Art and Culture
Quote of the Week – Mead on Mainline Churches and the “Blue Beast”
Feb 25th
To mistake an ideology or a social model for the transcendent and always surprising (and irritating!) Kingdom of God is, technically speaking, the sin of idolatry. It is to worship the work of our own hands. What makes it worse is that to some degree in the mainline churches we have replaced faith in the scripturally based and historically rooted doctrines and values of the Christian heritage with faith in progressive social thought.
Instead of proclaiming a gospel of salvation that still brings lost sinners streaming through the doors (ask the Pentecostals and evangelicals who have continued to grow even as we shrink) we issue statements urging the federal government to fulfill its contributions to the Millennium Development Goals and to raise the minimum wage. They preach and plant churches; we have professional development workshops for diocesan employees.
- Walter Russell Mead, from “Petty Prophets of the Blue Beast“
Art and Media Wednesday – Train Graffiti
Feb 24th
I was stopped in line for a non-moving train this morning on my way to work and was able to spend time reflecting on the interesting art of train graffiti. Vandalism or not, there are some really cool examples of it out there.
Quote of the Week – Spencer on Death and Apologetics
Feb 18th
The are a lot of different kinds of Good News, but there is little good news in “My argument scored more points than you argument.” But the news that “Christ is risen!” really is Good News for one kind of person: The person who is dying.
If Christianity is not a dying word to dying men, it is not the message of the Bible that gives hope now.
- Michael Spencer , On Real Apologetics
If you can, pray for Michael. He’s having a rough go at it with some pretty nasty cancer.
Also, as he’s now without a job and could use the financial help, you can donate to him at the link below:
Art and Media Wednesday – T-Shirt War
Feb 17th
Rhett and Link are some of the most creative people and intertainers on YouTube (or the internet for that matter). Their latest post, T-Shirt War is no exception. Brilliant.
Quote of the Week – Church as Business
Feb 11th
“Church should not be a place for people who can’t make an honest living to pretend they’re bigwig business executives.”
- “Fearsome Tycoon”, From The Boar’s Head Tavern
