Texas Rangers – 2010 AL West Champs!

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 753 Comments

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Art and Media – “Cloudscapes”

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 866 Comments

Clouds in a building?  Believe it.  And stare in nerdy awe.

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Homeschooled and Humbled

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,042 Comments

3 of a Kind by Theodore Scott

Hello everyone. My name is Andrew and I was homeschooled.

It is true. For 10 years, through high school, I walked in those proud ranks.

And what a mighty force we were. Standing against the foes of cultural liberalism, the Democratic Party and the Public Educational System, we were a fell enemy to all things evil. Armed with our Latin, Logic and SAT scores we slew the ideas and perspectives we hated.

We measured ourselves against the ignorant horde of the Public Schooled and came out the Victors. It was we who were fair-minded. It was we who were free to think and reason. It was we who were preserved from State Controlled brain washing. It was we who had the best theology, the best philosophy and the best politics.

We bled republican red. We applied our proven grassroots ability and far-reaching networking to great success for our saviors in D.C. We fought to keep prayers public in the schools we shunned and we ached for our government to be run by Christians once again.

We spat upon the endless, mindless questioning of American-hating liberalism. We defended absolute Truth and repelled Mr. Darwin. We worked to keep our nation afloat in the seas of moral relativism. We were the sails and we were the rudder; predestined to put our Christian Country back on course.

We were the intellectual warriors, the fair-minded victors and the liberalism-squelching band of home-educated brothers. Ours was a proud tradition and we fought tooth and nail to defend it.

And yet.

I left the ranks of the Enlightened and upon entering the marketplace of ideas and results, I was humbled.

I found that I was not the conqueror and that there were scores of people educated differently than I who were far wiser and more intelligent than I.

I found that the Republican Party is just as nasty, spiteful and sin-filled than any political party anywhere in this sinning world.

I found that liberalism really does have some very searching questions, few of which I had developed any real solid answers for.

I found that my country is not really the greatest and that she will ultimately fall as all great countries have.

I found that I am just an ordinary guy relying on Jesus in a sinning, sorry world. I love myself too much. I love my mind too much. I love this world too much.

Home Education has much to offer. My parents did right by me in it. It took guts and gumption and they succeeded with flying colors. I know many more young men and women who have benefited from it as I have. My wife and I plan on homeschooling our own small children. Yet, it is still a human enterprise and as such, it is open to the same sin and vice as any activity engaged in by men.

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SBFC-SW “Being a Calvinist in the SBC”

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 447 Comments

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Lost Sheep

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,651 Comments

 

In the end, it was all about lost sheep.

It was about Ben, the Island-bred murderous liar, for whom manipulation was second nature and coercion simply a means to the end of the moment.

It was about Sawyer, the smooth-talking con-man, rough around every edge, singularly bent on murderous revenge.

It was about Kate, the attractive girl-next-door killer, on the run from the authorities and her broken past.

It was about the Kims, husband and wife in name only, owners of a broken marriage and slaves to a dictatorial father/boss.

It was about John, the bitterly angry paraplegic orphan with sever daddy issues.

It was about Jack, the work absorbed, brilliant surgeon, who could fix everything except his own broken, screwed-up life.

It was about Sayid, the torturer.

It was about Charlie, the druggie.

It was about Claire, the young-mother-turned-crazie.

It was about Hurley, the large, superstitious lottery-winning schizophrenic.

It was about Desmond, the yellow-bellied time-traveller.

It was about a diverse group of fallen, flawed and ultimately lonely people.

They tried to fix things, they tried to do things their own way.  Every step was a stumble, every stumble a full-on face plant.

 

In the end, it is all about a Lamb.

A Lamb who was born a miraculous birth.

A Lamb who lived a completely human life.

A Lamb who is without spot or blemish.

A Lamb who sympathizes as a Kind and Dread Sovereign.

A Lamb who bled, died and rose again.

 

This Lamb redeemed David, the cowardly murderous adulterer.

This Lamb redeemed Jacob, the spineless mommas-boy cheat.

This Lamb redeemed Moses, the timidly fearful seeker of man’s honor.

This Lamb redeemed Peter, the loud-mouthed, impetuous, impatient fisherman.

This Lamb redeemed Saul, the hate-filled, Pharisaical butcher.

This Lamb redeemed the dying, bloody, pathetic thief on the Cross.

This Lamb redeemed me.

 

The Stories of men are powerful.  They’re riveting.  They’re didactic.  They’re inspiring.

Yet, all such stories of hope and grace and redemption pale in comparison to the glorious Light, our Lion and Lamb, in whom is no darkness.

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Music Reviews – “In Feast or Fallow” by Sandra McCracken

Posted on May 22, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,113 Comments

Martin Luther once famously said “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”  The writer of the classic hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, Luther understood much of the power and beauty of music.

Throughout the history of God’s people, music has been a profound means and vehicle for worship of God.  From the Psalms of David and the Sons of Korah, to the hymns of the early Church to hymns like “Be Thou My Vision”, “Amazing Grace” and “In Christ Alone”, music has played a powerful role in how God’s People worship Him.

In recent years, the evangelical Contemporary Christian Music industry has “rediscovered” the role that hymns can play in worship.  Following along in the wake of the praise and worship sub-genre, hymns have found a strong niche and small appreciation amongst CCM consumers.  Formerly relegated to dusty old hymnals, “dead and dying” churches and youthful ridicule, hymns have found something of a renaissance in the evangelical world through the work of the Michael W. Smiths and Chris Tomlins of the world.  Fortunately for CCM, such remakes and covers struck a chord and a money-making sub-genre of a sub-genre of a pseudo-genre was birthed and bloated to the point of mockery, shameless profiteering and ugly self-promotion.

Thankfully, not everybody involved in the writing and remaking of hymns have been sucked into the dark CCM vortex.  Through the efforts of artists and groups such as Stewart Townend, The Gettys, Sovereign Grace Music, Indelible Grace and Sandra McCracken, true, respectful, worshipful and artistic hymn-writing has made a genuinely strong comeback.

Of particular note is Sandra McCracken’s beautiful “In Feast or Fallow”.  A collection of new hymns, old hymns, old hymns remade and even a classic in its original form and with its original title, “In Feast or Fallow” is a solid exploration of plenty and need, and a worthwhile expression of praise to God; in times of feast and even in times when life’s ground must for a time remain fallow.  Describing the context of the hymns, McCracken says “There are life seasons of palpable spiritual springtime, when the flowers burst with color and new leaves shoot out of every stem. There are seasons of desert isolation and winter darkness. There are whole years when you have so much stored grain and wine that you forget who you are and where you came from. And there are other times when you have barely enough, and your soul is still and satisfied.”  This theme is carried throughout the album with songs born of grief (“Petition”, written by Anne Steele, as a response to her fiancé’s untimely death a day before they were to be wed), a song praying for God’s blessing (“Give Reviving”), a song celebrating life (“Hidden Place”, derived from a journal entry McCracken wrote 10 days before the birth of her daughter), a song celebrating Advent (Martin Luther’s “This is the Christ”), a song born of study of the book of Judges (“Sweet Sorrow”), a song about justice (“Justice Will Roll Down”, pulled from Amos 5:24) and a classic about the amazing Grace of God (“Faith’s Review and Expectation” by John Newton).  Throughout the album McCracken calls herself and the listener to look to Christ for Hope to the Father for unyielding love and to the Spirit for the strength to carry on, even in the midst of profound suffering and sorrow.

McCracken teamed up with her producer husband, Derek Webb, for recording the album and the result in a perfect blend of worshipful music and lyrics.  Blending the old and the new, the sound moves from traditional to a nuanced (and greatly subdued) expression of the electronica sound that Derek utilized more obviously in “Stockholm Syndrome“.  What is clear is that McCracken and Webb are a dynamic and effectively creative team.  Marriage serves to strengthen two people as individuals, even as both become one.  This truism is quite evident in McCracken and Webb, as both have become better artists through each other.

Finally, it is heartening to see the respect and sobriety with which McCracken approaches her material and the material of Saints long dead, as she adds her own magnificent contributions to the voluminous tome of work that came before.  Respecting the Tradition, yet confidently adding to it, McCracken shows great sensitivity and artistry.  The closing song in the album, “Faith’s Review and Expectation” is a brilliant cover of Newton’s famously classic “Amazing Grace”, sung with tact, class and true to its original form and intent.

Perhaps there is not better compliment to McCracken than to say that Luther and Newton (and the host of hymn-writing saints who came before and after) would undoubtedly be proud and would give a hearty amen to the chorus of the song “In Feast or Fallow”:

In the harvest feast or the fallow ground
My certain hope is in Jesus found
My lord, my cup, my portion sure
Whatever comes we shall endure
Whatever comes we shall endure

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Art and Media Wednesday – Michael Blaine Myers Jr.

Posted on May 19, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,081 Comments

This is for those of you (like me) who are Lost fanatics.

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Christian Ethics and the New Media – Summary

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,325 Comments

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Introduction and Media Defined

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Scripture and Communication

Christian Ethics and the New Media: The Christian and the New Media

Christian Ethics and the New Media: The Local Church and the New Media

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Art and Media Wednesday – Pixels

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 771 Comments

Interesting.  Colorful.  Imaginative.  Pixels. 

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Christian Ethics and the New Media – The Local Church and the New Media

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 779 Comments

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Introduction and Media Defined

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Scripture and Communication

Christian Ethics and the New Media: The Christian and the New Media

 

The Local  Church and the New Media

Just as the individual Christian has responsibility for right, ethical living in the realm of social networking and the New Media, local churches also play pivotal roles of responsibility in such a plethora of media.

Over her history, the Church has been fairly consistent in her adoption of various new technologies and media.  Whether it was the use of scrolls, codexes, books, magazines, newspapers, radio or television, the Church has generally done a fair job of keeping up with societal and technological changes and paradigm shifts in the forms and mediums of communication.

According to the Barna Group,

“People within the Christian community are just as immersed in (and dependent upon) digital technologies and social networks as are those outside of it. Both evangelical Christians and other born again Christians emerged as statistically on par with national norms when it came to each of the 15 different areas that were studied. In other words, matters of faith played very little role in differentiating people’s technological habits.”[1]

In a world that is increasingly connected and compartmentalized, the Church is left with a pressing problem.  On the one hand, according to David Kinnaman, “Church leaders have to strike the delicate balance between the spiritual and cultural potential of tech tools without surrendering to the false promise of these tools. Having the means of reaching the masses – for instance, through podcasting – is a good thing.”[2] The New Media, as a paradigm-shifting, conversation changing form of information communication, is precisely poised to be used in powerfully productive ways.  “Yet, nothing matches the potency of life-on-life discipleship. In this respect, social networking and blogs can be effective tools to intimately connect with a small, natural network of relationships. The key is using the technology in a way that is consistent with your calling and purpose, not just an addictive self-indulgence.” [3]

This statement by Kinnaman reveals both the weakness and the power of the New Media.  On the one hand, for its ability to quickly, effectively, efficiently and economically communicate information, the New Media is unmatched and unparalleled in human history.  Yet, this strength is also the New Media’s greatest weakness, for in providing such volumes of information, facades of familiarity and community can be erected and these facades can in fact impede any real attempts at valid, human relationship-building interaction.  For the Church, this means quite simply that there is no replacement for face-to-face, human, organic relationship growth.  Humans are communal creatures.[4] The New Media does not, and cannot satisfy this basic need.

Furthermore, the Church has a moral and ethical responsibility to work through the issues that these New Media present.  Kinnaman goes on to say

“One recent study we completed among teenagers showed that just 9% of church-going teens had learned something helpful about technology in their church during the past year. As each new generation becomes increasingly enmeshed with technology, these discussions and choices cannot be left to chance. Control, image, relevance, immediacy, transparency, purity, truth, stewardship, and escapism are some of the many issues that technology brings to the surface, not always with benign consequences.”[5]

Finally, the Church must understand and engage with the reality of the New Media, namely that it is a two-way conversation:

“Young people, for instance, think of themselves as creators of content, not merely consumers of it. Technology, in essence, gives them a voice and fuels their search for calling. Whether or not you welcome it, technology creates an entirely new calculus of influence and independence. The stewardship of technology as a force for good in culture is an important role for technologists, entrepreneurs, educators, and Christian leaders.”[6]

Local Churches must be equipped to deal with the ethical issues that the New Media bring.  While Media are amoral, they do not exist in a vacuum.  The medium, the agent of transference, not only conveys the message, but it works to shape it.  Ideas are nameless, substance less notions until they are given shape and definition by language.  Language in some sense is modified by the medium through which it is expressed.  The Church, as Christ’s Bride and Witness must be wary of her message being unnecessarily warped by the media she uses to express it.  Just because media are amoral does not mean that they are always necessarily right to use.  Likewise, just because various media are used in terrible, awful and sinful ways does not mean it is wrong to use those same media in right ways.  But one thing is certain: the Church is most assuredly called to remove herself from any naïveté regarding the New Media.  She is called by Her Lord to communicate in a way that honors Him and brings Him renown.  Her use (or misuse) of media will directly affect her ability to do that.

 

Conclusion

In the world of the Information Age, where communication and the New Media are kings, ethical issues abound.  Questions of privacy, idolatry, predation, stewardship, slander and libel are daily conundrums for millions of bloggers, Facebookers and Twitterers every day.  In a world of rapid change, where a massive paradigm shift has occurred in the way people communicate with one another and process information, confusion and fear can often rule the day.

Yet, God has not left the Christian in the dark.  The light of Scriptural truth shines and the Christian is provided with clear teachings and encouragements for how to rightly, morally and ethically communicate to other Christians and to the world around.  Whether it’s in the local church or on in the world of tweets and posts, blogs and vlogs, the Christian is called to rightly live and communicate, making the best use of the time, for the good of all men and for the glory of God.

 

[1] Barna Group, May 26, 2008, “Barna Technology Study: Social Networking, Online Entertainment And Church Podcasts,” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/36-barna-technology-study-social-networking-online-entertainment-and-church-podcasts/ (accessed April 27, 2010).

[2] Barna Group, May 26, 2008, “Barna Technology Study: Social Networking, Online Entertainment And Church Podcasts,” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/36-barna-technology-study-social-networking-online-entertainment-and-church-podcasts/ (accessed April 27, 2010).

[3] Barna Group, May 26, 2008, “Barna Technology Study: Social Networking, Online Entertainment And Church Podcasts,” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/36-barna-technology-study-social-networking-online-entertainment-and-church-podcasts/ (accessed April 27, 2010).

[4] M.K. Smith, “Community,” in the encyclopedia of informal education,  ed, http://www.infed.org/community/community.htm. (accessed April 27, 2010).

[5] Barna Group, May 26, 2008, “Barna Technology Study: Social Networking, Online Entertainment And Church Podcasts,” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/36-barna-technology-study-social-networking-online-entertainment-and-church-podcasts/ (accessed April 27, 2010).

[6] Barna Group, May 26, 2008, “Barna Technology Study: Social Networking, Online Entertainment And Church Podcasts,” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/36-barna-technology-study-social-networking-online-entertainment-and-church-podcasts/ (accessed April 27, 2010).

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Christian Ethics and the New Media – The Christian and the New Media

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 2,204 Comments

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Introduction and Media Defined

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Scripture and Communication

 

The Christian and the New Media

This leaves the Christian with a series of questions.  First, the Christian must ask himself what he is communicating.  Is this blog post going to unfairly hurt somebody?  Is this comment on this friend’s Facebook page something that will edify the reader, or will it communicate hurt?  Is this YouTube video God-honoring, or man-honoring?  Is this particular Twitter post about the silly-bird-that-just-flew-past-my-window-for-the-10th-time-isn’t-that-cute intended to be an encouragement to one’s Twitter Followers, or is it simply an exercise in some rather pathetic narcissism?[1]

Secondly, the Christian must ask herself how she is communicating her information.  Does she post a hasty comment on a blog that has greatly angered her, or does she take her time to think (and maybe pray) about what she is close to saying?  Does she post on Twitter so often that her followers “un-follow” her because she has become so annoying?[2] Does she follow thousands of Twitter accounts to satisfy some problematic longing for the approval of complete strangers or to show that she really belongs?[3]

Third, the Christian must ask himself whom he is communicating to.  The openness of information in the New Media can be particularly problematic when it comes to issues of privacy[4], predation[5] and the sharing of sensitive information[6].  While social networks such as Facebook have championed the user’s right to privacy, such claims are often called into question.[7] The problems with predators alone are enough a possibility to cause parents to seriously consider some severe limitations on their children’s internet time.  The issue is a simple one, and is a weak spot for the New Media.  One often never really knows who one is communicating to or why they are receiving the communication.  Whether it’s a blog post that could be read by anybody from China (provided the site is not blocked by government censors[8]) to South Africa to Iceland to California or whether it’s a Facebook Note that “should” only be read by your friends, the question of exactly “who” is absorbing one’s communications is a vexing one.

Finally, the Christian is faced with the ever-slippery question of why.  Why is she is about to post this article or that video.  Why is she writing this blog post?  Why is she following this Twitter account?  Why is she viewing this YouTube clip, that Hulu movie or this message board?  This question cuts to the essence of what it is that she does and often reveals something of who she is.  Does she do it out of thanksgiving to God?  Is she in some small way seeking His honor?  Is she seeking the glory and fame of men?  Does she post this blog post so that she gains a readership so that she will be liked and subscribed to?  Does she comment on certain well-read blogs for the express purpose of people following the links back to her blog?  Does she come up with witty responses to friends’ Facebook posts so that they’ll see how clever she is?  Does she do it for attention?  For acceptance?  For some small measure of love?

These questions drive the Christian to pursue solution of the ethical quandaries that the New Media provides.  Christians are not given a Biblical roadmap showing how to particularly navigate through the Internet wilderness.  They are provided with some fairly clear principles dealing with communication, though, and in reality, communication of ideas and information is what the New Media is all about

[1] David Sarno, “Don’t fear invasion of the mindcasters,” LA Times, March 11 2009, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/03/on-twitter-mind.html. (accessed April 26, 2010).

[2] Nitrozac and Snaggy, The Joy of Tech, Comic, Picture http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1202.html. (accessed April 26, 2010).

[3] Wefollow.com, “Home Page,” http://wefollow.com// (accessed 26 April, 2010).

[4] Daniel J. Solove, “Do Social Networks Bring the End of Privacy?,” Scientific American, September, 2008,, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=do-social-networks-bring/ (accessed April 26, 2010).

[5] John Kreiser, “MySpace: Your Kids’ Danger?,” CBS News, February 6 2006, Video and Article http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/06/eveningnews/main1286130.shtml/ (accessed April 26, 2010).

[6] Liz Gannes, “U.s. Military Turns To Social Networking To Encourage Sharing Official And Sensitive Info,” Gigaom, January 22, 2010, http://gigaom.com/2010/01/22/u-s-military-turns-to-social-networking-to-encourage-sharing-official-and-sensitive-info// (accessed April 26, 2010).

[7] Doug Gross, “Sharing Vs. Your Privacy On Facebook,” CNN, April 1, 2010, http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/ptech/04/01/facebook.developers.privacy/index.html. (accessed April 26, 2010).

[8] Tania Branigan, “Google Raises Stakes In China Censorship Row,” Guardian, March 22, 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/22/google-china-shut-down-censorships/ (accessed April 26, 2010).

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Christian Ethics and the New Media – Scripture and Communication

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 488 Comments

Christian Ethics and the New Media: Introduction and Media Defined

 

Scripture and Communication

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6)

A primary, driving force behind any Christian’s ethic is going to be Christ’s dual command, to love God with all the faculties of one’s being and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40).  Furthermore, this command is given flesh for the Christian be remembering what Christ did for him on the Cross.  He shows His children much love and much patience.  As such, He expects their ethics to follow that same, Grace-driven trajectory.  The Christian is called in Colossians by Paul to be gracious in her speech.  His communication is to be seasoned with salt.  Her actions are to be wise and time-redemptive.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:29-32)

Secondly, the Christian is called to communicate in such a way that grace is given to those being communicated to.  Christ-followers are not to be causes of unbiblical division and strife.  They are called to be “kind”, “tenderhearted” and forgiving.  Blog Battles and Flame Wars[1] are to be “put away”.  Meanness and a harsh spirit have no place within the Christian community.  Christians have been redeemed by the Holy Spirit, in Christ and by God’s kind Grace.  To use the New Media to communicate in such an evil, wicked way is to grieve the Spirit.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.  But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:13-17)

Finally, the New Media is not wicked in and of itself.  Media of all types can be used for much good.  When Johann Gutenberg created his printing press, it created untold (and at that time, unparalleled) possibilities for spreading the Word of God to men and women all over the world.[2] Yet, that same technology has also been used for much evil over the centuries.  Likewise, the New Media, those vessels of that ever culturally-precious commodity, information, can be used for much good and much evil.  The rightness is not in the thing itself, but in the use of it.  It’s not the medium in which the ethical question lies but in the use of the media.  Such abilities to spread information should be viewed as gifts from God.  The problem lies within the human heart and its propensity towards evil and unethical actions.

[1] Stephen Leahy, “The Secret Cause of Flame Wars,” Wired, February 13, 2006,, Blog Post, http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/02/70179.

[2] Heinrich Wallau, “Johann Gutenburg,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia, 7th ed, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07090a.htm. (accessed April 26, 2010).

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Music Reviews – “Strict Joy” by The Swell Season

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 610 Comments

We live in a veritable golden age of independent and folk musical artistry.  From The Avett Brothers to Derek Webb to The Decemberists to Damien Rice to Colm Mac Con Iomaire to Iron & Wine (a few of my favorites from America and Ireland), the folk indie music scene is absolutely brilliant.  Within this genre perhaps no artists write more heart-wrenchingly beautiful and emotionally raw music than the dynamic duo of Glenn Hansard and Markéta Irglová, also known as The Swell Season

To most readers, Hansard and Irglová will be best known and recognized as the stars of the wonderful modern musical, “Once”.  Filmed in Dublin over two and a half weeks at €130,000, “Once” is a beautifully executed story of love and friendship as expressed by the genuine, heart-felt music of The Swell Season.  As a coming-out for Hansard and Iglová (although it must be said that Hansard had previously been in the entertaining Irish film “The Commitments” and has been performing as front-man for the Irish band The Frames for years) “Once” showed the kind of magic that can happen when two artists who were made for each other join forces to create something truly special.

It is obvious that Hansard and Irglová are at their artistic best when corroborating together.  Their voices meld together in exquisite harmony in a fashion that is absolutely breath taking.  Their chemistry is un-matched.  They truly are each other’s muse.  It is precisely this chemistry (and emotional honesty for that matter) that is the true genius of “Once”.  The movie and the music is real, it is genuine and it is understandable and relatable.  Watching “Once” is to forget that one is watching a movie.  The viewer joins into the story with the characters, feeling what they feel and experiencing what they experience.

This honesty and chemistry is the same strength of “Strict Joy”.  A story of hurt, heartache and subdued joy, “Strict Joy” is beautifully written and performed.  Communicating the many-faceted feelings of a relationship broken and bruised (but not completely finished), “Strict Joy” provides the listener with songs of hope (“Low Rising”), repentance (“I Have Loved You Wrong”) and sorrowful frustration (“Two Tongues”), the album runs the gamut of experience and emotion.

Far from the raw, emotive energy of “Once” (most notably found in the songs “When Your Mind’s Made Up” and “Lies”), “Strict Joy” employs a more refined, mature and consistent introspection (ala “Falling Slowly”).  Much of this musical maturation seems to be ground in the growing integration and skills of Irglová, specifically in the songs she writes and performs with Hansard.  As for Hansard, he is as good in this album as he is with anything he writes.  His transparent song crafting is infectious and his energy is revitalizing.  He is one of the most gifted and experience songwriters in the indie music scene.  Add the growing skills of Irglová and it is hard to imagine much of a creative limit for the duo.

The album’s best moment is found in the song “I Have Loved You Wrong”.  Hopefully haunting, the song expresses a surprising sorrow for wrongs committed and a deep and abiding desire for reconciliation.  Similar in tone and sound to the achingly lovely “The Hill” from “Once”, “I Have Loved You Wrong” is Irglová at her best.  The addition of Hansard’s harmony at the close of the song is absolute dynamite and demonstrates just how perfectly their voices are suited for each other.

While not as strong or approachable as the soundtrack for “Once”, “Strict Joy” is still a stellar effort by The Swell Season and a worthy addition to any music lover’s library.

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Christian Ethics and the New Media – Media Defined

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 684 Comments

Introduction

The New Media presents the Christian with many interesting ethical questions.  The prevalence of social networks, blogs, micro-blogs, web videos, emails and video chats attest to the fact that the present world is a thoroughly technological one.  Information and the gathering of information rule the land.  Communication in many mediums is key.

In living through such a world, the Christian is faced with many ethical dilemmas.  The sharing and communication of so much information presents ethical quandaries in the realms of narcissism, privacy, predation, slander, libel and idolatry.  These problems are not easy.  Media, in its pure form, is amoral.  It can be used for good and it can be used for ill.

Media Defined

This essay is not intended to deal with ethics involved with the journalism and television industry, the so-called “Mainstream Media”[1].  It is not even directly involved with the New Journalism[2] that has emerged as a force within the New Media.  It is rather concerned with media as the plurality of mediums, a medium being “An agency by which something is accomplished, conveyed, or transferred”[3].  Specifically, this understanding of media is concerned with the communication (the transference) of ideas.  In the realm of the New Media, this communication occurs with a heretofore unparalleled ease and economy.  While mass communication has been around for millennia through audible or written means, and though the world has seen great advances in humanity’s ability to mass communicate through newspapers, radio and television, what is currently happening through the New Media is astonishing.  The emergence of the Internet and other networking technologies, specifically the recent emergence of Internet social networking has given anybody and everybody the means to communicate to the masses.

While books, newspapers, radio and television allowed those with the means to communicate to the world with relative ease, the conversation has always been one-dimensional.  With the advent of social networking and blogging, the conversation has become multi-directional.  Everybody can communicate information relatively simply and fairly cheaply.

This then brings up a rather vexing question: How are Christians to rightly and ethically communicate?  Thankfully, while the Bible does not provide the Christian with detailed instructions regarding the proper use of Facebook, it does provide God-given commands and encouragements regarding how Christians speak and communicate with one another and with the world.

[1] Noam Chomsky, Z Magazine, October, 1997, http://www.chomsky.info/articles/199710–.htm. (accessed 28 April, 2010).

[2] Jeff Bercovici, “Op-ed: The New Journalism,” The New York Observer, February 23, 2010, http://www.observer.com/2010/media/new-journalism/ (accessed April 28, 2010).

[3] The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., s.v. “medium.”, Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/medium/ (accessed 26 Apr., 2010).

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Art and Media Wednesday – Libraries

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 1,777 Comments

From Oddee.com, some of the world’s most beautiful libraries.

I’ve been to the Long Room at Trinity College in Dublin, and the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.  Anyone else visited any of these others?

 

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