Doug Geivett’s Theology Reading Suggestions

Are here at his blog

Book of Genesis now in Comic Book form…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See here.

Pope signs papal declaration for Roman Catholic Church to offer oversight to “entire [Anglican] congregations”

This is a massively significant move on behalf of the pope, especially for “Anglo-Catholics” in the new structures that have sprung up in response to the theological revisionism within the Episcopal Church, and other “progressive” Anglican bodies worldwide.  It will be interesting to see what happens…

Two excerpts from the article:

October 20, 2009, will go down in history as a turning point in Catholic-Anglican relations.

This new canonical structure will be open to all in the Anglican Communion (currently 77 million strong), including the Episcopal Church in the United States (approximately 2.2 million)

HT: StandFirm

Update:  USATODAY article-more info than the article above.

Quote of the Year!

If you want to be an authentic real person, put down your iPod and pick up your cross.

-Francis Beckwith

Excerpt taken from a CTToday article by Colin Hansen entitled “The Case for Christendom.”

Interesting Quote

Right listening is the beginning of right living.

                                                       -Plutarch

Do you think this is true?  Why or why not?

Another blog of mine…

Here is a link to a new blog I am starting for a small-group that I will be leading in the community right around Wellspring Anglican Church (where I both work and live in Englewood, CO).  Check it out and share your thoughts!

Oregon Healthboard tells one woman “No” to chemotherapy drugs, but “Yes” to assisted suicide!

Greg Boyd on why you should not buy the “Patriot’s Bible”

Below is a reproduced blog post of pastor/theologian Greg Boyd on the Patriot’s Bible-it is a creatively cogent and funny response to this dangerously idolatrous Bible which mixes American nationalism with Christianity.

The Patriot’s Bible — Really?

May 8th, 2009

Have you ever seen the Saturday Night Live skit entitled “Really? With Seth and Amy”? Sometimes it’s pretty funny. I was thinking that perhaps the best way to get through my critique of The American Patriot’s Bible (henceforth Patriot’s Bible) would be to give a “Really?” type report on it.

I want to preface my “report” by saying I am certain the commentators behind the Patriot’s Bible are well intentioned, godly scholars who believe they’re doing the Kingdom (and America) a great service. Despite their noble intentions, however, I believe this Bible is, frankly, idolatrous, dangerous and profoundly damaging to the Kingdom. I feel compelled to denounce it in the strongest possible way I can. The sarcasm that follows is intended for this purpose only.

Here’s some “really?” reflections, in no particular order.

* The Lord’s statement that Moses “is faithful in all My houses” (Num. 12:7) calls for a boxed quote from Grover Cleveland about how the teachings of Christ “results in the purest patriotism…”

Really? Oddly enough, Christians for the first three centuries of the church were persecuted for being unpatriotic. They wouldn’t pledge allegiance to the emperor or fight to defend the empire. Now Jesus becomes the champion of patriotism. Really? Does this hold true for Russians, North Koreans and Iranians, or just Americans? And how on earth did we leap from a verse about God’s “houses” to the topic of patriotism in the first place? Really?

* In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul notes that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are spiritual and mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds. This inspires the Patriot’s Bible commentators to provide the reader with a historical note about Eisenhower signing into law the clause “one Nation under God” into the Pledge of Allegiance. Eisenhower is quoted as saying this clause would help “strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our countries most powerful resource in peace and war.”

Really? Do you really think Paul – who taught us to give our enemies food and water and to never retaliate (Rom. 12:14-21) – would approve of having his authority borrowed to buttress up America’s resources in war? Really? Doesn’t this verse explicitly say he’s not talking about earthly wars and that our weapons are not carnal? Oh, and by the way, the Patriot’s Bible leaves out “not carnal” in their commentary’s quote of this verse. Really?

Episcopal Church Votes to Allow Homosexuals to be Ordained as Priests and Bishops

Resolution D025 passed by a 2-1 margin at the General Convention of The Episcopal Church (America), which will allow homosexuals to be ordained to the episcopate and the presbyterate. This is a very American move-by that I mean that us Americans have in our DNA a anti-authoritarian, “no one is going to tell us what to do,” sort of spirit. This is a sad move as there are still many faithful, orthodox Anglicans in the TEC. I hope that they will feel welcome in transitioning to the ACNA, (the new orthodox province of N. America) if that is what they choose. Questions now abound as to how the Archbishop of Canterbury will respond and whether or not he will now recognize the ACNA as being THE faithful, orthodox body/province of N. America and grant them full standing into the Anglican communion. As one author put it, “It was the best of time, it was the worst of times.”

To read Bishop of Durham, N. T. Wrights response in The Times, go here.

Moreover, the Church of England’s General Synod will be debating entering into communion with ACNA in September.  For more, go here.

Jesus & Paul

One of the really cool perks to being a Research Assistant to a NT scholar is that I occasionally get whatever books he either 1) has read and no longer needs, 2) has extra copies of, or 3) doesn’t want. One of the 3 books that I received today was Michael F. Bird’s Introducing Paul. Besides being one of my favorite bloggers, Michael Bird is a great scholar who is really engaging in his writing [and by the way-I didn’t receive the book b/c it wasn’t any good or b/c this particular professor did not like it, in case you are reading Michael!].  His material is extremely relevant and lucidly presented, and this book (intended as an introduction to Paul for college students) is no exception. Below is an awesome (& rather hilarious!) tidbit that I came across today concerning the strangeness of Paul’s claims to first-century hearers. We would all do well to remember how unusual the claims concerning Christ are. It is easy for us to this side of 2000 years of Christian history to see the Christian claims as “old hat.” Bird writes:

Imagine you are walking through your local university or college and hear in the quad an elderly man from South America telling people loudly about God’s love and salvation. He announces the ‘good news’ of Carlos Hernandez. He recounts hous Carlos was a Peruvian peasant attestedy by man might deeds of power and miracles and who proclaimed the end of the world. But the chief men in the city of Lima feared his popularity with the peasant class, falsely accused of being an Al-Qaeda terrorist and had him killed by electrocution. But a week later, this Carlos was raised from the dead and was seen by several American tourists. Then the man declares that ‘this Carlos was electrocuted for your sins and salvation is found through faith in him’. And then, to make matters worse he starts singing:

Carlos was there on that horrible chair

They tied him down with bolts and then zapped him with 40,000 volts

It was for you our saviour fried and died

Despite the fact that his chair caught on fire, this one is God’s true Messiah

The wisdom of the world has been refuted because Carlos was electrocuted

He is my saviour and my lamp, because he absorbed every deadly amp

Now I know that God does care, ’cause he sent Carlos Hernandez to the electric chair