Theology in the News

Sorry it’s been a little quiet on here for the past week, I’ve had a very enjoyable jolly to Oxford.

Anyway, to kick off the week, here is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

The Prosblogion – Omnipotence and Failure

Christianity Today – The Politics of Being a Good Christian

Jerusalem Post – Dig reveals Acre’s importance to early Christianity

Terry Mattingly – Orthodox bridge to evangelical world

Outside the Asylum – Secularism and the establishment clause

Elder of Ziyon – Evil Zionists pretending Psalms were written by Jews!

Shorsh’im – The “Hidden Messiah” in Judaism

Listverse – 20 Quotes of Evil Leaders

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Get Religion – Weinergate: Repentance, forgiveness and contrition

Psychology Today – Have We Become Comfortably Numb?

Lisa Graas – Kids Who Attend Religious Services Least Likely to Have Sex

The New Oxonian – Movement Humanism

Edward Feser – Coyne on intentionality

What’s Wrong With The World – Let’s be sure not to be human, now

Listverse – 10 More things you ought to know

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

First Things – Americans Believe There Are More Homosexuals in the U.S. Than There Are Catholics

Get Religion – When the government dictates prayer

JTA – Battle over circumcision is shaping up in California

Jerusalem Post – Our World: Where Obama is leading Israel

Asia News – Closure of an important Islamic centre. Moscow seeks control of Islam

Talking Philosophy – Nothing

Listverse – 10 Thing You Ought To Know

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Psychology Today – I Feel Your Pain, But Why?

The New Oxonian – Living Without Religion

American Thinker – Crusaders at Work

Edward Feser – Heads ID wins, tails you lose

Sultan Knish – Saving 1 Billion People from Themselves

Baptist Press – Nope, there’s not an app for that

Christian Post – Growing Intolerance for Christianity in U.S.

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Edward Fesser – Unhinged Dissent

iMonk – Is There Mental Illness in the Bible?

American Catholic – Archbishop Warda: Iraq’s Christian History “Wiped From Collective Memory”

Associated Baptist Press – Opinion: Are these the ‘end times?’

Israel Today – Israel, Egypt’s Christians fear hasty elections

BBC – Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says

Ethics Daily – Southern Baptist State Lawmakers on “Dirty Dozen” List for Extremist Views

National Post – Could prayer be the ultimate therapy for anger?

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Accepting Abundance – God and Disaster, and Eyeballs

Looking Deeper – Can a retweet be a prayer?

Telegraph – Why is there no looting in Japan?

Storied Theology – Fearsome Heights

Zwinglius Redivivus – The Theology of Disaster. Or, Why Does God Allow such Things?

Science + Religion Today – How Quickly Can Our Opinions About Something Be Changed by the Views of Other People?

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

A Grain of Sand -Chinese Apaches

Catholic Online -75% of Those Killed for Religious Hatred Are Christian

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth -There’s Nothing Funny About Charlie Sheen

Assyrian International News Agency – 9 Christians Killed, 150 Injured in Attack By 15,000 Muslims and Egyptian Army

Christian Telegraph -Americans believe kids need 2 parents, Pew study says

Zwinglius Redivivus – Muslims Are Attacking Christians in Ethiopia

Clayboy – God’s Wife on the BBC? A tale of shocking ignorance

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Mercator Net -Christianity is so yesterday, says UK high court

Edward Feser -Liberal neutrality update

Catholic Herald -Why Barack Obama has to be seen as an enemy of the Catholic Church

Political Jesus -Inside, Outside: How Does the Blogosphere Impact the Secular World’s Impression of the Church?

Telegraph -Jews not to blame for death of Christ, says Pope

First Things – Unborn Child To Testify On Abortion Bill

Accepting Abundance -40 Days for Life – Virtual Vigil for Bloggers

As promised this is my weekly “few links of interest”.

These are links which I personally found interesting for one reason or another. It’s always going to be an eclectic mixed bag from a wide range of sources. Some we may agree with, and some not, as always feel free to comment on any of them.

So without further ado.

Edward Feser – To a louse

Lisa Graas – Review: ‘A Simple Government’ by Mike Huckabee

MercatorNet – An IBM computer has thrashed two human champions in the quiz show Jeopardy! Is it game over for humanity?

Singularity Hub – France’s First Baby Born To Treat Siblings With Genetic Disorder

Epiphenom – Why non-religious Americans die younger

Daily Beast – Study Finds Cell Phone Radiation Changes Brain Activity

The Philosophers’ Magazine – Is morality relative? Depends on your personality

I’m involved in a thought provoking conversation over on the Premier Forum. I know it’s not like me to foray into these areas on this blog, but just for once, especially as I’m listening to music that makes me somewhat wistful.

The question posed in the opening post revolves around the use of the terms: “rebel, controller, manipulator”, for Jesus.

The author is not happy with this and posits:

I can see Him as revolutionary, but not a rebel, not rebellious. Perhaps it is because I see rebellion as a sin.

I think semantically this is correct, but feel the author is viewing these terms as pejorative, which if applied to man is accurate, but not for God.

One commenter (Iggy) commented:

I think to describe our Lord as a rebel or as rebelling against the world (or the Pharisees) is to look through the wrong end of the looking glass. It is mankind that is is frequently in rebellion against God, not vice versa.

To which I responded:

Yes agreed. This is of course to view through the theological grist – which is accurate – however, from an unregenerate human perspective, Jesus was a rebel in informing us that God is topsy turvey to the world, or of course – more accurately – visa versa.

I note however, he paid his dues to the authorities at every turn.

In summary, I’m happy for the term “rebel” to be applied to Jesus.

But what about the terms: “Controller” or “Manipulator“?

Again, I’d posit these terms are viewed in the main pejoratively, and when applied to man this is essentially accurate.

But when applied to God these terms are not at all pejorative.

I’m not going to offer a sophisticated Biblical exegesis, as I’m simply not qualified, but will attest to experience. I believe that God is both “controller” and “manipulator“, and I’m thankful that he is.

As an avowed social scientist and atheist, I would never have come to, and accepted, Jesus on my own intellectual steam, and do attest to a God that broke through into my life, without acquiescence to me.

I can also attest to a God, who has manipulated people, circumstances, and the world around me, to save my life and soul, and I’m eternally grateful he did.

Does this make him egotistical? Certainly not, and frankly if anyone has a right to be the same, then it is God.