Adiaphora

The Rule of Faith

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:16:23 -0600

“Those who, in the absence of written documents, have believed this faith, are barbarians, so far as regards our language; but as regards doctrine, manner, and tenor of life, they are, because of faith, very wise indeed; and they do please God, ordering their conversation in all righteousness, chastity, and wisdom. If any one were to preach to these men the inventions of the heretics, speaking to them in their own language, they would at once stop their ears, and flee as far off as possible, not enduring even to listen to the blasphemous address.”

[Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3.4.1]

Dah, my Tumblarity has shot up to double-digits (13!) in the past 2 days. I’m not sure what to...

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:41:46 -0600

Dah, my Tumblarity has shot up to double-digits (13!) in the past 2 days. I’m not sure what to do other than to cease posting so I can feel good about myself again.

Not sure what an “Art Chapel” is, but this is some more...

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:17:18 -0600

Not sure what an “Art Chapel” is, but this is some more interesting Finnish churchly architecture (in Turku).

St Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel

A Proper Self-Distrust

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:13:16 -0600

“We should be under no illusion that renewed emphasis upon the creed will in and of itself renew the life of the church: it will not. The church is created and renewed through Word and Spirit. Everything else—love of the brethren, holiness, proclamation, confession—is dependent upon them. Yet it is scarcely possible to envisage substantial renewal of the life of the church without renewal of its confessional life. There are many conditions for such renewal.

One is real governance of the church’s practice and decision-making not by ill-digested cultural analysis but by reference to the credal rendering of the biblical gospel. Another is recovery of the kind of theology which sees itself as an apostolic task, and does not believe itself entitled or competent to reinvent or subvert the Christian tradition. A third, rarely noticed, condition is the need for a recovery of symbolics (the study of creeds and confessions) as part of the theological curriculum—so much more edifying than most of what fills the seminary day. But alongside these are required habits of mind and heart: love of the gospel, docility in face of our forebears, readiness for responsibility and venture, a freedom from concern for reputation, a proper self-distrust. None of these things can be cultivated; they are the Spirit’s gifts, and the Spirit alone must doe his work. What we may do—and must do—is cry to God, who alone works great marvels.”

[John Webster, Confessing God, 83]

"The act of confession is an episode in the conflict between God and sin which is at the center of..."

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:48:28 -0600

“The act of confession is an episode in the conflict between God and sin which is at the center of the drama of salvation. Confession is a counter-movement to human wickedness, a counter-movement brought about and sustained by the overflow of God’s abundance. Sin is in part the refusal to confess—the sullen and hard-hearted refusal to acknowledge God’s self-gift, failure to respond to God’s lavishness by voicing God’s praise. Confession refuses these refusals. It is a repentant act, a turning, and therefore a decisive ‘No’ to silence about God, or to that murmuring against God which is the response of the wicked to God’s generosity. Confession, therefore, is an aspect of the church’s holiness. To be holy is to be elect, caught up in God’s drastic negation of disorder and unrighteousness; and confession is the first work of the elect as they are separated by God for acknowledgment and praise of God.”

- » John Webster, Confessing God, 72–3

An amazing poster for a wonderful duo. grain edit · The Swell...

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:18:15 -0600

An amazing poster for a wonderful duo.

grain edit · The Swell Season Concert Poster by Doublenaut

The mysteries of divorce, Finnish style

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:57:07 -0600

The mysteries of divorce, Finnish style:

Here is an incredibly interesting article from Helsingin Sanomat about divorce in Finland. It has a divorce rate over 50%, and new marriages now last an average of 7 years in Helsinki. Some revealing or insightful comments from the story below:

“There is one group who are bucking the trend. In our liberal society, there is a group of staunchly conservative people who feel that divorces should not be granted except for very weighty reasons. They are children.”

“What kind of a country is the Finland where people get divorced? It is a developed urban consumer society, where the Church, which sanctifies marriages, has mainly a ceremonial role.

Our Protestant church takes quite a tolerant attitude toward divorce, confirms Jouko Kiiski, who holds a doctorate in theology. ‘Even ministers and bishops get divorced. As divorces become more commonplace, part of the reason is that the surrounding community no longer takes as negative a view toward divorce as it used to.’”

“Finally, researcher Anna Rotkirch takes up an important point: talk about divorce, how ‘easy they are to get’, or how there are ‘too many divorces’, contains a moral statement.”

Kärsämäki Shingle Church in Finland by Lassila Hirvilammi...

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:22:36 -0600

Kärsämäki Shingle Church in Finland by Lassila Hirvilammi Architects @ Dailytonic

Geography of a Recession

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:17:11 -0600

Geography of a Recession:

Animated map of US Unemployment Rates by county, Jan 07–present.

"The Ilúvatar spoke, and he said: ‘Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that..."

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:15:38 -0600

“The Ilúvatar spoke, and he said: ‘Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Ilúvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.’”

- » J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, 5

WNYC - Radiolab » Killing Babies, Saving the World

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:56:23 -0600

WNYC - Radiolab » Killing Babies, Saving the World:

Another interesting short from the guys at Radiolab.

On a related note, there are a few moments in the new documentary Collision in which pastor Doug Wilson rebuts Christopher Hitchens’ supposed “morality from evolution” with, approximately, “If that is true, then nothing is absolutely immoral because morality is always going to change.” Hitchens seemed to assert that this conclusion was invalid. Listening to this Radiolab episode makes it abundantly clear what happens when evolution is the bedrock of human morality: it will always change; we will “grow” into different morals. Long live progress.

"I think sometimes that being overly type-sensitive is like an allergy,” said Michael Bierut, a..."

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:22:01 -0600

“I think sometimes that being overly type-sensitive is like an allergy,” said Michael Bierut, a partner in the Pentagram design group in New York. “My font nerdiness makes me have bad reactions to things that spoil otherwise pleasant moments.””

- Absolutely true. I have the unfortunate problem of attending a church that uses power point slides for worship lyrics rather than actual hymnals.

Mistakes in Typography Grate the Purists - NYTimes.com

"1. Play fair: Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly...."

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:51:34 -0600

“1. Play fair: Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.”

- Apropos of nothing: FIFA.com - Fair Play Code

"Where’s the horse placenta I can rub on my faith in the game?"

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:25:14 -0600

“Where’s the horse placenta I can rub on my faith in the game?”

- Twitter » The Run of Play

Dah. Cheaters. Another reason to despise Arsenal. Mood darkens...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:48:14 -0600

Dah. Cheaters. Another reason to despise Arsenal.

Mood darkens as recriminations begin: Henry’s handball secures France 1–1 Ireland

I Am Never Not Instructed

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:21:14 -0600

“By the standards of my generation, all my life I have gone to church with a kind of persistence, as I do to this day. Once recently I found myself traveling all night to be home in time for church, and it occurred to me to consider in what spirit or out of what need I would do such a thing. My tradition does not encourage the idea that God would find any merit in it. I go to church for my own gratification, which is intense, though it had never occurred to me before to try to describe it myself.

The essence of it, certainly, is the Bible, toward which I do not feel in any degree proprietary, with which after long and sometimes assiduous attention I am not familiar. I believe the entire hypertrophic bookishness of my life arose directly out of my exposure, amongst modest Protestant solemnities of music and flowers, to the language of Scripture. Therefore, I know many other books very well and I flatter myself that I understand them—even books by people like Augustine and Calvin. But I do not understand the Bible. I study theology as one would watch a solar eclipse in a shadow. In church, the devout old custom persists of merely repeating verses, one or another luminous fragment, a hymn before and a hymn afterward. By grace of my abiding ignorance, it is always new to me. I am never not instructed.”

[Marilynne Robinson, “Psalm Eight”, in The Death of Adam, 230]

“Britain Goes to War, 1939.” Eerie.

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:50:55 -0600

“Britain Goes to War, 1939.” Eerie.

Why universities welcome theological colleges « Per Crucem ad Lucem

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:42:15 -0600

Why universities welcome theological colleges « Per Crucem ad Lucem:

An interesting post by Jason from his Australian perspective on the closing of small, independent theological schools and their subsequent movement back under the university umbrella. As always, he quotes some very convicting passages from Barth on the differences b/t the church’s theology and the guild’s “religious studies.” Our big question will be how to keep costs and size down to a minimum and not be over-regulated by the government, forcing us into such a relationship. A corollary is: what value will we place in accredited degrees for our pastors? This is not merely an economic judgment, either, but mainly one of the heart and its stance toward Christ’s church. God grant us mercy.

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-11-15)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:34:29 -0600

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-11-15):

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

Robin van Persie seeking bizarre placenta treatment to help return - Barclays Premier League - ESPN Soccernet

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:56:39 -0600

Robin van Persie seeking bizarre placenta treatment to help return - Barclays Premier League - ESPN Soccernet:

He’s doing what, now?

Another reason not to be an Arsenal fan.