Jess the Intern and Philip the Page show off their costuming skills for Zoe’s play, Christian talks about his new job with Crowd Scribed, and Amy can’t remember her Fear of the Week… again. I guess the world just isn’t nearly as scary as it used to be? In the echo chamber, the crew discusses the … Read more about Lobster Hands, World Vision and Raising Babies (CultureCast)
Day 13: Poetic Language About God
I am constantly struck by the complications of talking about God and faith. In this chapter Tony tells an amazing tale about coming to a realization about how he thinks about his faith. The words that we use are very powerful in forming our experience. They not only help us interpret our … Read more about Day 13: Poetic Language About God
Day 4: Be Not Synced With The World
In chapter 4 of Neighbors and Wisemen, Tony introduces the big word syncretism. This is something that I wrote pages and pages about in my Master Thesis. I went back and found a part where I utilized the work of our recently deceased friend and teacher Richard Twiss. Here is part of … Read more about Day 4: Be Not Synced With The World
When did America become like God? or Who would die for their country?
Charles Taylor, in his book Modern Social Imaginaries, utilizes the term ‘social imaginary’ to refer to god-like capacity described by Benedict Anderson in Imagined Communities. The term encompasses a threefold meaning: First is the way that ordinary people “imagine” their surroundings in … Read more about When did America become like God? or Who would die for their country?
The Pornography of Fundamentalism
- by Bo Sanders Normally I try to be as generous, welcoming and irenic as possible. One of my favorite slogans actually comes from my venerable partner Tripp Fuller at Big Tent 1 when he said that the ‘tent’ should be big enough for every former incarnation of ourself ... but I was never a … Read more about The Pornography of Fundamentalism
Mitt Romney started in the middle
Republican (presumptive) nominee Mitt Romney got in some hot water this week in a visit to Israel. He told Jewish donors Monday that their culture is part of what has allowed them to be more economically successful than the Palestinians, outraging Palestinian leaders who suggested his comments … Read more about Mitt Romney started in the middle
I am not a pacifist nor am I non-violent
In anticipation of recording a TNT (Theology Nerd Throw-Down) tomorrow afternoon in which Tripp and I will deal with J.R. Daniel Kirk’s blog post about violence and the gospel, I thought it would be good to put all my cards on the table. Kirk is one of our favorite New Testament scholars and one … Read more about I am not a pacifist nor am I non-violent
Jesus and His (S)words
Jesus tells his disciples to sell their bags and buy swords. Why? And why then does he reprimand Peter for using a blade at the moment when it seemed to be most appropriate? Was Jesus being inconsistent? Did he change his mind in the moment? Was it a test? Did he set Peter up to fail? Why did he … Read more about Jesus and His (S)words
Violence in the Hunger Games
Writing a paper on Globalization calls for a serious study break and tonight I headed to the opening day of the Hunger Games. There are three things that you should know about my movie going experience: My theater is one block from UCLA and I appeared to be the oldest person in the theatre. LA … Read more about Violence in the Hunger Games
Bending the Spectrum: Occupy the Tea Party
I have never been a big fan of ‘spectrum’ thinking. The language of far left and far right just rings hollow for me. It is insufficient for the most part and in the end, inaccurate. I read the book The Argument Culture by Deborah Tannen more than a decade ago and said out loud “Oh! So THAT is … Read more about Bending the Spectrum: Occupy the Tea Party
War and Weight Watchers
On this holiday when we remember those who served and died, there are so many interesting things that get presented and portrayed in regards to our national storyline. Some of them are valiant and deep, others are pithy and cliched. There is one, however, that gets used pretty flippantly and … Read more about War and Weight Watchers