In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?
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From the monthly archives:
October 2008
Beth raised a very important question in criticising my use of the word “holocaust” to describe the mass slaughter in WWI (in a comment on Wilfred Owen’s poem - see Richard’s post “The Parable of the Old Man and the Young”). I defended my move on both contextual and semantic grounds, but went on [...]
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“The relationship between the obedience of God’s people and the triumph of God’s cause is not a relationship of cause and effect but one of cross and resurrection….
“Thus the most appropriate example of the difficult choice between effectiveness and obedience, and the most illuminating example, is that of Jesus himself. What it means for [...]
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I’m no better on art than I am on poetry, but I was taken with this picture of Christ by British pre-Raphaelite Evelyn de Morgan. I’m grateful to John the Methodist for putting me on to it in his comment
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Vicarious Christ
The Bishop of Byegumb was an old friend of our General;
In fact, he knew him out in the Soudan.
He preached to our Brigade; and the impression that he made
Was astounding; he was such a Christian man.
He compared us to the martyrs who were burnt alive and strangled;
O, it made us love the war - [...]
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So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,
Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb, for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,
And builded parapets and trenches there,
And [...]
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“But now to the question which has bothered you for a long time. Well, it is something of a surprise to me that you in East Germany should be bothered by the fact that I belonged for a while to the Social Democratic Party. I believe that there is no real reason for [...]
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And can it be, that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood`?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
‘Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the first-born seraph tries
To sound the [...]
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That vile reprobate Paul Martin shares a prophetic word about the US election.
Made me laugh till I cried.
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News release from the Methodist Church
People killed for their faith in Orissa and victims still suffering at the hands of religious extremists were remembered in prayer at the Synod of the Church of North India (CNI), in Punjab. Churches are not being permitted to contribute to the relief effort, but people are being urged to [...]
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Whenever I visit my mum (sorry, mom!) in New York, I always take along some homemade printed matter, usually a novel and a book of theology. Only on the flight home did I get around to starting Marilyn Robinson’s new novel Home (2008), which looks to be as tenderly observed and theologically astute as [...]
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Jesus, my Truth, my Way,
My sure, unerring Light,
On thee my feeble steps I stay,
Which thou wilt lead aright.
My Wisdom and my Guide,
My Counsellor, thou art;
O never let me leave thy side,
Or from thy paths depart!
Teach me the happy art
In all things to depend
On thee; O never, Lord, depart,
But love me to the end!
Through fire and [...]
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My postman has just delivered an unexpected parcel.
I don’t know about you, but I still can excited about the postman coming. It’s the anticipation. Usually, of course, it’s just bills, junk and disappointment. But every once in a while he’ll bring something that justifies my hopes, the equivalent of a fiver from grandma.
This morning was [...]
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I don’t think, when I posted about the Evangelical Alliance bloggers gathering, that I mentioned the video they made. It’s online now.YT is in it, albeit briefly. Olive comes over well.
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When I was in the scouts in the mid-1970’s we went on camp, as scout troops do. This particular summer, we’d more or less finished pitching our tents when we discovered that the troop nearest to us on the camping ground was German. There was a real ‘edge’ to that. Though Britain was in the [...]
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John the Methodist proposes a most unusual fundraiser. Somehow, I can’t see it catching on.
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