tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184910982011-09-01T09:18:46.785-05:00Where the secular and sacred meet.Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.comBlogger4961100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-47763881660511808512011-06-13T09:38:00.002-05:002011-06-13T09:45:23.983-05:00

LeBron James played terribly in the NBA Finals. Which tells us, umm, that LeBron James played terribly in the NBA Finals. But since I keep hearing people psychoanalyze that to invent some kind of character defect or fourth quarter allergy or "unclutchiness", here's a reminder: The man who can't close games (so we're told) scored 29 or his team's last 30 points in a playoff victory. Here's the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-17768051521280505282011-04-26T08:27:00.002-05:002011-04-26T09:54:55.307-05:00

Where, O death, is your victory?Where, O death, is your sting?In his classic The Denial of Death, cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker argues that the fear of death is the single universal human trait. That is, humans, as humans, are characterized by knowledge of our mortality, and fear of that mortality. From this starting point he weaves a both creative and insightful synthesis of psychology

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-57372233122581040422011-04-23T08:26:00.002-05:002011-04-23T08:30:28.201-05:00

A brief reflection for a day that is, to me, so holy because it is - unlike the rest of Holy Week - so common.Holy Saturday, for me, crystalizes this life, lived as it is somewhere between the fear of death and hope in the resurrection. The God who was near is now far; the God who was alive is now dead and buried, and may never have been God at all. Easter is coming, but how would we know, how

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-31544627031590318752011-03-31T12:41:00.002-05:002011-03-31T12:44:47.629-05:00

This is a sermon that I will be preaching this Sunday at Community Church of Wilmette, in Wilmette, IL. It is based on a sermon I preached last year during Lent at Fourth Ave United Methodist Church in Louisville, KY.I often hesitate to publish the text of my sermons, because they are meant to be heard rather than read, but from time to time I make exceptions, and this is one such case.Scripture

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-27456271397067316912011-03-09T22:37:00.003-05:002011-03-09T22:57:28.478-05:00

For some reason (perhaps because I'm reading John D. Caputo's The Prayers and Tears of Jacques Derrida: Religion Without Religion) this question from Augustine comes to mind for Lent: Quid ergo amo, cum deum meum amo? What do I love when I love my God? I've decided that for Lent, rather than giving anything up or taking anything up, my discipline will be to seriously reflect on this question and

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-20459784087564553332010-11-11T10:19:00.002-05:002010-11-11T10:23:01.567-05:00

Ann W. Astell's Eating Beauty is, as one might guess, not accidentally titled. It is a play on words that works in multiple directions. First, it is jarring in light of the fact that food was never a subject in Medieval aesthetics. It made no sense to speak of the beauty of food (despite Augustine's famous ode to the taste of a stolen apple). Beauty may reside in the eye of the beholder, but not

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-70184084535071172742010-11-09T10:58:00.002-05:002010-11-09T11:28:55.922-05:00

I'm thinking about rebooting this blog. It has been sitting in cyberspace, long neglected by its less than loving parent. There's some good stuff here, and there's also a great deal here that I'd like to revisit as my theology changes. And change it has and change it must, for change is part of the nature of life and faith, and should be expected in the life of faith.I'm especially struck by how

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-57852703690560878572010-02-17T14:23:00.003-05:002010-02-17T14:27:34.525-05:00

I'm now blogging at a new blog devoted to music and culture, Yes, I Am Cheesy Enough. My first contribution to this emerging group project is (loosely) on Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin's 1973 album Love Devotion Surrender. You can find it here.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-84524962443324947432010-02-02T09:25:00.003-05:002010-02-02T10:54:02.992-05:00

A friend of mine has been asking an interesting question lately: "What is killing the church?" I'm not entirely sure that I accept the premise. It's not entirely clear to me either that a.) the church is dying (though it is certainly in decline in the West - whatever is meant by "the West"), or that b.) if it is dying, its impending death is not from natural causes. That said, the question is a

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-17496316347053313032009-07-10T10:10:00.002-05:002009-07-10T10:15:53.823-05:00

[Note: I wrote this bit of absurd randomness as a Note on Facebook - look me up if you Facbook. That's where I waste most of my Internet time these days.]I'm beginning to learn why Zen masters are so reticent to share their accumulated wisdom.I've got degrees in philosophy and theology, and have spent my adult life either working in or rebelling against churches. On top of that, I've spent most

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-50182760672026297342009-06-11T13:07:00.002-05:002009-06-11T13:31:05.366-05:00

[Note: This is the third part of a planned three-part series on taking Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. seriously as a theologian. You can find part one, as well as an introduction to the whole series, here. You can find part two here.I may add to this series later - I am especially interested in eventually adding posts both on King's understanding of the church and on his views on the relationship

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-35362756991451070502009-06-04T09:30:00.002-05:002009-06-04T09:46:07.920-05:00

[Note: This is part two of a planned three-part series on taking Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. seriously as a theologian. You can find Part I, as well as an introduction to the series as a whole, here.Like that first post, this post comes out of Johnny Bernard Hill's class on King at Louisville Seminary, my alma mater. It also, however, comes out of my conviction that eschatology, Christian

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-46297233726398704992009-05-31T08:36:00.002-05:002009-05-31T08:55:45.557-05:00

[Note: This post is the first of a three-part series, stemming from a class at my alma mater, Louisville Seminary, taught by Johnny Bernard Hill, on Martin Luther King, Jr. as a theologian. It is also, obviously, my first post in a long time, and I'll explain that in more detail later. In the meantime, this post is on Tillich's timely influence on King's understanding of love and power. The next

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-30787162489950982602009-01-29T13:02:00.003-05:002009-01-29T15:53:30.274-05:00

While scandalously high corporate bonuses have been the norm of late, as executive "compensation" has badly outpaced the pay of people who actually work for a living, it seems especially flagrant to "reward" executives with hefty bonuses as the financial sector tumbles. Yet, according to Ben White of the New York Times, that is exactly what's happening.My meager stock portfolio - like the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-33202696946498652652009-01-25T18:05:00.002-05:002009-01-25T18:18:39.126-05:00

Since two of my greatest theological debts are to Martin Buber and Paul Tillich (there may be no Jewish thinker to whom I owe more than Buber, and there is certainly no Christian thinker to whom I owe more than Tillich), I read the essay "Buber and Tillich" in Jewish theologian David Novak's Talking With Christians with great interest. It is a very interesting and important essay, and I may write

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-5884181340667957072009-01-12T09:36:00.003-05:002009-01-12T11:05:23.994-05:00

On the seventh day God had finished all the work of creation, and so, on that seventh day, God rested. God blessed the seventh day and called it sacred, because on it God rested from all the work of creation. - Genesis 2:2-3. The Inclusive BibleThe first creation myth in Genesis is generally attributed by scholars to the Priestly source, and reflects both the theological and social concerns of

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-72081927814812272352008-12-31T17:54:00.002-05:002008-12-31T18:07:57.255-05:00

Some time ago I was fascinated with Zen stories, and shared a few of them here. A good Zen story means nothing, but still enlightens. Here is a delightfully absurd account of Daisetz Suzuki drinking tea, as told by Thomas Merton in his essay "Learning to Live":... A room in Butler Hall, overlooking some campus buildings. Daisetz Suzuki, with his great bushy eyebrows and the hearing aid that aids

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-54562204809090571902008-12-30T11:00:00.003-05:002008-12-30T11:58:02.652-05:00

Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O LORD.So opens Psalm 130, in the King James Version. I don't often quote the KJV here, but when I turn to the Psalms, the poetry of that English translation of the Hebrew, commissioned in 1604 by King James I of England, and first published in 1611, is unparalleled. The ethicist in me wants to get out of the way first - before I delve into what I meant

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-61100734318014959122008-12-23T08:23:00.003-05:002008-12-23T11:28:47.662-05:00

Or so I imagined Pope Benedict XVI singing in the shower, after he made his most recent comments on homosexuality. Before becoming the pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the more polite title for what was once the Inquisition. He used this bully pulpit to attack both modern theologians like his former colleague Hans Kung, and

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-12665378523300650942008-12-18T09:26:00.003-05:002008-12-18T10:53:28.286-05:00

I don't often write about prayer here - and I write about my own prayer life even less often than that. However, in light of my last post on the topic, Abstaining From Prayer, I thought I'd provide an update for those who are interested.I've been mired in a relentless bout of depression and anxiety, which has challenged what Paul Tillich might call my "courage to be." That courage is not the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-52757703022530018182008-12-17T13:43:00.002-05:002008-12-24T20:19:06.772-05:00

This is how the birth of Jesus came about.When Jesus' mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, an upright person unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly.This was Joseph's intention when suddenly the angel of God appeared in a dream and said, "Joseph, heir to the House of David,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-89358649494055581472008-12-06T08:35:00.002-05:002008-12-06T08:39:56.385-05:00

I just read this by davidseth at Docudharma. I understand the need to keep decorum and civility in the courtroom, and I certainly understand the need for all parties (especially council) to respect the court. But, seriously, don't drop the F-bomb in a Cincinnati court. You'll go to jail for 6 months!I'd add some commentary of my own, but the author of that post did such a bang-up job that I've

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-23039154158667169392008-12-04T10:26:00.002-05:002008-12-04T10:44:02.669-05:00

Today I went to my final seminary class. I'm not done with my degree yet, mind you; I still have to finish the albatross, I mean, Thesis. But I'm now done with all of my classes.To celebrate, tonight I'm going out with a buddy to see my all time favorite band, King's X, who by happy coincidence or divine providence are playing in Louisville tonight, at the Phoenix Hill Tavern.This morning Adam

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-69533231007167196572008-12-04T07:18:00.004-05:002008-12-08T10:38:16.051-05:00

I just love it when good stuff goes viral!Sami sent me this last night, then I saw it at Jack and Jill Politics. I'm sure by now it has circled the blogosphere 10 or 12 times over, but, in case you missed it, here is (drum roll please....)Prop 8 - The Musical!!(applause)See more Jack Black videos at Funny or DieReminds me a bit of my favorite scene in the West Wing, Season 2, Episode 3, "The

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-50336288314215603402008-12-02T19:18:00.003-05:002008-12-02T19:32:28.624-05:00

While I'd love to write some well-informed post on the attempt by the right to improve their standing in the blogosphere (an attempt, incidentally, that I welcome, as I think that the more diverse the ideas present in any media of discourse, the better that discourse can be, so long as basic rules of civility and conversational charity are followed), I don't know enough about it to write that

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-64923435205646706482008-12-01T19:25:00.005-05:002008-12-02T19:52:26.758-05:00

The first Noble Truth of the Buddha is often translatedLife is suffering.Some days that rings true. There are days when a lifetime's assortment of physical and psychological maladies make me wonder if my life isn't marred by suffering. The torn cartilage in my knee from martial arts. The screw in my wrist from tennis. The deviated septum from the three times (so far) I've broken my nose. The

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-23010454367076603692008-11-30T09:11:00.003-05:002008-11-30T13:47:29.837-05:00

The Beer of the Week series is being at least temporarily revived in honor of my cousin Michael's Thanksgiving contribution to my fridge.A couple of weeks ago Michael - who lives in Atlanta - called me from Taco Mac, legendary (so I'm told, though I'm a little suspicious of the name) for their world-class beer list. He told me he'd just had a really hoppy Brown Ale, that it was amazing, and that

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-91085411839683332332008-11-19T12:01:00.006-05:002008-11-19T16:01:02.460-05:00

I saw this at The Huffington Post. It seems Bernie Marcus, the founder of Home Depot, thinks that Democrats, or even lackluster Republicans, should be summarily executed. Wow!Here's what he said, as quoted by Thomas Frank in yesterday's Wall Street Journal:"If a retailer has not gotten involved with this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money to Norm Coleman and

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-55278528055078084802008-11-17T13:12:00.007-05:002008-11-17T16:25:01.881-05:00

I've been meaning to ask this for a while now:What's so scary about Barack Obama?Really, I've got to know. What is it about him - other, of course, than his race - that has a small but significant minority of Americans absolutely losing their minds?The most credible non-racist answer I've heard is that his tax policies amount to a quasi-socialist redistribution of wealth. For some people, as a

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-31036848085784719822008-11-15T14:56:00.003-05:002008-11-15T14:59:38.613-05:00

Here's how to tell if your cat is trying to kill you.(I know, I know, this isn't nearly as funny as Sami's stupid cat post. I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that shame.)

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-72130783339573903392008-11-15T09:18:00.003-05:002008-11-15T09:57:32.077-05:00

I know, I'm a little late to this party, since this clip aired on Monday. But, for those of you who didn't watch it then, and haven't seen it online since then, here's Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on California Prop 8:If you voted for this Proposition or support those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because, truly, I do not... understand. Why does this matter

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-72025749874481876972008-11-10T14:24:00.002-05:002008-11-10T14:30:01.657-05:00

Got this from Tom. Thought you'd like to know.So, don't eat shrimp, lest you bring condemnation into your very body.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-75884958601662146272008-11-10T08:41:00.003-05:002008-11-10T10:20:23.889-05:00

While I don't usually write on "spiritual" topics here (or anywhere else, for that matter) for some inexplicable internal reason, I feel compelled to do so this morning.It is not a great secret that, by and large, I don't pray. I participate in a perfunctory prayer before meals, mostly because Sami and I decided that would be a decent habit to instill in Adam. And, since I left ministry, Sami has

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-63829381403985607142008-11-05T10:19:00.006-05:002008-11-05T15:23:53.267-05:00

I was sorely tempted to write an unequivocally joyous post this morning, trumpeting the new dawn in American politics. I stayed up far too late last night, drinking far too many celebratory beers, filled with pride in a country that could elect a man named Barack Hussein Obama, the son of a Kenyan and a Kansan, president. I wanted to proclaim a last and final (yes, I know that's redundant) end to

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-48849242246916058392008-11-04T12:56:00.004-05:002008-11-04T13:02:21.978-05:00

As you can see, I voted today. Did you?

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-21377962017247126712008-10-30T19:23:00.004-05:002008-11-01T15:20:17.031-05:00

Every now and then I like to find the most ridiculous thing written by a conservative columnist, and hold it up to the light for a moment. I don't do this very often, probably because the process of finding said ridiculous bit of bloviating is, frankly, more than a little annoying, and from time to time inspires violence against my computer (I can't read this stuff on my laptop, lest it launch

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-55966230097695013462008-10-27T12:58:00.005-05:002008-10-27T14:16:16.609-05:00

Last week I wrote an update of sorts on my Thesis, my first overtly theological post in more time than I care to remember. In that post I explored James Cone's eschatology - especially his assertion that for eschatology to have any value it "must be grounded in the historical present." That is to say that for eschatology - the study of the eschaton, the "end" - to have any value it must not be

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-11332338971500646172008-10-27T08:00:00.002-05:002008-10-27T08:06:05.414-05:00

How else do you interpret this?As Chris Brown notes on his post at Political Base, they have now "removed the item called 'Barack Obama Mask' from the "terrorist costume" category page." Good for them. But how did this happen? And, because of this, why shouldn't I boycott them?I'd hate to do that, because most of my theology books - including and especially books that have long been out of print

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-85899330749013093962008-10-26T08:06:00.002-05:002008-10-26T08:21:08.232-05:00

The newest song for Tom's latest project is up, and yes, that's me wanking on a violin on it. For the first violin part in it, I was trying to be the cello he couldn't find on short notice. (Play low legato, keep it simple, and be forlorn, he told me.) For the second one, well, let's just say that Tom's artistic direction (play something high, weird, and angry) was good. As for the execution...

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-33898836969540933742008-10-24T17:52:00.002-05:002008-10-24T17:59:55.619-05:00

What Would Jesus Brew?That's the question that emerges from CNN's coverage of the 27th Great American Beer Festival. The article - like anything from CNN - barely skims the surface, but it is a decent exploration of the delightful mixture of beer and religion, a topic I (whose favorite beers are brewed by Beligian monks!) much appreciate.I have to agree with the Beer Advocate forum commenter who

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-45559381744046917542008-10-20T15:43:00.003-05:002011-07-08T12:22:46.580-05:00

No, John Loftus of Debunking Christianity hasn't gotten his wish - despite his prophetic (and, I might add, mildly complimentary, even if it did involve predicting that I'd lose my faith) pronouncement a couple of years ago that soon I'd be writing for him, my Christian faith is still stubbornly clinging to life. My blog, well, not so much.As those of you who used to follow this blog no doubt

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-8640797937120557052008-09-30T18:51:00.004-05:002008-10-02T14:31:53.656-05:00

Update 10-2-08:Here's a picture that sums up how I really feel about the "bailout":A number of people have asked me what I think of the Wall Street "bailout" (that hasn't happened yet.) I'd love to take the time to write out exactly what I think, but1.) I'm not an economist, so, ultimately, who cares what I think? and2.) As evidenced by my not blogging of late, I really don't have the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-3253277893833325502008-09-10T11:51:00.003-05:002008-09-10T11:57:06.421-05:00

I will once again be taking an indefinite blog hiatus, as all of my energies at present are being devoted to:a.) family, andb.) my thesis.The thesis is in need of major work, and is due by December.The family is also in a time of transition, as Sami, Adam and I are once again expecting a new baby. I haven't blogged on the pregnancy yet, because, as you know, it comes after a miscarriage, and, as

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-23045353715551699902008-09-04T17:09:00.007-05:002008-09-04T17:21:49.241-05:00

doesn't know the racist overtones of the word "uppity."Here's a quote from Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Georgia):Just from what little I’ve seen of her [Michelle Obama - CB] and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity.Republicans have been flirting with the "uppity" image for a while, I just never thought that one of them would be brazen

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-40949907241413613062008-09-01T15:04:00.004-05:002008-09-01T15:12:11.878-05:00

I'll bet Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan wish someone had leaked them Sen. McCain's choice in a running mate before they accidentally told the truth and preemptively ruined the Republicans' perfectly good talking points like this:Just another example of John McCain's YouTube problem (which is evidently not limited to John McCain).

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-71439538941821910202008-09-01T11:06:00.003-05:002008-09-01T11:26:40.188-05:00

I like beer as much as anyone should. Possibly a great deal more than anyone should. So much that, I've noticed recently, in the last two months or so I've written four posts on beer for the new Beer of the Week series (and I might have written a great deal more, if I weren't afraid of running out of beers by Christmas!) and only two on theology.I've even got a philosophy of beer, which is

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-43615583370673500932008-09-01T09:09:00.004-05:002008-09-01T09:20:31.805-05:00

Sometimes I get downright hostile when I see gas-guzzling vehicles that serve absolutely no purpose. As, say, the giant SUV, luxury full-sized sport sedan, or turbo-charged racing machine passes me like I'm standing still, I flash back to my childhood, when I would pretend the headlights on my parents car were Bond-gadget-esque rocket launchers. Ahhh... those were the good ole days, when you

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-79482999513412899002008-08-31T06:34:00.000-05:002008-08-31T06:36:54.929-05:00

I tried several new beers on our recent trip to Holden Beach. The best, and most notable, of these was the pint of the Duck Rabbit's Milk Stout that I had in the hotel bar in Chapel Hill while I was sulking about not being able to make it to the Carolina Brewery. The most interesting, however, might have been the Yuengling Original Black & Tan, a pre-blended packaged beer (more on what that means

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-6668053372508796852008-08-30T19:03:00.001-05:002008-08-30T19:05:11.389-05:00

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-26105953830310501252008-08-29T07:07:00.005-05:002008-08-29T08:40:07.661-05:00

who snatched Pat Buchanan's body!I didn't see this clip live last night, because I've long since given up watching cable news talking heads ruin my love of politics (I watched the convention on CSPAN - novel idea, watch the whole thing, without pundits bloviating over it). However, it warmed my heart to hear this morning that even Pat Buchanan thought Sen. Barack Obama's acceptance speech last

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-22092069772651088702008-08-27T15:53:00.001-05:002008-08-27T15:54:17.941-05:00

Just when you think the Associated Press could sink no further, you read this.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-31360552073404194862008-08-27T12:20:00.000-05:002008-08-27T12:23:18.144-05:00

[Note: In an homage to this blog's humble origins, not only am I (finally!) writing another post about Adam, I'm doing it with him next to me hitting me with his lightsaber, listening to David Byrne's "Glass, Concrete, and Stone," because that's what he wanted to listen to. I LOVE my life!]I basically had two jobs to do today (which is how I can write about my day in the past tense, just after

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-2332063345009953862008-08-25T19:00:00.002-05:002008-08-25T19:22:44.022-05:00

John McCain hates talking about his experience as a P.O.W. in Vietnam. He detests using his military service, and his selfless sacrifice for his country, as a political asset. Everybody know this, right? After all, every time he or someone from his camp mentions that experience, it is always coupled with that disclaimer.But, of course, Sen. McCain isn't really reticent to describe his time in the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-46059764987721014932008-08-24T07:38:00.004-05:002008-11-14T17:00:32.935-05:00

[Update, 11-14-08: I've recently learned that Browning's went out of business last month. Sad times, when the economic downturn takes out a local brewery.]One of my favorite beer mantras is drink locally. Not only does drinking locally help support local businesses, it also helps increase the quality and diversity of the beer available where you live. If your city can support a locally brewery,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-17399030254653809232008-08-24T07:05:00.001-05:002008-08-24T07:07:25.167-05:00

Adam is spending his morning watching Olympic handball, begging me to let him play the sport. Anybody know of any handball leagues in the States?

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-11307823937772746972008-08-22T16:29:00.004-05:002008-08-22T16:33:58.778-05:00

Another shining example of the comic as truth-teller!If you don't believe in same-sex marriage, then don't marry somebody of the same sex!

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-43331969491472826172008-08-19T20:35:00.000-05:002008-08-19T20:36:31.450-05:00

Does this mean I have to vote for McCain?

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-78952475673154778062008-08-19T19:43:00.005-05:002008-08-19T19:55:16.850-05:00

Tom, my source for all things nonsensical, just sent me this delightful exchange between Catholic and Presbyterian church signs:Sorry, the image didn't do what I'd hoped it would, but if you click on it you should be able to read the signs.I'm sure my PCUSA friends are begging to explain the differences between their denomination and Cumberland Presbyterians about now.____________________________

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-80799808194409012982008-08-18T14:19:00.002-05:002008-08-18T14:30:52.875-05:00

Seven years ago today, Sami and I were married, at Shiloh United Methodist Church in Goshen, KY, the small country church where she grew up, where her grandmother served as organist for over 60 years, and where we met. My grandfather (technically my step-grandfather - he married my grandmother after my grandfather died) performed the ceremony, as our lives were symbolically joined before God,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-18720410336042499862008-08-17T14:37:00.004-05:002008-08-23T10:22:39.549-05:00

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in Farmville, North Carolina, specializes in well crafted dark beers. I stumbled upon their Milk Stout by accident on our recent trip to North Carolina.After visiting Holden Beach, where my grandmother grew up in my great-grandmother's house, which was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 (according to family legend, the air-pressure in the house was so great that,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-87312071313255873642008-08-16T20:41:00.003-05:002008-08-23T10:23:00.283-05:00

(Note: This post was written, appropriately, while sipping a Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale)After repeatedly badgering my beleaguered brother Tom (who doesn't really like beer, though he does tolerate the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, proudly brewed in our hometown, Lexington, KY) with more than he ever thought about wanting to know about beer, he suggested that I start my own beer

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-63427302299023307922008-08-15T17:34:00.005-05:002008-08-15T17:57:46.026-05:00

Sorry for the punny title, I'm so happy I simply couldn't resist. Believe it or not, I had several drafts, trying to work "faith," "hope" and "love" into the title of this blog-post. The monstrosity above really is, alas, the best I could do.Anyway, I am happy, and encouraged, not just by the news that Barack Obama is leading John McCain among Christian voters, according to a recent poll by the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-74380000998536885752008-08-14T16:57:00.006-05:002008-08-14T17:08:08.563-05:00

Tom sent me this comic from xkcd just before we left for the beach, but I'm finally getting around to posting it:Despite the fact that no scriptures would really need to be revised, and that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not the only forms of Trinitarian language available, this is still pretty damn funny.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-35747210456412940052008-08-14T16:39:00.003-05:002008-08-14T16:55:37.702-05:00

I knew the media has a hard time making sense of the diversity present in American religion (or religion in general), but I did not expect this from NPR, of all places.On Morning Edition, correspondent Mara Liasson declared it "ironic" that a "liberal Democrat" (that would be Sen. Barack Obama) would showcase his Christian faith.I know that the Religious Right has highjacked public religious

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-28845443325808775092008-08-06T13:26:00.002-05:002008-08-06T13:29:59.875-05:00

I'll be offline for most of the next week or so, as we take our annual trek to Holden Beach, North Carolina.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-55620670205680910082008-08-02T09:08:00.001-05:002008-08-02T09:45:22.663-05:00

Note: This was written as a guest post at Womanist Musings.In ethics as in public discourse, the way that a problem is framed goes a long way toward determining how that problem will be defined, and eventually "solved." I thought of that simple truth reading two earth-shattering sentences by Marquette ethics professor Daniel C. Maguire.As a lay theologian, a blogger, and a student of religion and

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-16560168793926825282008-07-28T15:54:00.003-05:002008-07-28T16:50:25.935-05:00

I've written here before about the so-called Culture Wars. In fact, that is one of the reasons I started this blog. However, I am no longer comfortable with the language of war used to describe political, cultural, religious and ideological division within America. Such language, is, alas, far too apt.I'm struggling for words at the moment. This morning, in the waiting room at my doctor's office,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-49244299889873498032008-07-28T13:33:00.002-05:002008-07-28T14:10:19.596-05:00

That's the title of an excellent book by media critic Eric Alterman, who systematically debunked the myth that mainstream media has a liberal bias. Full of witty observations such as, in the case of the title of chapter 2, "You're Only As Liberal As the Man Who Owns You," Alterman noted that if the mainstream media has any agenda, it is a capitalist one. Simply put, mainstream media outlets are

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-1240162703124490452008-07-25T09:57:00.002-05:002008-07-25T10:26:31.637-05:00

In another age, politicians might be able to get away with creative self-reinventions, salvaging a "straight-shooter" image while boldly lying about their own history and positions. In another age, the failure of the mainstream media to push back against the bullshit slung at them by presidential candidates would reward dishonesty by swinging the election to a serial liar.This, however, is not

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-38110775920832749592008-07-18T08:29:00.005-05:002008-07-18T09:34:50.406-05:00

I'm sure Sami will have something to say about this - maybe even a post of her own. But for now, though I'm amazed that I'm wasting my precious time on idiocy, here goes:Michael Savage - a blowhard if ever there were one - has offered some astute insight into autism:I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-26403301162166206452008-07-14T15:30:00.004-05:002008-07-14T15:52:41.388-05:00

Here's a short story I've been sitting on for some time, a fictional retelling of Luke 10:38-42, in light of Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza's critique of the passage and its interpretation (see, for example, chapter 5 in her book In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins, especially the section titled "The Church in Her House"). Thus, while this is a work of

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-32537825663515723822008-07-14T06:50:00.007-05:002008-07-14T13:05:15.178-05:00

This presidential election is bringing out the best in us Americans, and the worst in us, too. I'd love to wax poetic on voter turnout, political giving, activist and grassroots involvement, politics of hope, young people engaged in the political process, and the very real possibility that - despite the persistence of institutional and even often virulent racism - a "black" (actually biracial -

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-81569820931387234902008-07-07T11:44:00.002-05:002008-07-07T11:47:22.770-05:00

Shamelessly stolen from Derfcity.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-21802400367617025572008-07-06T17:58:00.003-05:002008-07-06T18:27:46.619-05:00

At my church this morning we used a communion liturgy that I wrote. (It wasn't my idea, but I'm glad it happened. I showed the liturgy to our pastor, and she liked it so much she ran with it. I had no expectation that we'd actually use it!) I'm sure I'll write more on this liturgy, which focuses on ministries of hospitality and reconciliation, as well as on what it means to join together at the

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-72815016136640616502008-07-04T17:45:00.002-05:002008-07-04T17:59:52.243-05:00

This morning I read this wonderful op-ed piece by Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post. I've been sitting on a post about it the rest of the day, trying to work up exactly what sort of commentary I'd like to run on it. The problem is, no matter what I think, no matter what I write, I can't seem to add to the post. So, instead, let me just encourage you: If you haven't read this, please do.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-17657769879680265022008-06-30T07:32:00.004-05:002008-06-30T08:01:23.358-05:00

I just saw on Ben Witherington's blog that Anglican bishop, New Testament scholar N.T. Wright - one of my favorite theological conservatives - was a guest on the Colbert Report on June 19. I'm not quite convinced the segment "worked," but it was certainly interesting. And, of course, I'm all for theology being discussed anywhere, especially on a comedy show. So, here's video of that appearance,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-17085118992719981122008-06-26T10:30:00.003-05:002008-06-26T10:34:01.905-05:00

Cracked's take on II Kings 13:20-21:

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-38521553514393632062008-06-26T08:09:00.001-05:002008-06-26T08:11:19.445-05:00

Adam just issued a bold, albeit unusual, proclamation:I DON'T WANT TO HAVE FUN!!!OK, buddy. I wouldn't dream of making you.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-71099693033029685132008-06-23T07:13:00.002-05:002008-06-23T07:15:48.103-05:00

I'll be out of town for a family reunion until late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. I don't know if I'll have Internet access.When I get back I'll catch up on comment moderation, and should have a new post or two.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-62386033867624629412008-06-21T15:41:00.004-05:002008-06-21T15:56:18.104-05:00

Sami, Adam and I went to a funeral this afternoon, for our good friend Harold, a clown. He died in his sleep last week. At the funeral, in the sanctuary of our downtown church, other clowns kept trickling into the service to pay their respects to their departed friend. The sight of these clowns - most of whom were in costume - so jolted and delighted me that I started scribbling this free-verse

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-36538033965034086192008-06-19T14:47:00.002-05:002008-06-19T14:56:42.980-05:00

An individual who has previously remained nameless here, has been trolling and leaving nasty comments, necessitating my implementation of comment moderation. In the spirit of Keith Olbermann's Worst Persons bit, I'm posting here a comment left this afternoon by this individual, who blogs under the name Jack:You are, of course, an ignorant little cry baby. I see why you can't find a job.That is

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-73521612026552200322008-06-19T11:51:00.006-05:002008-06-19T13:32:30.382-05:00

That's the question ESPN.com Page 2 columnist Jonah Keri is asking. And, as a vegetarian, amateur athlete (and I do mean amateur!) with a sports fetish, I find it a question worth asking. Taking on the stereotype of the athlete as a steak-chomping meat-head, Keri offers profiles of several professional athletes who are either vegans or vegetarians. A piece well worth reading for anyone who cares

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-15432077012945011222008-06-19T06:31:00.006-05:002008-06-20T08:55:06.822-05:00

The Republican Party has long been rightly mocked for staging political events to portray a diversity by and large lacking in the party as a whole. The Obama campaign, alas, has just gone the other way.It was with great sorrow and more than a little bit of disappointment that I read this article by Politico's Ben Smith, about two Muslim women who "were barred from sitting behind the podium by

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-42710605325021907822008-06-18T21:07:00.002-05:002008-06-18T21:12:32.191-05:00

For those of you who rejoice in those rare moments when I turn this blog over to the only guest-blogger I'll ever tolerate, my dear, infinitely kind and patient (not to mention gorgeous) wife, I've got good news for you:Sami's got her own blog!She just started it tonight, while we were playing our favorite game - dueling laptops. So, right now, she's sitting next to me updating her brand spanking

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-63505399805433392762008-06-18T09:13:00.002-05:002008-06-18T09:14:15.678-05:00

I shamelessly stole this from Comedy Central:Disclaimer: No AP news articles were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-67358239746396899402008-06-18T07:31:00.003-05:002008-06-18T08:02:39.719-05:00

At Levellers, Michael Westmoreland-White's blog, in the midst of a discussion of the new Narnia movie (a movie that, as reflected in that discussion, disappointed me) a bit of a fight over Christian-Muslim relations has broken out. Perhaps "fight" is the wrong word, but I can't seem to come up with a better one. Voices from the nether regions of the Christian blogosphere have seen fit to arise

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-67906345192271205862008-06-16T18:55:00.005-05:002008-06-17T07:16:56.038-05:00

it can happen here.And no, I'm not talking about a terrorist attack. I'm talking about ingenuity; a creative response to an economic and environmental problem.The Christian Science Monitor's Bright Green Blog (aside: is something a blog if its run by a traditional media outlet? Heather, feel free to answer that rhetorical question, as you are uniquely situated, blogging for a newspaper and all)

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-28199133579483654662008-06-09T13:19:00.001-05:002008-06-09T13:20:55.089-05:00

but I think I like it.On the way to church yesterday I saw a bumper sticker worthy of my long-retired recurring schtick, Bumper Sticker Watch:WILL BE PRESIDENT FOR FOOD

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-83129632303903847132008-06-05T18:21:00.002-05:002008-06-05T18:24:39.480-05:00

My evil twin, Tom, has just made the entire catalogue of his albums available for free download!So get yourself some free music!

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-28419218075358682542008-06-02T12:08:00.002-05:002008-06-02T12:13:02.882-05:00

This is what I wrote on Saturday, a fragment that will be part of a larger paper:I'm writing from the balcony of room 1406 in the Majestic Colonial resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Here for my brother's wedding, I can't help but notice that the name of this resort is both apt and honest. It is undoubtedly “majestic.” I lack the vocabulary to discuss the lush beauty around me. From my

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-47820459306973183692008-06-02T07:15:00.003-05:002008-06-02T08:22:23.617-05:00

With a few splashes of heaven now and again.Later today I'll post a much more in depth essay on our trip to my brother's wedding at the Majestic Colonial resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, which I wrote Saturday from the balcony off the back of our room. Right now, however, I just want to give a quick overview of what our week looked like:Monday: As you know, we lost the baby on Monday. We

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-65146674344749252762008-05-26T19:54:00.001-05:002008-05-26T19:55:12.597-05:00

We lost the baby today.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-37265755877177222582008-05-21T13:36:00.004-05:002008-05-21T14:46:30.118-05:00

My blog is once again in a suspended state. However, I wanted to shoot off an initial, poorly researched, emotional reaction to Kentucky's recent presidential primary.Much has been noted in national discourse about the racist nature of Sen. Hillary Clinton's support in the Kentucky primary. As a lifelong resident of the Bluegrass state, I can say - at least anecdotally - that it is highly

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-22959534287498385562008-04-28T12:42:00.004-05:002008-04-28T13:09:09.236-05:00

As I get the time, I will be writing a brief series of posts surrounding the issue of torture: Thinking Theologically About Torture. This is in part a response to Michael Westmoreland-White, who in his recent return to blogging wrote these powerful words:We are a pluralistic nation, but over 80% of us in this country claim to be Christian. Well over 50% attend church regularly. Evangelical

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-79020226606162092662008-04-22T09:36:00.002-05:002008-04-22T09:39:30.876-05:00

Adamisms are what Sami and I call words or phrases that, frankly, could only come from Adam. I'm still kicking myself that I've never compiled a definitive dictionary of Adamisms, as most of the best ones have silently slipped from my memory.Anyway, last night, just before bed, I overheard an Adamism that begged to be preserved in the inerrant memory of the blogosphere:Mama, if the new baby is a

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-65279169266253450092008-04-18T10:22:00.001-05:002008-04-18T10:25:32.021-05:00

Not blogging lately, due to school, etc. I don't expect that to change any time soon.However, I do have some good news:Cone early December, Adam will be a big brother! He's very excited - maybe too excited. He keeps telling everyone,We're going to have a baby TONIGHT!

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-31428415196799856872008-04-03T08:12:00.002-05:002008-04-03T08:15:18.267-05:00

MSNBC reports:A coalition of states on Wednesday sued the Bush administration, saying it has failed to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that opened the door for regulating the greenhouse gases tied to global warming.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-9515722334938005752008-04-02T07:54:00.004-05:002008-04-02T08:35:03.496-05:00

While I'm sure I'm not done with my semi-permanent digression on race and culture, for at least this brief post I'm back to the more familiar ground of theodicy.Ben Witherington has a wonderful new post on post-Katrina theodicy, a topic I've wrestled with here more than once. After posting some majestic pictures of the storm looming over Mississippi, he offers a few theological observations.

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-48409612666594988722008-03-26T10:01:00.002-05:002008-03-26T10:08:49.574-05:00

dnA at Jack and Jill Politics wrote something that I've been fumbling to articulate, when he discusses the difference between wrong (many of the quotes from Rev. Wright that have been popping up lately are factually inaccurate) and crazy (therefore good reverend must be a paranoid loon):At the heart of both of these claims is the perception that white people simply don't care what happens to us,

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18491098.post-63833171632394859012008-03-25T13:08:00.006-05:002008-03-25T14:11:30.220-05:00

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar places some of Rev. Wright's comments in their historical context here. His words once again illustrate the need not only for personal reconciliation on the issue of race in our country, but, just as importantly, a reconciliation of narratives. That is, much of the backlash against Rev. Wright's comments stem not only from the fact that they were taken out of their immediate

Sandalstrapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com1