Coming Book Reviews

Several upcoming book reviews -

Coffehouse Theology - Blog Tour Date - October 27 with Ed C

The Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen

The Fidelity of Betrayal - Peter Rollins

The Blue Parakeet - Scot McKnight

and several others … stay tuned …

Who Is On the Watchtower?

There must be some way outta here said the Joker to the thief … could be said in Washington?

Bailing on the Bailout

David has an interesting post up about the recently defeated “Bailout Bill.” There are some interesting takes. Charlie gave me a copy of a Time article which basically asserted that the Gordon Gecko comment was/has been the Wall Street philosophy. When it comes home to roost it is another matter. I am left wondering what is lost if we get back to real values? I really like the logic that suggests we need to pay the CEO’s large sums in these bailout moves because we need these sharp people. That’s right, we need to reward those leading companies making bad decisions leading us to this crisis. I sure could not get by on that kind of thinking. Sure hope we avoid that one. As a potential share holder in those companies to be bailed out under any new bill, I want to vote. I will not give my proxy to Congress.

Blog Lite

A number of things have worked against more substantive posts this week -

Finishing up a paper on Peter Rollins theological proposal in How (Not) to Speak of God

Reading for a friend’s Doctor of Ministry Project

Reading and study for Sunday, particularly from Snodgrass’s Stories with Intent

I have a number of articles to write for a friend along with several books to review. I plan to get to these very soon.

Financial Crisis to be Averted!

Breaking news - My friend Jordon Cooper has suspended all twittering and blogging so he can leave Saskatoon for Washington to focus on the financial crisis.

Yellow - My Favorite Color - Coldplay

Sometimes a love song while thinking of your wife is a good way to begin Monday. And, it does not hurt my favorite color is yellow.

The Loss of Truth Affects Us All

Leonard Pitts Jr. offers a solid reflection on the toll political sniping takes on truth. It seems anyone may now purport to be another person, write a scandalous piece and mis-represent the truth. When that hit Pitss he wrote,

The brazenness of it struck me. That, and a self-preservationist streak that said, if they can do it to her, they can do it to me.

My friend Ed Stetzer calls attention to how often we break the ninth commandment - Christians that is. We “bear false witness” thinking it is not as bad as, say, murder. But, when we lose the truth in the slough of innuendo it just as well have been murder. The violent act steals not just identity, as in Pitts conveying the instance of Maureen Dowd. No, it steals the process of educating an electorate. Sound bites and spin doctoring obscures the view to an educated decision.

Pitts’ pulled quote above reminds us all - we are not immune.

What do you think? What story could you share of (mis)representation?

Compared to What? - Thoughts from The Edge

In this week’s edition of Thoughts from the Edge, I offer some thoughts on a recent rant by Michael Spencer, a.k.a. internetmonk. You can read the post here. I find a place to tie in a reflection on the Gospel text for this coming Sunday found in Matthew 20.

Stetzer on the Recent “Church Basement Roadshow”

How to have a conversation? One of my personal complaints is the tone and tenor when it comes to those in the Church having a conversation where opinions differ. While the context is certainly different, I am reminded of Romans 14 where opinions are to be held with the other person in mind. Despising and judging leads to fragmentation. I do not think Paul suggests an “agreeing to disagree.” Instead, he eventually comes down noting opinions will be addressed with a bowed knee and not to another person, but to Jesus. It is a scary thought that both could be right. In fact, in my tribe that approaches heresy. But, in the case of strongly held positions neither weak nor strong were celebrated by Paul. Rather they were both given instruction to regard as brothers/sisters those with whom our opinion varies.

Many will contend the theology of the emerging church - whatever that is and determined by whom - is in error. Better to have a conversation about it rather than make summary judgments about brothers and sisters without a conversation. Too many have already committed that error. In fact, the practice does not stop with determining what is and how we agree with those in the emerging church, but recent Lifeway research (and a few conferences) point up this is the case with the current Reformed trend among Southern Baptists.

In this piece I think Ed comes close to describing the kind of conversation that should be shared among brothers/sisters noted by Scot McKnight. And, since I am reading Rollins and cannot get his theological proposal out of my mind, I would add we must all be careful of ideological idolatry when speaking about God - while revealed in Jesus, the Triune God is also concealed in Jesus.

Ben Cole on the Economy and the Election

My friend Ben Cole showed up at Associated Baptist Press with an opinion piece. Most know Ben has an opinion about most everything. He is a skilled writer, voracious reader and student of leadership. In this piece Ben takes a look at the economy from some interesting angles - some many may have not considered. The point I like is that we have become accustomed, and demanded, certain things from our government but do not want to pay for the government to provide them. We decry taxes but want the benefit they would bring in desired programs. Whether you agree or disagree, you will find Ben writing well, again. What do you think?

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