I recently finished reading a book that made me think a little bit…

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  Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology
  Author: Eugene H. Peterson
  Rating: 4

I bought it from Amazon about 2 years ago now, I have a collection of books waiting to be finished dating back better than 5 years now, and I am quite glad that I took my time with this one. I believe what recently spurred me on to finish was a series of interviews with the author, Eugene H. Peterson, through Mars Hill Audio. Peterson has a grandfatherly voice that comes through in his writing, but it is even thicker in his speech. I found myself suddenly trusting him, and looking for some grandfatherly advice.

Peterson is the author of The Message, a contemporary and somewhat controversial translation of the Bible (there are no verse numbers, after all). This tid bit of background information had covertly formed Peterson into a maverick Christian by my estimation. Coupled with my ignorance in never reading The Message, or any other of his books, I had assumed him a pragmatic revolutionary with post modern sympathies. He is nothing of the sort. The one thing he may share with the current bread of post modern Christian authors, i.e. Brian Mclaren, is a decidedly conversational tone and approach to theologically centered discourse. He routinely surrounds Spiritual discussions with the context of “ordinary” life: you know; eating, sleeping, working, and playing.

Peterson speaks with a careful yet firm voice seasoned with a pastor’s experience. When I finished reading, I realized that I had just taken in a thorough description of what it means to be a properly motivated and postured Christian community leader. If I aspire to this calling I will do well to listen to some advice from an old wise sage.

We live in a culture that has replaced soul with self. This reduction turns people into either problems or consumers. Insofar as we acquiesce in that replacement, we gradually but surely regress in our identity, for we end up thinking of ourselves and dealing with others in marketplace terms: everyone we meet is either a potential recruit to join our enterprise or a potential consumer for what we are selling: or we ourselves are the potential recruits and consumers. Neither we nor our friends have any dignity just as we are, only in terms of how we or they can be used.
pg 38

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Categories: Bible Study, Books, Criticisms
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http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/gospel/

Are they from Judas?
Does he lie in them?
If they are true, what problems / inconsistencies does it pose for the rest of the gospels / bible?
How is / should the church responding?
Does it matter?
What else is there to ask?

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Categories: Bible Study, Theology
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We’ve been going through Job for the past couple months now. Started reading about the same time Katrina hit New Orleans. One day I happened to be listinening to the local Christian radio station 103.5 (The Light) They had a preacher who was explaining quite confidently how the disaster of Katrina could have been averted if the people of New Orleans did not live such sinful lives. In his opinion it was quite obvious that katrina was a well deserved punishement for all the debauchery of New Orleans and the surrounding communities.

Job 4:7-8
“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?

8 As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it.

9 At the breath of God they are destroyed;
at the blast of his anger they perish.

This radio preacher seemed to have a similar perspective to that of Eliphaz, Job’s first friend to offer advice and an explanation as to why he had recently lost everything he owned, all of his workers were killed, his family died, he is covered with puss oozing boils, and his wife hates him. Job is an especially interesting story because we are invited to a very special meeting between the super powers of the spiritual world, God and Satan. At this unlikely get together God shared this tidbit with the evil one…

Job 1:8
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

Perhaps there have been other impromptu discussions between God and Satan…

Fictitious Revelation 1:8
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my city of New Orleans? No where on earth is like it; there are people there who enjoy life, love each other, and fight injustice.”

Categories: Bible Study
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