I can date precisely when my dangerous dalliance with Harry Potter began. I had seen the news stories, of course, which mostly consisted of long lines of nerdy boys and girls waiting outside of bookstores each year in glasses and striped ties. Since Harry Potter bears a striking resemblance to the title character of Where’s Waldo?, I could not tell whether these were Harry Potter release parties or Where’s Waldo? conventions—which would, it seemed to me, be exactly contrary to... Read more
1. Yesterday I noted a YouTube video in which it is claimed that Jesus foretold the name of the Anti-Christ, and that name is “baraq ubama.” The video is so paranoid that one almost suspects it was made by someone who wanted to parody or humiliate Christians who are politically conservative. Some on the Left suggest that the rise of the “Birthers” (those who believe Obama was not born in the United States) and others like them are a sign... Read more
Oh my. If I were to say that this is the sort of thing that gives Christians a bad name, I would be guilty of massive and possibly criminal understatement. It’s a video making the rounds right now, and apparently it’s reached number 6 on YouTube’s “News and Politics” chart. Watch it and weep: Allahpundit comments: “Does this mean the Rapture is near? Because I haven’t even bought my gun yet.” Read more
It’s been roughly two weeks since I saw the latest installment in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. I promised a review at the time, and tomorrow at last my essay (less review than essay, I admit) will appear tomorrow. So bookmark the site, mark your calendars and set your owls on stun (or something like that). I think you’ll enjoy the essay. In the meantime, you can see the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince review on Patheos. Christianity... Read more
A new piece on the Evangelical Portal at Patheos addresses the need for Christian courage in trying economic times. From the article: “There is no better passage in Scripture that speaks of courage than the first chapter of the Book of Joshua. Moses had been the leader of the Israelites for forty years, and now Joshua was to take over. God, knowing his doubt and fears, saying to him three separate times: “Be strong and very courageous.” Each time the... Read more
1. President Obama said, in an interview recently conducted for Nightline, that he begins each day with a devotional and “pray(s) all the time now.” 2. The Barna Group (which has been studying evangelicals for decades) has issued an excellent new study of African American Christians. Check out the article. 3. Christopher Hitchens asserts that Henry Louis Gates was wrong to presume to know that officer James Crowley was motivated by racism–yet Gates should have stood instead on Civil Liberties... Read more
William Miller offers an excellent reflection on the need, the challenges, and the methods of building trust in the workplace. A quotation that frames the argument: “Trust is not only “the engine of the market,” as D. Michael Lindsay has written. It is also the engine of any particular business, and without it the workplace grinds to a halt in suspicion, dissension, and animosity. Christians can give witness to the character of Christ, and can serve their employers faithfully, by... Read more
Since we have had several articles on the financial crisis on the Evangelical Portal at Patheos (see here and here), I just wanted to issue a quick note that Senators Dodd and Conrad, both of whom were tasked with oversight of banking and mortgages, are exposed now to have had deep conflicts of interest. Angelo Mozilo rose from the butcher shop in which he was raised to being the head of Countrywide, which pushed harder than any other mortgage lender... Read more
A reflection from Michael Patton on the role of doubt in the Christian life is currently up at the Evangelical Portal at Patheos. As Patton writes, “In a fallen world with fallen people — and Christians who are still battling the flesh — should we expect anything else? Do you really believe that once you become a Christian doubt is no longer a foe?” Through my studies of Kierkegaard (the subject of my doctoral dissertation), I’ve come to view faith... Read more
Philosophical Fragments
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