Syrian Churches Holding Their Own in Northern Iraq

An NPR article by Peter Kenyon:

A new phenomenon is spreading through the Christian towns and villages of northern Iraq: Christian security forces, organized through their local churches, are manning checkpoints and working with the Iraqi police.

Christians are usually doormats in this part of the world, so this was quite a refreshing read.

The Exalted Void

Let me be right up front with you:  astronomy is one of my 'weak suits.'

That being said, I got a good laugh out of Clara Moskowitz' recent Space.com article, Do We Live in a Giant Cosmic Bubble?  It's a well-written piece, so this has nothing to do with Ms. Moskowitz, per se.  The article more-or-less gives an alternative view to the typical understanding of 'space' and the whole dark matter/dark energy debacle.  Some scientists are now postulating:

Earth may be trapped in an abnormal bubble of space-time that is particularly void of matter. Scientists say this condition could account for the apparent acceleration of the universe's expansion, for which dark energy currently is the leading explanation.

The humor hits towards the end of the article.  Apparently, the biggest initial objection to this theory is that it means the earth is special.  Moskowitz writes that the void theory:

... negates a principle that has reigned in astronomy for more than 450 years: namely, that our place in the universe isn't special. When Nicholas Copernicus argued that it made much more sense for the Earth to be revolving around the sun than vice versa, it revolutionized science. Since then, most theories have to pass the Copernican test. If they require our planet to be unique, or our position to be exalted, the ideas often seem unlikely.  [emphasis mine]

I couldn't make this stuff up.  I wish I could.  It's a challenge to "science" for any view to postulate that the earth is unique.  I'm sorry... that's just hilarious.  Is earth not unique?  Does empirical evidence not support this?  Isn't earth still the only known planet with life on it?  Not just life - but intelligent life?  Isn't earth the only known planet able to support life as we know it?  Don't we have an abundance of H2O in liquid form here?  Is that not special?

Anyway, I don't mean to rant.  When I read statements like:

"This idea that we live in a void would really be a statement that we live in a special place," Clifton told SPACE.com. "The regular cosmological model is based on the idea that where we live is a typical place in the universe. This would be a contradiction to the Copernican principle."

... I just have to laugh.

No "i" in Team...

One of my live ninjas - the Ox - has written a pretty good piece over at Assembly Quest entitled, Apostasy, Then and Now.  I suggest checking it out.

Much of it focuses on Daniel 9, and its application to the contemporary church (especially 'Brethren').  While understanding that Daniel was writing under a(n obedience-based) Law Covenant - as a member of that covenant nation - and plenty of "disenfranchised assembly guy" stuff not withstanding, he still makes some awesome (and honest) points.

My favorite part follows (reprinted without permission):

Daniel 9 is well worth examining, but I want to point out what is to me the most outstanding feature: Daniel was personally guilty of none of the things he confessed. Daniel himself had not committed the idolatries and immoralities he confessed; he had been only a boy when taken from Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and had an impeccable track record when in Babylon. Further, he was decidedly separated from the rest of Israel while in Babylon. But despite his personal blamelessness in the sins he confesses, he insists on saying "we".

I find this striking, because my experience in "brethren" has been precisely that they see themselves as somehow blameless in the current state of things, because they "walk in separation".  But Daniel---one of only a couple men of whom the Scripture recordsnot one sin---falls to his knees and says "we".

This is the great failure of "brethren" in my mind: that having seen the deplorable state of the Church, they have refused to humble themselves and confess it as "we". They've been quick to separate from sin they see, even if it means separating from other Christians; one would think that might mean they understand the seriousness of sin. But they have refused to acknowledge that we are all One Body, what one member does, all feel. Their fine-tuned rules of fellowship and separation have sprung from an admirable sense of wanting to avoid evil: but they have failed to see the big picture; we are in this together.

N.T. Wright Interview

Trevin Wax, in November of last year, actually sat down with the Bishop of Durham for a lengthy interview, largely revolving around New Perspectives on Paul theology.  I'm just now sitting down to read the interview at length, and found it very well done.

I must confess to a certain obsession with NPP.  I certainly admire the desire to place all of Holy Writ in its historical context.  Even if that means going against the status quo:  since many in evangelical Christendom often see the Bible as though it were written in a vacuum, and dropped from the sky (a somewhat pagan notion, in my opinion:  see the statue of Artemis in Acts 19).  If we're going to champion an "historical/grammatical hermeneutic," we need to be consistent.  And I can honestly say I've learned much from my study of NPP (both pro and con).

That being said, I have serious reservations about NPP, especially in regards to the doctrines of Justification, Eternal Security, and Imputation.  One need exercise great discernment when opening up such material.

Nonetheless, I believe this interview with Tom Wright - aside from further revealing his winsome, likable character - allows the man to condense things in an easily digestible way for the casual reader.  If your exposure to NPP is limited, this would probably be a good place to start.

Read the full transcript here.

Entrance to Xibalba Found!

Of course, to get there, you have to travel a long path filled with obstacles. Including "rivers filled with scorpions, blood and pus." Yummyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Archaeological dig in Mexico; found it at MSNBC.



A wee bit morbid, I know, but I'm always interested in learning about the spirituality of ancient peoples; especially comparing and contrasting them to the Faith.

Mosab Hassan Yousef gets my vote for Bravest Man of the Year

He's 30.

He was born in the West Bank.

His dad is Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a big-to-do in Hamas (yes, the Hamas).


Mosab Hassan Yousef is now a Christian, speaking out against Islam.


FoxNews has a rather lengthy, but incredibly insightful interview with the man, who has a 'unique' perspective on religion, to say the least. I found it a very inspiring read.

Brief Quote from M. Luther

The Gospel brings donations. It pleads for open hands to take what is being offered. The Law has nothing to give. It demands, and its demands are impossible.

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Luther, Martin. Translated by Theodore Graebner. "Galatians Three." Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians. Blue Letter Bible. 27 June 2005. 17 Nov 2007. <http://blueletterbible.org/Comm/martin_luther/Gal/Gal003.html>.