George Barna and Rousseau

George Barna is touting a new book called Revolution. Kevin Miller's recent review in Christianity Today provides a brief summary and an excellent critique. The revolution Barna write about involves a trend Barna has observed in his work: young believers walking away from the church to pursue more intimate and personally satisfying experiences of God. Barna is apparently passionate about the Church in the universal sense, but has come to see the local body as superfluous.

The article noted that Barna used to be something of an apologist for the megachurch and mass-marketed consumer Christianity. The writer notes the apparent irony in Barna's new stance that questions the validity or necessity of the local church and even champions a church-less Christian life as a step forward. Perhaps he has carried the pragmatic, consumer orientation to its logical conclusion - individualized spirituality that resembles the "Have it your way" mentality that pervades our culture. I suppose that can happen when you pay more attention to surveys than to biblical theology. (Did I say that out loud?)

If you will pardon me a brief philosophical excursis, it is almost as if Barna is advocating a spiritual version of Rousseau's myth of the Noble Savage. For Rousseau, of course, the myth (now strong in the popular mind) was that the "natural man," unfettered by the shackles of civiliation and technology, lived in a state of natural purity and goodness. Civilization, however, brings with it bondage, degradation, self-interest, and all sorts of other vices. (Many who disparage the work of missionaries in primitive cultures buy into this idea.) Barna seems to have a similarly romantic image of the "Noble Christian Savage," unfettered by the trappings of dry institutionalism, empty tradition, and other vices that often beset American evangelicalism. Of course it is ironic in that many of Barna's books aimed to help churches market themselves to the consumer culture.

I share the concern that the Church and evangelicalism in general has become too institutionalized. But the answer is not to walk away from churches. The challenge, rather, is to recover a biblical vision for the church and the centrality of Christian community in the believer's life. Our culture may seek spirituality without religion or, more likely without responsibility. Many Christians apparently seek the same, and George Barna wants to give it to them. But that's not real Christianity. Real Christianity is not an individual affair, but participation in a community, a family, a kingdom. It is, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes so powerfully, a "life together."

(Matt Hall has some nice thoughts on the subject. )

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Last night I read the last half of the first installment in CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. (I know three books makes a trilogy so what do you call seven books?) I read it as a kid but didn't remember much of it. We're hoping to finally see the movie while here in Greenville, where we can leave Asa with his doting grandmother. I was struck by the way the story parallels the gospel. Lewis said that he did not simply set out to write an allegory, but to write a good story for children and to imagine how the gospel may have played out in another world. The result is really interesting.

One passage I found particularly interesting is when the children are first hearing about Aslan (who I suppose is the original Lion King) from Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. One of the children asks if Aslan is safe. The reply (p75-76) is well worth considering:

'If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than me or else just silly.'
'Then he isn't safe?' asked Lucy.
'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver. 'Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.'

Merry Christmas!

Some Christmas Thoughts

Here are a few good posts related to Christmas:

* Russ Moore reminds us that the Baby Jesus did not remain an infant. The idea of Jesus as a baby may be innocent and sweet.... and harmless. But this child came as a Conqueror and his birth marked a full-frontal invasion. Moore explains that this child is the same Jesus who the Bible portrays in Revelation as "a conquering Warrior Messiah, dripped in blood and destroying his enemies." That won't sell many cards, but it bears remembrance.

* Tom Ascol writes of some Christmas ironies that are certainly worth mentioning also. He has several posts on Christmas or related issues that are interesting.

* Tom Schreiner (via Dee Reju) also has some good thoughts for us.

I'll post more if I find any.

The ID trial

The famous trial some called "Scopes 2" is over. A rural Pennsylvania school board mandated that teachers read students a statement that Darwin's theory of evolution is not a proven fact and that alternative views like Intelligent Design exist. Obviously any challenge of that type will find its way to court. Now, the Dover PA school board may not have crafted the ideal test case and did not approach the issue sagaciously. The events of the trial itself are available elsewhere - I just want to direct your attention to the ruling itself and the judge who made it.

The judge in the case said that ID "may be true, a proposition on which the court takes no position, ID is not science." I'm sorry, but it was my understanding that science was, above all else, a quest to understand things the way they really are, a quest to understand the truth about the world. But in this judge's court, truth is evidently not the chief concern, nor does it really seem to matter much when it comes to education.

He also said that teaching ID "violates the centuries-old ground rules of science by invoking and permitting supernatural causation." Here is the crux of the matter. The parameters of science have been redefined such that the only explanations that count as "science" are those that fit within a Naturalistic frame of reference. So by definitional fiat the Darwinists can arbitrarily rule out any explanation that doesn't fit within their worldview. Apparently the judge bought it.

Read more over on Dr. Dembski's blog and the links he provides. David Price also has some links.

Random Thoughts

Lately I've been very busy at work. In fact I'm in the midst of 15 days in a row without a day off. Somewhere in there I finished the semester but have had little chance to enjoy it too much. I've been far too busy to sustain a thought long enough to blog. So here's some random, undeveloped, and un-sustained things bouncing around my head.

* We're trying to send out Christmas cards for the first time ever. But we're still working on them. Hope nobody's offended if it gets there in time for Kwaanza but not Christmas.

* My son is evidently a night owl. No matter how much he has slept earlier, he's always wide awake and wanting to "talk" at 11 or 12 every night. At least he's sleeping through the night once he nods off.

* And I don't understand why he wants to eat his hands and sleeves.

* I don't understand how/why the windshield on my car freezes overnight when there's no precipitation.

* It's amazing to me how many men don't wash their hands after using the restroom at the mall or other public places.

* I really like the Cabo Chicken Sandwich at Quiznos.

* George Barna has a book out where he basically says the local church is totally unnecessary and maybe even a hindrance to one's spiritual growth in godliness and the advancement of the Kingdom. I thought he was Mr. Market-the-Megachurch. Not anymore. Well if we could just get him into the New Testament and give him a sustained theological thought.... it's all outrageous. But, like I said, I don't have the mental endurance to write an intelligent post on the subject.

Eric Beverly

You've probably never heard of Eric Beverly - he's a backup tight end for the Atlanta Falcons. He's the kind of tight end they put in the game to block for the running back. Nothing glorious. But Eric Beverly's most important role is the one he plays on Tuesdays, the team's day off, when he spends the day with his wife as she undergoes chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Here's the story. By the way, Danielle's last chemotherapy treatment is scheduled for this Tuesday.

Embryonic Ethics

Hwang Woo-suk became a hero in his native South Korea when news broke that he had successfully cloned a human embryo and harvested stem cells which were used to create a new stem cell line for research purposes. The results were published in Science, the journal ofthe American Association for the Advancement of Science. It was heady stuff for cloning scientists - deemed the biggest breakthrough in embryonic stem cell research.

Evidently not. News broke today that Hwang faked it. "Nine of 11 stem cell colonies featured in the paper had been faked and the authenticity of the remaining two lines was in doubt. DNA data had also been manipulated." There were already ethical questions stemming from the fact that Hwang used eggs donated by two junior research assisstants.

Is it really all that surprising that a researcher would act unethically in doing research that has such serious ethical quandaries to begin with?

By the way, I have written more substantively on the issue of embryonic stem cell research here.

A Few Rambling Thoughts on Christmas

Christmas is an interesting time of year. My job carries me to my company's several mall locations and so it is difficult to not become jaded by the long hours, loaded parking lots, cheesy canned holiday music, and the crass commercialization of the holiday. Those aren't sleigh bells, they're cash registers. Now I'm not opposed to the giving of gifts and the parties and the general holiday cheer (though too often, it seems, people seem more afflicted with holiday stress and exhaustion). But, looking around, it certainly seems that, in America at least, that beyond swiping credit cards, this winter festival we sometimes (OK not so much anymore) call Christmas has more to do with family, lights, gifts, and warm fuzzies. By the way, I don't necessarily think that any of those things are inherently bad.

So I'm amused at the rancor in some quarters over the fact that the word "Christmas" has been shoved under the rug. The phrase "Happy Holidays" is, to some, despicable and even oppressive. A "Holiday Tree?" Don't even get them started. These challenges are to be met with defiance and boycotts. Now, to be honest, I also think the paranoid dismissal of the term "Christmas" is quite silly - everybody knows that's what happens on December 25 and that's what most people celebrate. Such a fact is treated like a new "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy in secular America and, yes, it's just silly.

But, Christian, what do you expect? A secular (pagan?) culture cannot possibly understand Christmas - the eyes of the heart have been blinded and darkened. (And do realize that this is not a Christian culture.) It can understand "Peace on Earth" to be a vague, feel-good sentiment about ending war; but it cannot understand it as the consequence of the incarnate Savior who conquers death and hell and wins peace for His Kingdom. It can enjoy a warm family gathering and the exchange of presents; but it cannot understand the hope of new life as a child adopted into the household of God. Only the Holy Spirit can bring insight into these things.

Of course, sometimes it seems that we Christians have forgotten some of these truths. So why do we yell at our lost culture for not using the correct terminology in their catalogs? When news comes that Target will say "Merry Christmas" after all, you may have won an inconsequential battle but be losing the war. It seems that the better course would be to, as we have opportunity, explain the mystery and meaning of the Incarnation to those who are perishing.

Man Catches Baby Thrown From Burning Building

Felix Vazquez is a father of three and a maintenance worker in New York City who plays catcher on the company baseball team. Yesterday he happened upon the scene of an apartment building fire in the Bronx. Tracinda Foxe was trapped in a third-floor apartment with her baby boy. She went to the window, saw Vazquez and several others below, said a prayer, and tossed her baby out. Vazquez made the catch. As it turns out, he had been a lifeguard in high school and new mouth to mouth and was able to revive the baby, who had quit breathing in the thick smoke.

The whole thing was captured on video. Click here to go to the story, where you'll find a video link.

Finally Finished

Late Tuesday night I finally removed the albatross from around my neck and finished off my research paper, at long last putting the fall semester to bed. Over the last few weeks I posted excerpts here on the blog and appreciated the feedback. I'm grateful for the grace and patience afforded me by my PhD supervisor, who taught this course and allowed me to turn in a late paper. Hopefully it was worth the wait. The topic was "Why Beauty is not in the Eye of the Beholder: Making the Case for Normative Standards of Beauty," and was one of six topics that the professor required be paper topics by someone in the course. I thought that topic sounded interesting and doable so I chose it. Of course it was much more difficult a job than I originally believed it would be. Nevertheless, it is finished and I did learn from the work.

A few of you have expressed interest in reading the finished product. I'm happy to email it to you if you want it.

For Sale

Reports out today indicate that Time Warner Corp is considering selling the Atlanta Braves along with regional cable network Turner South. We can only hope that these reports are true. The cost cutting out-of-town corporate ownership has slowly been bleeding the Braves to death. Only the wizardry of John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox has allowed The Streak to continue as many of the best players walk away as free agents. The company claims that the Braves are losing revenue. Fine.

Hopefully today's news will open the door to local ownership who are fans of the Braves to take over. One name already being discussed is Arthur Blank, the very popular owner of the Atlanta Falcons, who has transformed an organization perennially mired in mediocrity or worse into a winner. Folks in Atlanta would love to see him take over. A representative of Blank's company said that if they were approached about buying the Braves, "we would look at it... and if it made sense we would pursue it." You better believe they'll be approached. I could certainly live with Turner Field being renamed Home Depot Park! (Blank was cofounder of Home Depot.) Of course, there's always the idea floating around that Ted Turner could re-purchase the Braves. Both of these options would be good for the Braves and their fans, as both men are locals who will care and be willing to pay to win.

The Odd Couple

Bono, the flamboyant rock star, and Jesse Helms, the retired uber-conservative North Carolina senator, enjoyed dinner together backstage before U2's recent show in Charlotte. The odd couple share a deep interest in the fight against AIDS in Africa and are friends dating back to Helms' days as a prominent player in the Senate. Bono met with Helms and the latter was impressed with the rocker's policy acumen and passion. Helms did not stick around for the show.

Purgatorio

I found a humerous blog to pass along: Purgatorio

Two particular posts are getting a lot of attention and both are really funny:
* 25 Signs you Might be Obsessing Over Calvinism
* You Might be Emerging if...

The Ultimate Left Behind

Finally - just in time for the holidays, it's Left Behind, the fashion line! For those not quite as quick to catch... this is not exactly a Tim LaHaye endorsed product. There is much that could be said.... several thoughts and jokes are percolating in my head. But for now I'll just let you comment below.
(ht: Tim Ellsworth)

Inter-faith Emergent?

Emergent, an organization that positions itself as the mouthpiece of the Emerging Church Movement, is entering a dialogue and potential partnership with a like-minded group of young Jewish rabbis called Synagogue 3K. The focus will reportedly be on issues of social justice. In the words of Emergent director Tony Jones, they have been "pushing through the polarities of left and right in an effort to find a new, third way, we've been desperate to find partners for that quest."

Now one can have an interesting discussion about when it is or isn't appropriate to cooperate in shared goals with people who have other understandings of the Gospel (ie Roman Catholics) or people of other faiths (ie Jews). But that's not my concern. Of larger significance is the language being bandied about by those involved in this discussion, language that makes it sound as if the Emergent leadership has sold out on the exclusivity of the Gospel and of Jesus Christ.

Brian McLaren, the godfather of the Emergent crowd, says,

"We have so much common ground on so many levels. We face similar problems in
the present, we have common hopes for the future, and we draw from
shared resources in our heritage. I'm thrilled with the possibility of
developing friendship and collaboration in ways that help God's dreams come
true for our synagogues, churches, and world." (emphasis added)

What, exactly, is God's dream for our synagogues? As I understand Scripture, God's hope for them is that they would come to faith and trust in the Messiah. But somehow I don't think that's what McLaren has in mind.

Tony Jones: "It's with great joy and promise that we partner with the
leaders of S3K to talk about the future and God's Kingdom."

It begs the question of what they think God's kingdom to be. Again, I hope I'm wrong on this, but it doesn't seem that they see the central importance of Christ's lordship to the kingdom. A guy named Bob left a great comment on one participant's blog that really makes the point well: "I do not believe that you can talk about building God’s Kingdom with those who actively reject God’s King." Like I said - I hope I'm wrong and misunderstanding these articles. But the language is at best sloppy and vague and at worst belies a dangerous theological direction.

HT: Steve McCoy - who has a good take and resulting conversation on the subject.

"Group of Death"

In case you hadn't heard, the greatest sporting event in the world is scheduled for the coming summer: the FIFA World Cup. Coming off a surprisingly strong showing in the last World Cup in 2002 (making it to the quarterfinals, where they outplayed Germany but didn't get the win), the United States has earned some respect on the international scene and qualified easily for next summer's tournament in Germany.

Friday FIFA held the World Cup draw, where the 32 teams were placed into one of eight groups (4 teams each for the mathematically challenged). The top two teams in each group advance to the elimination round. Unfortunately, the US drew arguably the toughest group (traditionally, the toughest group is given the auspicous moniker the "Group of Death"). It is the only group with three teams ranked in the top 12 in the world - our guys are ranked 9th and will play 2nd ranked Czech Republic, 12th ranked Italy, and Ghana, perhaps the strongest team out of Africa this time around. The good news, though, is that the American side is tough and that the other teams in the group have to be equally concerned about playing us. (Here is coach Bruce Arena's take.)

Of course with FIFA there's room for a good conspiracy theory. Many will note that host Germany and defending champion Brazil got the easiest draws. Well, no matter the draw, I can't wait to watch.

More on Beauty & the Christian Worldview

Only the Christian worldview adequately accounts for the existence and experience of beauty at all. What explanation of beauty can be offered by Christian Theism's chief competitor, Philosophical Naturalism? The experience of beauty in such a view will ultimately be an illusion, the chance reaction of certain chemicals in the mind of the perceiver would give rise to certain subjective feelings that have no real basis in a transcendent reality. Yet the very universality of the experience of beauty, both in cultural art forms and in the creation at large, seems to mitigate against such a perspective. The Christian worldview seems to make better sense of reality in this case. Mohler believes that only the Christian view of beauty “explains why the world is beautiful, but not quite.” (Mohler did a really excellent three-part series on the subject last month. Part 1 is here.) The beauty one encounters in the world can be explained in terms of the Creator God who is infinitely beautiful. The fact that beauty is fleeting or sometimes comingled with ugliness and death is explained by the Christian doctrine of sin and the Fall. The Christian worldview ultimately speaks to the great hope beauty brings – the hope that all things will, in fact, be restored through the work of Christ. In the kingdom of Christ real beauty will finally and forever chase away ugliness. Indeed, when viewed in light of the gospel, one might say with Dostoevski, "Beauty will save the world."

Art, Beauty, and the Christian Worldview

Another excerpt from a paper on beauty and art (or, more specifically, a paper defending the existence of normative standards of beauty):

According to Abraham Kuyper, John Calvin thought highly of art, saying that its goal went beyond the imitation of nature. Art's purpose lay in “disclosing to man a higher reality than was offered to us by this sinful and corrupted world.” (Kuyper, 153) In other words, art has a transcendent quality that lifts the heart and mind of man above the mundane. When a person reads a wonderful story it evokes within her the sense that there is a greater and higher Story that rises above the everyday world. When a person beholds a beautiful work of art or listens to a mesmerizing piece of music that person is reminded in some way of Ultimate Beauty. Such an understanding brings into sharper focus the Lord's concern for the physical beauty of the Temple and other aspects of the worship of His people. The artistic beauty helped to call to mind the transcendent beauty of the Lord himself as His people came before Him.

Conversely, the fact that the arts call to mind a greater Beauty also reminds humanity that such beauty has been lost. It is in this final sense that the Christian worldview affords a deep significance to the arts and their pursuit of beauty that rival views do not. Kuyper says, “If you confess that the world once was beautiful, but by the curse has become undone, and by a final catastrophe is to pass to its full state of glory, excelling even the beautiful of paradise, then art has the mystical task of reminding us in its productions of the beautiful that was lost and of anticipating its perfect coming luster.” (Kuyper, 155) Within this conception of the arts, and of beauty, one can see the contours of the broader biblical story and the Christian worldview.

(The citations are from Kuyper's Stone Lectures, delivered at Princeton in 1898.)

The Champs

I was out of town and so I haven't blogged in a while. By now this is not exactly news, but I couldn't let it pass by without comment:

Georgia smacked LSU to become SEC champs! Though busy that afternoon and evening, I was able to catch most of the game. It went very well. If the dawgs had played that well all year I bet they'd be undefeated.

And let's not overlook the other important game of the day. In the Division 1-AA playoffs (yeah they do it the right way) Furman beat Richmond 24-20 to advance to the semifinals against conference rival Appalachian St., who we beat earlier in the year. Without doubt it will be a tough game, but it sure would be nice to see the Paladins in the national title game for the first time since 2001.

UPDATE: The Furman contest at Appalachian St. will be on ESPN2 at noon. Tune in for some good 1-AA playoff action.

Mississippi Wedding

These kids are gettin' hitched Saturday, and we plan to make the drive to Oxford, MS to be a part of the festivities. It's fun anytime two good friends get married, but particularly gratifying to Keri and I because we got to play matchmakers! (Click the title for the story).

Congrats to Alex and Laura Beth!