Monthly Archives: July 2009

One Reason I Love Harry Potter

Posted on July 24, 2009 by

Harry Potter appeals for many reasons, chiefly the way J.K. Rowling spins out marvelous tales. Her mind is the magic. But as we watched the new Half-Blood Prince movie, a particular reason crystalized for me. I love the way evil in … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies & TV | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Keep Reason and Religion Together

Posted on July 23, 2009 by

Newspaper editors pay attention to the placement of stories. They put key stories on the front page ‘above the fold.’ They also, I’m convinced, will lay two stories side by side to comment on one another. The Raleigh News & … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, History | Tagged | 3 Comments

Caesar and the Great Dismal Swamp

Posted on July 22, 2009 by

The Great Dismal Swamp straddles Virginia and North Carolina, covering 111,000 acres south of Norfolk. The land once belonged to George Washington. Today its wetlands and wildlife await hunters and nature enthusiasts. Washington fell off his horse one day trying … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, History, Nature | Tagged | Leave a comment

Blogging Nap

Posted on July 16, 2009 by

This blog will rest till August.  Note the new Favorites tab above.  Grace and peace to you all. ADDED:  It turns out blogging will just be spotty depending on computer availability while we travel.  Regular posting will resume in August.

Posted in Animals | 2 Comments

The Benefits and Pitfalls of Denominations

Posted on July 14, 2009 by

Bob Cornwall defends denominations against those who consider them old baggage in a new ’postdenominational’ world.  He agrees with Michael Kinnamon and Jan Linn that to be vital churches must affirm their heritage embodied in a particular tradition.  He used to … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, History | 6 Comments

How To Prepare a Tasty Sermon

Posted on July 13, 2009 by

Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat.  (Gen 27.4) Preparing a sermon is like cooking in a Crock-Pot.  I start with the meat — a healthy portion of scripture.  I put … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Sermons | 2 Comments

Empty Tables at the Funeral Meal

Posted on July 11, 2009 by

I officiated at two funerals this week. The first went well, except for when I mispronounced the person’s name right at the start. Two family members sitting in the front row corrected me. I felt like an idiot. I knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Church | Tagged | Leave a comment

Come to Jesus

Posted on July 10, 2009 by

Reading the Gospel of Matthew this week, the cleansing of the Temple story, a line leaped out at me.  “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.” (Mt 21.14)  I glanced at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus | 2 Comments

Atonement Anew

Posted on July 9, 2009 by

She wore a pink and black top, black slacks and flip-flops as she stood before the judge. She pleaded guilty to attempted larceny — she’d stolen jewelry from a home where she was babysitting. (The larceny charge itself the court … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | Tagged | 5 Comments

A Brief Review of Up

Posted on July 7, 2009 by

An old man loses his beloved wife and doesn’t know what to do with himself afterward.  Carl and Ellie were never able to have children, so when Ellie dies, Carl is left alone in their house, which a developer wants … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Movies & TV | 1 Comment

Why Calvin Wrote the Institutes

Posted on July 6, 2009 by

He was living in Basel in the 1530s, a young Frenchman who had adopted the new Protestant faith.  There he heard news that ‘many faithful and holy persons were burnt alive in France.’  They were Protestant martyrs.  Afterward pamphlets appeared attacking … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged | 2 Comments

40 Bits of Wisdom from Ben Franklin

Posted on July 4, 2009 by

Gleaned from Poor Richard’s Almanack in honor of Independence Day: 1.  To lengthen thy Life, lessen thy meals. 2.  He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas. 3.  Men & Melons are hard to know. 4.  What … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged | 1 Comment

Saddam Hussein Wrote Poetry

Posted on July 3, 2009 by

He made time each day to read fiction too.  He also apparently lied about possessing weapons of mass destruction to appear stronger to his rival Iran.  That boast brought him to an ignominious end. Advocates have offered two reasons for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Events | 5 Comments

Flag In the Sanctuary

Posted on July 2, 2009 by

In anticipation of the Fourth of July, On the Jericho Road asks whether the United States is a Christian nation.  The answer he gives is no, since nations cannot make the faith commitment needed to be religious.  And besides, what … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Events, Worship | 7 Comments

Are There Really Multiple Intelligences?

Posted on July 1, 2009 by

Christopher J. Ferguson, a behavioral sciences professor at Texas A&M, highlights the lack of empirical evidence in support of the theory of multiple intelligences. There probably is just a single intelligence or capacity to learn, not multiple ones devoted to … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science | Leave a comment