Wednesday, August 31
Longboards
Looks fun! And even I might be able to work a longboard -- assuming it had the proper weight rating.
Tuesday, August 30
Monday, August 29
Worth Hodgin
Worth Hodgin, who was my pastor for a few years at the old Squaw Peak Covenant Church in Phoenix, died a week ago.Worth was a terrific leader with a loving heart — and was unwavering when facing a challenge.
His ministry was characterized by taking on challenging situations. I do remember Worth offending a few people who needed to be offended. But I also remember his patience with me. I know that a few superintendents considered him to be a “go to man.”
Worth was a forward thinker and in many ways years ahead of his time in offering creative solutions and a more holistic approach to ministry. He understood better than most that racial reconciliation is inseparable from the gospel.
He could spin a good yarn, too -- including some stories revolving around his friendship with Jackie Robinson.
Praise God for his life and ministry.
Friday, August 26
Thursday, August 25
Eugene Nida died this morning
Eugene Nida, perhaps the most influential Bible translator of the 20th century, died this morning in Belgium. He was 96.Dr Nida combined concepts from linguistics, cultural studies, communication sciences, and psychology, to develop "a practical approach to translation he called dynamic equivalence or functional equivalence, the goal of which was to make the translation clear and understandable as well as accurate."
His thinking still significantly influences the way that Bible translation is done throughout the world.
In the English, the first major "dynamic equivalent" translation based on his approach was Good News for Modern Man (aka Today's English Version or Good News Bible). Subsequently other translators have adopted or moddyfied his approach of rendering idea for idea rather than just word for word. I would guess that the New Living Translation is one of the most popular versions rendered in the Nida tradition. Other versions such as the NIV, NRSV, and the CEB have to one degree or another come under his spell, too.
God used Eugene Nida in a big way.
Tuesday, August 23
"Martin Luther King memorial made in China"
Yep, the memorial is controversial -- black man in white granite, American hero carved by a Chinese artist in Chinese granite. Controversy seems appropriate, given that controversy followed Dr King throughout his life.
Perhaps this new fusion statue in the Mall symbolizes the way that history will see his significance. For us he led the second emancipation of African-Americans but globally his impact will be seen as the start of an era emphasizing civil rights for all people. He was definitely the quintessential African-American leader but his vision was bigger than civil rights for African-Americans. Yes, he was an American hero (and should be recognized as such) but his long-term impact is perhaps going to be understood as more global than American.
We should accept the statue for what it is.
Perhaps this new fusion statue in the Mall symbolizes the way that history will see his significance. For us he led the second emancipation of African-Americans but globally his impact will be seen as the start of an era emphasizing civil rights for all people. He was definitely the quintessential African-American leader but his vision was bigger than civil rights for African-Americans. Yes, he was an American hero (and should be recognized as such) but his long-term impact is perhaps going to be understood as more global than American. We should accept the statue for what it is.
Monday, August 22
Christians and alcohol consumption
And it's never really bothered me to see Christians drinking beer or wine. It's just not a biggie. I'm glad that they can enjoy themselves. And I wouldn't even give it a second thought except that some people have become vocal and defensive about their right to brew.
I do find three aspects of the evangelical brew movement somewhat troubling (see Scot McKnight's post, quoting Doctor of Hyperbole John MacArthur -- especially the comments -- for context and impetus for my own reflections):
1. A reverse legalism which seems to make beer consumption a mark of Christian authenticity. If you don't drink you are somehow spiritually deficient -- lacking in earthy genuineness.
This, of course, is silly -- especially considering that there are plenty of biblical teetotalers. In the Old Testament Nazarites practiced abstinence (Numbers 6:2-4). In the New Testament John the Baptist avoided alcohol (Luke 7:33). And evidently Timothy wasn't much of a drinker either; because the apostle Paul encouraged him to drink a little for his health (1 Timothy 5:23).
2. The related notion that the mission and ministry of the church is primarily about having a grand conversation. In that context beer is seen as the conversational lubricant. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for dialog and conversation. But frankly, there is a whole lot more talk than action taking place. Talk is good but there are a lot of people stuck at that stage. If we need a lubricant, it is a lubricant that will move people out of the pubs where they sit and talk with kindred spirits, and into the streets with the homeless and across the ocean with the unreached.
3. A kind of naivete about the effects of alcohol. Yes, you are free to drink -- but at least some of you shouldn't. There is no shame in saying that you and beer don't mix well or that there is a genetic disposition toward alcoholism in your family, so you avoid it. 10% of the Americans who drink become alcoholics. I've heard other statistics that I can't back-up but which sound reasonable -- about 20% of all drinkers have some kind of alcohol related problem at some point in their lives.
If you drink you should be self-aware and constantly monitoring your habits. If you don't drink you can relax -- and you'll have one less thing to worry over.
The King Jesus Gospel
I continue with my long tradition of promoting Scot McKnight's books -- even before they've been released. (I've not ever been disappointed.) So... coming in September --
Saturday, August 20
Jumping flea watch
Yet another ukulele sound -- the new Ohana Tiple -- yes, you counted right -- 10-string strumming uke.
Friday, August 19
Cantaloupe patch
The rain that flooded the melon patch in June...
has produced a bumper crop in August.
Every other day I find melons out there that I didn't know were growing. And the thing is that this is my unplanned crop.
See all those garbage bins in the flood picture above? They've been re-purposed and are now compost bins. Apparently, though, some of the seeds from the remains of a store-bought cantaloupe deposited in the bins last fall, never actually finished composting and ended up in the mixture that I spread under the citrus in the spring.
It has actually helped the young and still vulnerable citrus in this area because the melon vines absorb some of the radiant heat and also they raise the humidity level. That is, they create a micro-climate around the trees that works well for everything over there. I wish I could take credit for planning it.
See all those garbage bins in the flood picture above? They've been re-purposed and are now compost bins. Apparently, though, some of the seeds from the remains of a store-bought cantaloupe deposited in the bins last fall, never actually finished composting and ended up in the mixture that I spread under the citrus in the spring.
It has actually helped the young and still vulnerable citrus in this area because the melon vines absorb some of the radiant heat and also they raise the humidity level. That is, they create a micro-climate around the trees that works well for everything over there. I wish I could take credit for planning it.
Thursday, August 18
Jumping flea watch
The cavaquinho (aka braguinha) is the older Portuguese cousin to the ukulele. Portuguese immigrants to Hawaiʻi brought the cavaquinho with them in the 1880s. Once on the islands, the little lute was refined enough that it became a whole new instrument -- the ukulele ("jumping flea" in Hawaiian).
Random
IN SPITE of all the goofy things Americans do, there is still something very appealing about the American way. I love this story about the new American ambassador to China. ~ link
I WOULDN'T MIND driving a "golf cart" around town. But not for $21,000. ~ TIME
ONLY A QUARTER of the college-bound high school class of 2011 grads are "college ready." I'm pretty sure that when I started college in 1974 I wouldn't have been hitting all the benchmarks. Good preparation is important but lack thereof isn't terminal. ~ link
WHAT IT they had an election and no one contributed even a penny? "Starbucks claimed Wednesday that it has rallied 'hundreds' of people in support of a call by CEO Howard Schultz to suspend campaign contributions to Congress and the president until Washington produces a long-term deficit reduction plan." Or better yet -- if corporations and people are so worried about the national debt perhaps they'd be willing to channel all the money they have earmarked for political contribution$ toward paying down the debt. Or even better, maybe they could crank that money back into the economy, expand, and hire some more employees. ~ link
MY MESSAGE box in Facebook has become completely useless -- flooded with invitations to join this game or that game. How to I block all game notifications?
I WOULDN'T MIND driving a "golf cart" around town. But not for $21,000. ~ TIME
ONLY A QUARTER of the college-bound high school class of 2011 grads are "college ready." I'm pretty sure that when I started college in 1974 I wouldn't have been hitting all the benchmarks. Good preparation is important but lack thereof isn't terminal. ~ link
WHAT IT they had an election and no one contributed even a penny? "Starbucks claimed Wednesday that it has rallied 'hundreds' of people in support of a call by CEO Howard Schultz to suspend campaign contributions to Congress and the president until Washington produces a long-term deficit reduction plan." Or better yet -- if corporations and people are so worried about the national debt perhaps they'd be willing to channel all the money they have earmarked for political contribution$ toward paying down the debt. Or even better, maybe they could crank that money back into the economy, expand, and hire some more employees. ~ link
MY MESSAGE box in Facebook has become completely useless -- flooded with invitations to join this game or that game. How to I block all game notifications?
Wednesday, August 17
Update on Robyn
IT WAS A WEEK AGO today that our niece Robyn Bickerton rolled her car seven times along Highway 101 in Santa Barbara. There are some amazing miracles associated with her rescue and treatment. She remains in an induced coma in ICU with severe brain trauma but there are many signs of hope for her recovery. Thank you to all who have been joining us in prayer for her healing.
Robyn is a wonderful young woman, full of the Holy Spirit, and gifted in compassion. She is a senior at Westmont College. If you are interested in joining the Facebook group set-up for updates and prayer prompts go to: http://goo.gl/lH7Vq
This evening, Melanie, Robyn's twin sister, sent this down the pipe --
Robyn is a wonderful young woman, full of the Holy Spirit, and gifted in compassion. She is a senior at Westmont College. If you are interested in joining the Facebook group set-up for updates and prayer prompts go to: http://goo.gl/lH7Vq
This evening, Melanie, Robyn's twin sister, sent this down the pipe --
The doctors say Robyn is doing good : ) they have two kinds of meds that have been working to lower her brain pressure. PTL! She will have a head ct scan tonight after midnight and that will tell us for sure how her swelling is doing. Please pray for positive results! Also, since she first got to the hospital there has been a machine that has cooled her body temp so that her brain doesn't get aggravated as easily. They tried earlier today to take her off it but she didn't react well. They are going to try again in the next hour, so please pray that her body responses well! Thank you thank you for your continued prayers. I thank the Lord for the miracles He's already worked in Robyn's healing and pray that He continue to do so.
Jumping flea watch
Yet another variation on the uke theme. "This I Wish You Love" – played on a baritone ukulele made by Martin. It is a nice mello and sweet sound. And even though it is tuned the same as the top four strings on the guitar it still sounds like a sweet uke. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's a Martin -- and that Tom knows his way around on it. (via)
Random
HEY DAD, HOW COME we never got to have a backhoe to go with our pool?
GOOD RESUME help for job seekers. ~ link
LEUKEMIA BREAKTHROUGH -- "Doctors have treated only three leukemia patients, but the sensational results from a single shot could be one of the most significant advances in cancer research in decades..." ~ link
IT'S A DANGEROUS WORLD out there. "UK man arrested for planning water pistol fight." ~ CSM
KYLE WHEELER, one of the little kids from the church we served in Selah, Washington in the mid-80's. ~ link
GOOD RESUME help for job seekers. ~ link
LEUKEMIA BREAKTHROUGH -- "Doctors have treated only three leukemia patients, but the sensational results from a single shot could be one of the most significant advances in cancer research in decades..." ~ link
IT'S A DANGEROUS WORLD out there. "UK man arrested for planning water pistol fight." ~ CSM
KYLE WHEELER, one of the little kids from the church we served in Selah, Washington in the mid-80's. ~ link
Tuesday, August 16
Random
CCLI called yesterday to tell us that they are sending a new agreement to cover Cheryl's music. Apparently there are a number of downloads in Australia and the copyright agreement covering that country is significantly different -- and the one she signed a few years ago must be outdated. I'm pleased that there is the need for an additional contract.
THE PACIFIC ISLAND nation of Niue (population 2,000) plans to mint coins featuring Luke Skywalker, Leia, Yoda and Darth Vader. ~ NPR
WARREN BUFFET is at it again:
THE PACIFIC ISLAND nation of Niue (population 2,000) plans to mint coins featuring Luke Skywalker, Leia, Yoda and Darth Vader. ~ NPR
WARREN BUFFET is at it again:
I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone — not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 — shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain. People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off. And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation.
Since 1992, the I.R.S. has compiled data from the returns of the 400 Americans reporting the largest income. In 1992, the top 400 had aggregate taxable income of $16.9 billion and paid federal taxes of 29.2 percent on that sum. In 2008, the aggregate income of the highest 400 had soared to $90.9 billion — a staggering $227.4 million on average — but the rate paid had fallen to 21.5 percent. ~ link
Monday, August 15
Random
THE GREATEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT -- ever
I'M SORRY that our friend Kerri Heck-Guina, a teacher in Texas lost her job because of budget cuts. I hear that Governor Rick Perry is running for president. That could be good for the children of Texas -- but probably not so good for the children of the United States.
I'M SORRY that our friend Kerri Heck-Guina, a teacher in Texas lost her job because of budget cuts. I hear that Governor Rick Perry is running for president. That could be good for the children of Texas -- but probably not so good for the children of the United States.
Sunday, August 14
Random
NEW HURRICANE SCALE puts more focus on storm surge. And why is this controversial? ~ USA Today
"THESE ARE NOT hunger or bread riots. These are riots of defective and disqualified consumers." ~ Zygmunt Bauman
THE ENGLISH RIOTS are the result of entitlement mentality on both the left and the right. Interesting analysis from Phillip Blond. ~ link (via)
I DOUBT THAT this would go over too well with our HOA. But it looks like it could liven up the neighborhood. ~ link (via)
DRIVERLESS CAR drives 175 miles on busy Chinese expressway ~ link
"THESE ARE NOT hunger or bread riots. These are riots of defective and disqualified consumers." ~ Zygmunt Bauman
THE ENGLISH RIOTS are the result of entitlement mentality on both the left and the right. Interesting analysis from Phillip Blond. ~ link (via)
I DOUBT THAT this would go over too well with our HOA. But it looks like it could liven up the neighborhood. ~ link (via)
DRIVERLESS CAR drives 175 miles on busy Chinese expressway ~ link
Saturday, August 13
Random
SHARING FAITH or over-commercializing it? God brands. ~ NY Times
"MORE THAN 17,000 eighth graders in California -- 3.5% of the entire group -- dropped out of school last year." What we have is a failure of imagination. ~ link
CREATIVE -- "Feeding the Poor Through Pay-As-You-Can: A church-based café in New Jersey may be the future for helping people get on their feet" ~ CT
Wednesday, August 10
Random
GOOGLE+ SONG
I JUST DISCOVERED a full-size healthy cantaloupe of which I was previously unaware, hiding in the foliage of the melon patch. Sometimes we're oblivious to the fruit of our labor until it is developed. Sometimes it may just be better that way.
IMMIGRATION IS CHANGING the face of America in many ways. For example, the average US household size has begun to grow for the first time in a half-century (16% of households are multigenerational). There are so many demographic changes. We can't afford to pretend that we're living in the 1990's! ~ USA Today
FINALLY A DOCTORATE that pays huge dividends -- "'Lucky' woman who won lottery four times outed as Stanford University statistics PhD" ~ link
THE LATEST MasterPiece Church BrushStrokes newsletter is online ~ link
FANS OF PIETISM will enjoy this. Moravian Bishop Spangenberg's "EXPOSITION of CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, As Taught In The Protestant Church of the UNITED BRETHREN, OR, UNITAS FRATRUM" -- online -- free. ~ link (.pdf) (via)
NASA says we might all be the aliens. So, they think that life on earth originated from beyond? ~ link
THE BLACK PANTHERS were the "true pioneers of the modern pro-gun movement." No, this isn't a bunch of anti-gun rhetoric but a fascinating historical overview of the the ironies and contradictions of gun rights in the history of the US. ~ The Atlantic
I JUST DISCOVERED a full-size healthy cantaloupe of which I was previously unaware, hiding in the foliage of the melon patch. Sometimes we're oblivious to the fruit of our labor until it is developed. Sometimes it may just be better that way.
IMMIGRATION IS CHANGING the face of America in many ways. For example, the average US household size has begun to grow for the first time in a half-century (16% of households are multigenerational). There are so many demographic changes. We can't afford to pretend that we're living in the 1990's! ~ USA Today
FINALLY A DOCTORATE that pays huge dividends -- "'Lucky' woman who won lottery four times outed as Stanford University statistics PhD" ~ link
THE LATEST MasterPiece Church BrushStrokes newsletter is online ~ link
FANS OF PIETISM will enjoy this. Moravian Bishop Spangenberg's "EXPOSITION of CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, As Taught In The Protestant Church of the UNITED BRETHREN, OR, UNITAS FRATRUM" -- online -- free. ~ link (.pdf) (via)
NASA says we might all be the aliens. So, they think that life on earth originated from beyond? ~ link
THE BLACK PANTHERS were the "true pioneers of the modern pro-gun movement." No, this isn't a bunch of anti-gun rhetoric but a fascinating historical overview of the the ironies and contradictions of gun rights in the history of the US. ~ The Atlantic
Tuesday, August 9
Random
YES, WALMART is a true slice of America. If you haven't laughed at yourself yet today... take a look. (via)
A 98-YEAR-OLD WOMAN has become the first woman ever to earn Judo's highest-degree black belt. I'm guessing that she probably earned it 60 years ago and that the Kodokan is just now figuring out that they need to recognize that reality. ~ link
HORTICULTURE THERAPY ~ link
IRS AGENTS RAIDED a Guam home and seized evidence of $2.57M tax fraud scheme. Did they really think they'd get away with that? Way too many red flags. ~ link
JOHN STOTT and the best of evangelicalism. ~ link
A 98-YEAR-OLD WOMAN has become the first woman ever to earn Judo's highest-degree black belt. I'm guessing that she probably earned it 60 years ago and that the Kodokan is just now figuring out that they need to recognize that reality. ~ link
HORTICULTURE THERAPY ~ link
IRS AGENTS RAIDED a Guam home and seized evidence of $2.57M tax fraud scheme. Did they really think they'd get away with that? Way too many red flags. ~ link
JOHN STOTT and the best of evangelicalism. ~ link
Mark Hatfield
Ted Olsen's obituary about him makes the senator sound more liberal than moderate. But I suppose that is because Hatfield opposed the Vietnam war when it wasn't a popular thing to do. If fact, he was actually a highly respected Republican -- and very much a consistent pro-life Christian. He was the model politician. And I would put him in the dictionary as an example under the definition of the word "statesman."
If Republicans were to still allow people like Hatfield in their party -- I'd still be a Republican. And if we had even a few politicians schooled in his manner and who had taken his approach to heart we wouldn't be in the pickle we're in now. I'm grateful for his faithfulness and service but it makes me sad that his legacy didn't get passed down.
Monday, August 8
Random
ARIZONA GUN story of the day. Dumb.~ link
"PHOENIX-AREA churches deliver message in non-traditional ways" -- The thing about this survey of unusual churches is that many of them are really pretty conventional in 2011. For example, CrossWalk in our own village of Laveen is pretty typical of a low-liturgy, band-intense, short prayer, Warren-style preaching church. MasterPiece Church didn't get mentioned in the article. I suppose we're not the only congregation that at least occasionally does uke-driven music. ~ link
BECOMING A MORMON is one way of dealing with the mysteries and conundrums of Trinitarian theology. Strange but interesting interview with Jana Riess. ~ link
RATS! MISSED IT AGAIN -- Happy belated birthday to Smokey the Bear ~ link
SQUIRRELS SEEM TO LIKE chewing on fiber optic lines -- not such a good thing for internet users. I'm thinking the wireless companies are loving it. ~ link
ARIZONA gun story of the day. Dumb. ~ link
Sunday, August 7
Twitter, Facebook, G+ -- Face-to-Face?
Kyle Small was asking about the difference between Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and face-to-face relationships. My response:
Tweets are short but sweet -- a broadcast to all who care and who can keep up with the flow. Hopefully someone in there you’ll get to know. The culture of Twitter is about sharing information.
Facebook posts are for those you already know -- keeping the bonds fresh through games, surveys, and gimmicks. The culture of Facebook is about sharing experiences -- pictures and happenings.
The culture of Google+ has yet to be defined. Will it be more relational or informational? It is better suited for sharing information, in that unlike Twitter, the size of posts are not limited. G+ is better suited than FB for developing relational connections through the highly flexible hangouts. The picture tools are perhaps already more powerful than FB.
The circles in G+ allow you to control inflow and outflow of information more tightly than the other social media -- more information moves through the system -- but with less sense of overload. If you broadcast with Twitter you narrowcast with G+. (Remember, Google’s goal is to organize the world’s information.)
Look for Google to roll out powerful search and integration with their other features.
Expect G+ to become more versatile and task oriented than FB or Twitter. Once the organization and business accounts are opened it will change even more. In the educational realm G+ will give both Moodle and Blackboard a real run for their money.
G+ is by far the most powerful of the social media. And it hasn’t even been officially released, yet. We’re all still playing with the beta version.
And then there are the face-to-face encounters. Expect them to be fewer and further between. But expect them to be deeper -- nurtured through more frequent online contact. Expect an integration and synthesis of social media and face-to-face encounters. The open question has to do with which media will dominate in the synthesis.
Tweets are short but sweet -- a broadcast to all who care and who can keep up with the flow. Hopefully someone in there you’ll get to know. The culture of Twitter is about sharing information.
Facebook posts are for those you already know -- keeping the bonds fresh through games, surveys, and gimmicks. The culture of Facebook is about sharing experiences -- pictures and happenings.
The culture of Google+ has yet to be defined. Will it be more relational or informational? It is better suited for sharing information, in that unlike Twitter, the size of posts are not limited. G+ is better suited than FB for developing relational connections through the highly flexible hangouts. The picture tools are perhaps already more powerful than FB.
The circles in G+ allow you to control inflow and outflow of information more tightly than the other social media -- more information moves through the system -- but with less sense of overload. If you broadcast with Twitter you narrowcast with G+. (Remember, Google’s goal is to organize the world’s information.)
Look for Google to roll out powerful search and integration with their other features.
Expect G+ to become more versatile and task oriented than FB or Twitter. Once the organization and business accounts are opened it will change even more. In the educational realm G+ will give both Moodle and Blackboard a real run for their money.
G+ is by far the most powerful of the social media. And it hasn’t even been officially released, yet. We’re all still playing with the beta version.
And then there are the face-to-face encounters. Expect them to be fewer and further between. But expect them to be deeper -- nurtured through more frequent online contact. Expect an integration and synthesis of social media and face-to-face encounters. The open question has to do with which media will dominate in the synthesis.
Friday, August 5
Edelweiss for the uke
Thursday, August 4
Random
STANFORD MED STUDENTS testing virtual dissection table ~ link
LIBRARIANS, functioning with very limited budgets these days, are concerned about a move by publisher HarperCollins, which would cap eBook loans from public libraries at 26 checkouts before requiring the library to repurchase the eBook. ~ link
"'SON OF MAN' or 'Human One?' tough translation questions raised by the Common English Bible" ~ link
Wednesday, August 3
Random
"RESEARCH, to be published in the journal Psychological Science, finds that Chinese people who are fluent in English translate English words into Chinese automatically and quickly, without thinking about it." ~ link
NO KIDDING -- "Auspicious new science suggests that chocolate can have a surprisingly large effect on the body’s response to exercise, although not in the ways that many of us might expect, and certainly not at the dosages most might hope for." ~ NY Times
MANY MAJOR media outlets fell for a hoax which reported a study showing that Internet Explorer users have lower IQs than users of other browsers. ~ BBC
MAJOR CULTURAL SHIFTS -- Barna: "Church attendance among western adults dropped by 11 points, from 47% to 36% in 2011." ~ more
FOR REAL? Robert Lee Tran Truong (aka King Cuu Long) a self-proclaimed pastor, billionaire and "King of Vietnam" is apparently going to make a $99 million offer for the Crystal Cathedral. Too much weird stuff in the story to take it at face value. ~ link
Tuesday, August 2
Donate a boat or a vehicle
If you want to donate a used boat, vehicle, motorcycle, RV, or electronic gadget you can do so from most anywhere in the US. And it can benefit MasterPiece Church OR if you communicate directly with me as you do so with the 4Causes organization, we can arrange for the donation through the church's account to benefit Pacific Islands Bible College/University on Guam -- where we're involved in the development of Christian leaders for Micronesia and Asia.
Yes, these donations qualify as tax-deductible.
Recovering the Scandal of the Cross, 2nd edition(!)
I’m impressed. Recovering the Scandal of the Cross: Atonement in New Testament and Contemporary Contexts
by Mark Baker and Joel Green has been released as a second edition (IVP, 2011). The first edition, which was released about 10 years ago, created a minor stir because it involved solidly evangelical scholars challenging the dominance of the penal substitutionary view of atonement in evangelical thinking.
Penal substitutionary atonement, also called penal satisfaction atonement, has its theological roots in Anselm’s theory of satisfaction. That is, the atonement involved restoring God’s honor through a sacrifice of satisfaction. Over the years the concept morphed (primarily in the reductionism of the post-Reformation and emerging-modern era) so that it was God’s wrath which was apparently satisfied by Christ’s death on the cross.
Baker and Green contend that the biblical case for the modern idea of penal satisfaction is an unnatural twisting of the biblical narrative. And indeed, it will be less than satisfying (pun intended) in a postmodern context.
The authors analyze the relationship between the sacrificial language in both the Old and New Testaments and the idea of divine wrath. In a nutshell they argue that the problem with penal substitutionary atonement lies in the modern way that the dots are connected between the biblical motifs of wrath, justification, and substitution.
The exegetical survey is thorough enough and highlights the complex and sophisticated nature of the atonement song being sung in scripture. When necessary there are footnotes but the book is not overly technical.
They conclude,
This new edition, in keeping with the emphasis on narrative communication, even includes a few pages on the substitutionary sacrifice in the Chronicles of Narinia.
I do appreciate Baker and Green’s attempts to include some non-Western thinkers in their overview. I have required my undergrad theology students, who primarily come from shame-based cultures, to read the chapter on atonement as the removal of shame in the Japanese context. And that chapter remains in the new edition.
I’m sure that some people are going to take issue with this book -- although Baker and Green are even clearer than in the last edition about their affirmation of substitutionary atonement. The problem is that for many who were raised on the idea of penal substitutionary atonement, that view IS substitutionary atonement. Perhaps, though, this will open up some new neural pathways.
My own thinking doesn’t really include a rigidly penal understanding of the atonement. After all, my background is in the Lutheran Pietism of the Evangelical Covenant Church, which was strongly influenced by the thinking of Swedish theologian P.P. Waldenström, in the late 19th century. He didn’t have much room for the wrath of God in his understanding of the atonement, either. Perhaps ole P.P. will get a tip of the hat in the third edition.
And while I'm writing out my wishlist, perhaps IVP will consider releasing a Kindle edition.
by Mark Baker and Joel Green has been released as a second edition (IVP, 2011). The first edition, which was released about 10 years ago, created a minor stir because it involved solidly evangelical scholars challenging the dominance of the penal substitutionary view of atonement in evangelical thinking.
Penal substitutionary atonement, also called penal satisfaction atonement, has its theological roots in Anselm’s theory of satisfaction. That is, the atonement involved restoring God’s honor through a sacrifice of satisfaction. Over the years the concept morphed (primarily in the reductionism of the post-Reformation and emerging-modern era) so that it was God’s wrath which was apparently satisfied by Christ’s death on the cross.Baker and Green contend that the biblical case for the modern idea of penal satisfaction is an unnatural twisting of the biblical narrative. And indeed, it will be less than satisfying (pun intended) in a postmodern context.
The authors analyze the relationship between the sacrificial language in both the Old and New Testaments and the idea of divine wrath. In a nutshell they argue that the problem with penal substitutionary atonement lies in the modern way that the dots are connected between the biblical motifs of wrath, justification, and substitution.
The exegetical survey is thorough enough and highlights the complex and sophisticated nature of the atonement song being sung in scripture. When necessary there are footnotes but the book is not overly technical.
They conclude,
The impression with which we are left is that the death of Jesus is a historical event of such profundity that we can only do it violence by narrowing its meaning to one interpretation or by privileging one interpretation over all others.” (p. 111)Furthermore,
“Within the pages of the New Testament, the saving significance of the death of Jesus is represented chiefly (though not exclusively) via five constellations of images. These are each borrowed from significant spheres of public life in ancient Palestine and the larger Greco-Roman world: the court of law (e.g. justification), commercial dealings (e.g. redemption), personal relationships (whether among individuals or groups -- e.g. reconciliation), worship (e.g. sacrifice) and the battleground (e.g. triumph over evil.)” (p. 125)In this second edition more attention is given to the current postmodern approaches, in particular Kevin Vanhoozer’s attempt to craft an atonement explanation that is more sensitive to the concepts of covenant and commitment.
This new edition, in keeping with the emphasis on narrative communication, even includes a few pages on the substitutionary sacrifice in the Chronicles of Narinia.
I do appreciate Baker and Green’s attempts to include some non-Western thinkers in their overview. I have required my undergrad theology students, who primarily come from shame-based cultures, to read the chapter on atonement as the removal of shame in the Japanese context. And that chapter remains in the new edition.
I’m sure that some people are going to take issue with this book -- although Baker and Green are even clearer than in the last edition about their affirmation of substitutionary atonement. The problem is that for many who were raised on the idea of penal substitutionary atonement, that view IS substitutionary atonement. Perhaps, though, this will open up some new neural pathways.
My own thinking doesn’t really include a rigidly penal understanding of the atonement. After all, my background is in the Lutheran Pietism of the Evangelical Covenant Church, which was strongly influenced by the thinking of Swedish theologian P.P. Waldenström, in the late 19th century. He didn’t have much room for the wrath of God in his understanding of the atonement, either. Perhaps ole P.P. will get a tip of the hat in the third edition.
And while I'm writing out my wishlist, perhaps IVP will consider releasing a Kindle edition.
Monday, August 1
Random
THE US NAVY is considering using Google+ as an intranet. ~ USA Today
THE CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL isn't the only religious institution in financial trouble. The historic Betusin Buddhist Temple in Fresno, California is on the market for $1.1 million. There used to be lots of devout Japanese Buddhists in Fresno. ~ link (via)
"FBI Investigating New Suspect In 1971 DB Cooper Plane Hijacking" -- Hasn't the statute of limitations on that crime expired? ~ link
A SERMON FIRST -- at least for me. We put a YouTube video of yesterday's sermon (1 John 2:18-29) up on the Fresh Fish Food blog. It's not a particularly dynamic sermon -- and it's a little too long (30 minutes) in my book -- but our cameraman Jeffrey Currivean did an especially good job of positioning himself so that the backlight wasn't such an issue. And the sound came out alright, too. We use a little Flip camera.
THE CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL isn't the only religious institution in financial trouble. The historic Betusin Buddhist Temple in Fresno, California is on the market for $1.1 million. There used to be lots of devout Japanese Buddhists in Fresno. ~ link (via)
"FBI Investigating New Suspect In 1971 DB Cooper Plane Hijacking" -- Hasn't the statute of limitations on that crime expired? ~ link
A SERMON FIRST -- at least for me. We put a YouTube video of yesterday's sermon (1 John 2:18-29) up on the Fresh Fish Food blog. It's not a particularly dynamic sermon -- and it's a little too long (30 minutes) in my book -- but our cameraman Jeffrey Currivean did an especially good job of positioning himself so that the backlight wasn't such an issue. And the sound came out alright, too. We use a little Flip camera.
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