The first chapter of Schneider’s book describes the rise of democratic capitalism, a phenonemon that caused the Church to confront something brand new in human history — the rise of mass affluence. The Church had always had to deal with wealth, and with the wealth of wealthy members, and then had to deal with her …
Freedom Index
Before continuing my review of Schneider’s book, let me make one additional comment on a point I made in my first post. Use of catch-phrases like “capitalism” are often not very helpful because they are used in confusing ways by numerous disparate groups. At the same time, relative freedom from government officials pilfering your resources …
Bit and Bridle in One Hand, Lump of Sugar in the Other
David Bahnsen was kind enough to send me a copy of The Good of Affluence: Seeking God in a Culture of Wealth, which I began to read last night. I have really enjoyed what I have read thus far, and because it has been a while since I blogged through a book, here we go. …
Fox News Indignation
A lot of attention in this last news cycle is being rendered to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor of Obama. Apparently there have been cameras running when he unleashed some of his loonier sentiments, to wit, that the United States government has been actively trying to kill black people by inventing the AIDS virus. This …
Cool is Distant and Love Closes Distance
“Real compassion is not sexy. It is not cool. It is inefficient and painful. And it is also faith, and hope, and love. This is real church” (Paul Grant, Blessed Are the Uncool, p. 107).
Blenheim Talks Now Available
Last month we were visiting the kids in the UK and took the opportunity to have a small one day conference at Blenheim Palace. Canon Press has now packaged those talks (along with an autobiographical chat I had with some seminary students), and they are available here. In addition, please note that Canon is making …
Just Me and My Bible
“The danger in the American church is less that we believe the wrong beliefs than that we believe them all by ourselves” (Paul Grant, Blessed Are the Uncool, p. 91).
But This Is Actually a Good Thing
“If we dump cool, cool will never take us back” (Paul Grant, Blessed Are the Uncool, p. 53).
Yahweh for Sunshine and Baal for Rain
There are really two basic questions when it comes to questions of theocracy. The first is erroneously thought to be a genuine question — whether or not we should have a theocracy, whether there will be a god who rules over any given culture. The fact that this is even believed to be a coherent …
Tom Wolfe’s Uncanny Prophetic Powers
As everyone knows by now, Eliot Spitzer has apparently disgraced his office through his use of spendy hookers. He did this having made a name for himself as the Law, prosecuting sundry others, and showing No Mercy in his various rampages. Having made enemies in any number of directions, it turns out that he is …