This is too amusing to pass on. It opens a little window into the lives of average Joe’s who happen to pick up a copy of BAR while sitting at the barbershop. Delightful!
Doug Chaplin Has Jumped Ship?!
April 21, 2008 at 7:41 pm (biblioblogs)
And become a Roman Catholic Priest!!!!! At least according to Kevin. That certainly explains Doug’s recent forays into science- what with all the ground breaking scientists in the history of scientology being Catholics…
MetaCatholic by a Roman Catholic priest
Congrats Doug, on your entry into Roman orders.
UPDATE: Alas, in spite of Doug’s attempt to correct the misunderstanding, Kevin continues to insist that Doug is a Catholic Priest and now describes him thusly:
MetaCatholic by a Roman Catholic priest who’s a very intelligent blogger.
Evidently Doug is way intelligent- but he just doesn’t know his own denominational affiliation….
Must Women Vote For Clinton?
April 21, 2008 at 6:48 pm (Biblical Studies Resources)
Must Blacks vote for Barack? Must warmongers vote for McCain? Nay, my friends. Nay 1000 times Nay. Vote for the sensible 3rd party non candidate- me.
Here’s what I’ll do if you elect me:
1- End the war in Iraq today. Let them hash out their own problems.
2- Solve the energy crisis today. By opening Alaska, and all national parks known to contain oil, mandating all government services to use alternative fuels, and cutting all ties in 5 years to any country that charges more for oil than water.
3- Solve the food crisis around the world today. By ordering McDonalds to open everywhere with their famous 99 cent menu (or monetary equivalent) in every town of over 500 people.
4- Solve the crime problem by sending all second offenders to Texas and Florida, which will henceforth be our national penal colonies. They will be walled off and all inhabitants will simply have to eek out the best living they can without a single tax dollar.
5- And finally, abolish Congress, the Supreme Court, the IRS, and every office except that of President, for life. Which office of course I will hold until I pass it along to my own hand chosen successor.
Must women vote for Hillary or Blacks for Obama or warmongers for McCain? Heavens no! Vote for the only sensible choice. Me.
The Latest Number of the Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus
April 21, 2008 at 5:26 pm (Biblical Studies Resources)
Bob Webb tells all about it here.
If Ya Can’t Persuade ‘Em, Beat ‘Em
April 21, 2008 at 4:39 pm (Church History, current events)
The annual flinging of the fists in Jerusalem at Orthodox Palm Sunday took place yesterday.
Dozens of Greek and Armenian priests and worshippers exchanged blows at one of Christianity’s holiest shrines on Orthodox Palm Sunday, and used palm fronds to pummel police who tried to break up the brawl. The fight came amid growing rivalry over religious rights at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site in Jerusalem where tradition says Jesus was buried and resurrected. It erupted when Armenian clergy kicked out a Greek priest from their midst, pushed him to the ground and kicked him, according to witnesses.
Reminds me of the reason Ghandi Gandi Gandhi gave when asked why he wasn’t a Christian. “Christians”, said he.
There Are Presbyterians in Australia!!!!!
April 21, 2008 at 3:28 pm (Theology)
I know, it surprised me too until I got a note from the goodly John Davies pointing me to a post for the upcoming Carnival which made mention of the fact, and the Presbyterian Theological Centre. I knew there were lots of Anglicans down that way and a few Baptists… but Presbyterians too! Wondrous. At any rate, once you pick your jaw up off the floor, trot over and check out their site- it’s actually got some great essay-ettes.
Is Christianity Entangled in Capitalism?
April 21, 2008 at 1:52 pm (Theology)
It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? Peter Winzeler has something to say in an attempt to answer that question. This paragraph in particular caught my eye:
Max Weber hat ganz recht gesehen, dass ohne diese “protestantische Askese” der kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen der moderne Kapitalismus nie auf einen grünen Zweig gekommen wäre, ja dass es der “autoritären” Doktrin Calvins (wie Bismarcks und Lenins !) bedurfte, um die zähen “antikapitalistischen” Bindungen der Frommen zu überwinden. Der Glaube an die unsichtbare Hand war bei Adam Smith von moralischen Überresten der Vorsehung genährt und erfüllte alle Merkmale einer neuprotestantischen Häresie (Karl Barth), deren Enthüllung durch W.Benjamin ich nicht widerspreche, außer, dass der in der Thora manifestierte Bundesgott nun durch das schlechthin Nichtige ersetzt ist: eines ohne verantwortliches Subjekt prozessierenden Kapitals, das den mörderischen Zugriff auf Erde und Menschen idolatrisch in “naturgegebenen” Faktorpreisen von Boden (Rente), Kapital (Zins) und Arbeit (Lohn) verhüllt (s. Karl Marx). So gesehen ist Karl Marx der letzte Scholastiker, Reformator und Prophet, der das verschleierte Wertgesetz von Grundschulden, Arbeit und Mehrwerten noch durchschaute.
Read the whole article. Well worth the time and provocative to boot.
More Misuse of Archaeology
April 21, 2008 at 11:54 am (archaeology)
Bugs- do they prove the Joseph story? Methinks not. But you can decide for yourself by reading the whole Ha’aretz essay here.
Many Baptists Are People of Sense
April 21, 2008 at 11:17 am (Biblical Studies Resources, Theology)
Scharfe Kritik an einer „bibeltreuen“ Auslegung der Heiligen Schrift hat der baptistische Theologe Prof. Kim Strübind (Oldenburg) geübt. Sie sei dialogunfähig und scheide als ernsthafter Gesprächpartner für „den alle paar Jahre aufbrechenden Streit um das Schriftverständnis“ aus, schreibt der an der Universität Oldenburg lehrende Theologe in einem Aufsatz unter der Überschrift „Warum die Bibel (nicht immer) Recht hat“.
There are, believe it or not, a lot of Baptists who have the same perspective as Professor Strübind. They just don’t get the wide press coverage that the far right folk like Falwell do (did). Though they should.
Nach seiner Ansicht lässt die Bibel kein einheitliches Bild der Glaubensgeschichte Israels und des frühen Christentums erkennen. Sie korrigiere sich selbst immer wieder und revidiere dabei auch ihre Erkenntnisse über Gott. Das könne eine „fundamentalistische Bibelauslegung“ nicht nachvollziehen. Deshalb vertrete sie einen „prinzipiell unwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt“, der gerade nicht „bibeltreu“ sei. Sie widersetze sich einem historischen Textverständnis und versuche zu harmonisieren, „was“ – so Strübind – „nicht harmonisierbar ist“. Der Fundamentalismus sei seinem Wesen nach eine „Theorie intellektueller Verstocktheit“ und stehe dem Aberglauben näher als der Theologie. In Strübinds Freikirche, dem Bund Evangelisch-Freikirchlicher Gemeinden (Baptisten- und Brüdergemeinden), wird derzeit eine Debatte um das Schriftverständnis geführt.
I wonder if I could persuade Chris Tilling to trot over to the Uni library and make a copy of the essay for me. I’d sure love to read it. (Though he might be disinclined so to do after the last post). (Still, he is a forgiving chap).
Anywho- read the whole report- and see that all Baptists are not narrow nor fundamentalist.
Wrightianists See What They Want To See…
April 21, 2008 at 11:08 am (Biblical Studies Resources)
Ok, Chris Tilling, famed Wrightianist, is a friend of mine. I admit it. Further, I admit and confess here before all the world that we speak virtually every day about some or other matter. Well, today, during one of our conversations he remarked that he thought James Crossley was wearing a “What Would NT Wright Do?” wrist band.
Rubbish, I thought. Such could never, ever be the case, James being far too clever a chap to stoop to such depths. So I looked at the photo Chris referenced and learned something about Wrightianists…. They see what they want to see! See for yourself!
Chris, brother, that’s a watch- not a ‘What would NT Wright Do?’ bracelet! For shame, thou Wrightianists… for seeing only what you wish to see.
