I am putting this week down to being one of clarification, alteration and some of that good ole’ conviction we read about in Lk 12:12[1], John 14:26[2] and Heb.11:1[3].
Here are a collection of links from sites which I found particularly insightful this week.
1. Author, Craig Borlase hits the mark in his 2012 discourse about social media and Christianity.
2. Salvation Army Officer, Robert Evans made his mark with the statement “the quality of the human endeavour describes the character of a person whose internal victory speaks louder than their external defeat”…read more.
3. N.T scholar, Scot Mcknight included some interesting reading in a blog post entitled ‘A competent creator?’ Mcknight pointed to Daniel Harrell’s book ‘Nature’s witness: How evolution can inspire faith’ and pulled out the following quip:
A scientist tells God that he’s figured out how to create life from the dust of the ground, just like God did in the beginning. Consequently, the scientist says, he’s shown that God is no longer a plausible hypothesis for the origin of life. Impressed, the Lord tells the scientist to do it again; he’d like to watch. So the scientist picks up a handful of dirt. But the Lord stops him right there.
“Uh-uh” God says. “Get your own dirt.” (p.69)
4. Blogger ‘the Ink Slinger’ gave a perceptive response to claims that ‘people within Islam view extremists with the same caution as Christians who view Westboro Baptist church’ as being a reactionary group who are notoriously grim (and theologically misguided)…read more.
5. A friend of mine pointed me towards this youtube rocker, ‘331Erock’s’ enchanting metal arrangement of the theme songs ‘Dr.Who, I am the Doctor’ and ‘Skyfall’. It really does goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Adele and screaming guitars?…great combo!
6. Ps.Walter Bright gets a sound out from me because of this poignant piece. Basically, WB encourages us to ‘go beyond information to transformation’. Food for thought for those of us with an almost unquenchable thirst for intellectual-theological engagement.
7. Finally, a big thanks to those who stopped by the blog this week. I have included a picture of an armored bus a friend of mine took whilst on a trip to Israel recently. Until I saw the picture I was thinking A-teamesk iron-plated-silver panelling, with small rectangular viewing slots lined up and running down the side, with maybe a few spotter turrets on the top. Who knew, heh…it was completely different to what I had imagined and actually looks quite comfortable. 😛
References:
[1] ‘For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Lk.12:12, ESV)
[2] ‘But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you’ (Jn.14:26, ESV).
[3] ‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen’ (Heb.11:1, ESV).
Rod Lampard 