post later to sort of wrap up (maybe after Acts is finished...) some of what I didn't post on in detail. I suppose that by doing this I'm trying to illustrate a proper balance of the Bible's teaching of<b> vocation</b>, which is basically that each of us are called to serve God with our lives in a variety of different callings (husband, student, brother, worker, etc.) which God gives us wisdom and guidance to balance, and it has NOTHING to do with being lazy, of course...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oqPDzFbIBhNw9bmpnKv14YOr2jMwZHz_r91GD2tSfOpuoJj4tlHYSkCFKgKYERPuW7M8mJ7Q4rElkU5-GVgHvhlSV6fSX-C7xra_ep94WdeUQfopA58QqF2MDxoEx1hqbZELRcKnWyZ_/s1600/stm4c2baed20a0af20100630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oqPDzFbIBhNw9bmpnKv14YOr2jMwZHz_r91GD2tSfOpuoJj4tlHYSkCFKgKYERPuW7M8mJ7Q4rElkU5-GVgHvhlSV6fSX-C7xra_ep94WdeUQfopA58QqF2MDxoEx1hqbZELRcKnWyZ_/s400/stm4c2baed20a0af20100630.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>May God bless your reading as well! And I might post an article or two if something of note occurs...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604353108073839990.post-12483573371175131722011-06-25T15:24:00.002-04:002011-06-25T15:54:15.697-04:00Is Jesus' Kingdom Political?<div>Joel at Unsettled Christianity made a great post about the political implications of our Baptism and the Eucharist:</div><div><a href="http://thechurchofjesuschrist.us/2011/06/the-bible-as-a-political-book/">http://thechurchofjesuschrist.us/2011/06/the-bible-as-a-political-book/</a></div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnV_hm_SL0CyPmA-YhvCmx8l265gLHIHYzbemBGjUbCRT-QUZF_daMENVWG1LzDRZ7PqI4s_lQUEczOlXYfmhkSU3D4WgSsdOvx8Q5g3X6qCiyNfWm5MEwV5NCgzv_RdDfvDwnh3L1gvk/s1600/Christ_and_emperors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnV_hm_SL0CyPmA-YhvCmx8l265gLHIHYzbemBGjUbCRT-QUZF_daMENVWG1LzDRZ7PqI4s_lQUEczOlXYfmhkSU3D4WgSsdOvx8Q5g3X6qCiyNfWm5MEwV5NCgzv_RdDfvDwnh3L1gvk/s320/Christ_and_emperors.jpg" width="320" /></a>Now, I of course wouldn't <i>limit </i>Baptism the Eucharist to what he states there (nor do I think he would, either). However, as he's getting at, I think too often there's been this tendency in Christianity<b> today</b> to think, "God's up there in heaven doing his thing and preparing a place for me while I'm down trying to get as many people to come with me as possible."<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div><div class="MsoNormal">Is that really the meaning of the<b> Lord's Prayer</b> when Christians pray, "Your kingdom come, you will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven?" Did many Jewish authorities <i>totally </i>misunderstand Paul's good news (political emperor language) when they said he proclaimed there to be another king besides Caesar (Acts 17:7)? Do we <i>ever</i> see Paul speaking like that in Acts on his missionary journeys? Would a 1st century Judean really understand our modern Western distinctions of religious/political/social? Does it even make sense to call the Pharisees and Sadducees just religious groups? In John 18:36, did not Jesus say to Pilate, “My kingdom is not from this world?” (not “of” as many suppose. The Greek preposition is <span lang="EL">εκ</span>, “out of.” So the sense is origin, not locality, thus stating, “My kingdom is here, but it’s not the type of kingdom that comes from this world.”)? These are questions to wrestle with.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now to be clear, I’m not insinuating that we should <i>limit</i> Christianity to merely a<b> social</b> sphere (like an international charity or elite club), a<b> political</b> sphere (much of the American “Religious Right,” a political party, or the Papacy in which the Church becomes the kingdom of this world), or a <b>religious</b> sphere (place for meditation and praise to supernatural beings).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What I <i>am</i> insinuating is that the <i>Church</i> (<i>una sancta </i>for you Dogmaticians) doesn’t fit squarely into any one of these categories (which isn’t meant to be exhaustive) because it’s <b>all encompassing</b>. Ever since Jesus ascended and became enthroned as <b>king</b> (Christ) over all powers and authorities (the message of Ascension Day), he began the work of <b>new creation</b>, of creating the “new heavens and new earth” (his resurrection from the dead was the “firstfruits” and occurred on “the first day of the week,” which sounds a bit like Genesis 1 language…) which will <i>fully</i> come to fruition at his return ( which doesn’t involve his people leaving, but his coming to them like the New Jerusalem in Revelation descending <i>from </i>heaven <i>to </i>earth) in power and glory. But as I said, the reality of it has been brought to the present through Jesus’ resurrection and through his Spirit which he pours out on his people. </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3318479181041630";
/* Every Post Bible Immersion */
google_ad_slot = "2993210398";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>BigDavz0rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180842109233178736noreply@blogger.com2