Library of Congress gathering sermons on Obama’s historic inauguration
Library of Congress American Folklife Center blurb (HT: Bruce Tomaso, Dallas News)
Humanists attempt to remove “so help me God” from US inaugural pledge
CNN Politics (HT: Sharper Iron)
Louisiana elects first Vietnamese to Congress
WORLD MagUncle Jay explains the headlines of 2008
(HT: Gospel Soundcheck)
‘Ten for the History Books from 2008′
‘Russian bear coming out of hibernation’
Things that happened for the first time in 2008
A list by FellowElder at Pure Church
‘Political Correctness vs. Freedom of Thought - The Keith John Sampson Story’
From the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education …
Up with Rick
Two commendatory commentaries on the Rick Warren/Obama inauguration:
John Mark Reynolds writes ‘Rick Warren: A Public Educator Worthy of Honor’ at The Scriptorium:
“Rick Warren refuses to bow to the thoughtless assumptions of the American right or the American left. He flays the comfortable in both camps …”
And Justin Wise writes, “God bless Barack Obama for reaching out to Rick Warren. God bless Rick Warren for reaching out to Obama.”
Weekend Walkabout, December 20, 2008
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
“All” Always Means ALL. Right? - Phil Johnson
A Bad Sign - The Sacred Sandwich
CCM Magazine’s Top Ten Artist Blogs of 2008 (HT: Worship.com)
Don’t Waste Your Sexuality - Josh Harris
The Elvis-Beatles Relativity Fallacy - Rod Dreher
“Free” Christian music downloads from CompassionArt - Gospel Soundcheck
Glorifying God in Our Christmas Shopping - Tony Reinke
“Does my gift serve the soul of the recipient?”
How Hellish is ‘Time Out’? - Russell Moore
If Only it Were That Clear - Mark D. Roberts
Jonestown and the Reformed Movement - R. Scott Clark
“As weird and impossible as Jonestown seems today, what happened to them and what they did to themselves, is not utterly unrelated to ideas, causes, and personalities in the Reformed movement over the last three decades.”
Killing is My Business, and Business is Good - Paul Manata
Lewis’s Famous Essay on Bulverism (HT: Victor Reppert)
Martin Luther’s Christmas Book - Between Two Worlds
No Good Reason - Cerulean Sanctum
“In sorting through this clothing, the realization that I throw away just about nothing hit home.”
Online Community…Does it exist? YES! But I Think You Are Asking the Wrong Question - Rhett Smith
Phillips Daylight Window Concept Presentation - Joshua Sowin
Q+A :: How many U.S. churches exist? - Church Relevance
Reflections from a Church Pianist - Amy Scott
“When I have a brain freeze at a bad time, I’ve got a special look for the other musicians that asks, ‘What are you people thinking, man?’”
Six Christmas Poems - Marcus Goodyear
Tim Challies Day - Justin Taylor
Unpacking forgiveness in real life - Dan Phillips
Volition: A Short Film - Jonathan Ignacio
“It is a fifteen minute film focusing on three of the worst atrocities of human rights this world has faced.”
Why read through Calvin’s Institutes in 2009? - Ligon Duncan
Xmas Giveaway - Trevin Wax
“For the next ten days (Dec. 15-25), you have the opportunity to register to win all ten of my favorite books this year. Plus, an ESV Study Bible. That’s $260 worth of books!”
You Should Subscribe - Green Baggins
Zeitgeist as Agent? - Pseudo-Polymath
“Consider … for a moment the intelligent ant colony … from the ant’s perspective … here with man as ant. “
Warren Piece
The blogosphere is abuzz with reactions to the announcement that Saddleback pastor/Purpose-Driven Life author/lightning rod Rick Warren will pray at Obama’s swearing-in:
“One thing is clear– controversial appointments and actions do indeed smoke out people’s real views and feelings, and often those feelings are subChristian at best, and positively carnal at worst.”
“I have issues with Warren theologically and ecclesiastically, but am in broad sympathy with much of his politics and so it was interesting to see him clobbered as too right wing for a change.”
“I will give our new president major credit if he still lets Rick Warren say the prayer.”
“I’d like to ask Mr. Warren how civil it is to cut up a pre-born baby with a knife and hurl out the parts with the trash?”
“Whatever you think of Warren, make no mistake: he’s a social conservative, my favorite kind.”
“I am not throwing Rick Warren to the wolves over this. He now finds himself in a whirlwind, and he will not be the last.”
Jordan Ballor also has a more in-depth wrap-up and discussion of the announcement, at the Acton Powerblog.
“‘Great apprehension’ over Christmas season violence”
Christians in India fear that more violence may occur as the Christmas holiday approaches. Story at the Christianity Today Liveblog:
“In light of the terrorism in Mumbai and the extensive attacks in Orissa, Christians cannot presume that a) the government can protect lives; or, b) there is no group currently planning a fresh attack on churches or Christian villlages.”
Protestants should pay attention to Catholic policy on life
… says Gene Veith:
“We non-Catholics tend to not care about pronouncements from the Vatican, but this is one we could find useful. Interestingly, Roman Catholic ethics these days is based not on supernatural revelations from the papal authority but on reason and the natural law.”
Trueman on the infamous Newsweek article
At reformation21, church historian and theologian Carl Trueman reflects on Newsweek’s recent article defending gay marriage, by Lisa Miller:
“The piece is prophetic because, in a week where a high-ranking member of the NAE had to resign because he was `shifting’ on gay unions, at a time when the full weight of the opinion forming social media is behind the normalisation of homosexuality as acceptable, challenges such as this are clearly going to be coming thick and fast …”
Read the full post.
“The Bible & Homosexuality: Enough with the Bible Already”
Adam Walker Cleaveland suggests that Christians who use verses like Leviticus 20:13 and Romans 1:26-27 to condemn homosexuality are missing the point.
