2008’s Greatest Hits in My Mind
January 1, 2009
Albums
5. Jon Foreman: Limbs And Branches
1. Counting Crows: Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings
Theology Books (by subject)
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Darwin and the Evolution of Religion?
December 31, 2008
David Sloan Wilson’s book and article in the NYT has initiated an important discussion for the church - namely how are we to understand God, creation, biological life, and religion in dialogue with the best contemporary scientific thought. Wilson, a biologist and atheist, describes how he understands religion within the evolutionary process and while I enjoyed the interview and the question being posed I found his answer as reductionistic as many from various theological streams. For example, certain Barthians will understand religion as a category to be reviled and rejected as the product of human projection (via Feuerbach) but the Christian faith to be exempt to this criticism due to the self-revelation of God in the person and work of Jesus. At first it could be odd to think Wilson’s conclusions about religion to be similar to those of certain Barthians, but both use a very narrow definition of religion in order to reject it and assert their own interpretation of reality. Of course both could respond and say, “It’s not my interpretation, it is the revealed truth of God in history” or “It’s not my interpretation, it is the most valid construction of the empirical facts.”
I agree with Barthian’s who confess that there is something particular in the revelation of God in Christ, but not in the rejection of religion as a whole - even Wilson notes some of religion’s important functions in human history. I also agree with Wilson that religion has and will continue to change or transform through human history, it is indeed (at least in part) a construct of human existential needs and desires that is described and practiced through human communities and with human language. That religion is really human however, shouldn’t be a threat to religion and our response as a people of faith doesn’t need to be either a rejection of the scientific endeavor nor a blanket acceptance of a scientific interpretation that we try to cram God into. All truth is God’s truth and all our claims to it - scientific and religious - are partial and more or less functional. A more functional religious interpretation of the world will engage and be transformed by the best science but in doing so I think we will find there is much we can say about religion than Wilson imagines.
Drew has a great blog post on the article you should all check out and so does Pastor Bob. Of course there was this cool podcast I would recomend.
Posted in science, www stuff 1 Comment »
Tillich’s “Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality”
December 26, 2008
Elgin did not want to leave my lap last night so we read through a favorite Paul Tillich book of mine from undergrad. It is a short book, 85 pages, based on a lecture series he gave where he connected the philosophical quest with the heart of Biblical religion. He concludes the last lecture by saying, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the God of the philosophers is the same God. He is a person and the negation of himself as a person.” The discussion that arrived there is a good one and a fun read for the interested, but everyone will probably enjoy this one:
The basic error of fundamentalism is that it overlooks the contribution of the receptive side in the revelatory situation and consequently identifies one individual and conditioned form of receiving the divine with the divine itself.
Posted in books, quotes 2 Comments »
John Cobb on the Incarnation and its Theological Predicaments: Homebrewed Christianity ep. 38
December 23, 2008
John Cobb joins us this week for a fun and fascinating conversation on the incarnation, Christology, consumerism, philosophy, and advent. Cobb is one of the premier theologians of the 20th century with interests ranging from Christology to sustainable economies. He is the most noted voice in Process theology and is invested in articulating a constructive postmodernism for the church. This conversation continues what we started last week with Leron Shults, so hopefully you will enjoy both episodes and find a friend for a good Homebrewed conversation on the incarnation this season.
- If you have a question for John Cobb, send it to him.
- A good summary of his theology.
- Find out more about Process Theology here.
- Listen to Cobb give a Biblical Intro to Process Theology
- Huge and free collection of Cobb writings
John Cobb on the Incarnation and its Theological Predicaments: Homebrewed Christianity ep. 38 [42:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Posted in podcast, theology 3 Comments »
Homebrewed Heresy
December 21, 2008
Chad is offically a heretic. One of the emergent heresy head hunter blogs have deemed Chad’s invitation for congregations to become “COOL,” aka energy efficient and green, to be a distraction from the gospel. Hopefully Chad will still be able to sleep at night. If you want to join the heretical movement and help congregations do a better job caring for the earth God gave us, then visit the regeneration project. Here’s the EV post. If you are worried about the state of Chad’s heretical soul, I suggest you call and leave him a message on the HBC podcast hotline: 210-787-1057
UPDATE: Chad is been identified as a hairy-tick by another heresy hunting website. The comment section is funny or very scary.
Posted in emergent, life, www stuff 1 Comment »
A Film Festival for the Theologian in each of Us
December 21, 2008
The Whitehead International Film Festival is coming up in January and since I actually live in California I will be able to go this year. It is unique in that it combines the power of film with group theological reflection. Marjorie Suchocki lectured on the Gospel of John and led a theological discussion on eschatology based on a film at my church back in NC a couple years ago. Her choice of film and conversational luring skills was amazing and since then I have wanted to attend the festival - Now I Will. If you are in the SoCal area I hope you will consider it and let me know so we can hangout between films.
Here’s Marjorie giving a YouTube invite.
Posted in conversations, media, theology No Comments »
Coming?: Advent Song 4
December 17, 2008
I just got over a cold, so I haven’t been able to record any new advent songs until today. This is one I wrote a few years ago for the Christmas Eve service at my home church. We pack into a freezing cold barn, sit on barrels of hay, and sing songs between the Christmas story readings. I will definitely be missing the people and the place this Christmas Eve out in Cali. Any way, I think the song is self-explanatory.
Enjoy it Here! (Right Click and ‘Save Link As’ to download)
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Evolutionary Biology and the Incarnation with LeRon Shults: Homebrewed Christianity ep.37
December 17, 2008
The HBC Advent Podcast series keeps picking up more steam by the episode. This week is the first of two podcasts that focus on the theological background of Advent, namely the Incarnation. LeRon Shults is hopefully a familiar name to all those in the blog-o-sphere, because he regularly reveals goodness on the net. In this conversation we discuss a theme developed in a recent book, Christology and Science, the incarnation in dialogue with evolutionary biology. If you are intrigued by conversation tune in next time when we talk to John Cobb for another perspective on the incarnation. Also below there is a link to a variety of responses to Leron’s book and his replies. If something gets your attention in this episode, like his rejection of the virgin birth or Adam\Eve’s historicity as necessary to preserve the full humanity of Jesus, then check the responses out where he explores the criticisms from a variety of perspectives.
LINKS:
- Regeneration Project \ PETITION for Obama to Act on behalf of God’s Creation
- Transforming Compassion Project
- Shults’ Reforming Ecclesiology & Responses to Christology and Science
- Leron’s Explanation of why Emergent Village does NOT have a faith statement
Shults Gets a Bloggon’: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Evolutionary Biology and the Incarnation with LeRon Shults: Homebrewed Christianity ep.37 [44:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Posted in books, emergent, podcast, theology 6 Comments »
Stewart and Huckabee
December 16, 2008
“Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality.” - Prophet Stewart
HT: Leaptrott
Posted in media 3 Comments »
Rowan Williams on Advent
December 15, 2008
I know some of my Episcopal friends have been a little frustrated with having a theologian as the Archbishop of Canterbury, but this is bound to be one of the perks. A very moving and beautiful reflection.
HT: TJ
Posted in www stuff 2 Comments »
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