Here’s a new trailer released today for the upcoming season of Doctor Who, which will begin to air on September 1st. And even sooner we’ll have Pond Life, webisodes about Amy and Rory when not traveling with the Doctor. That premieres online on August 27th on the BBC Doctor Who web site. Read more
It illustrates the selective literalism of young-earth creationists, that they never seem to realize the ludicrous conclusions they end up drawing could be outdone by still more bizarre ones if they were consistent in their literalism. As an example, consider the repeated references in Genesis 1 to God speaking. For speech – literal speech – to be transmitted, there has to be a medium to carry it. That’s why “in space, no one can hear you scream.” On Earth, the... Read more
I am grateful to Gavin of the blog Otagosh for pointing out the genealogical gem that BBC News recently shared. Jesus almost certainly was descended from David – because it is likely that everyone among the Jews in his time was descended from David. Read the article for the genealogical logic behind this statement. Of course, that’s assuming you don’t think that Matthew and Luke were giving a factual account in their early chapters… Read more
In the first meeting of my “Religion and Science” class, I had a slide with a Matrix connection, and I asked whether that was still meaningful. It was, but I wonder how long it will be before “Exploring Our Matrix” only means “Exploring Our Setting/Context” and does not have science fiction overtones as well. If I needed to update the name, I wonder what I would call it… I could go for timeliness and contemporary popularity and call it “Exploring... Read more
My first class of the semester, a core curriculum “Texts and Ideas” course on the Bible, was set to begin in about five minutes. Then the fire alarm went off. We got the all clear some fifteen minutes later. Class went OK even so, but was slightly rushed. I am guessing that it was a fire alarm pulled by some student – or professor – who just didn’t feel ready. Hopefully the same won’t happen in my next class… Read more
Ture Rangström, Symphony No.2 in D minor, “Mitt land” (1919) Read more
Classes begin today at Butler University. This semester I am teaching two core curriculum courses, one on the Bible and the other a freshman seminar on faith, doubt, and reason. My third course is an upper-level course on religion and science. If you teach, what are you teaching this semester? If you are a student, what classes are you taking? Read more
My blog is usually about other things, but I have occasionally been able to offer useful technical advice. My solution to the problem of experiencing a black screen after login on Windows Vista remains one of the most viewed entries of all time on this blog. (My post on the most effective squirrel baffle of all time has not gotten nearly as much attention – even though it is free!) Anyway, I own an Insignia flatscreen TV – not a... Read more
Another recording of my favorite piece of music has appeared on YouTube, Kurt Atterberg’s Second Symphony. The opening and closing sections of the second movement take my breath away. Read more
Today’s “Quote of the Day” comes from Greg Carey: The best way for conservative churches to produce “liberal” biblical scholars is to keep encouraging young people to read the Bible…Reading the Bible is a terrific cure for fundamentalism. That’s exactly how many of us so-called liberal Bible scholars got our start. Those quotes are from near the beginning and end of the article, “Where Do ‘Liberal’ Bible Scholars Come From?” at the Huffington Post (HT John Byron). Carey’s perspective is... Read more
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