Another Week, Another Roundup

Which is more accurate? or sadly true? – Take a look at the two cartoons and decide for yourself. Me, I think they are both true (can we mirror them and put them at two ends of a plateau). That said, I find no comfort in my answer, because I’m agreeing that many thinkers I like and respect are cutting their nose off to spite their face.

All this, just to make us shop – “One way or another, we work hard to be consumers. We do half the advertisers‚Äô work for them.” Actually, we do far more than half the work and the advertisers don’t promise us anything that we are not already craving and longing for anyway. Still, Duncan is asking all the right questions, especially with regard to the drive to spend.

Welcome 2 – Maybe it is a false dicotomy, between the institutional welcome and the authentic welcome, but I can’t help but agree with the quote,

“‘Any organisation’, she said talking about the church, ‘Any organisation which needs to appoint welcomers…has got to be suspect!’.

What a stunning observation.”

My guess is that most of us have been in churches (and other social contexts) where people thought themselves to be wlecoming and friendly, but managed in practice to be the opposite. Formalising the welcoming process is a good safety net and will always highlight the fact if a church is not being hospitable. But, it should never be a substitute for radical hospitality.

Condoning Torture – Should it surprise us that the percentage of American Evangelicals who view torture as always unjustifiable is hovering at a 28%, even lower than the29 % pertenage in the society as a whole?

Umberto Eco on Fascism‚Ķ via Jesus Politics – The relationship between facisim and religion is a topic I’ve been meaning to pick up in detail for some time (and a part of my ongoing interest in the Spanish Civil War). Baptist Blogger has done us a service summarising Eco’s 14 points on facism and highlighting their potential overlap with some expressions of faith. Of particular interest is the relationship between facism and technology, heroism, diversity and social frustration (or as I tend to call it, ressentiment).

Leader As Listener – Part of the problem with “leadership” language is, for me, the fact that it too often starts with activism and results, not with quiet, contemplation and reflection. If Jesus is our model for ministry in any way, then have to take seriously the fact that Jesus did not just jump in at the first opportunity, but waited, worked, listened and learned.

Cloakroom Community – Like Brodie, I found Bauman’s idea of cloakroom communities to be an apt critique of some churches.

Let the Lionizing and Skewering and Caricaturing Begin – Jerry Falwell’s passing has left most of us with a lot of questions, not least the problem of how to comment on his legacy. This is one of many attempts that at least tries to balance Falwell’s effect on the “culture wars” with his practical work and ministry.

Go, Change! – Lovely piece on marketing in India.

Iraq’s Women Under Pressure via Tensegrities – as Mary puts it, “Bush & Co. tend to make it a talking point that women have been liberated by the US invasion of Iraq. A respected scholar begs to differ.”

Are House Churches Biblical? Part 1 – Slightly tongue-in-cheek title to what may well be a solid series of observations. I took the same exegetical trip a few years back and it was very revealing.

[tags] House Church, Iraq, Church, Community [/tags]