Archive for the ‘In The News’ Category
Friday, December 18th, 2009 by JEL
Back in high school, one of my best friends did a history report on the Shroud of Turin. He was a smart guy and a good presenter and I remember a very lively debate among my classmates. This was before the radiocarbon dating done in 1988 that showed the linen fibers were from 1260-1390, so there was a lot less science and a great deal more mystery involved.
Archaeologists have recently discovered another shroud in Jerusalem that was from Jesus’ time and compared its weave with that of the Turin shroud. Turns out they are very different. The Turin shroud is woven in a complex twill pattern (not seen in that region until medieval times) while the “new” shroud is made from a simple weave.
The National Geographic covers the story of the new shroud and the leper it covered. Fascinating discovery.
Tags: Jerusalem, Jesus, leprosy, shroud of Turin
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009 by JEL
As consumers across the land are making their list and checking it twice (or is Santa the only one who does that?), I wonder how many Christian presents make the final cut. Christian products are sold to a tune of $4.6 billion each year, and it only stands to reason that a large percentage of that figure is derived during the Christmas season.
In reading this article, there is a fine line between respectable wares tied to a Christian theme and “Jesus Junk” that strains to find some connection to the latest fads and trends. I feel pretty comfortable that What He Said does not cross that line.
Tags: Christian products, Jesus, What He Said
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Monday, December 14th, 2009 by JEL
There’s your home (that’s #1). Then there’s work (#2). What’s your #3? For some people, it’s their gym or the local Starbucks. It’s where they go to go to temporarily escape the stresses of #s 1 and 2 and simply unwind, refresh, and recharge.
Increasingly, churches are striving to become the new “third place.” And they’re finding new ways to roll out the hospitality carpet to new visitors and long-time members alike. Video games, coffee bars, cafés, and free WI-FI are attracting people outside the normal weekly services and fostering more connections within their communities. Learn more here.
Tags: Christian hospitality, Christianity, Third Place
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Friday, December 4th, 2009 by JEL
The title of this post is taken from the title of Hanna Rosin’s fascinating article in this month’s issue of The Atlantic. It covers the ever-growing “prosperity gospel”: the belief that God will provide material wealth for those of great faith. Rosin describes the movement and documents cases of believers (like many non-believers) buying houses they could never afford in the first place because they felt God would provide for them.
The prosperity gospel is much larger than you might think:
- 50 of the largest 260 churches in the US preach the prosperity gospel.
- A Pew Research study found that 66% of Pentecostals and 43% of “other Christians” (half of the total respondents) believe that “wealth will be granted to the faithful.”
- The same survey shows that 73% of religious Latinos agreed with the statement, “God will grant financial success to all believers who have enough faith.”
It’s weird. When I read what Jesus said (made much easier by What He Said), all I see are commands to give until it hurts. And then give some more.
Tags: Christianity, financial crisis, Jesus, prosperity gospel
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Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 by JEL
I realize this is a little off-topic, but Charlie Weis, ex-Patriots Offensive Coordinator, can now add another “ex-” to his resume. As in, ex-Notre Dame head coach. I thought this article had an interesting take on Weis’s tenure and the problems of ND football.
Apparently, the decline of Catholic secondary schools has played a major role in ND’s nose-dive as they no longer act as “prime recruiting centers.” One out of five Catholic schools in the U.S. has closed over the past 10 years.
Tags: Catholic faith, Charlie Weis, Notre Dame, parochial schools
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Monday, November 30th, 2009 by JEL
You think it’s hard to read the Bible? Try writing it…by hand! Actually, not all by yourself. Find around 31,000 others and have them each write and submit a verse. Put it all together and voilà, in 9 months you’ll have a finished Bible.
Bible Across America, a special project commemorating the 30th anniversary of the New International Version, created the project and just sold one of the 2 copies on eBay for $15,000. Proceeds from the sale are going to Biblica. Read the full story here.
Tags: Bible, Bible Across America
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Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 by JEL
The most recent American Religious Identification Survey (March 2009) showed 15% of adults in America do not belong to any religion—and that percentage is on the rise.
Rather than wring his hands in woe and grief, however, House church leader Ken Eastburn thinks the decline is good news. Here’s his insightful perspective:
“American Christianity has long been characterized by all the wrong things: partisan politics, tips for better living, the so-called ‘prosperity gospel,’ hypocrisy, and condemnation—to name a few. When that kind of Christianity begins to decline, we have much to be thankful for. It means true Christianity—the kind characterized by loving one’s enemies, radical giving, integrity and compassion—has room to grow.”
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Tags: ARI survey, Christianity, Jesus, Words of Christ
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Monday, November 23rd, 2009 by JEL
The Biblical Botanical Gardens Society in Florida is in the process of creating The Oasis, a 21-acre parcel populated with plants like hibiscus, bamboo, cacti, and a Jerusalem thorn. All the plants featured are species that Jesus lived among 2,000 years ago.
Tours and events will attempt to re-create first-century life, and donkeys, sheep, and camels will be sprinkled about to add further context and color. The cherry on top? “Sandals will even be provided to enhance the experience.”
Tags: Bible, Biblical gardens, Jesus, the oasis
Posted in In The News, The Bible | No Comments »
Friday, November 20th, 2009 by PJM
I had reason recently to search NYTimes.com for the word “gospels.” 5,420 hits were returned. What struck me the most was how many NYT reader comments refer to them. You can try it yourself and see.
Frequently, the story that the readers are commenting on are quite secular in nature. One in particular, caught my attention in the Freakonomics Blog. A tenet of Freakonomics is that human behavior is guided by selfish incentives. A reader asked what Jesus’ incentive was in getting crucified. The blog author, Stephen Dubner, doesn’t answer the question, but we will let you know when he does. In the meantime, maybe we could sell him a book.
Tags: Freakonomics, Jesus, New York Times
Posted in In The News, Irreverant, Words of Christ | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 by JEL
Editor and Christian writer Phyllis Tickle talks about 5 “hinge times” in Christianity:
- Great Transformation (dominance of the Roman empire)
- Great Fall (the Roman Senate dissolves; beginning of the Dark Ages)
- Great Schism (the Catholic Church splits between Rome and Constantinople)
- Great Reformation (14th and 15th century)
- Great Emergence (present day)
At each major phase, over-regulation of religion robbed faith of much of its meaning. The resulting reaction was a search for a new direction. This interesting article contains this quote:
“You’re here to serve the kingdom of God, not to save the church.”
Tags: Christianity, hinge times, Phyllis Tickle
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