Ten Professorial Commandments

Last updated on: January 22, 2015 at 10:39 am By James F. McGrath

Elliott Ratzman offered the following Ten Commandments in Inside Higher Ed: 1. Thou shalt have no other object of attention in the classroom. No devices — phones, gadgets, computers, guns — or distractions; I am a jealous and wrathful instructor. 2. Thou shalt honor thy fellow students. They are also struggling, growing, with opinions always changing, and with perspectives always in transition. Be kind and patient with them, and yourself. In discussion, be sensitive to the feelings of others, slow to be... Read more

LOST Rewatch: The Glass Ballerina

Last updated on: January 22, 2015 at 9:41 am By James F. McGrath

The episode takes its name from a flashback from Sun’s past. When she was little, she broke a glass ballerina, and then blamed the maid for having done it. Later, we learn that Sun had an affair with the man that was teaching her English, and that Sun’s father found out and ordered Jin to kill the man. But Jin could not do it, and told the man to leave the country and disappear instead. But instead, he killed himself,... Read more

Marcus Borg 1942-2015

Last updated on: January 22, 2015 at 7:38 am By James F. McGrath

The news has been breaking that Marcus Borg has passed away. Borg was an important figure in two areas that I also live and work in: Biblical studies, with particular focus on the historical Jesus; and progressive Christianity. Borg wrote a number of excellent books, including ones which illustrated the ability of people who disagree in pronounced and fundamental ways with one another to be friends, as for instance in his co-authored book with N. T. Wright, The Meaning of... Read more

Jonah Fish

Last updated on: January 22, 2015 at 7:05 am By James F. McGrath

Another great cartoon from Inherit the Mirth. Read more

Indoctorination

Last updated on: January 21, 2015 at 2:53 pm By James F. McGrath

I discovered a punny way to talk about how we share our love for Doctor Who as Whovians. From now on, let’s just tell people that we are going to “indoctorinate” them… Read more

Attractive Afterlife?

Last updated on: January 21, 2015 at 10:57 am By James F. McGrath

This Far Left Side cartoon makes an important point. Not only have many religions come to focus on afterlife, but they have at the same time failed to offer an attractive picture of what that afterlife is like. At best, they offer something really terrifying as an alternative. But if the best you can say about your idea of heaven is “it’s better than hell,” then you clearly haven’t given enough thought to the subject. Read more

LOST Rewatch: Tale of Two Cities

Last updated on: January 21, 2015 at 9:48 am By James F. McGrath

The first episode of season 3 starts with an eye, for the first time in a long time. It is Juliet’s eye. We see her baking, and then at a book club, discussing her favorite book. The house shakes, and they run outside. We see Ben, and then in the sky, we see the break-up of Oceanic 815. Ben sends Goodwin and Ethan to listen, learn, and not get involved, and to bring lists. Once again, LOST shows us something and... Read more

Scholarship is a Conversation

Last updated on: January 21, 2015 at 6:24 am By James F. McGrath

The University of Washington libraries has an online LibGuide about research called Research 101. The video above is one of the components. Read more

The Markan Mummy

Last updated on: January 20, 2015 at 2:55 pm By James F. McGrath

We’ve been wondering for some time about the alleged first-century copy of the Gospel of Mark which Daniel Wallace mentioned some years ago now. Attention has turned to the subject again since LiveScience had an article about it. Whatever else one may think, it is good to see that the work has apparently not led to the destruction of an artifact that had historical value if kept intact, and that there will be a scholarly publication that will inform us... Read more

Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom

Last updated on: January 20, 2015 at 8:51 am By James F. McGrath

The Seeds of Doom is an episode which explores yet another widespread sci-fi trope, namely spores which fall to Earth from space and have the potential to take over humans and overrun the planet. The episode also has elements of the typical spy thriller, including the Doctor getting into more fist fights than usual. The discovery of Krynoid pods in Antarctica might not have led to anything very dangerous, were it not for the actions of humans. An eccentric and wealthy... Read more