Battle of the New Atheism: “I do call it prayer. Here is the atheist prayer: that our reason will subjugate our superstition, that our intelligence will check our illusions, that we will be able to hold at bay the evil temptation of faith.” Fascinating. Ultimately unsatisfying on any number of levels, but fascinating. We'll have something more to say about this eventually. (Gary Wolfe, Wired)
Mon 23 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
A Divine Conspirator: A nice piece on Dallas Willard. “'I thought the fashionable views were a disaster,' says Willard. 'I wouldn't have stayed in philosophy if it weren't for realism.'” (Christine A. Scheller, Christianity Today, September 2006)
Thu 19 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
Five Best Novels on Money: “My favorite novels about the pursuit of money.” Also notable is Mark Helprin's Memoir from Antproof Case. (Ward Just, OpinionJournal.com)
Thu 19 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
Recommendation: Judas and the Gospel of Jesus by NT Wright: “This book shows Wright at his best in answering a specific contemporary challenge to the traditional creedal view of Jesus. Wright gives a superb overview of gnosticism, gnostic Christianity and the gnostic scriptures. He covers how gnostic writings like the Gospel of Judas both challenge and confirm the church’s ancient and orthodox faith in Jesus.” (Michael Spencer, internetmonk.com)
Thu 19 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
Debunking the Debunkers: “There should be more to scepticism than angry rants about stupid religious people or New Age mysticism.” (Ben Pile, Spiked)
Thu 19 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
Only Fools Bark at Dogma: “Have you seen the bumper sticker that seeks to emphasize the importance of knowing Jesus by declaring that ‘Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship’? This is misleading, because Christianity is both religion and relationship. In fact, it’s a religion founded on a relationship. Without dogma, however, I would not be free to articulate such thoughts, because I wouldn’t have the requisite vocabulary.” A readable defense of logic and dogma. Not just for Catholics. Take a few minutes with this one. (Patrick O'Hannigan, Catholic Exchange)
Wed 18 Oct 2006 from TTF Staff • Link & Comments
Certainly work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as a sacred idleness—the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
George MacDonald
On Being Human by Woodrow Wilson, foreword by David Aikman.
The future President sets out his vision for the good life in this personal essay, which also offers insight into his later policies and illustrates how a leader’s assumptions can change a nation—and the world.
The Institutionalization of Greed
John Piper explains Why Calvinists are so Negative: This, with the item below from Frederica, offer two timely perspectives on appropriate humility—which could also be approached with profit from the perspective of strategy. “I must tell you that whenever I have had a profound experience of God through reading his word or encountering God in worship or community, it tends to just humble me, and make me want to say something like what Joni Mitchell said about love—‘it’s love’s illusions I recall; I really don’t know love, at all.’ I have barely touched the hem of the Master’s garment, I hardly know him though I long to know him better. In the face of the divine-human encounter, even Barth’s Dogmatics appear to be little more than a good start to understanding God.” (New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III • 2008 11 19)
Confessions of an Obnoxious Orthodox: Salutary. “Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. But every church must have its distinctiveness, or we’d all be in the same church. At the time, I was so occupied with comprehending this strange thing called Orthodoxy that I emphasized the differences, and was impatient with kindly big-tent suggestions.” (Frederica Mathewes-Green, Beliefnet • 2008 11 19)
Finding Home: A worthwhile meditation on place: “My parents have moved a lot in their lives, and view towns and cities as places to go for opportunities, not places to live for love of the place itself. They still pressure us occasionally to move closer to them. Maybe someday we will; as I said above, I know I would find things to love wherever we lived. But after all the moves of my childhood, I find myself warmly grateful to this city for being a place where I can send my roots down deep, grateful that I have at last found my home.” (Veronica Mitchell, Toddled Dredge • 2008 11 18)
The Obama Dilemma: “Which of these factions in evangelicalism’s divided house is more reflective of its essential character? In truth, both have a strong claim. Evangelicalism has always been centrally concerned with social reform as the necessary expression of spiritual regeneration. It is not merely a religion of inwardness. Nor is it a religion devoted to maintaining the status quo and propping up social elites. Instead, it challenges settled arrangements and champions the lowly and the marginalized.” (Senior Fellow Wilfred M. McClay, The Wall Street Journal • 2008 11 01)
• Stephen Fry in America (2008 10 10)
• Give Me Liberty and Give Me Death (2008 09 30)
• Give Me That Old-Time Religion (2008 09 29)
• The Real Digital Revolution (2008 08 27)
• Après Lewis (2008 08 15)
Religion and Politics in America: A Conversation by Michael Cromartie.
A series of essays for policy makers and enthusiasts designed to aid their understanding of how religion informs politics.
