Archive for January 25th, 2007
THE 2006 WILLIAM BELDEN NOBLE LECTURES
I’m listening to the first lecture now …
The Right Reverend N. T. Wright, Bishop of Durham, England
Introductions by The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes
October 23, 2006
“God the Creator: The Gospel in a Gnostic World” (mp3)
October 24, 2006
“Jesus the Lord: The Gospel and the New Imperialism” (mp3)
October 25, 2006
“Spirit of Truth: The Gospel in a Postmodern World” (mp3)
the best summary of Luther’s De servo arbitrio
I saw the book but it’s VERY expensive. The following is good for supper tonight:
“1) God is a person, the almighty creator of all that exists, the sovereign Lord and sole acting agent over his creation, totally responsible for all that takes place.
2) The Creator is by definition hidden from his creatures but has revealed himself in his incarnation as Jesus Christ and in Holy Scripture.
3) God has chosen from among fallen sinners people to be his own children and has restored them to their full humanity, that is, to trusting i him, through the work of Christ.
4) God acts in his Word, condemning sin through the law and conveying Christ’s benefits to his chosen people through the gospel, in oral, written, and sacramental forms, called collectively the means of grace.
5) Human beings are creatures and thus totally dependent on God their Creator. 6) This dependence of the human creature on God can be explained and defended by a doctrine of absolute necessity, that is, that all things happen necessarily as God designs and decides.
7) Human beings are responsible for their own disposition and actions but are sinful, captive to Satan and their own desires, and thus totally dependent on God for liberation from their sinfulness. 
Human beings are designed by God with active minds and wills that are to be dedicated to carrying out their callings in obedience to God.
9) Believers are engaged in a lifelong struggle against their own abiding sinfulness. Their lives are lives of repentance.
10) God is not responsible for evil. No explanation of the existence of evil and its continuation in the lives of believers in possible.”
a confession
A confession which includes a wonderful prayer .(which I particularly like even thought my confession would be different) …
“Dear God,
Your followers make me crazy. I’m totally a jerk about this and I’m sorry. It’d be great if maybe you could try and improve some of the theology on the ground here, and if that’s not going to happen then help me to not be so arrogant. Be with those whom I find most irritating and show me how to love them. This is pretty much only going to happen by your grace, which in the past has done for me what I could never do for myself, so I’m trusting you again. Your will, not mine be done (we can all be thankful for that)
In Jesus’ name,
AMEN”
Here’s A Quick Way to Lower Your Stress
I hear about “stress” all the time … and perhaps after listening to all the mp3s above and reading the confession and Luther’s gems .. one needs to lower their stress too … 
I stumbled on The 2disc Mp3 version at Glad Sounds Jaya SS14. I’ve always wanted to “listen” to the Bible … and this version really raises the bar and sets the standard in terms of the quality of audio Bible reading.
I’ve just finished listening to the whole Gospel of Luke (started last night), continued in the afternoon, and heard the last chapter 15minutes ago.
Here’s an interesting piece from International Herald tribune:
“… The 21-hour production, which lists for $49.99 (€39), features the voice talents of more than 250 singers, clergy and actors, including Denzel Washington, Cuba Gooding Jr., Angela Bassett and Alfre Woodard. Blair Underwood portrays Jesus, and Samuel L. Jackson, who played a Scripture-spouting hit man in “Pulp Fiction,” is the voice of God.
… The producers decided early on to cast only black actors and other personalities, hoping to attract a black audience, as well as fans of some of the world’s biggest box-office draws. They also wanted to shatter the Hollywood mold of white Bible productions.
“I was particularly interested in developing a product that might resonate with the African-American community,” Bowser said. “I’ve long felt that Christian product tends to ignore our perspective.”
He called it “a gift from our community to the world to be shared and appreciated by all.”"
It’s not a cheap gift but it’s worth the price. After listening the Gospel of Luke, I’m ready for more!
My friend Jason Clark in UK is one whom I’m listening too (and I miss the fun we had when we last met some years ago face to face, I still remember the prayer in the van before the train ride) …
I read the following with much excitement and interest on his post Slightly More Solid Church
“I am going to blog my Ph.D research from inception to hopeful completion. I start my supervision this week, and hope to complete in summer of 2013. I wonder what twists and turns it will take
as I read, reflect, write, and (I hope) have your ongoing input and thoughts?
So putting them out here crudely like a new born baby that I hope you don’t think is too ugly, here are some thoughts in my journal this morning as I sketch out my initial focus.
1. Ecclesiological: I think my focus is leaning towards trying to articulate what ecclesiologies are appropriate for our post-modern/post-colonial/post-structural contexts in UK. I think I want to find a theological critique of culture and church with its implications for ecclesiological constructions. At it’s crudest a paraphrase might be I am trying to find something counter to many of the ‘liquid/fluid/post- church’ thesis.
2. Deep Church: I think there is something in the deep church agenda/conversation which is positive and constructive and would help me avoid a pathological reaction/construction to many current ecclesiological suggestions. The deep ecclesiology, generous orthodoxy as background to my work is going to be helpful, and facilitate something constructive I hope. Deep church is not about articulating the correct form of church but the valuing of church in is deepest and broadest sense, from the most established to the most nascent. I know I want to avoid a post-church response.
3. Culture as religious system: I think at the heart of this I am trying to establish that or culture acts as a religious system, and that we need a critique of that culture, and a form of church much more solid, than many are suggesting to allow mission and conversion to take place. Almost the recovery of the congregation not as accommodation to modernity, but as a life rhythm to mission and an alternative to the religious formations and practices of consumer media culture (and I do not mean that as apologetic for a sunday service!).
The church has been dispersed historically under persecution, yet now is encouraged to de-gather under consumer choice. Our culture is unconsciously able to consume our new forms of church co-opting them as pastiche aesthetical experiences, whilst avoiding conversion Christianity as a way of life. Indeed many new forms of church are in danger of facilitating the ongoing process of de-conversion. If the critique was that church was a dispenser of religious goods and services, is it continuing that trajectory even further with many forms of church? What would an alternative look like? I’ve been trying to get a general overview of post-modern philosophy, hermeneutics, and historical theology as preparation, and my brain hurts.
So how’s that baby looking? “
Nice to see the event get some “airplay” at the following sites and blogs:
Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, Council of Churches of Malaysia, Sherman Kuek, Alex Tang and Bob Kee
I found Bob’s entry good … because first it highlights another worth while event the 4th National Congress On Integrity which is focused very much on our Malaysian social-political context. I think this is good because so often Christians and the public in general often are very passive in these matters and we reduce our involvement mainly through complaining (Lord have mercy).
Bob continues after that with some interesting comments on Brian McLaren and the Friends in Conversation 2007 event which we’re organizing for the first time. And what’s important to me .. is right from the start we wanted the focus to not be on the so called “emerging church” phenomena or perceived controversies surrounding Brian McLaren. Bob cheekily writes:
“The buzz is on this one. Noted and sometimes considered controversial speaker Brian McLaren will be in town engaging conversation partners from the Church in Malaysia in considering the challenges and opportunities facing the 21st century Church. McLaren is no stranger to controversy and while some love him, many others love to hate him (I can already think of a few I know personally LOL)
… I know some would balk at just hearing McLaren’s name but I would suggest that even if you have reason to be critical or disagree with his teachings to come and hear him out and get the opportunity to actually challenge his supposed heresies direct from the floor.”
I wonder whether people will be disappointed when they find our how ordinary and down to earth Brian is. And perhaps, what he’s going to share isn’t that “controversial” after all 
We’ll see … what’s important is I believe there will be places where we will be comforted .. and in other cases, challenged.
My personal hope from the start is that Brian’s sharing and engagement with the conversation partners will serve as a catalyst for our own wrestling with the issues at hand – keeping in mind the Gospel, the role of the Church, our own discipleship as well as a keen eye on the world we live in. In many ways, the 2 events one initiated by OHMSI and the other by emergent Malaysia desire to encourage concerned followers of Jesus (or Christians) to connect their faith and witness with the realities we live in. The accents might be different but both seek to give a chance for individuals and groups to interact with each other for the good of our country (which includes the wider world).
The fun little extra Bob threw in was the Bonus Tip for Valentine’s Day. As we talk about changing the world .. the mega issues, the public morality matters, the wider concerns, etc. I’m reminded … of those who are immediately close to us. And for true change to happen, we cannot ignore our wives, our kids, our loved ones, our local congregations, etc.
*update: Bob added another event A Christian Response To The Marginalised which I got the info via email earlier. After seeing this, suddenly I felt Malaysia is blessed this year not just because of visit Malaysia 2007, but the fact that there are quality conversations and consultations on stuff that matter!*
Micah Network Asia-Pacific Consultation 2007