Things Seen [Part Three]

Last week I attended an urban church conference in St Louis. I drove out, listening to everything on my iPod, and was able to save some money by boarding with my friend Bala who now works in suburban STL. I must admit, I was very impressed with the city. Even though there are some areas in dire need of help, there are numerous diverse communities [both racially and economically] within the city. And it was must larger than I remembered.

During an extended lunch time, I made a trek downtown to snap some pics of the famous Arch. I've seen it before, been to the top even, but it still fascinates me. Over 600 feet tall. Absolutely amazing.

The old Jefferson Courthouse, just west of the Arch.

I also had to see the new Busch stadium. Still ticked that the county was cheap with G.A.B. This stadium is a Cadillac.

And a tribute to Stan The Man:

Things Seen [Part Two]

Took my camera to church a few weeks ago and snapped some picks of Kaelyn on the front steps. She found a caterpillar and was loving it. The picks turned out pretty noisy [my fault not adjusting the ISO] but there was still one that I liked despite it's photographic flaws:

Things Seen [Part One]

I realized that I haven't posted any of the pictures filling my hard drive so I'd get them up tonight.

First up is a trip I took a couple of weeks ago with my brother Tim. One of his electrical suppliers had some tickets to the Notre Dame vs Purdue game in South Bend. I had been on campus once before, the result of a college road trip, but I had never been to a game, so I was excited to go. We went half-way up on Friday night, spending a not-so-memorable night in Kokomo, Indiana [John Stamos and the Beach Boys were nowhere to be found]. Then we drove back late Saturday night. Any-who, the highlights.

We tailgated by this weird science experiment place just off campus. We thought they were above ground graves.

Irish fans pray at the Grotto before the game. Yeah, they need all the prayer they can get.

The Golden Dome sure was . . . goldeny.

Dude was playing the bagpipes. The Fighting Scottish?

This mural on the side of the library is actually named "The Word of Life." But since it's so close to the stadium, it garnered the nickname "Touchdown Jesus." So not only can he hit a curve ball, he can referee a football game.

We sat behind the student section which was pretty awesome. And Purdue was pretty horrible this game so they had lots to cheer about.

This Boilermaker fan kept going up and down the stairs. He was gnawlin' on this stogie, and I just had to take his picture.

This was us at the game. Both Tim and I had to buy Notre Dame gear on the way up. I opted for the $5 Wal-Mart hat while he went all out with the hat and shirt. Good times . . .

When The Family Business Falters

I'll admit that on most Sunday mornings we usually view at least some portion of the Hour of Power on TV. It's not really my style, although the architecture of the Crystal Cathedral should be enough for almost anyone to tune in. I actually own Robert Schuller's autobiography [bought at severe discount, mind you] and it is rather fascinating.

As a student of evangelical eccesiology I was wondering what would happen when Schuller had to finally step aside from the pulpit; I predicted the church would be OK through the transition, but the television ministry would probably suffer. Then, almost two years ago when Robert Schuller named Robert Schuller [his son] to replace him, I thought everything would be OK. The son of Schuller is very much like him, even sharing similar mannerisms, and should have been able to at least maintain the ministry of his father.

But this morning's L.A. Times reports that the younger Robert Schuller has now been forced out of the pulpit by his father, citing "different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry." The elder Schuller states that the Hour of Power will now feature multiple speakers in an effort to present the best preaching in the world. He can spin it however he wants, but I'm now convinced that this signals the end of the Hour of Power program. With no definitive connection to the past, the show will fade into the sunset, yet another sign of changing times.

This may sound bad, but I almost hope there was a moral failing on the part of the son. Otherwise, it then becomes another case of an aging leader who just can't let go. I'm sure Schuller the younger was just doing what he felt he needed to do to attract a younger audience. After watching his shtick a few times, I wasn't impressed but you could at least see he was trying. But I'm sure his father was watching every one of these moves with a scowl, perhaps ever muttering, "that's not how we've always done it," until it finally became too much for him to bear.

As more and more of these megachurches attend to transition from the founding or established preacher to a new leader/vision, these incidents will become commonplace.  Sadly, this one happened on a national scale. And even more disturbing is that a father did it to his son, damaging that relationship forever.

I just hope that thirty-plus years down the road, I'll be able to step aside and let go at the appropriate time. I guess as long as no one screws with my television ministry it'll be no problem.

CORRECTION:

Apparently, the younger Schuller will remain the Senior Pastor. This move dealt only with the Hour of Power television program. Still, I'm not sure if that's less awkward.

UPDATE:

And the younger Schuller speaks! His take is that the board of the church made this move, pulling rank on his father. So if this is true (which is still debatable), then dad then towed the party line, rolling over his son in order to please the board. I'm not sure which is worse at this point. Again, it's just a sad situation.

On Life

As election day nears, the frenzy grows. It's difficult to find "normal commercials" on television anymore, and I'm prepared to go on a Facebook hiatus as it has become a cavalcade of spin for their candidates and causes.

Anyone who reads my blog understands that I've held a lifelong fascination with politics. I remember election night in 1984 as Ronald Reagan's blue wave [yes, back then the colors of the states were switched] ushered in his re-election. I can name my congressional representatives [both national and state] and know the names of all of our city council people. For the longest time I assumed my life would be engulfed in the political realm but I guess that wasn't God's plan for my life.

That said, I do not make endorsements as that is the lot I chose in life with my vocation as a minister. As our church has yet to get our 501c3 status, I could legally come out in the pulpit and tell our people who to vote for and face no repercussions from the IRS. But I have family, friends, and parishioners on both sides of the aisle and I prefer to wield my influence in more productive ways.

Still, I feel compelled before our election to discuss what is perhaps the most divisive issue in this country: abortion. I realize that many of you who read this blog are incredibly passionate about this issue, but I will proceed nonetheless, keeping comments open on this post, pleading for maturity in dialogue about a controversial issue. And I realize that there might very well be women reading this who have had an abortion and my heart goes out to you. This is not meant to be a treatise of judgement of the past. Rather, it is meant to project to the future and the implications of this issue on this and generations to come.

ABORTION IS WRONG

Yes, abortion is wrong. I can say this confidently as a man of faith because it is part of my Christian heritage. The church arrived at this conclusion by virtue of systematics [i.e., these is no "Thou Shalt Not Abort" verse in the Bible, but we can construct a solid theology that states as much through a careful examination of the Scriptures]. This position also matches early church tradition. Throughout the Roman world, in the days of the early church, children were seen as less than human. Therefore, if a child was born with any kind of defect [including the child's sex], then there were usually hillsides or dumps were they could be deposited. Christians, however, were notorious for going to these places, rescuing the babies, and adopting them as their own. That's why many conclude that Paul's diatribe in Ephesians 1:5 ["In love (God) predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ"] does not reference Calvinistic theology, but rather this practice of saving discarded children. Despite times when the church hasn't lived up to it, a theology of life is present in Christian theology throughout history.

I should note that one could also show that abortion is wrong without using a Judeo-Christian ethic. We can cite Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative and propose that abortion creates a moral law that creates a negative universal precedent. Abortion is also a rejection of Thomas Jefferson's great plea for humanity's unalienable rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Humans have the freedom to do what they want in this world so long as it does not violate the freedoms of others.* The right of "choice," when it comes to abortion, is a violation of the rights of the unborn. While at one time, the polemic against this was to a scientific discussion concerning when life begins, this is hardly a matter of contention anymore because science has shown us that there is life at contention. So even people who care nothing about faith and the Bible should be concerned about this issue.**

CHANGING VIEWS

And now to the issue at hand: there are many Christians [Protestant and Catholic, orthodox and liberal] who have grown tired of the issue of abortion and its dominance in the American political arena. These folks are looking to either reframe the abortion arguments or dismiss the topic altogether. Some of the statements that have emerged as a result of this seem to be consistent with a theology of life, but I would argue that they are actually red herrings that need to be confronted. Here are some of the ones I hear the most lately:

1. If you were really about life, you wouldn't support the death penalty. This statement can be easily deconstructed through a Biblical hermeneutic by contrasting the two lives in question: that of a baby and a murderer. I really have no desire to do so now, but I will opine that if you cannot see the difference between the termination of the life of a condemned killer to that of an unborn child then you need to reevaluate your ethical priorities. Also, many people use a similar line concerning the war in Iraq and the civilian casualties there. Whether or not the conflict can be declared a "just war" is debatable, but it still doesn't deny the fact that abortion is the willful termination of innocent life and such a comparison is "apples to oranges."

2. We don't need to be one-issue voters. The point here is that if you reject a candidate based on merely only one issue then you are acting irresponsibly. This is a naive statement. First, every one one of us has a hierarchy of issues that determines our voting preferences. For some, it's simple party affiliation. For others it's the war, or the economy, or abortion. So even though we claim to be even-keeled, we are actually predisposed towards certain issues more than others. Second, what if that "one-issue" was the subtraction of over 40 million people from our society?***  Tell me what other political issues has such a deep impact. There is none. So demeaning those who vote using the abortion stance as their litmus test is a perfectly acceptable practice.

3. We need to concentrate more on the issues that lead to abortion. This is the most persuasive of them all because it's actually true. Americans have been woefully ignorant of the economic/social issues that lead to abortion. Hamilton County, Ohio [the county in which I live] has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the country. Pregnant mothers often feel helpless and need guidance to seek out the many avenues of support that are available to them. But even though there's a long way to go in fixing the situation, this does not entitle a person to end the life of a child— these concepts are not mutually exclusive. I agree that people who wave the banner of life need to explore the many different aspects of it, but that does not negate the tragedy of baby genocide.

ELECTORAL IMPLICATIONS

It's my opinion that these arguments have emerged because Christians want to feel justified in voting for pro-abortion candidates. But do not deceive yourself into believing that the issue of abortion does not matter. If you are a Christian, it is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest issue. If you are not a Christian, then I would argue that it still matters. When you enter the voting booth, you need to consider the implications of the abortion issue. Try as you may, you cannot ignore that this is still the preeminent issue of our time. It depends our attention and our thoughtful consideration.

For some of you, the preceding thoughts have brought you to the following conclusion: "HA! This is how the Republicans understand the issue of abortion, so you're telling me to vote the G.O.P.!" And to that I would respond, "not really." Just four years ago, all three branches of the federal government were dominated by the Republican Party; this happened for the first time since the Roe Vs. Wade decision in 1973. If there was ever an opportunity for the Republican Party to make a move, this was it. Their response: silence. So even though this has been a political issue that the G.O.P. has embraced, I really wonder if their actions rivaled their words.

Sounds like I'm straddling both sides of the fence here, but I promise I'm not. What I want to urge you to do is not to cop out. Don't opt for the easy excuses I listed above. Explore your electoral options and develop a reasoning behind your decision.

In the end, respect life.

_____________

A National Review and Wall Street Journal article that resonates with this post.

* The most perplexing issue of the Libertarian Party platform is that of abortion. Basically the party passes on the issue, saying government should not be involved in such matters. This has spawned the group Libertarians for Life which argues the very point that I was trying to make here.

** It is interesting that some of the more "liberal" lobbies out there still support abortion rights when it actually harms their constituencies. For instance, feminist rights groups such as the N.O.W. think that women's rights is furthered by permitting abortions. But one can assume that half on the aborted pregnancies in America would have resulted in the birth of more women. So the argument appears to be that we're for women who want to terminate women. Additionally, the vast amount of selective abortions in China are done to girl babies.

Another group that has supported abortion rights is the NAACP. Ironically, abortion is the highest killer among African Americans.

*** Although the exact number of abortions since the judgement of Roe vs. Wade in 1973 is placed as high as 50 million, 40 million is likely a safe estimate.

It Won't Stop

Looks like I've finally broken through my jam-packed October. Just got back from St Louis from a conference that I'll probably talk about here soon. But I had to get up a post tonight because of some devastating news today.

As of late, it's sucked to be a sports fan in Cincinnati. Look at the Reds and Bengals, even count the Buckeyes' consecutive losses in the national championship, and there's nothing redeemable [sure, UC football could make a BCS bowl this year, but I doubt they'll ever compete for a national championship].

Following my beloved UC basketball has been an especially painful experience since the departure of Bob Huggins. We've endured one season under interim coach Andy Kennedy, where the Bearcats were jobbed out of a tournament appearance, and two abysmal rebuilding years under headcoach Mick Cronin that I will likely forget someday.

But there was hope this year that things were turning the corner. Mick has finally assembled a good recruiting class and is putting his fingerprints on the program. I went out to the summer league a few times this summer and was impressed by the squad for this year; it's a great mix of established players and new, exceptional talent. And considering that Rick Pitino (coach at rival Louisville) stated that this year's Big East could be the toughest conference he's ever seen, you start to realize that we need a good squad in order to compete.

I have been very excited at this young group as I've missed having a winner around town.

But it was reported today that freshman phenom and probable starter Cashmere Wright (cool name, eh?) tore his ACL and will be out for the year. Also out for the year is sophomore Kenny Belton, who wouldn't have started but would have earned considerable playing time.

To say the least, I'm a little depressed. It's not as if UC basketball was going to go all the way, but I think this year was going to be a great vaulting year onto something more. Now Deonta Vaughn will have to run the point which will hamper his ability to score.

Why is there this black cloud over the program? Go back to Kenyon Martin's broken leg in 2000 (I almost cried then), to Armein Kirkland's ACL in 2006, to Mike Williams' ACL last year, and it keeps snowballing. And it seems like I could go much further than this in the mishaps plaguing the boys in Clifton. Since 1992 [when top-seeded Kansas lost to UTEP, giving the Bearcats a trip to the Final Four] nothing has gone right in this program. Perhaps I should call the AD an offer to perform an exorcism.

Still, I think it will be an entertaining season building to something more. But since those Cincinnati sports glory days of my youth [1988-1992], it's been a rough place to be a fan.

It's Time

Although I do love the Bengals, I need a time-out. When you preach on Sunday nights, spending the afternoon watching futility affects your attitude. I'm sometimes angry because the home team looked horrible. And this franchise is nowhere near being close to being a winner. That's why I think I'm done watching the Bengals this year. Yes, friends, I would say that such a fast would actually be chicken soup for my soul.

Read my thoughts in the Enquirer about the rest of this football season. Since it's in print, I suppose I must abide by it.

p.s. Perhaps most painful about this is, at the beginning of the season, I went to the Bengals Pro-Shop and bought Kelly and Kaelyn their first Bengals shirts. And then I taught Kaelyn to say "WHO-DEY" in a really funny voice. And when she sees the tiger stripes or that letter "B" she says, "Daddy, Cincinnati Bengals, Rrrrrrr." It was going to be so cool. And now . . .

UPDATE: I changed the link to the morning edition that made the front page. Also quoted was friend and Echo-ite Larry Budde who invested much more into the franchise than I ever have.

Pop Culture Paragraphs

Since I haven't blogged much in the past couple of weeks, I've been accumulating observations about stuff seen on the television and the interwebs. Too lazy to post about them in detail, I'll just collect them all here.

1. Finally saw Iron Man on DVD last week. I was very impressed, almost shocked at how well effectively Robert Downey Jr delivered his one-liners. I guess he's back on track to super-stardom.

2. Johnny Depp signs on for Pirates of the Carribean 4? Wonder if Trey Parker and Matt Stone will treat him with the same respect they had for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg . . .

3. The Office is back and I'm impressed. Even though some feared that the culmination of the Pam&Jim relationship would spell disaster for the show, thus far it is showing that the diversity of the characters are what really carries the story-lines. If you're not watching . . . why do you read my blog?

4. Speaking of things you should be watching, if you gave up on Saturday Night Live another chance. Even though the show is getting a lot of pub for Tina Fey's Sarah Palin imitation, there's much more going here. After a slow start [let's face it: Michael Phelps just isn't funny] the show has regained some of the ground lost since Will Ferrell's departure. This summer I was skeptical that the show would be able to keep it up once Amy Poehler leaves, but as things look now, this cast really is coming together and they should be OK. Kristen Wiig can fill her shoes.

5. How can Major League Baseball executives sleep at night when kids have to sleep instead of watching play-off games? Saturday night's Tampa Bay-Boston game ended near 1:30am. When an East Coast game, even one with a lot of scoring, goes that late, it's the future of the sport that loses. Say what you will about the NFL, but it's biggest game is usually concluded by 10pm. It's sad.

6. And since I'm talking sports, how far into the depths has Michigan football fallen? First there was last year's debacle losing at home to Appalachian State, and then they lose at home this past Saturday to 1-4 Toledo at home. As bad as the Buckeyes have been in national championship games, I'd much rather prefer those drubbings than what UM has gone through.

7. Not at all shocking: the fact that Howard Stern has become irrelevant. Sure, his move to satellite radio ensured that he has more money than he'll ever need, but nobody care. Even though the FCC limited what he said on the radio airwaves, it is what actually defined him as a "shock jock." So even though Stern most likely says even more controversial things now, there is nothing that prevents him from doing so and, therefore, the edge is gone. I think this ultimately proves that no matter how good satellite radio is, its popularity is limited to those hardcore business travelers/commuters. I doubt it will ever claim a preferred place among the many media options.

8. With the financial crisis, I've actually been watching CNBC. Yep, I'm a nerd.

9. Like the entire country, I'm eagerly anticipating November 5th when we'll be rid of the political commercials. While we're all sick of all these personal attacks, it's important to remember that McCain and Obama are actually upholding a time-honored political tradition in our country: mudslinging. My favorite: the journalist who called John Adams a hermaphrodite.

10. And finally, the best random quote I read recently: "I've gotten to the point where kittens and the internet have intertwined— you can't have one without the other."

On Persecution

With the U.S. in a dire financial straights, the blame game is in full effect. Even though our politicians and national press members aren't quite sure how to properly assess the blame for this crisis [BLAME WALL STREET! BLAME HOMEOWNERS! BLAME GEORGE BUSH!] there is one group who is obviously responsible: Christians.

A couple of weeks ago, USA Today decided that it was worth the ink to print that Christians who tithe are foolishly choosing giving over saving their own houses, and are partially to blame for the rise in foreclosures. And then this past week, Time Magazine claimed that the evangelical health-and-wellness gospel could have caused our country's financial woes.

Look, I'm not denying that many Christians over-extended themselves in the past decade and are culpable for this mess. But to single them out in an article is asinine. Insert any other race, religion, people group, or sexual orientation for "Christian" into those articles and someone loses a job. It's just lazy journalism. Of all the intricacies that led to the folding of these banks/insurers, this is the best they could come up with?

But who gives a rip? I'd love to complain, or write a letter to the editor but, in the end, they're just words. It cannot compare to the plight of my Christian brothers and sisters in Iran, Iraq and India who risk their very lives because of their association with Jesus. They would probably scoff at a couple of articles like this, knowledgeable that persecution is more than just a few uncomfortable words.

So a reminder to my Christian friends: when your anger bubbles over an incindiary article critical of the faith you hold so dear, let the feeling pass and offer up a prayer for those around the world who face death for the same faith.

Weak Blog Week

Yep, this is one of those obligatory, "I've been too busy to blog posts." I really don't like posting these things, but I don't want people to think that I've either a) given up blogging, or b) fallen into a hole.

Fear not for my sanity and safety.

The main reason I've been silent is that I'm absolutely slammed right now. Church is always the priority, but I'm also teaching a class and taking a class. When those all collide, I find myself scrambling to stay ahead. I have a major research paper due Thursday [which consumed my non-preaching weekend], in addition to some Bible lessons I'm writing for a magazine [soon and very soon, I'll have those to you Sheryl]. It's rough, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

And part of my one week absence could be blamed on this new blog layout. Yeah, it looks pretty sweet but it requires that I get pictures that go with every post. So since that process takes from 5 to 10 minutes, I tend to see it as too time consuming and put it off. So I hope you enjoy the visual stimulation that accompanies my musings.

I do have plenty of things to post about when things calm down. So wait patiently . . .

Whom Do You Trust?

So the bail-out of the financial industry failed in the House. Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other. The Dow is flaming. Interesting afternoon.

As many of our leading politicians passionately plead for support, there were massive objections coming from their constituents. It's not surprising that House Republicans fled from this deal: it's politics, plain and simple. By objecting to a bill connected to both the President and the Democratic leadership, they've probably secured for themselves more congressional seats this November. What's truly remarkable here is the large numbers of Democrats that rejected it. For the majority party to sponsor a bill and not get the votes to pass it shows just how political this situation has become.

This flop doesn't help McCain in the least; his handling of the economic situation has been lacking; but this was even more disastrous for House Democrats who have projected their discontinuity for the country to see.

Ignoring for a moment the specifics, the fascinating observation I claim here is the overwhelming distrust in our national government right now. Our country is facing a crisis and who do Americans look to in order to solve the problem? Obviously, President Bush has lost his influence, and his administration's plan garnered instant mistrust. McCain tried to step up and show leadership in this crisis, but nothing came from it. Obama chose to sit this one out, opting instead to win the White House with the hope he can lead in January. And neither of the two major parties were capable of commanding the leadership to provide a solution.

I'm not sure if this leadership vacuum can be blamed on a volatile election year or if it truly proves that there are no selfless political leaders in our time.

Still, doesn't it seem that this country has absolutely no faith in its political leaders?

24 Important Hours

On a national level, I'd say that time from tomorrow afternoon through Friday evening has the potential to be the most important hours in our country since September 11, 2001.*

First, I suspect that in that time frame, Congress will either pass or set the foundation for a $1Trillion bail-out. I'm not sure I've had anything to say about this on the blog, but even though I am more libertarian in my view of government, I believe that letting these institutions bite it would prove more harmful to the country than if the government stepped in. Sure, blame here can be levied equally to the industry and foolish home-buyers, but without the bail-out many people who have practiced fiscal responsibility throughout these times could be harmed in the process.

Even though we Generation Xers and Millenials have never witnessed the American economy in such dire straits, our nation's economy has tended to fluctuate like this every twenty years or so. Four years before I was born, the US economy was in the crapper to the extent that Nixon attempted to manhandle it into submission. He instituted price controls and eliminated our country's connection to the gold standard. While it temporarily worked, it helped create the inflationary struggles that we always associate the 1970's. Additionally, study American economic history throughout the 18th century until the Great Depression, and you'll understand that amount of fluctuation that accompanies our economic system.

I guess what I'm saying is that no matter how bad this gets, our country has seen worse [and more than just the Great Depression]. The congress will get this things passed, and historians will debate it for decades to come. My opinion: if this bail-out goes through, there will be ripples, but we'll be OK.

Second, even though McCain is trying to get it rescheduled, I'm assuming that the first Presidential debate will go off as planned Friday night. This has been a rough week for the McCain campaign (which I think is one of the reasons they decided to "take a break"), and some of the polls have him losing distance between Obama. Personally, I think the 9-point separation is a little suspect. I lean to believe those that still claim that the race is within the margin of error. Regardless, Obama definitely has the momentum and this is why this debate is critical.

I predicted earlier that McCain would be the better debater, and he needs to be more than ever. He doesn't need to dominate Friday night; a draw would be sufficient. But if he's not on his game and comes off as confused or uninformed, it could cement an Obama White House.

I think that by the end of the weekend, both the economic and political picture will be much clearer.

*True, the time I'm referencing is more than 24 hours, but it's the only way I could use the pop-culture tie-in.

And She's Still Hot

True, it's probably a tad embarrassing to post a celebratory birthday greeting for the wife a day late. But settle down: she's cool with it.

I started teaching a new class at the alma mater last night and have been pushing hard to prepare for it. We took a few hours off yesterday afternoon and had a great birthday lunch at Red Robin out in Milford, then returned home where I was back to prepping until leaving for school last night. After class [which runs to 10pm] I called Kelly on the phone and we talked until I pulled up out front. We spent the next couple of hours talking about our life, expressing thanks for all that God has done for us.

So since we spent so much time chatting, I had no post up here for her birthday. But thankfully, Kelly is the kind of person who isn't disturbed by her husband's tardiness.

So happy 31st plus a day, babe. And The Office is back tomorrow night, so even if you were mad at me, you'll soon forget.

p.s. The picture with this post is from my nephew's birthday a few weeks ago where they rented an inflatable jumping apparatus. Kelly was the first adult in.

Road Trip

I'm in an incredibly busy season of life right now: I'll be teaching a new class starting Tuesday, I'm taking a class at Xavier, in addition to regular Echo stuff. Still, when a chance presents itself to hop in the car and drive to Toledo with my two favorite ladies, then everything else goes to the back burner. Kelly was the keynote speaker to a Christian writers conference today, so Kaelyn and I joined her for the experience.

We drove up yesterday and headed to Maumee Bay State Park along Lake Erie. The beach was deserted, the weather was perfect, no admission charge,— and Kaelyn loved it. While Kelly spoke at her conference today, Kaelyn and I ate Chinese food and took in some local sights. We spent a few hours at the Toledo Botanical Gardens [might I add: no admission charge] throwing sticks into a pond. We drove back tonight, all of us a little exhausted because of being thrown off our routine by a night in a hotel room.

Even though I feel a tad stressed as I sit here tonight because of the workload ahead of me, I'm somewhat recharged because I had a great time with my girls. NOThing [emphasis: "Not One Thing"] makes me smile like Kelly and Kaelyn. We have the best times together.

My life . . . is a great life.

When Tech Fades

When I attended Bridgetown Junior High School* in 1990 [the days when Mark Wahlberg was a rapper, Arnold Schwarzenegger was an actor, and Will Smith . . . was both], I had no girlfriend which meant I had a little discretionary money to spend. I decided to go the Radio Shack in the shopping plaza at Glenway Avenue and Bridgetown Road [remember, this was also before the days of Best Buy or even internet purchasing so RS and KMart dominated the westside] in order to move to the cutting edge of technology: a handheld, two-inch color television. My main motivation was so I could watch those first two days of the NCAA basketball tournament during study hall.** I ended up using it during other classes without ever getting caught.

I've held onto to that little TV since then. It came in rather handy, especially for watching sporting events before the days you could check the scores out on your cellphone. If I knew I had to be out and about and wanted to see how a game was going, I'd slip the little TV in my pocket, carrying the piece of mind that I was still connected.

Sure, I don't use the TV much anymore; I keep it in a drawer upstairs. But I used it again during the windstorm. As I mentioned in an earlier post, our cable/internet was out on Sunday afternoon and I wanted to keep up with how bad the Bengals were getting killed. While watching that afternoon on my little 2" screen, one of those commercials about the HD switch in February 2009 came on. In the midst of my viewing I came to a sad realization:

In about five months, my little TV will be a plastic brick.

Even though it still works perfectly well almost twenty years after it was manufactured, it will be useless after the Super Bowl. I know this makes me seem old, but it's kinda depressing. That TV was a link to my teen years. And unlike some letterman jacket, I had a pragmatic reason for keeping it around.

So I guess I'll keep it until February and then see if there's any practical use for it then [like the government was just kidding about this whole switchover thing]. Otherwise it'll either be thrown into Kaelyn's old technology toy-pile or will end up in Mount Rumpke.

Someone reassure me that change is good.

* Bridgetown Junior High School is now known as Bridgetown Middle School. Still wondering what the big deal was about changing that name. I think that a school holding 6th through

** I was thinking about all that study hall I had from 7th through 12th grades. For the most part, it guarenteed that I would never take any books home with me because I could get my homework finished during that period. In retrospect, I suspect I would be much smarter today had not my school district given me government allotted education time so I could not have to think about school at night.

Our Festivities

This past Saturday our little church got a lot done.

We'd been planning on being involved in the Walnut Hills Festival since last year. Echo even signed on as an official sponsor for this year's event. In this planning, we didn't realize that our new commitment to the Walnut Hills Soup Kitchen would require our involvement on the same day. But instead of trying to find someone to cover for us at the Soup Kitchen, (heeding Kelly's suggestion) we decided to try and do them both.

So from 9am-5pm last Saturday, we interacted with our community in two different locations. One crew manned our booth, playing games and making crafts with almost 100 kids. The other crew prepared dinner for about 125 people. Both events went off without a hitch.

I was so proud of our people, I've still not gotten over it.

A few special shout-outs here.

First, to Larry, who once again submitted to his higher calling as a stage manager and helped keep the main-stage acts moving in and out with ease. He's become a staple there; I'm sure some people think he's part of the production crew. And he kept at it all day. That's our Larry.

Second, to my wife Kelly, who worked her tail off to organize the operations of both the soup kitchen and the booth. Even when I had no idea what was happening, she did. And it allowed me the opportunity to be incredibly flexible throughout the day. Because of her role, I never doubted that things were running smoothly in both locations.

Third, to the in-laws as well as Ed and Sheryl, who kept Kaelyn occupied throughout the day so we could devote our full attention to the task at hand.

And finally, to my friends at Echo, who are committed to this community, catching a vision that will help transform our city.

Good work, y'all.

Blackout

I haven't really posted since last week. We had a busy Saturday with the Walnut Hills festival [more on that later] and then came the first hurricane I've ever experienced in Cincinnati.

I'll admit, I was a little oblivious to the whole thing until Sunday night. In the afternoon, as 70mph winds started to hit the city, the only thing we lost here was the cable [a blessings in disguise, as the Bengals were not worth watching]. One of the great things being on the downtown grid is that power never goes out. I talked to a neighbor the other day who said she's lived here almost twelve years and the power has never gone out. I'm guessing if it didn't go out Sunday, we're good to go for anything. Ah, the benfits of downtown living.

So while there are many in our area who have struggled to have a normal way of life this week, we were lucky. And when compared to the plight of those who have to recover from actual hurricanes, I'm thinking we're all fortunate.

I'm Saying There's A Chance

I usually like listening to Jim Rome, but it's been a little much this week as he's been killing Ohio State, saying they'll be blown out by Southern Cal tomorrow in L.A.. Sure, little or no Beanie Wells spells a tough road for the Bucks, but they could shock the country tomorrow. What leads me to believe this?

1. USC isn't is good as everyone thinks. Yeah, that big win at Virginia looks impressive, but the Caviliers aren't the same team that made it to the Gator Bowl last year.

2. Ohio University was a trap game. The Buckeyes had a great showing against Youngstown State [considering Coach Tressel laid up so as not to thoroughly embarrass his old school] and lost Wells to injury. You know every kid on OSU's roster was looking ahead while the Bobcats were playing their bowl game in Columbus. So it makes sense that the game would be close. So I'm not as worried about that poor showing as some people were.

3. OSU hasn't shown them anything. While USC had but one warm-up game, OSU had two. If you looked at the gameplan, Ohio State was incredibly conservative, using a bread-and-butter offense. I expect much more tomorrow. Don't be surprised if Terrell Pryor touches the ball a few times tomorrow, and not just when behind center.

4. The OSU defense is solid. Most of these guys will play on Sundays after college. And they've only given up one score this year, and that was adjusting to a new mobile QB who entered the game after the starter got injured; the defense immediately adjusted and shut them out the rest of the game. While everyone's been hyping the Trojan defense, forgetting that this will be the toughest defense Mark Sanchez will have played against yet, USC will have difficulty scoring as well.

5. Beanie will play. I'm not really sure if Tressel is playing games about his status, but I imagine that Wells will be suited up and go Willis Reed on the Trojans and give his team a lift.

Don't get me wrong here: I'm not saying the Buckeyes rout. I'm just doubting that they'll be blown-out. And if they can stay in it, they have an excellent chance.

ADMISSION: I was so wrong. I am starting to doubt Jim Tressel. Even counting the John Cooper years, this is probably the worst loss I can ever remember as a Buckeyes fan.

Another September 11th

I always spend some time on September 11th watching television specials concerning the tragedy. I just have to watch. Even seven years later, the magnitude of that day is stifling.

My coworkers and I sat crowded around a small television that morning in awe of the scene. But the distinct memory I carry with me is the instant the second plane hit the World Trade Center. It was in that moment that we realized that this was no accident— America was under attack.

My heart still breaks about that day. May we never forget.

The Shack Book Review [Part Two]

I will admit that this rather lengthy post is written specifically to the Christian who is further along in their faith. New Christians or non-Christians might view this as petty and/or confusing, so those people might want to avoid this post altogether.

INTRODUCTION

Considering I wrote Part One of this review almost two months ago, you might need to glance back to see my original criticism of the best-selling book The Shack written by William Young. There you can also find a brief synopsis of the story. Since I'm not going to repeat it here, you might be a little lost without referencing Part One first.

Among my dislikes of The Shack listed there were a) it's poorly written fiction, b) it attempts to speak authoritatively under the guise of fiction and c) it hides behind an emotional narrative to present its theology. As more and more people are starting to read this book, I thought I'd finally get around to citing specific texts with which I had problems. I will admit that even though I took these notes while reading the book, I already passed it on to someone else, so I apologize if I don't fully recall the exact context of these quotes. And I typed a couple of pages of notes, so following is merely a handful of my concerns.

GOD SPEAKS

Upon receiving a written note from God, we read an inner-thought process of Mack reflecting on THE Written Word of God. We read,

"The thought of God passing notes did not fit well with his theological training. In seminary he had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God's voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects. It seemed that direct communication with God was something exclusively for the ancients and uncivilized, while educated Westerners access to God was mediated and controlled by the intelligencia. Nobody wanted God in a book, just in a box. Especially an expensive one bound in leather with gilt edges, or was that guilt edges." [Page 64]

There is an edge to this quote. While made somewhat tongue-in-cheek, it's really the premise for what will follow throughout the rest of the book. It is a slighting of God's Written Word that will set the stage for "real, personal interaction with God." At its best, this statement is anti-intellectual; at its worst, it's a revolt against the submission to the Scriptures. Listen, I get it: some people worship the Bible more than God Himself, but you're not doing anyone a favor by disparaging the process here. Although this quote is subtle, I think it's deliberate. It's intended to presumptively backhand anyone who dares to criticize the experiential revelation that is to come. Young does a huge disservice to the concept of Biblical inspiration/interpretation by this needless one paragraph jab.

DID GOD FORSAKE JESUS?

On page 96, there's dialogue between Papa (God the Father) and Mack about the crucifixion of Jesus. Here's how it plays out:

PAPA: "We were there together" MACK: "At the cross? Now wait, I thought you left him — you know— 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?'" PAPA: "You misunderstood the mystery there. Regardless of what he felt at that moment, I never left him."

I would argue that Young misunderstood the mystery there. Despite many interpretations/references claiming otherwise, Jesus was indeed forsaken by God on the cross; not out of spite, mind you, rather as the fulfillment of his life as substitutionary atonement. Examine the scene at Calvary— an event without parallel— with the sun being darkened, and earthquake, the temple curtain torn, and dead people walking the streets. Our sin needed to be accounted for and the Holy God, in his judicial role, had to enact justice. That doesn't speak ill of God. It actually reflects poorly on us who forced God to have to take such a position.

Again, you might counter that this is no big deal, that substitutionary atonement isn't the point of this book. But it's the point of Christianity, so it needs to be noted.

ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

The thrust of Young's book is the emphasis on relationship with God above everything else, stating on page 101 that the Trinity can be summarized as love and relationship. At the conclusion of the weekend, Mack said to the Spirit, "This weekend, sharing life with you has been far more illuminating than any of those [Seminary] answers." The Spirit responds, "And you will hear and see me in the Bible in fresh ways. Just don't look for rules and principles; look for relationship— a way of coming to be with us" (page 198).

While many Christians would swallow this whole, we need to realize the term "personal relationship with God" is merely a contextualization of the gospel message— a way of explaining the interaction between God and humanity. Notice that I said, "A way of explaining" and not, "THE way of explaining." The emergence of "the personal relationship" language can be dated after the Second World War, originating in American society then spreading globally, to reach a society that started to value the individual more than the communal.

This might be shocking, but "personal relationship with God" is not found in the Bible. In the NIV translation (produced in the early 1970's), the word "relationship" is only used three times in the entire book. Even the paraphrased Message Bible only uses "relationship" once in this kind of context. Throughout the Scriptures the predominant view of our interaction with God is explained in legal or covenantal terms. Unfortunately, this terminology turns most of us off because we'd rather not wrestle with that view of interaction with God— he as Judge/King and we as violator/servant.

Sure, we prefer a "personal relationship with God" because we'd rather view God in a human-to-human relationship; the thought of a judgmental God can be frightening and it reeks of old-school Christianity. So instead of viewing Jesus as the atonement of our sin, we think of him as our buddy. But regardless of how much disdain we carry for this "legal" interaction with God, it is consistently found in the Scriptures. And perhaps this is why The Shack is so popular: it embraces an interaction with God that we find comforting rather than frightening.

CONCLUSION

I could talk much more about all the qualms I had with this book, but I feel like I've said my peace. Hopefully you understand my opinion here: this is a flawed piece of fiction. Again, allow me to reiterate: I'm not saying that people shouldn't read this book, but we ought to realize that this is just one person's perspective on faith and it does not present a consistent explanation of the gospel message. If you're interested for a more compelling piece of literature, I suggest the Bible. It's good stuff.

If The Shack has made your relationship with God "more real," that's great. But I would challenge you to ask yourself why.