I Don’t Mourn When a Private School Closes

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

A host of Catholic schools in Philadelphia are closes. Big deal. ‘This is tantamount to a death’ By Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff Writer The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s announcement Friday that it was closing 45 elementary schools and four high schools set off shock waves of anger and grief that are reverberating across the region. “This is tantamount to a death,” said Michael Wetzel, a veteran English teacher at Monsignor Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast in Drexel Hill, which will close in June. “We’re... Read more

The Burner Piles on @PastorMark

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

At The Burner Blog, David Moore has concluded his 4-part series on Mark Driscoll’s new book on marriage. And Moore is unrelenting: The concentration on a man’s sexual needs and total ignorance of any non-male-like needs a women might have prevents this from being a useful book on marriage. Therefore, The Burner Blog cannot recommend that any couple needing information/advice/tools to improve their marriage take this book seriously. I keep writing because think the book really is a bad book. In my (very... Read more

Shane Hipps on Rob Bell’s Departure

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

Shane is a long-time friend of mine, and the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan: When I accepted the call to become the co-teacher with a beloved friend it was a strange experience. We were both so used to being alone in leadership that we didn’t realize the unexpected gift that comes with having a partner. It was a fantastic experience, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Rob is almost entirely ego-less and extremely generous in sharing his platform... Read more

Is God Omnipotent? Process Theology Redux [#WhyPray]

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

Current kingmaker in the Christian blogosphere, Rachel Held Evans, posted a piece by Tripp and Bo of Homebrewed Christianity called, “Omnipotence: A Compliment Jesus Wants You to Take Back.” (Don’t think Rachel’s a kingmaker? Well, the post currently has 295 comments.) Now Tripp and Bo have a follow-up post on HBC. Process Theology provides some answers to many of the same questions that I’m asking in my current book project, Why Pray? As the guys make clear in the comments,... Read more

Thanks, Readers, for a Great 2011

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

Just looking at my blog stats, and I am happy to report that this blog experienced a 96% increase in pageviews (nearing half-a-million) and a 125% increase in unique visitors from 2010 to 2011. The mid-year move from independence to Patheos went smoothly, and I’m happy to be part of a great blogging team. I started blogging in 2004 — I didn’t even title my posts back then (here’s post #2). The best thing that’s happened on this blog in... Read more

Santorum (the Candidate, not the Frothy Substance) Gets Booed by College Students

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

Turns out that Rick Santorum’s views on gay marriage don’t play quite as well in New Hampshire as they did in Iowa. (Gay marriage is legal in NH.) CONCORD, N.H. – Rick Santorum found out the hard way Thursday that he wasn’t in Iowa anymore, earning boos and catcalls from a roomful of college students for equating gay marriage to polygamy during a spirited debate over traditional values. Several students challenged Santorum, a committed culture warrior, over his long-standing opposition... Read more

Bestselling Books of 2011

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

According to Nielson Bookscan, here are the bestselling books of 2011, along with sales figures. Nielson covers sales through ABA channels, which means that sales at Christian bookstores are not included. My question isn’t so much whether you’ve read any of these, but instead what does this list say about America in 2011? 2011’s Top 15: Adult Nonfiction 1 HEAVEN IS FOR REAL*, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson; trade paperback; 9780849946158) 1,994,000 2 STEVE JOBS, Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster; hardcover;... Read more

The Church Is Flat in the Patheos Book Club

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

My latest book, The Church Is Flat: The Relational Ecclesiology of the Emerging Church Movement, is part of the Patheos Book Club for the next couple weeks. You can read an interview with me, and read an excerpt from the book about the christological office of “friend.” (more…) Read more

File-Sharing Is Now a Religion

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

Sweden has granted The Church of Kopism, a religion based on file-sharing, official status. Does that make BitTorrent a mega-church? (Please note the ample use of scare quotes in the BBC story.) Sweden recognises new file-sharing religion Kopimism The Church of Kopimism claims that “kopyacting” – sharing information through copying – is akin to a religious service. The “spiritual leader” of the church said recognition was a “large step”. But others were less enthusiastic and said the church would do... Read more

.035%

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm By Tony Jones

125,225 of 350,000,000 That’s the percentage of the American populace that voted in the non-binding Iowa Caucus on Tuesday night. Just a little reality check, here. Read more