The Center for Progressive Christianity sends regular e-mails, and today’s had so many interesting articles that I thought I’d share the links. First, there’s Jim Burklo’s “O Little Town” which fits the music but reflects the modern situation in Bethlehem far more than the original carol. (And as for Nazareth, presumably you’ve already heard from one source or another about the first-century house archaeologists have uncovered there). Back at TCPC, Michael Moorwood has a piece on progressive Christians and God-talk.... Read more

Once again an e-mail is circulating, this time one claiming to provide a recording of an actual answering machine message from Maroochydore High School in Queensland, Australia. It isn’t (as one can learn on Snopes, it is a rehash of an e-mail/video that circulated once before some years ago). So by all means enjoy the joke, and perhaps discuss the rather quirky notion expressed towards the end that one nation would consist of inhabitants who all speak a single language.... Read more

I’ve submitted my final grades. I just need to post the separate grades for finals/essays, so that students can figure out why they got what they did, and then all the loose ends will be effectively wrapped up for the semester. For others who, like me, may be feeling a bit worn out after the process of either taking exams and writing essays or grading exams and essays, I found two amusing web pages – one with an innovative approach to... Read more

I left the following comment at Why Evolution Is True (http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/bloggingheads-wright-vs-hitchens-part-ii/), and thought I'd share it to hopefully stimulate discussion here as well: Let's consider an example of what is purely a belief, not a belief about what is or isn't factual. Some of us believe that human lives have intrinsic worth; some people do not. There are religious traditions and individuals, and non-religious traditions and individuals, on both sides when it comes to this topic (I suspect that this... Read more

The Bizarro cartoon above is a favorite of mine, and I have a copy I cut out from the newspaper on my office door. We actually had an interesting if brief discussion of the celebration of Christmas in public schools this evening at my church (in the context of an activity involving Play-Doh which the pastor had planned). I for one don’t understand why churches would fight the genuine secularization of schools and other government-affiliated public places. If Christmas celebrations are... Read more

Here’s a performance from today, by a duo that by now needs no introduction… Read more

A review of The Only True God written by Lori Baron has appeared in the Review of Biblical Literature. Read more

Jim Davila shared a link to an article by Geza Vermes about the Testimonium Flavianum, the more famous and more detailed of Josephus’ two references to Jesus. While some still think that the whole thing may be a later insertion by Christians, the consensus seems to be moving in the direction of there having been an original reference to Jesus which was later tampered with by Christians. Whatever one thinks of the reference, I’ve been intrigued for some time by a... Read more

Polycarp and Bible Shockers linked to two different news clips about this story. Here’s the one that could be embedded: Read more

As if the struggle to get exams and essays graded, and final grades calculated and submitted by Tuesday morning, were not enough, the university has scheduled my department for wall repairs beginning Monday. Jordan Hall, where my office is located, has had issues for decades with leaky roofs and bulging and crumbling walls. So I’m thankful that repairs are being done, but would have preferred not to have to be concerned this weekend to put away all loose papers and... Read more