Authentication

CAUEAT:: I don't feel as cynical as the following makes me sound; I think the points are valid.


Casey and I have been talking a lot lately about Modernism/Postmodernism and Generations: Builders/Boomers/Xers/Millenials.

Some things that Postmoderns (PoMos) long for are "Authenticity," and "Community."

Here is a funny line of what has happened with the desire for authenticity.

1970's
Christians should be "authentic" in their external lives
>>Enter the Jesus Movement
>> Music should include Christianity
>> Books should include Christianity
>> people should witness at work and invite people to Christian events.

The result:

1980-1999

A glut of "christian" events, books, music, shows, videos... all helping us be christian.

**Problem:

Christian events start looking like capitalism.

**Solution:

Christian events should be authentic and "come back to the heart of worship"...

1995
>> Christian concerts start including a 3 song "worship segment"
>> "Worship" cd's start selling like hotcakes
>> Church isn't about feeling good about ourselves, it is about Giving to God
>>>>through lot's of WORSHIP "genre" songs in which we feel good about ourselves.

**Problem

EVERY FREAKIN' THING OUT THERE is a ministry AND A worship experience.

**Solution

Christians should be authentic about where ministry and worship happens: AT CHURCH.

>>Church becomes more important for PoMos than for Boomers
>>Church is about connection to the ancient
>>Church is about realness of Christ and History
>>Christ becomes Jesus and Theology becomes Story
>>Unity in bare orthodoxy becomes more important than party lines
>>For many the question of whether their "non-denom" church is "lawfully in the line of the ordained pastorate of history" becomes important... drift back into catholicism.

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I think some comments for or against my rant are warranted. REMEMBER (I am NOT really this CYNICAL).

Israel/Palestine

This CT article is heavily critical of Carter's views. How do I go about ACTUALLY learning what I should about Israel and Palestine. I am very UNLIKELY to feel like something is true if it seems slanted at Israel.

Any suggestions?

Luke

Anastasia 23 Months

Which God is on the Move?

My friend Troy bought this book: On the Move - by Bono and then left it for me to read this weekend.

I love the political direction. But he rather off handedly includes Christians, Jews and Muslims together as he speaks at the National Prayer breakfast. Bono is definitely a Christian, and probably a true believer, but I wish he wouldn't casually leave the subject matter of "common worship" open as if Muslims and Christians could pray to the same God.

The God Christians worship is Yhwh seen in and through Jesus, resurrected King of Israel and the world. If you worship a different God, he isn't the same one...

Luke

Filing Cabinet

I have opened a new blog that functions as a filing cabinet for my recommendations of things. I hope people can check it out and make suggestions.

It functions by a label system. You can search categories by the label list in the sidebar.

So here it is:

Saint Luke's File Cabinet :: http://stlk-filecab.blogspot.com

New Reading

I have decided that I want to start reading the monster project:

The New Testament and the People of God Vol. 1 of the "Christian Origins and the Question of God" series by Saint Nicholas Saint Thomas Wright

We'll see how far I get.

I am also reading Systematic Theology by Saint Louis Berkhof. I am up to about page 80. Again, I will see how far I get, but I am making up for reading I should have done in a Seminary class. I already talked to the Prof. I need to do penance though.

My current novel is the Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. It is AWESOME.

Luke

Serious Question of Morality

I heard most of this article on the radio, and was very moved. I think these feelings were stronger in me in the past, but now need a revival. I find myself desiring to side with entertainment that is convenient for me, instead of what is both edifying for me and moral to be produced.

There is a difference between the portayal of "murder" which, while muder is wrong, the "acting" of it is not real, and the portayal of immorality, which is both wrong theoretically, and when people pretend to be engaging in immorality. Hear what I am saying, naked people are ACTUALLY naked on camera and they are doing it because WE pay them.

Please read the article, pray about it and respond. I would love to hear some feed back about this.

Live or Online: It's Still Voyeurism

Luke

Campaign and Internet Ethics

This article is good on questions of politcal campaign ethics. I don't have much to say about it; just wanted to direct your reading to it.

Luke

Google my youTube-socks off

This Report tells about Viacom suing Google and, I think, for good reason as is quoted below from the article:


BoQ
Viacom says that YouTube runs on an "unlawful business model" and in particularly harsh words, at least from a press release standpoint, states "There is no question that YouTube and Google are continuing to take the fruit of our efforts without permission and destroying enormous value in the process."
EoQ

Luke

Google my socks off

I have been astounded at the growing free power of working through google things.

Check out Google Books

SOME things here can be read in full, but the ability to search even things that you might want to buy.... I mean you can search THE TEXT of things you want to buy, even if you can't preview the whole book.

As Benjamin Franklin once said: "Computers? HA! Those contraptions will never replace the glory of a book."

Don't worry I didn't find that quote on Google Books. I made it up.

Luke

"Take it! It's for sinners!"

Doug Wilson has a fantastic post on the Lord's Table and "examining yourself."

His reflections make me very happy to be a Christian.

Luke

"Out, damned spot! out, I say!"

"Out, damned spot! out, I say!"

--From Macbeth (V, i, 38)

This story from Anglican Mainstream is moving and inspiring. I thank God that he is more powerful than we expect sometimes.


Luke

Psalms

I have been surprised this year as I have discovered a great hidden secret. The Psalms.

Everday in my classes we begin by reading an octet from Ps 119 (section Aleph, section Beth...etc), and then reading a portion or whole of another psalm. We are just moving straight through the psalms in Sequence. We have finished Ps 119 maybe four times this year.

I have learned a LOT from this exercise. Not only have I learned, but I have been moved and changed by the words of the Psalms. It ALMOST as if the words are ALIVE!!! =) j/k - of course they're alive, but man I didn't expect to be so gripped by them. I feel hard pressed to know how I lived without them as a normative part of my day for so long.

Luke

Sorry for the Lapse

I have lapsed in posting for a while.

I have gotten into reading Scott McKnight's Blog Jesus Creed.

A friend has a new blog: Axaday

I have been enjoying Facebook

I am pretty sick right now, but still working.

Luke