McGrath Is Right

And anyone who thinks asking questions of the Bible is wrong or somehow un- or sub-Christian has never read it nor heard the words of Jesus from the Cross, ‘my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ which not only permits us to question the Bible, but God himself. In fact, the Bible is full of questions for God. ‘Shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?’ ‘Oh Lord, how long?’ People who act as though the Bible is above query are simply uninformed, spiritless, confused, amateurs who need to remind themselves that they have no idea what they are talking about.

Why No One I Know Will Ever Be Able To Run For President

Because they’ve all heard me say incendiary things and these days it seems that even the people who pass you on the bus or at Wal-Mart or in the drive through at McDonald’s are held accountable for your every word.

Such rubbish…

Scott’s Back!

After a much too long absence Canuck former professional Hockey-er and presently student of theology Scott Bailey is back! This is good news indeed for those of us who have missed his wicked sense of humor and hockey puck sharp wit and stick slapping disregard for polite convention. Welcome back, Scott. Post regularly or next time it’s a stick on the back of the head for ya!

Are People Really That Ill Informed?

Evidently so, since some believe that Jesus wrote the Bible… So sad…. Maybe those same people can edit a Wiki article and make the circle of ignorance complete.

Energy Independence In 5 Years: It Sounds Good To Me

Via Katie Granju,

With gas prices hitting $4 a gallon, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said today he will call for a five-year effort similar to the Manhattan Project to put the country on the path to clean-energy independence. The senator said he would lay out the specifics of his proposal during a speech at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on May 9.

Katie is right to observe

Changing our nation’s energy production and consumption patterns will take bold, aggressive leadership, and a monumental commitment of resources – similar to how we approached putting a man on the moon, and building the first atomic weapon. But unlike our space race, or the Manhattan Project, any suggestion that we undertake truly bold action on clean energy development will be met with a lot of resistance from extremely powerful forces opposing real change. Nobody (as in Exxon et al) stood to lose money if we made it to the moon in five years.

Let’s see if our elected officials have completely sold out to big oil. If they have, perhaps it’s not to much to say that each and every one of them need to be voted out of office. If energy independence in 5 years is possible, and we don’t achieve it because of lobbying from the oil industry, we should rise up and really rebel.

Yup – Seeker Sensitive is Serpent Sensitive

Thanks to Rod Decker for pointing out this quite right take on the goings on at Willow Creek, seeker sensitive ground zero.

I Wish Antonio Would Make A Personalized Plate for Me

He’s done a good job of making one for himself, in response to Florida’s newly suggested ‘I Believe’ license plate. It really suits him.

That said, wouldn’t it be cool if States allowed such plates to be produced? They already allow personalization in terms of letter and number combinations, so why not graphics as well?

UPDATE: Well, ask and you shall receive! It’s brilliant! Thanks Antonio.

Finally, I’m More Important than Karl Barth

Finally. Make of this what you will.

One of the Most Important Scholars You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Gottfried W. Locher was perhaps the most gifted and most learned of scholars who focused on the Reformation in general and Zwingli’s life and work in particular. He was born on this day in 1911 and, sadly, died in 1996 on the 11th of January. Gottfried was one of 7 children born to his Pastor father. He studied theology in Königsberg with Julius Schniewind and Hans-Joachim Iwand, and in Zürich with Emil Brunner and Fritz Blanke. Blanke, a Zwingli scholar as well, awakened in him a lifelong interest in the greatest of the Reformers.

Locher’s bibliography is massive. His most important work, however, is Die Zwinglische Reformation im Rahmen der europäischen Kirchengeschichte. It is MUST reading.

Lest we forget…

Zwingli Among the Hungarians

Stadt 24 reports

Am «Reformierten Kollegium» im Zentrum von Debrecen hängt eine Ehrentafel für den Reformator Huldrych Zwingli. Kürzlich weilte eine Delegation des Amtes für Arbeit im ostungarischen Debrecen, um mit den Arbeitsmarktbehörden einen Erfahrungsaustausch zu pflegen. Seit 13 Jahren arbeiten verschiedene Verwaltungsstellen des Kantons St.Gallen mit dem ostungarischen Komitat Hajdú-Bihar zusammen. Um diesen Erfahrungsaustausch zu pflegen, besuchte kürzlich eine Delegation des Amtes für Arbeit unter der Leitung von Johannes Rutz das ostungarische Komitat Hajdú-Bihar. Besichtigt wurden unter anderem einige lokale und regionale Arbeitsämter. Das Komitat ist gezwungen, die Arbeitslosigkeit mit wenigen Mitteln effizient zu bekämpfen. Die Arbeitsvermittlungszentren beeindrucken durch grosszügige Warteräume und moderne Kommunikationsmittel für offene Stellen und umfassende Informationen zur Berufs- und Weiterbildung.

Be sure to read the whole thing. Here’s the cool marker: