Monthly Archives: May 2011

Stanley Hauerwas reviews Nicholas Wolterstorff’s recent book ‘Justice: Rights and Wrongs’

Posted on 31/05/2011 by

Inherent rights, disability and the justice of God by Stanley Hauerwas Nicholas Wolterstorff’s Justice: Rights and Wrongs is a major attempt to develop a theory of primary justice as “inherent rights” as an alternative to theories of justice as “right order.”

Posted in Book Reviews, Philosophy, Theology

Good news: Baptist “Bishop” Eddie Long’s church was half empty on the Sunday after he doled out hush money

Posted on 31/05/2011 by

New Birth Missionary Church was half empty on the Sunday after Bishop Eddie Long settled out of court with four young men who accused him of sexual misconduct, according to CNN: The streets that were once choked with traffic are … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism | Tagged , , , ,

“Planking” (the lying down game) — a traditional Christian liturgical practice?

Posted on 30/05/2011 by

Papal planking Nave planking Episcopal planking Evangelical planking According to Wikipedia, ‘Planking is the act of lying face down with arms to the sides of the body, in unusual public spaces and photographing it.  The term “planking” was coined in … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Popular Culture, Society | Tagged , , ,

Even ultra-liberal Canada wasn’t dumb enough to fall for these lying, self-indulgent potheads

Posted on 30/05/2011 by

Updated: ‘Pot church’ member sentenced to three months in jail In June 2010, the Crown brought in Katherine Young, a professor of religion, as an expert witness.  Prof. Young said she could not see anything in the Church of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, World Events

Photograph of the day: Space shuttle ‘Atlantis’ silhouetted against the sun

Posted on 30/05/2011 by
Posted in Visual Arts

Fundamentalist Baptist pastor “Bishop” Eddie Long doles out megabucks hush money; pretends nothing happened

Posted on 30/05/2011 by

Eddie Long Speaks to New Birth Congregation After Settling Lawsuits The Sunday service today came eight months after the service on Sept. 26 when Long stood before his congregation and told them he was going to “fight” the charges. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism | Tagged , , , ,

The root of fundamentalism

Posted on 30/05/2011 by

‘Fundamentalism, in many ways, used to rely solely on the inherent truth of its system as the source of its certainty.  It has become more complicated.  Now, fundamentalism, although it still depends on the inherent truth of its system, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Fundamentalism, Quote of the Day, Visual Arts

Hans Boersma on tradition, sacramental time, and evangelicals

Posted on 30/05/2011 by

‘While disagreements remain, the overall Catholic approach to tradition is largely evangelical.  On a properly evangelical position, the tradition (the church’s developing interpretation of Scripture) is entitled to an authoritative position because of its sacramental participation in the incarnate Word … Continue reading →

Posted in Presbyterian, Reformed, Quote of the Day, Theology | Tagged , , , , , ,

Happy birthday, G. K. Chesterton

Posted on 29/05/2011 by

G. K. Chesterton was born on  May 29th in 1874, in Campden Hill in Kensington, London. A selection of Ignatius Press articles by, and about, Chesterton: • How the Great Wind Came to Beacon House | G. K. Chesterton | Chapter … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors

Is there a species called “the Catholic evangelical”? Hans Boersma says “Yes, there is”

Posted on 29/05/2011 by

‘Can we consider Catholics — at least some Catholics — to be evangelicals?  In other words, is there a species called “the Catholic evangelical”? . . . There are Catholic evangelicals . . . My argument is not that evangelicalism should just … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, Presbyterian, Reformed, Quote of the Day | Tagged , , , , ,

Writers’ quote of the day: Gene Fowler on the sustained concentration needed to produce good writing

Posted on 28/05/2011 by

‘Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.’ ~ Gene Fowler

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

Confessions of an ex-atheist

Posted on 28/05/2011 by

Being Faithfully UnReligious by Russell E. Saltzman Far from being a “religious” person, I think of myself primarily as an ex-atheist.  But just as there’s no such thing as an ex-alcoholic — only an always recovering alcoholic — so I am, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism

Gay activist rewarded by secular body for deceiving Christian counsellor who was trying to help him

Posted on 27/05/2011 by

From the Telegraph: The Christian Legal Centre released further excerpts from the ruling, which stated that “Mr Strudwick was not open about his true intention” and “in significant ways deliberately misled” Mrs Pilkington into believing that he was comfortable and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, World Events, Secularism

Why the New Atheism is really just another religious cult group

Posted on 27/05/2011 by

Has Atheism Become a Religion? Consider all the comments made by self-identified Atheists on articles published in the Religion section of the Huffington Post.  Seriously.  Either Atheists have way more time on their hands than the rest of the population or … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Popular Culture, Society

Severed head of St Vitalis of Assisi, patron saint of genital disease, to go on sale

Posted on 26/05/2011 by

Severed head of patron saint of genital disease on sale The severed head of a man said to be the patron saint of genital disease will go on auction in County Meath on Sunday.  The skull is allegedly that of … Continue reading →

Posted in History

Photograph of the day: Dangerous camping — pitching a tent on the side of a 4,000ft. cliff face

Posted on 26/05/2011 by
Posted in Sport, Visual Arts | Tagged , , , ,

Almost one third of Russians believe historic division of Christians to be a mistake — poll

Posted on 25/05/2011 by

Almost one third of Russians believe historic division of Christians to be a mistake – poll Almost one third of Russians, or 30 percent, think the division of Christians into Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants was a historic mistake which may … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, History

Quote of the day: Hans Boersma on the Reformation

Posted on 25/05/2011 by

‘We, as evangelicals, only do justice to our past if we regard the Reformation not as something to be celebrated but as something to be lamented.’ ~ Hans Boersma, Heavenly Participation, Eerdmans, 2011, page 85

Posted in History, Presbyterian, Reformed, Quote of the Day, Theology

Photograph of the day: At the lip of an exploding volcano

Posted on 25/05/2011 by

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Posted in Visual Arts

Book Review: ‘Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel’ by David C. Downing, Ignatius Press, 2010

Posted on 25/05/2011 by

‘Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel’ by David C. Downing, Ignatius Press, 2010 This is a mystery/adventure novel that I very much wanted to like but found myself unable to do so.  It’s not that I strongly dislike it; … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, C. S. Lewis, Inklings | Tagged , , , , ,

Happy 70th birthday, Bob Dylan

Posted on 24/05/2011 by

Happy birthday, Bob.

Posted in Music

Purpose-driven Rick Warren: just as mixed up in African politics as Pat Robertson and the other fundies

Posted on 24/05/2011 by

The Purpose-Driven Death Squads From the Kigali New Times, November 2009: Renowned American pastor, Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church, yesterday delivered a special sermon at a prayer breakfast with a cross-section of Rwandan leaders, in which President Paul Kagame … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism, Politics, World Events

Writers’ quote of the day: Colette on ruthlessly self-editing your work

Posted on 23/05/2011 by

‘Sit down, and put down everything that comes into your head and then you’re a writer.  But an author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.’ ~ Colette

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

Silly old goat Harold Camping now claims that the End of the World will come on October 21, 2011

Posted on 23/05/2011 by

Harold Camping: Apocalypse Rescheduled For October 21 More: Robert Fitzpatrick has spent his life savings, $140,000, on advertising Harold Camping’s May 21 ‘Rapture’ rubbish Disillusioned: Robert Fitzpatrick, who spent his $140,000 life savings on advertising the ‘May 21 Rapture’ Fundamentalist … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism

Fundamentalist Watch: Harold Camping’s May 21 ‘Rapture’ idiocy — what results did it achieve?

Posted on 23/05/2011 by

  Firstly, Camping’s followers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on billboards and other advertisements.  Instead of working normally and spending time with their families, many of his followers paraded around town and city squares nationwide, telling one and all that ‘the Rapture’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism