Authentication

CAUEAT:: I don't feel as cynical as the following makes me sound; I think the points are valid.


Casey and I have been talking a lot lately about Modernism/Postmodernism and Generations: Builders/Boomers/Xers/Millenials.

Some things that Postmoderns (PoMos) long for are "Authenticity," and "Community."

Here is a funny line of what has happened with the desire for authenticity.

1970's
Christians should be "authentic" in their external lives
>>Enter the Jesus Movement
>> Music should include Christianity
>> Books should include Christianity
>> people should witness at work and invite people to Christian events.

The result:

1980-1999

A glut of "christian" events, books, music, shows, videos... all helping us be christian.

**Problem:

Christian events start looking like capitalism.

**Solution:

Christian events should be authentic and "come back to the heart of worship"...

1995
>> Christian concerts start including a 3 song "worship segment"
>> "Worship" cd's start selling like hotcakes
>> Church isn't about feeling good about ourselves, it is about Giving to God
>>>>through lot's of WORSHIP "genre" songs in which we feel good about ourselves.

**Problem

EVERY FREAKIN' THING OUT THERE is a ministry AND A worship experience.

**Solution

Christians should be authentic about where ministry and worship happens: AT CHURCH.

>>Church becomes more important for PoMos than for Boomers
>>Church is about connection to the ancient
>>Church is about realness of Christ and History
>>Christ becomes Jesus and Theology becomes Story
>>Unity in bare orthodoxy becomes more important than party lines
>>For many the question of whether their "non-denom" church is "lawfully in the line of the ordained pastorate of history" becomes important... drift back into catholicism.

-------------------------
I think some comments for or against my rant are warranted. REMEMBER (I am NOT really this CYNICAL).

Enns, Peter - Inspiration and Incarnation

Enns, Peter - Inspiration and Incarnation

Excellent book that helps show a very rational and historically minded conservative view of scripture.

By conservative I don't mean 6-day. I mean the canon is God's book, the Holy Spirit is the power behind the Word of God to his people.

The Principles of fundamentalism or modernism in reading the Bible are avoided.

Luke

Newbigin, Leslie - Proper Confidence

Newbigin, Leslie - Proper Confidence

Morality on the Screen

"Live or Online: It's Still Voyeurism"

Great article calling Christians to question their views of acceptible entertainment.

Scot McKnight

http://www.jesuscreed.org

Scot McKnight is a widely-recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois). A popular and witty speaker, Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly asked to speak in local churches and educational events. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).



Scot McKnight is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Society for New Testament Studies. He is the author of more than twenty books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others (Paraclete, 2004), which won the Christianity Today book of the year for Christian Living. Recent books include Embracing Grace: A Gospel for All of Us (Paraclete, 2005), The Story of the Christ (Baker, 2006), and Praying with the Church (Paraclete, 2006). His newest book is The Real Mary: Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus. Other books include Jesus and His Death (Baylor, 2005), A Light among the Gentiles (Fortress, 1992), A New Vision for Israel (Eerdmans, 1999), Turning to Jesus (Westminster John Knox, 2002), Galatians (Zondervan, 1993) and 1 Peter (Zondervan, 1996), Interpreting the Synoptic Gospels (Baker, 1988), and he is a co-editor with J.B. Green and I.H. Marshall of the award-winning The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (IVP, 1992) as well as the co-editor, with J.D.G. Dunn, of The Historical Jesus in Current Study (Eisenbraun’s, 2005). He regularly contributes chapter length studies to books and articles for magazines and online webzines. McKnight’s books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, and Russian.

McKnight’s award-winning blog, Jesus Creed, has been rated by Technorati.com as the #1 site for Emerging Church.

Scot McKnight was elected into the Hall of Honor at Cornerstone University in honor of his basketball accomplishments during his college career. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Libertyville, Illinois. They have two adult children, Laura and Lukas

N. T. Wright Page

N. T. Wright

Anglican Bishop of Durham
Personal Hero of Mine

And unofficial but functionally official site that publishes Online for Wright.

http://www.ntwrightpage.com