Weekly Notables (19)

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Streaming: John Piper’s address to President Obama on abortion.

Reading: The book I’ve reading lately is called Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch.  It came highly recommended and has lived up to the hype two-thirds through.  Here is a link to a trustworthy review.

Blogging: I think I post something from Kevin DeYoung every week, but oh well.  Here is another good one called Why I am a Calvinist.

The influence of Calvinism is growing because its God is transcendent and its theology is true. In a day when “be better” moralism passes for preaching, self-help banality passes for counseling, and “Jesus is my boyfriend” music passes for worship in some churches, more and more people are finding comfort in a God who is anything but comfortable. The paradox of Calvinism is that we feel better by feeling worse about ourselves, we do more for God by seeing how He’s done everything for us, and we give love away more freely when we discover that we have been saved by free grace.

Podcasts: Want to better understand Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism?  The Theology Program put up free sessions at itunes. (HT: JT)

Weather Photos: Need new wallpaper for you desktop?  Here are some great shots from local storm chaser Mike Hollingshead.

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Weekly Notables (16)

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Watching: The Gospel Coalition 2009 is wrapping up today.  Live webcasts are available here.  Also, all 10 of the main sessions will be online soon.

Listening: 5 years of classroom instruction from Wayne Grudem as he teaches through his Systematic Theology.

Blogging: Kevin DeYoung posts a series called “Our High Places,” highlighting what he sees as possible blindspots in the church today.

Economics: Matt Perman argues how “Spending Does Not Drive the Economy,” part 1 and part 2.

Blogging 2: Albert Mohler pleads “We cannot settle for truth without love nor love without truth” and “The genuine body of Christ  will reveal itself by courageous compassion, and compassionate courage” when confronting the issue of homosexuality in our culture.

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Weekly Notables (14)

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News: Apparently, not only was I raised in the best county in the U.S. for raising children (see previous post), but now I’m living in the “Happiest Place in America” according to ABC news.

History: 64 years ago today, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed due to his involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler.  Fred Sanders at Scriptorium Daily writes a small piece on the the topic.  Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from Bonhoeffer in his classic work, The Cost of Discipleship:

Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. (p. 59)

The only right and proper way is quite literally to go with Jesus.  The call to follow implies that there is only one way of believing on Jesus Christ, and that is by leaving all and going with the incarnate Son of God. (p. 62)

Also, for an excellent documentary on his life, watch Bonhoeffer.

Science News: Ever wondered why scratching relieves that itching feeling?  NYT reports.

Reading/Listening: Dr. Albert Mohler responds to President Obama’s statements to the Muslim world in Turkey.

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Weekly Notables (10)

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Listening: Put the Fire for the Sake of Prayer.  A plead from John Piper to be diligent in prayer.

I hate the devil, and the way he is killing some of you by persuading you it is legalistic to be as regular in your prayers as you are in your eating and sleeping and Internet use. Do you not see what a sucker he his making out of you? He is laughing up his sleeve at how easy it is to deceive Christians about the importance of prayer.

Science news: NYT: Religious Thoughts and Feelings Not Limited to One Part of Brain.

There may be other elements that science is not capable of measuring.

Weather pix: A beautiful satellite photo of the nearly completely frozen Lake Superior. 

Politics.  John Mark Reynolds from The Scriptorium Daily. His initial essay “Love Your Neighbor and Don’t Tax Him” and then a following response to a critic called “A State Worse Than Poverty.”

Christianity and natural law teach that good men and women should help each other. This charity is best when it is private and not coerced.

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Weekly Notables (7)

A great way to listen to Scripture.  I’m really liking this…download your favorite verses, chapters, or books to your ipod (or other mp3 device) to aid in your study/meditation/memorization of scripture.  B.C. has a really nice site, by the way. (HT: JT)

Why I’m Not Emergent.  An excellent essay on the Emergent Church by Allen Yeh from The Scriptorium Daily.

Are taking Vitamins worth it? “The public’s belief in the benefits of vitamins and nutrients is not supported by the available scientific data.” An article from NYT.

Who are the NeoReformed? Part 1, Part 2.  2 articles from Scot McKnight that I’m not sure how to make use of – especially his comment: “the NeoReformed are those who are obsessed with God’s holiness and grace and have not learned that grace makes people gracious.”  I thought obsessing over God’s holiness and grace was a good thing…maybe I’ve missed the point.

Regulating CO2 as a pollutant. Roger Pielke lists some articles if you want to get more in depth with the issue.  If not, just read his brief comments and you’ll realize the implications of such a move from our government.

Finally Alive. Tim Challies gives a great review of Piper’s new book.

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Weekly Notables (4)

Coffee linked to lower dementia risk. This is such great news for me, I’ll put it first.  The study also links coffee to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s.

Without a Better Vision This Administration Will Perish. An essay from John Mark Reynolds at The Scriptorium about the emminent failure of President Obama’s theology.

Jesus Sinned? New Barna Poll says 1 in 3 ‘Christians’ believe Jesus sinned.  Wow.

“Be Courageous, Mr. President.” A short video from John Piper’s sermon this week.

Panoramic image of President Obama’s Inaugural address.  The technology to take this photo was derived by NASA from Mars exploration.

10 most “redeeming movies” from Christianity Today.

Mark Driscoll on Nightline. The video segment from Tuesday’s broadcast.

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Weekly Notables (3)

Echoes of Bable: Our New National Sin.  A convicting observation from Trevin Wax on our nation’s current position.

Ligon Duncan and Albert Mohler offer some excellent prayers for our new president.

Prosperity Gospel on Skid Row. Is the recession affecting the prosperity teachers?

Wireless Electricity.  I’m really excited for this…the efficiency and cleanliness of fewer cords and plugins! (HT: Matt Perman)

Life.  Please watch this video.  This is an ad airing in select markets on Black Entertainment Television.  (HT: JT)

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