Christian Universalism on the web

David Congdon has recently published an article for all to read on-line here. He is a bright chap, and argues for a thoroughly christocentric, not pluralistic, universalism which takes the missional imperative seriously.

Scot McKnight is also about to start a series asking whether Evangelicals can be Universalists. I'm really pleased that Scot is going to have a stab at this question in dialogue with Robin's book, The Evangelical Universalist.

Octopus snatches coconut and runs

Not particularly "theological" or "biblical", but what a great title for a fascinating BBC article. The video is not to be missed. It explains:

One of the researchers, Dr Julian Finn from Australia's Museum Victoria, told BBC News: "I almost drowned laughing when I saw this [video] the first time." He added: "I could tell it was going to do something, but I didn't expect this - I didn't expect it would pick up the shell and run away with it."

Where's the Wally (i.e., me)

I took an afternoon off, yesterday, to visit the London Chess Classic, and the opening match between Vladimir Kramnik and the most exciting chess star around today, the young Magnus Carlsen. This was the first time I had actually seen these guys in the flesh, so in true geek style I was rather excited. In the picture below, in the front row, you can see, starting closest to the camera, Ni Hau, Nigel Short, Vlad Kramnik, Michael Adams, David Howell, Magnus Carlsen, Luke McShane, and Hikaru Nakamura.

Where's the Wally? (The receding hair line gives me away!)

(Photo by Frederic Friedel and Pascal Simon, on http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5972)

Some unique Amazon Christmas gift ideas

Here you can buy what is called a 'Gentlemen's Ball Scratcher', which comes with two nice features:

• Handheld Chrome effect Ball Scratcher, Presented in a deluxe metal case.
  
• This quality silverware utensil is dishwasher safe, and has a stain resistant surface.
  

As one astute reviewer writes on the Amazon site: 'I've been using the ball scratcher for almost a day now, but have to say that it should be used with care. It seems to have upset several of the people whose balls I've tried to scratch with it. Maybe it's best kept for personal use.'

Yes, maybe a good idea.

Or here you can buy the 'Gentleman's Willy Care Kit', which comes complete with a Fluffing Brush, Styling Shear, Sprucing Mirror, and a Metal Bracelet all packed in a Fine Leatherette Box.

As one reviewer comments at Amazon: 'I used to be ashamed of my willy. People used to point and yell 'What an unkept willy!' I was bullied at school. But then I bought the Gentleman's Willy Care Kit, and now, instead, people yell 'What a fantastic willy!' and all my friends think I'm really cool'

A moving testimony.

By the way, if you were wondering: I happened across these items because I was looking for a head massager like this one. OK? I wasn't looking for anything else. Just so you know.

From Fundamentalist to ... what?

As is well known, many theologians who develop away from a conservative / fundamentalist Christian background tend to 'fall off of the horse the other side' by becoming some sort of atheist fundies.

Yet those of us who avoid this often end up in a haze of indecision, in a sort of theological 'no man's land' that I think can best be characterised as one which has lost its nerve. Of course, many of us have to journey through long periods of questioning and doubt, something I think intrinsic to healthy spirituality, but I for one don't want to live there on principle. Indeed, I am positive that there is a place of confidence, the other side of that healthy doubt through which many of us have had to mature. It is a confidence based not on foundationalist certainty, but informed gut instinct.

Links

There is a great discussion in the comments to the previous post. I am delighted that Doug Campbell (under the name of his wife, Rachel) and Michael Gorman are both involved in debate, all of which is really helping me in the process of digesting and weighing Doug's proposals.

Of course, Michael Gorman has shared his thoughts in a little more detail on his own webpage, but Sean Winter too has some reflections worth reading. I tend to be fairly cautious as an exegete, but this time I think I have a clear preference ... but I will share my thoughts later, after a little more meditation (I personally blame the OCD for this kind of dithering). The final decision certainly has concrete ramifications, not to mention a knock on effect for the rest of my theology.

On a slightly different note, only 21 days until Apple & Stone's debut album is released!

By the way, Anja and I got a 'Christmas reception' invite from Lambeth Palace today! We have officially arrived!

Finally, a question: can anyone tell me what the freaking heck all of this 2012 'end of world' stuff is about? One punter is even offering a free e-book on the subject, in which he confidently claims "On December 14, 2008, the First Trumpet of the Seventh Seal of the Book of Revelation sounded, which announced the beginning collapse of the economy of the United States and great destruction that will follow".

'Righty ho, then', as Ace Ventura says. While not getting into the spirit of it entirely, perhaps, I suppose this little inside prophetic tipoff means we can continue unabated in a veritable feast of sins, so long as we repent on the evening of the 13^th December...

SBL highlights

For more than just a few of us, SBL is a real annual treat. Some of my highlights:

1. the precious times of ruckus laughing while getting up to no good, especially with Jim West
   
2. the meal with the Wipf & Stock crew, who kindly invited me to join their festivities last night. I don't think I have ever eaten so well. What a flippin great bunch of people they are. I got back to my room feeling like I had eaten half a cow (which wasn't far from the truth)
   
3. time with Robin Parry, David Vinson, Max Turner, Doug Campbell, and other friends.
   
4. the superb review session on Doug's extremely important book, The Deliverance of God. The formal responses from Douglas Moo, Michael Gorman and Alan Torrance were supplemented by short audience participation from Richard Hays, Tom Wright and Barry Matlock. Campbell handled the discussion masterfully and I don't think anyone provided a clear refutation of his exegetical claims – at least in the session. A private conversation with Richard Hays afterward gave me food for thought. But the strength of Doug's thesis surprised me; it is here to stay and needs more serious engagement in the future. Those who dismiss Campbell's work do so at their own peril. Are we seeing the changing of guard in Pauline scholarship, the bursting onto the scene of a new paradigm which will leave the former in many ways redundant?

Arrived in New Orleans

And had a great evening checking out Bourbon Street with Jim West. Bit shocking though. Let's just say that there weren't only chicken breasts in shop windows for all to taste and see. I.e. it is a bit of a mini-Amsterdam. We turning the street, after a lovely meal, and the culture changed 180 degrees. High culture shops and well dressed (well, just dressed) people, in complete contrast with the New Orleans just one street away. Variety is the spice of life, I suppose!

Tomorrow morning I'll head asap to the book hall over the road in Marriott. Perhaps see some of you there! Here are some of our pictures from tonight.

Off to SBL

And I'm looking forward to getting up to no good.

I will land at Louis Armstrong International, New Orleans, 15:52 tomorrow. If anyone is around at that time and wants to catch a Taxi to Sheraton Hotel, perhaps we could go together.

To recognise me: I'll be the chap standing on chairs preaching in public, telling people to turn from the wickedness of Jazz to the righteousness of tamborines and popular Christian Rock.

What happens when Elton John and Jim West meet eyes in the Blue Oyster Bar?

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

The Jesus and the Eyewitnesses thesis advances

In the Svenska Exegetiska Sällskapet 74 (Uppsala 2009), Richard Bauckham has published a new article, 'The Eyewitnesses in the Gospel of Mark', developing aspects of his groundbreaking Jesus and the Eyewitnesses thesis. One major part of that work, and one of its main innovative proposals, is that the Gospels are not only based on eyewitness testimony, but that the Gospels have ways of indicating their main eyewitnesses (see my two earlier posts on this matter here and here). His new article explores this proposal once again with special focus on Mark's Gospel. He responds particularly powerfully to Jerome Murphy-O'Connor's critique in RB 114 (2007).

'Given the stress that B. has laid on the preference of ancient historians for eyewitness testimony, one might have expected to find that it was they who directed his attention to the device of the eyewitness inclusio. In fact, he does not bring them into the argument at all…. For extra-biblical parallels B. has to go to Lucian's Alexander (C2 AD) and Porphyry's Life of Plotinus (C4 AD)' (p.626)

Murphy-O'Connor asserts that these parallels are not only irrelevant, because of their dates, but they also 'cannot be evidence for a literary convention in popular lives of such figures' (Bauckham's summary, 23). Bauckham's response seeks to offer the kind of evidence Murphy-O'Connor seeks, and to this end he examines Polybius and Plutarch. In both cases we read extremely compelling evidence that 'some of the personal names in the Gospel of Mark indicate the eyewitness sources of his narratives, especially in the cases of Peter, Simon of Cyrene and the three named women disciples' (37). In particular, material from Polybius shows that Bauckham's Markan eyewitness inclusio is highly plausible, and Plutarch's Life of Caesar presents evidence to affirmatively answer the question whether there are 'parallels in Greco-Roman history and biography to such a practice of indicating eyewitnesses without explicitly saying this about them' (33).

To be honest, I think Bauckham has hit a home run with this new evidence. His argument is very compelling.

Out from biblioblogging exile

With three posts of top theological class and erudition.

I thank you.

It's all in preparation for SBL, of course, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of you in a couple of weeks in New Orleans.

Forthcoming Magazine Teaser

America's Next Top Model Shock

Here comes the bride

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110232968103

Thanks to our friend Ed Babinski for sending the link!

Video: A Drive-by Baptism. Almost.

He had the dirty laugh off to a tee. All he needs is a bit of training in the administration of liturgical pronouncements and we are talking ‘power evangelism’

If Zwingli were alive today, what would he do?

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German documentary on Karl Popper online

Society of Biblical Literature, here I come

Purchased the plane tickets yesterday. Can't wait to land in New Orleans.