23.5.05
My Friend Jason Loftis Always Reads My Blog But Never Leaves Comments
Even when some entries are custom desgined for him to leave comments. Like the Adam Again record review. And like this one.
Book Cover Reviews
"Of the making many books, there is no end, and much study wearies the body" (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
Amen. There is an endless stream of books I would like to read and I never seem to get caught up. In fact, as more and more books are relased I am falling farther and farther behind. Originally my desire was to write a few book reviews for my good readers, so that you can become accquainted with the sorts writings I find helpful. Unfortunately it takes a very long time to read a book. It's hard work. The Bible says so.
Instead, I've decided to write reviews of book covers. That's right! Why put in several hours of labor to decipher all those tiny little letters when you can pretty much just look at a book's cover and judge wether or not its any good? So my friends, the funky presbyterian now will provide you with the great community service of reviewing book covers of the books I would like to read if I had the time and energy.
This week we will be reviewing "Simplicity" by a guy named Mark Salomon or something. At first glance, I find the cover intriguing. Who is this person on the cover? Is it the author himself? Perhaps as a child? One can not be certain. The face is obscured. A mystery! Next we notice that the title of the book is printed askew and in style that looks hand etched. This gives the viewer the impression that the ideas contained therein are slightly unconventional and perhaps the relfections of an independant minded author. And then we have the endorsement. Yes! An endorsement on the front of the book! This is unconventional indeed! An informed viewer will notice that the endorsement is penned by the lead singer of Christian heavy metal group POD. This would lead one to believe that the author is perhaps himself either a Christian or a heavy metal dude. Or even both.
Over all, I feel the visual impression made by this cover is a positive one. The composition is engaging and friendly. The colors are well balanced and coherent with the title of the book. However, Salomon does loose a few points for putting the POD guy's endorsement on the cover. I mean first of all, what do heavy metal dudes know about books? And secondly it seems a little like name dropping. A bold and unconventional move, but ultimately it comes off as little desperate. Over all though, a decent cover. I'd say that if I had the time, and actually read this book, I'd probably like it.
Rating: B+
Amen. There is an endless stream of books I would like to read and I never seem to get caught up. In fact, as more and more books are relased I am falling farther and farther behind. Originally my desire was to write a few book reviews for my good readers, so that you can become accquainted with the sorts writings I find helpful. Unfortunately it takes a very long time to read a book. It's hard work. The Bible says so.
Instead, I've decided to write reviews of book covers. That's right! Why put in several hours of labor to decipher all those tiny little letters when you can pretty much just look at a book's cover and judge wether or not its any good? So my friends, the funky presbyterian now will provide you with the great community service of reviewing book covers of the books I would like to read if I had the time and energy.
This week we will be reviewing "Simplicity" by a guy named Mark Salomon or something. At first glance, I find the cover intriguing. Who is this person on the cover? Is it the author himself? Perhaps as a child? One can not be certain. The face is obscured. A mystery! Next we notice that the title of the book is printed askew and in style that looks hand etched. This gives the viewer the impression that the ideas contained therein are slightly unconventional and perhaps the relfections of an independant minded author. And then we have the endorsement. Yes! An endorsement on the front of the book! This is unconventional indeed! An informed viewer will notice that the endorsement is penned by the lead singer of Christian heavy metal group POD. This would lead one to believe that the author is perhaps himself either a Christian or a heavy metal dude. Or even both.
Over all, I feel the visual impression made by this cover is a positive one. The composition is engaging and friendly. The colors are well balanced and coherent with the title of the book. However, Salomon does loose a few points for putting the POD guy's endorsement on the cover. I mean first of all, what do heavy metal dudes know about books? And secondly it seems a little like name dropping. A bold and unconventional move, but ultimately it comes off as little desperate. Over all though, a decent cover. I'd say that if I had the time, and actually read this book, I'd probably like it.
Rating: B+
Mystery Solved!
My friend Keith has saved us all alot of time and effort by providing this quick and simple syllogism to prove that there is baseball in heaven.
There are no tears in heaven (Rev. 21).
There is no crying in baseball.
Therefore, there is baseball in heaven.
Thanks for wrapping this up for us, Keith. You are a true scholar.
There are no tears in heaven (Rev. 21).
There is no crying in baseball.
Therefore, there is baseball in heaven.
Thanks for wrapping this up for us, Keith. You are a true scholar.
Creation, Redemption, Baseball & the City of God: Part One
If you are just joining us on this topic, be sure to scroll down and read the introduction.
1. Creation is good.
This is our starting point to argue that there may in fact be baseball in Heaven. Unfortunately there has evolved in Christian thought throughout the centuries, a presupposition that the physical world is somehow less important, less "religious" than the spiritual world, or even that the physical world is somehow more corrupt or sinful than the spiritual world. Perhaps you are aware of the line of thinking in Christendom that says "I'm just a'passin' through. This body is just my shell, etc etc". This physical/spiritual dichotomy is not true and probably stems more from the influence of greek thought (Platonism) upon Christianity than from scripture itself. All of creation is created good. And all of creation is broken, suffering the effects of the fall into sin.
Consider: Genesis chapter one records for us scriptures account of the creation of the universe. Now at this point many more questions may be raised about this account. Is it historical? Is it allegorical? Are the "days" literal 24 hour days? What about evolution? It is not our intention to answer any of these questions in this discussion. So set those questions aside for now. The point we must take note of here is that after each stage of creation, God declares that what he has made is "good".
1:4 - And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
1:10- God called the dry land Earth,* and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
1:12 - The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:18 - the sun to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
1:21- So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:25- And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:31- And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
So again and again throughout the creative period, God stops to observe what he has made and to enjoy it, calling it good. Six times he says it. And then after making mankind on the sixth day, God declares it "Very Good!" If God has called something good, we ought not call it bad! We ought not call it unimportant, trivial or even "neutral". Nothing is neutral. What God has created is good. He says so.
2. The development of culture, though mediated by man, is an important part of God's Creation.
Ok, but what about baseball? I mean it's not like God made baseball in the same way he made the sea and the animals. This is true, but there is more to be said. God creates man & woman "in his own image". This little phrase has many many ramifications, but for our discussion we will note that being in the image of God means that we are little creators the way God is the Big Creator. We are little rulers of creation the way God is the Big Ruler of creation. God shares with men and women something of himself that is not shared with other aspects of the created world. And after making man & woman, God gives them the command to rule over what he has made. Theologians have called this the "cultural mandate" whereby mankind is given the job of developing culture in a responsible way. Here's the text:
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Then later in the book of Genesis we read of the beginnings of cultural development:
Gen. 4:19-22
And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron.
In this passage filled with strange names we see the first seeds of argicultural development & animal breeding, of music and the arts, and even of technology as tools are forged from bronze and iron. This is the development of culture and it records for us the obedience of mankind in fulfilling the God given cultural mandate. If you enjoy music, you own something to Jubal. If you've ever eaten a hamburger, you have some debt to Jabal. If you are reading this on a computer then thank Tubal-cain. And if you enjoy the sport of baseball, then thank Abner Doubleday for his obedience to the cultural mandate in Genesis 1:28.
In addition to the cultural mandate, and the recording of culture's first baby steps in Genesis 4, we have also to consider the entire trajectory of the Christian view of history's unfolding. Civilization starts with two naked people in a garden and culminates in a city with streets and gates and nations and music and architecture (Revelation 21). In between these two is implied a necessary development of civilization and culture that is a part of God's plan. And it is God honoring for any person to participate in the unfolding of God's plan of cultural development, regardless of wether that person is a Christian or even believes in God at all. I don't know who first bred German Shepherds. I don't know what his religious beliefs were. But I'm glad he did it, because I love my dog. I don't know if Elvis was a believer or not, but I sure am glad he made a giant leap forwards for the development of rock and roll, because I love rock and roll. And sure am glad that Al Gore invented the internet, because I enjoy blogging.
Now granted, this develpoment of culture is for a time, distorted and broken by sin, but it is not obliterated. In otherwords, yes, sin has scarred the process of cultural development so just as we forge implements from bronze for good purposes, we forge implements for killing that were never intended to be a part of God's creation. Just as our artists develop their skills in painting and photography and film in ways that are beautiful, dignifying and honoring of God, we also have invented pornography, Nazi propoganda, and Thomas Kincaid paintings. But this distortion of cultural development is a cancer, a parasite. If your dog gets a tick, you don't shoot the dog. The dog is good and so you seek to remove the tick. The dog is worth saving, because he is good. God says so.
If baseball is good then it too is worth saving. more to come...
1. Creation is good.
This is our starting point to argue that there may in fact be baseball in Heaven. Unfortunately there has evolved in Christian thought throughout the centuries, a presupposition that the physical world is somehow less important, less "religious" than the spiritual world, or even that the physical world is somehow more corrupt or sinful than the spiritual world. Perhaps you are aware of the line of thinking in Christendom that says "I'm just a'passin' through. This body is just my shell, etc etc". This physical/spiritual dichotomy is not true and probably stems more from the influence of greek thought (Platonism) upon Christianity than from scripture itself. All of creation is created good. And all of creation is broken, suffering the effects of the fall into sin.
Consider: Genesis chapter one records for us scriptures account of the creation of the universe. Now at this point many more questions may be raised about this account. Is it historical? Is it allegorical? Are the "days" literal 24 hour days? What about evolution? It is not our intention to answer any of these questions in this discussion. So set those questions aside for now. The point we must take note of here is that after each stage of creation, God declares that what he has made is "good".
1:4 - And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
1:10- God called the dry land Earth,* and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
1:12 - The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:18 - the sun to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
1:21- So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:25- And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1:31- And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
So again and again throughout the creative period, God stops to observe what he has made and to enjoy it, calling it good. Six times he says it. And then after making mankind on the sixth day, God declares it "Very Good!" If God has called something good, we ought not call it bad! We ought not call it unimportant, trivial or even "neutral". Nothing is neutral. What God has created is good. He says so.
2. The development of culture, though mediated by man, is an important part of God's Creation.
Ok, but what about baseball? I mean it's not like God made baseball in the same way he made the sea and the animals. This is true, but there is more to be said. God creates man & woman "in his own image". This little phrase has many many ramifications, but for our discussion we will note that being in the image of God means that we are little creators the way God is the Big Creator. We are little rulers of creation the way God is the Big Ruler of creation. God shares with men and women something of himself that is not shared with other aspects of the created world. And after making man & woman, God gives them the command to rule over what he has made. Theologians have called this the "cultural mandate" whereby mankind is given the job of developing culture in a responsible way. Here's the text:
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Then later in the book of Genesis we read of the beginnings of cultural development:
Gen. 4:19-22
And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron.
In this passage filled with strange names we see the first seeds of argicultural development & animal breeding, of music and the arts, and even of technology as tools are forged from bronze and iron. This is the development of culture and it records for us the obedience of mankind in fulfilling the God given cultural mandate. If you enjoy music, you own something to Jubal. If you've ever eaten a hamburger, you have some debt to Jabal. If you are reading this on a computer then thank Tubal-cain. And if you enjoy the sport of baseball, then thank Abner Doubleday for his obedience to the cultural mandate in Genesis 1:28.
In addition to the cultural mandate, and the recording of culture's first baby steps in Genesis 4, we have also to consider the entire trajectory of the Christian view of history's unfolding. Civilization starts with two naked people in a garden and culminates in a city with streets and gates and nations and music and architecture (Revelation 21). In between these two is implied a necessary development of civilization and culture that is a part of God's plan. And it is God honoring for any person to participate in the unfolding of God's plan of cultural development, regardless of wether that person is a Christian or even believes in God at all. I don't know who first bred German Shepherds. I don't know what his religious beliefs were. But I'm glad he did it, because I love my dog. I don't know if Elvis was a believer or not, but I sure am glad he made a giant leap forwards for the development of rock and roll, because I love rock and roll. And sure am glad that Al Gore invented the internet, because I enjoy blogging.
Now granted, this develpoment of culture is for a time, distorted and broken by sin, but it is not obliterated. In otherwords, yes, sin has scarred the process of cultural development so just as we forge implements from bronze for good purposes, we forge implements for killing that were never intended to be a part of God's creation. Just as our artists develop their skills in painting and photography and film in ways that are beautiful, dignifying and honoring of God, we also have invented pornography, Nazi propoganda, and Thomas Kincaid paintings. But this distortion of cultural development is a cancer, a parasite. If your dog gets a tick, you don't shoot the dog. The dog is good and so you seek to remove the tick. The dog is worth saving, because he is good. God says so.
If baseball is good then it too is worth saving. more to come...
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