Archbishop of Canterbury's Advent Reflections

The Orthodox Resistance

Here in the Episcopal Church, the Orcs of Mordor have taken the castle (metaphorically speaking). Meet the worthy, peaceful resistance:

American Anglican Council

The Anglican Communion Institute

May God give them humility, wisdom, long-suffering patience, and love.

"Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” - Daniel 3:17-18

Post Tenabras, Lux!

What the ...?

Snow in Orange, Texas? You betcha. As you can see, it isn't much, but they have announced that all the schools will be starting two hours later to give people a chance to get a grip on this turn of events. You'd think unicorns and centaurs were walking around town. As far as people in Orange County are concerned, this isn't far removed from sorcery or magic.

Meeting a Hero

A picture of me meeting NT Wright in Toronto, Canada at the Anglicanism: A Gift in Christ conference last week.

Advent Underground: The Resistance Movement

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas? What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.

Bound for the Black Hills

My wife and I are flying out tomorrow morning to South Dakota to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family there. I am one of those rare people who deeply enjoy their in-laws. My in-laws, Jenny's whole family (parents, siblings, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc.), are precious people, brothers and sisters of the Faith, with great senses of humor and tremendous loyalty. Time with them is always such a refreshment to me. My own private favorite tradition is early morning coffee on a cool morning with my Mother and Father-in-law. The landscape of the Black Hills is enchanting and I am looking eagerly forward to some easy walks through the granite, junipers, aspens, and sage as well.

Two other items of excitement for the holiday: 1.) I'm going to Toronto quickly for an Anglican conference at which NT Wright+ will be the keynote speaker. As most of you know, to say that Bishop Wright has been an inspiration to me would be an understatement. I'll be there with a few people from our church and my dear brother Matt Larsen. 2.) Jenny's beloved friend from college, Britta, is going to be joining us in South Dakota for the holiday. Few people bring as much joy to my wife's heart as Britta, and for her company this holiday I am very grateful.

Also, you never know when we might drop in to Boulder when we are in that part of the world.

Reading list for the Holiday:

The Hauerwas Reader by Stanley Hauerwas and Jayber Crow by Wendel Berry.

Traveling Tunes:

Josh Garell's new album, Jacaranda.

A Monastery in Beaumont?

My wife and I spent this past Saturday at a spiritual retreat at the Holy Cross Monastery in Beaumont, Texas. I had never before been to a monastery, and having grown up in the Church of Christ and Southern Baptist Church, I suppose my disposition is to be suspicious of such enterprises. Yet, I found the day to be entirely pleasant and of great spiritual benefit.

We started the day celebrating the Holy Eucharist. It was a lovely celbration, appropriately punctuated by periods of meditative silence when the wind could be heard blowing through the trees outside and the scripture lessons we were reading could be ruminated upon and digested. We then ate a meal together prepared for us by the monks, and had an afternoon's discussion on humility and how it is attained. We ended the day by chanting Psalms 119 and praying together. Through the course of the day it dawned upon me anew how good silence, prayer, nature and meditation are for the soul. I confess to having far less than would be good for me, and hope to make those disciplines part of my regular practice as a disciple of Christ. My wife said the day was beautiful and relaxing... a bit of heaven come to earth. Apparently, they have similar retreats the third Saturday of every month. I suspect those monks have not seen the last of the Ballards.

The Early Church on War and Violence

I say as often as I can that I am, as a Christian, a pacifist and that I believe all Christians should be pacifists. Along those lines, I was very pleased when I discovered that the peer reviewed theological journal Themelios put out by The Gospel Coalition recently included an article entitled, Nonviolence in the Ancient Church and Christian Obedience. I thought some of the quotes from the early church were worth posting here:

"We who once murdered each other indeed no longer wage war against our enemies; moreover, so as not to bear false witness before our interrogators, we cheerfully die confessing Christ." -- Justin Martyr (110–165), the early church’s foremost apologist.

"But now inquiry is being made concerning these issues. First, can any believer enlist in the military? Second, can any soldier, even those of the rank and file or lesser grades who neither engage in pagan sacrifices nor capital punishment, be admitted into the church? No on both counts—for there is no agreement between the divine sacrament and the human sacrament, the standard of Christ and the standard of the devil, the camp of light and the camp of darkness. One soul cannot serve two masters—God and Caesar. And yet some people toy with the subject by saying, "Moses carried a rod, Aaron wore a buckle, John the Baptist girded himself with leather just like soldiers do belts, and Joshua the son of Nun led troops into battle, such that the people waged war." But how will a Christian engage in war—indeed, how will a Christian even engage in military service during peacetime—without the sword, which the Lord has taken away? For although soldiers had approached John to receive instructions and a centurion believed, this does not change the fact that afterward, the Lord, by disarming Peter, disarmed every soldier." -- Tertullian (197–212)

"Shall it be regarded lawful to make an occupation of the sword, when the Lord proclaims that he who takes the sword shall die by the sword? Shall the child of peace join in the battle when he is not even permitted to sue at law? . . . Shall he carry a flag, despite its hostility to Christ? Shall he request a command from the Emperor who has already received one from God? . . . The very transporting of the Christian name from the camp of light over to the camp of darkness constitutes a violation of God’s law." -- Tertullian

"It needs to be emphasized that when someone becomes a believer and his faith is sealed, there must be an immediate abandonment of military service." -- Tertullian

"A soldier, being inferior in rank to God, must not kill anyone. If ordered to, he must not carry out the order, nor may he take an oath (sacramentum) to do so. If he does not accept this, let him be dismissed from the church. Anyone bearing the power of the sword, or any city magistrate, who wears purple, let him cease from wearing it at once or be dismissed from the church. Any catechumen or believer who wishes to become a soldier must be dismissed from the church because they have despised God." -- Hippolytus (199–217)

"Rulers entrusted with the authority to take life and soldiers must not kill anyone, even if they are commanded to do so. . . . Anyone holding a prominent position of leadership or a ruler’s authority who does not keep himself disarmed, as the gospel necessitates, must be dismissed from the flock. Let no Christian become a soldier. Any official obligated to carry a sword must not bring bloodguilt upon himself; if he does, he must not participate in the mysteries until he is purified through correction, tears, and groans." -- Hippolytus (199–217)

"We must delightfully come to the counsels of Jesus by cutting down our hostile and impudent swords into plowshares and transforming into pruning-hooks the spears formerly employed in war. So we no longer take up the sword against nations, nor do we learn war anymore, since we have become children of peace, for the sake of Jesus, who is our leader, instead of those whom our ancestors followed." -- Origen (240–48)

Anglican History

Since my wife and I have become Episcopalian/Anglican, the questions that I have been asked the most regarding that decison have, surprisingly, been questions regarding the history of the Anglican church. So, I thought perhaps a well researched answer was in order. Enjoy:

Christianity arrived in Britain in the first or second century (probably via the tin trade route through Ireland and Iberia), and existed independently of the Church of Rome, as did virtually all other Christian communities of that era. Most scholars believe that Christianity arrived in Brittania about A.D. 44 around Glastonbury (roughly 11 years after Christ's Crucifixion!) The first English martyr is Alban in A.D. 209. Alban reportedly sheltered a Christian missionary from Gaul and was executed because Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire at that time. The earliest historical written evidence of an organized Christian church in England is found in the writings of such early Christian fathers as Tertullian and Origen in the first years of the 3rd century. Three English bishops, including Restitutus, are known to have been present at the Council of Arles 314, and bishops from Britannia were present at the council of Nicea in 325. Others attended the Council of Sardica in 347 and that of Ariminum in 360, and a number of references to the church in Britain are found in the writings of 4th-century Christian fathers.

Pagan Anglo-Saxons from Germany and Scandinavia began to occupy Britain without resistance from the passive (Christian) Britons in around 370. (Wales remained unconquered and Christian.) The Roman empire fell in Britain and no evidence of Roman occupation is found after about 407. The conquest of Britain is greatly accelerated in 410 when Britons under Vortigern invite Saxon mercenaries to their land to help keep order. The Briton Christians are on their own at this point. On the mainland, the Roman empire and therefore the church (Christianity being the official religion of the empire) were in significant turmoil and disarray. Meanwhile, back in Britain, it is the era of Celtic Christianity. The Celts effectively preserve Christianity on the British Isles while the Roman empire (and seemingly, the whole world) falls apart. For nearly 200 years, the scholarship and culture of Celtic/Anglo-Saxon Christianity developed utterly unconnected with Rome, though some correspondence and unity with mainland Christianity continues. For instance, we know that Deacon Palladius was sent by the bishop of Rome (not Pope!) as a "bishop to the Scotti [Irish] who believe in Christ."

Previous to the fall of the Roman Empire, the church was governed by the Patriarchs (bishops) of the ancient and influential sees of Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, as well as by Councils of bishops held periodically to make important decisions. As the Roman empire fell apart, and the world and the church was in disarray, people generally, and Christians included, looked to the ancient capital of the empire for leadership. Hence the development of the office of Pope. Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome at this time, and he was the first bishop to assert the universal jurisdiction of the Roman bishop and the doctrine of "Petrine supremacy." He was declared Pope in 451 by the Council of Chalcedon which declared, "Peter has spoken by Leo." He solidified his role as the primary patriarch and leader of the Church when he met Attila the Hun outside the gates of Rome in 452 and persuaded him not to raze the city to the ground and to withdraw. With the rest of the empire in such a mess, no one was really in a position to disagree with him. In fact, they were glad to have such an able, intelligent, charismatic, brave, and strong leader. Anglicans still celebrate a feast day in his honor on November 10 as the Bishop of Rome.

When things began to settle down, and the world began to reorganize post-empire, Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine from Rome to evangelise the Angles in 597. When he got there, he discovered that they were already a number of Christians and established churches. He declared them Roman Catholic, and with the help of Christians already residing in Kent he established his church in Canterbury, the former capital of Kent, and became the first in the series of Archbishops of Canterbury. Augustine developed a liturgy and other practices especially for the English-speaking people, which was a combination of the Celtic and Roman rites. Later archbishop, the Greek Theodore of Tarsus, also contributed to the organisation of English Christianity in that period. Simultaneously, the "Celtic Church" continued to evangelize Scotland. The Celtic Church of North Britain finally submitted in some sense to the "authority" of Rome at the Synod of Whitby in 664. Over the next few centuries, the Roman system introduced by Augustine gradually absorbed the pre-existing Celtic, Britannia, Saxon, and Angle churches. Anglicans still celebrate a feast in Gregory's honor as "the Apostle of the English" and the Bishop of Rome on March 12.

The Anglican church then was under the purview of Rome for roughly 870 years. When the Great Schism occurred in 1054 and split the church into Western Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, the Anglican church being in the West, sided with Rome. There is a public perception, especially in the United States, that Henry VIII created the formal Anglican split from Rome in 1534 because of the Pope's refusal to grant his divorce, but the historical record indicates that Henry spent most of his reign challenging the authority of Rome, and that the divorce issue was just one of a series of acts that collectively split the English church from the Roman church in much the same way that the Orthodox church had split off five hundred years before. A theological separation had been foreshadowed by various movements within the English Church for years, and there was significant pressure put on Henry by his Reformation-minded clergy to, in fact, separate from Rome. Under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, a thorough reformation proceeded. A new pattern of worship was set out in the Book of Common Prayer which was based on the older and more ancient liturgies, without the developments of the middle ages such as Maryology, the Papacy, and the Cult of Saints. It is this Book of Common prayer and form of worship that is still the framework for Anglicanism worldwide. Anglicanism represents the third largest Christian communion in the world, after the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox communions. The number of Anglicans in the world is slightly over 77 million.

Aspirations

Since moving to Texas, Jenny and I have joined St. Mark's Episcopal Church and will be confirmed in the broader Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion in just a few weeks. It is a really exciting time for us. After a spending at least some part of our young lives in the Church of Christ, the Methodist Church, the Southern Baptist Church, the Evangelical Free Church, the Presbyterian Church, and a non-denominational church plant, we have found a place in Christendom where we feel at home and where we feel the Holy Spirit has led and called us.

As many of you also know, I have long sensed a calling to vocational ministry in the church and I am now, in fact, pursuing ordination (or holy orders) as a priest in the Episcopal Church. The process looks something like this:

Step 1: Aspirant - Aspirancy begins with conversations between the aspirant and their priest about the aspirant's sense of calling. When these conversations reach the point that the aspirant and his or her priest feel the aspirant is ready for a next step, the priest presents the aspirant to the Bishop.

Step 2: Postulant - The canonical authority for inviting an aspirant to a postulancy lies with the Bishop. The postulancy involves background checks, physical and psychological evaluations, training, spiritual formation, and seminary.

Step 3: Candidate - The term candidate reflects the church's expectation that by this stage of the ordination process the postulant is able to integrate their academic studies, spiritual development, and field experience and are prepared to offer themselves as candidates for ordination.

Step 4: Deacon - After seminary and candidacy, I will (Lord willing) be ordained as a transitional deacon.

Step 5: Priest - After a period of time serving the church as a deacon, I will (Lord willing) be ordained as a priest.

As you can see, this is quite a lengthy process and Jenny and I would appreciate your prayers as we move through my discernment process.

Also, if any of you are in the Beaumont area on November 9 we would love to have you at our confimation. It is a big step for us, and a big day.

In the mean time, Jenny and I are still planning to be very connected to Nepal and PRC's ministry there. More on that later.

Extreme Blog Makeover

After a few years of blogging, and a few months of radio silence I decide it was time for a blog makeover. The change in visual theme also comes with a change in the stated purpose of the blog. When I started the blog, it was to give myself an outlet for creative thinking and writing. While I still use the blog for that purpose, it has grown also to include updates about my life and information about things that I find interesting, though the thoughts may not be my own. The blog is no longer just a writing outlet, it is a way for friends and family to keep up with Jenny and I, and for us to share things that we feel are important, funny, or pertinent.

Prayer for Ike Aftermath

Our Creator and Father,

Through the storm, through the night, lead us on to the light.Take our hand, precious Lord, lead us on. Be present, O God, with those who are discovering that loved ones have died, that homes and jobs are gone. Embrace them in your everlasting arms. Be present, O God, with those who suffer today in shelters, hot and weary from too little sleep and too much fear. Let them know they are not alone. Be present, O God, with those who wonder what they will find when they return to homes battered by the storm. Teach them to hope. Be present, O God, with those who have not been able to reach loved ones, who are frantic with worry. Offer them consolation. Be present, O God, with those who have hardly recovered from previous storms, who are unsure how much they can bear, who yearn only for quiet. Grant them peace. Be present, O God, with all who respond - mayors, police, firefighters, FEMA employees, Red Cross workers, pastors, church disaster response coordinators, and all others. Their work is just beginning, and may not end for many months. Strengthen them for service. Be present, O God, with the people of any destroyed houses of worship, and with the people of your Christian Church in storm damaged areas, and especially with the staff and members of the Episcopal Dioceses of Texas and Louisiana where we fear so much has been damaged. Inspire us by their determination to care for others amid their own trials. Be present, O God, to each of us as we pray, that distance may not deter us from generous giving and enduring companionship. Help us remember tomorrow, and next week, and next month. Be present, O God, with all affected by this storm, and with those still suffering from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav.

May Immanuel, God with us, our precious Jesus, take every hand and lead us on.

Amen.

Sad Day on the Home Front

Ike in Bridge City

According to CNN.com, "The coastal town of Bridge City was flooded by the Neches River and 9 feet of water was reported downtown."

According to FoxNews.com "Farther up the coast, much of Bridge City and downtown Orange were under up to 8 feet of water and rescue teams in dump trucks were plowing through in an effort to reach families trapped on roofs and inside attics."

Please pray for my community and family. It is likely that we have all lost a lot.

Mark Twain was Right

...truth is stranger than fiction. I am absolutely not making this up:

Spectators cheered as entire Cambodian Midget Fighting League squared off against an African Lion. Tickets had been sold-out three weeks before the much anticipated fight, which took place in the city of Kâmpóng Chhnãng. The fight was slated when an angry fan contested Yang Sihamoni, President of the CMFL, claiming that one lion could defeat his entire league of 42 midgets.

Sihamoni takes great pride in the league he helped create, as was conveyed in his recent advertising campaign for the CMFL that stated his midgets will "... take on anything; man, beast, or machine." This campaign is believed to be what sparked the undisclosed fan to challenge the entire league to fight a lion; a challenge that Sihamoni readily accepted. An African Lion (Panthera Leo) was shipped to centrally located Kâmpóng Chhnãng especially for the event, which took place last Saturday, April 30, 2005 in the city’s coliseum.

The Cambodian Government allowed the fight to take place, under the condition that they receive a 50% commission on each ticket sold, and that no cameras would be allowed in the arena. The fight was called in only 12 minutes, after which 28 fighters were declared dead, while the other 14 suffered severe injuries including broken bones and lost limbs, rendering them unable to fight back.

Sihamoni was quoted before the fight stating that he felt since his fighting midgets out-numbered the lion 42 to 1, that they “… could out-wit and out-muscle [it].” Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Source

Hurricane ReLoaded

Here we go again. Just about the time I thought I could go home and be with my wife, Ike comes calling. Please be in prayer for my wife, family, and all those in the path of this storm. They evacuated again this morning.

O God, Master of this world, hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former calm; you are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control. The Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster. During this Hurricane Ike, we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid. O Christ Jesus, Our Brother, Captain, and King, we ask that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, so that we will walk in the leading of the Divine Spirit to reach the New Heavens and New Earth where a storm-less eternity awaits us. Amen.

In the mean time, here are a few videos I took from my hotel during Gustav:

Out My Window This Morning

I woke this morning to discover that Ol' Gus had snuck up on me a bit. Here is the scene from my room at about 9:00 a.m (don't ask me who in their right mind is out driving).

According to the weather man, the worst is yet to come. Don't worry though, I think I'm pretty safe here at the QI. I've never been this close to a sinificant hurricane, and I must admit that it is an awesome and terrifying thing to behold.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear

though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Baton Down the Hatches in Baton Rouge

I'm sitting in the Quality Inn in Baton Rouge, and ol' Gus is bringing the dirty. I took a run a few hours ago on the Mississippi River levee (may God give it strength) near the hotel and it was hot and sunny. Now, the rain and wind are picking up outside, and a tornado warning has been issued for this area. According to the news, it is still about 20 hours from making landfall. Be that as it may, it is still getting pretty rough outside already. I don't know how much longer cell phones and electricity will last, but I'll keep posting updates as long as possible. Jenny, if you are reading this... I love you and happy anniversary. I'll never hold the hand of another.


O Lord Jesus Christ,
As you saved your apostles from perishing in a storm by calming wind and waves on your command, so now keep us safe and sound in this storm, Hurricane Gustav. Protect us from the unpredictable elements of nature. Protect us from storm, flood, illness, injury, disaster, and death. Preserve us from all evil and harm for we, though sinful, are nonetheless the work of Your hands. And You together with your Father who has no beginning and Your life giving Spirit are our God in whom we live, move, and have being. Now and ever and unto ages and ages. Amen.

Texas' Most Beautiful Refugee

Gustav Blows

Well, I watched my wife and my family drive off today as they evacuated before the rapidly approaching Hurricane Gustav. The only humor in the situation was the sign in the back of Jenny's car that said, "Honk if you are an Environmental Refugee." I have to stay behind for my job (I do scout work during storms). It feels strange to be here alone. I already miss my wife. I'm heading to Baton Rouge soon. Please pray for my wife and I. Tuesday is our first anniversary, and it appears we will be apart. My heart is heavy.

Update

Well, I started my new job as a consulting forester for ACRT this week. So far, so good. I get a truck, a four wheeler, a gas card, and I get to hang out in the woods a lot. And get this....they pay me. Pretty sweet deal. Also, I got accepted to Reformed Theological Seminary's virtual Master of Arts in Theology program. Hopefully, I'll start this fall. I've been following the Lambeth Conference as closely as I can in my spare time, as well as hanging out with my family. I've started running again, and it has been fun. And yes, the rumor is true, I have a new tat. It is a fire-breathing dove. I'll post a pic soon.

Culture Making

From Tim Keller's Summer 2008 Reading List: "Culture Making is one of the few books taking the discussion about Christianity and culture to a new level. It is a rare mix of the theoretical and the practical, its definitions are nuanced but not abstract, and it strikes all kinds of fine balances. I highly recommend it."

Get it here.

NT Wright on the Colbert Report

A few weeks ago, Anglican Bishop of Durham and theologian NT Wright appeared on The Colbert Report, a satirical news program, to talk about his book Surprised by Hope (which is a great book, by the way). Watch as American humor meets British wit.

GAFCON

For those of you who keep up with Episcopal / Anglican polity, here is NT Wright's response and JI Packer's response to GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference). They are remarkably different opinions from two very wise men, and worth a close read.

GAFCON was a seven day conference of conservative Anglican bishops and leaders which was held in Jerusalem last week. The conference was planned to occur one month prior to the Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world. It is primarily aimed at Anglican leaders who consider themselves to be in impaired communion with the global church because of the consecration in 2003 of openly homosexual (and I might add heretical) bishop Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Why I am Evangelical

The following is a definition of Evangelical by JI Packer (who is also Anglican). It summarizes better than anything else that I have found why I am Evangelical:

1. Enthroning Holy Scripture, the written word of God, as the supreme authority and decisive guide on all matters of faith and practice;

2. Focusing on the glory, majesty, kingdom, and love of Jesus Christ, the God-man who died as a sacrifice for our sins and who rose, reigns, and will return to judge mankind, perfect the church, and renew the cosmos;

3. Acknowledging the lordship of the Holy Spirit in the entire life of grace, which is the life of salvation expressed in worship, work, and witness;

4. Insisting on the necessity of conversion (not of a particular conversion experience, but of a discernibly converted condition, regenerate, repentant, and rejoicing);

5. Prioritizing evangelism and church extension as a life-project at all times and under all circumstances; and

6. Cultivating Christian fellowship, on the basis that the church of God is essentially a living community of believers who must help each other to grow in Christ.

Why I'm Episcopalian

Very recently, my wife and I became a part of the Episcopal/Anglican church and communion. Having grown up Church of Christ and Baptist, I've had many people ask how this happened. So, here's why I'm Episcopalian / Anglican*, in no particular order:

• Strong commitment to Christian unity and ecumenicism.
• Strong Reformed tradition within the communion
• Many of the people who were important to my Christian formation are Anglican (JI Packer, John Stott, NT Wright, etc.)
• Orthodox
• Great tradition of working for social justice (think William Wilberforce and Desmond Tutu)
• Doorway to Church membership: very wide. Doorway to Church leadership: very narrow
• High view of the sacraments
• High view of the visible church
• Apostolic succession (all ordained ministers in the Episcopal church can trace their line of ordination back to the apostles)
• Great tradition of support for the arts
• Paedobaptism and Paedocommunion
• Large presence in many countries and in many cultures
• High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, and Anglimergent

Obviously, the Episcopal church is not without its problems, but those things, together with a lot of thought and prayer is what led us to become a part of the EC. In addtion, I am now in the process (a very long process) of seeking to be ordained by the EC. I know that is short, but I hope it answers most people's questions.

*For those who don't know the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church are the same thing. The Episcopal Church is just the Anglican Church in America. Episcopal means "of bishops" from the Greek επίσκοπος.

CoffeeCover

Some friends of mine in Boulder have just started a brilliant business. Check it:

The CoffeeCover, a reusable coffee sleeve!

It has long been a dream of theirs to start a business that would also help the environment, and they have hit upon something brilliant (and affordable).

Give your coffee cup a makeover (and some flare) and help out the environment by using (and reusing) the CoffeeCover. The CoffeeCover is made with a soft cotton outer layer and has an insulating foam center. The average coffee shop uses over 4000 disposable sleaves every week, and the CoffeeCover is out to change this. Check out their website, and throw some dough their way: http://www.coffeecover.net/

New Texas Bishop

Texas has a new Episcopal Bishop: The Rev. Canon C. Andrew Doyle

The Rev. Canon C. Andrew Doyle, Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Texas was elected bishop coadjutor at a special session of the diocese’s 159th Council. In its visioning process in 2007, the Diocese of Texas identified “a youthful church” as one of its core values, and on May 24, it voted to personify that in its next bishop. “While we are electing a leader today, we are not electing a savior," said the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of West Texas, in his sermon before the election. "We’ve already got one.”

I am personally excited about his election because he is orthodox, creative, and a part of the Anglimergent converstion. I pray that God would be with him in the coming years. For more info, check here.

Last Day in Boulder

Well, it has been a good run here in the People's Republic of Boulder. We've been here for nearly two years, but sadly, it is time for us to move on. It will always be hard to live anywhere besides Boulder because of all that this community offers, but life will have to continue none the less. We are busily packing all day today, and we will pull out for Texas tomorrow afternoon. We will spend several months in Texas working and continuing to prepare for Nepal, and then...the big move. We leave here with heavy hearts, but glad for the friends we've made and the experiences we've had. Boulder crew, we wish you the best. May you fare well and God speed.

Texas, here we come.

The World is Still a Mysterious Place

Researchers have produced aerial photos of jungle dwellers who they say are among the few remaining peoples on Earth who have had no contact with the outside world. More than 100 uncontacted tribes remain worldwide, and about half live in the remote reaches of the Amazonian rainforest in Peru or Brazil, near the recently photographed tribe, according to Survival International, a nonprofit group that advocates for the rights of indigenous people.

The National Indian Foundation, a government agency in Brazil, published the photos Thursday on its Web site. It tracks "uncontacted tribes" -- indigenous groups that are thought to have had no contact with outsiders -- and seeks to protect them from encroachment. The photos show men outside thatched communal huts, necks craned upward, pointing bows toward the air in a remote corner of the Amazonian rainforest.

"These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist," the director of Survival International said in a statement. "The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct... All are in grave danger of being forced off their land, killed or decimated by new diseases"

Source

Good News, Bad News

Good News

More than 100 countries attending a conference in Dublin, Ireland formally adopted a treaty Friday to ban cluster bombs -- a large, unreliable and inaccurate weapon that often affects civilians long after the end of armed conflict. The countries agreed never to use cluster munitions or the explosive bomblets they contain, and they also agreed never to develop, acquire, retain or transfer cluster munitions, according to the official treaty document.

Bad News

The United States would not agree to any ban because the country considers cluster munitions an important part of its defense strategy.

Source

The Worship Industry

Where am I?

I've had a few people ask me lately where I stand in relation to the different theologies and Christian traditions, so I thought I'd put it out there:

Theology: I consider myself basically orthodox, reformed, covenantal, evangelical, and generous.

Ecclesiology: I am happily a part of the Episcopal/Anglican communion, though we are not without our troubles.

Also, I am interested in the emergent conversation, though I also have some reservations about where it seems to be headed at times. Generally though, I think many of their critiques of modernism and the modern American church to be valid.

I am very concerned about good theology, unity, abortion, ecology, social justice, peace, and third world debt.

--Jason

The Creed

Prayers...

...for my dear and beloved friends Matt and Lauren Larsen, and little Davi still growing in Lauren's womb. Lauren is in the high-risk pregnancy center as I write this. Her fluid level which should be at 20 is at 5, and if they don't fix it, Lauren is going to go into labor ... 16 weeks early.

For Lauren...
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beg you to behold, visit, and relieve your sick servant Lauren for whom our prayers are offered. Look upon her with the eyes of your mercy; comfort her with a sense of your goodness; preserve her and give her patience under this affliction. Restore her to health. O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant Lauren the help of your power, that her sickness may be turned into health and that, her health being renewed, she may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Matt...
O merciful Father, Look with pity upon the sorrows of your servant Matt for whom our prayers are offered. Remember him, O Lord, in mercy, nourish his soul with patience, comfort him with a sense of your goodness, lift up your countenance upon him, and give him peace; O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we will be saved, in quietness and confidence will be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift Matt, we pray, to your presence, where he may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Davi...
O eternal God, you have promised to be a father to a thousand generations of those who love and fear you: Bless this child and preserve her life; receive her and enable her to receive you. Heavenly Father, watch with us over your child Davi, and grant that she may be born in perfect health. Into your hands, O God, we place your child Davi. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in your Son's Name: We beg you mercifully to incline your ear to us who have now made our prayers and supplications to you; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to your will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thought for the Day

True freedom is not simply doing what we please. True freedom is doing the will of God and delighting in that doing. Sin, in this sense, is what imprisons us and keeps us from being free.

An Evangelical Manifesto

In case you haven't heard, Os Guinness, Dallas Willard, and Rich Mouw to name a few of the dozens of signees, have recently released An Evangelical Manifesto.

The stated purpose of the document is to be "an open declaration of who Evangelicals are and what they stand for. It has been drafted and published by a representative group of Evangelical leaders who do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals, but who invite all other Evangelicals to stand with them and help clarify what Evangelical means in light of “confusions within and the consternation without” the movement...the Manifesto is a serious call to reform—an urgent challenge to reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ."

I have not had an opportunity to read the EM closely, but still considering myself an "evangelical" in the best sense of the word, I am very interested in what it might say. Take a look at it, let me know what you think, and perhaps I'll post some thoughts on it in the days to come.

http://www.anevangelicalmanifesto.com/

What is happening?

Lost Virtues: Simplicity

I am going to begin to do a series of posts on "the lost virtues" of Christianity...that being virtues that I percieve to have been at one time very important to Christians and the Christian community, that are no longer widely practiced or encouraged. The purpose of this posts will be, obviously, to re-commend these virtues to my brothers and sisters. The first lost virtue...simplicity.

Lost Virtue: Simplicity

Christian history is replete with stories of the faithful who valued simplicty as part of their calling and mission as Christians. As of late, though not surprising in our captivated by capitalism consumeristic society, simplicty is looked on with disdain or as some sort of oddity at best. Look around at our churches. Most leaders are very succesful in a material sense (fat wallets, nice cars, big houses), and those who are simple or from lower class will most likely never be seen in anything resembling a leadership role in the community. And the "health, wealth, and prosperity gospel"...don't even get me started. Garbage! That rant aside, here are the reasons I commend simplicty to you as a very important spiritual discipline and virtue:

1. As Witness

When Christians live simply and joyfully, it is a witness to the surrounding community that we are satisfied by something much more glorious and certain than cars, money, houses, and possesions. It makes Christ look glorious, and it is the aroma of heaven to all those others who are looking for their joy and self-worth in the things that they own but turn into dust in their mouths.

2. As Discipline

I know discipline is a "four letter word" in our culture right now, but simplicity is good for the Christian soul in the same way that fasting is. In fact, it could be considered a type of fasting. It keeps us from eating to much at the world's table so that when we show up at the table of the Lord we are already full and have no appetite for spiritual food. It increases our capacity to desire and appreciate God.

3. As Stewardship

In is a plain and simple fact that there are not enough resources in the world for everyone to live like an American. By refusing to own status symbols or gratuitous amounts of material possesions, we are conserving the limited resources of our home and planet. In that way we are loving not only the creation, but also our neighbor, and there for God as well.

4. As Devotion

We only have a limited amount of time, energy, and emotional resources to spend in any given day. If we are spending them worrying about the mortgage, upset about ruining our new shirt, or taking the other car in for another oil change, that means we cannot be spending those personal resources on loving God and our neigbor. By owning to many things, we end up spending all of our personal resources on ourselves. It is a selfish way to live. Having to spend less time on the things that we own frees up incredible amount of time, energy, and emotional resources to spend on the things of God and His Kingdom.

5. As Generosity

The almost goes without saying, if we spend less on ourselves, we have more to spend on others who may be in need.


For these reasons and others that have gone unnamed, I commend living simply to all my brothers and sisters. It will certainly not be easy. There are people spending billions of dollars, literally, to get us to believe that our lives consist exactly in the things we own and the things we do for ourselves. It is a lie. Do not believe it. Live simply.

Birthday Trip to the NorthWest

What it is like to travel with Jason Ballard

I took this picture of our nightstand at our hotel in Vancouver so you might get a real personal look at what it is like to travel with my husband Jason Ballard. This was just a spur of the moment 5 day trip mind you, and I could only laugh when our nightstand turned into a temporary theological library! The only demand that I had was that he carry the suitcase!

Here Come the Maoists

Former communist rebels won the most seats in Nepal's new governing assembly, taking more than double the number of their nearest rival, an election official said Thursday.

The former insurgents, known as the Maoists, are now expected to form the backbone of Nepal's new government and usher in sweeping changes to the impoverished Himalayan nation, although they will not have an absolute majority in the 601-seat Constituent Assembly. Among the biggest likely changes is the abolition of Nepal's 239-year-old monarchy, which the Maoists have repeatedly said must go.

But the Maoists, who are considered terrorists by the United States, have made it clear they are committed capitalists, albeit left-leaning ones, and have no plans to transform Nepal into a communist state. Apart from that, there's still much uncertainty over what the new government will look like.

The Maoists have been in talks in recent days with the other major parties about forming an administration and are pushing for the creation of a president. That job they want filled by their leader, who is known as Prachanda, or "the fierce one" in Nepali. "It is my desire to be the president," Prachanda told reporters Thursday after meeting with U.N. officials and foreign ambassadors in Kathmandu. "But since there is no provision in the present constitution, we will have to reach some agreement with the other political parties." Prachanda's reaction to Thursday's news was subdued -- he spoke about the mechanics of government and shied away from grand statements about Nepal's future. It was clear that the Maoists, who have led the vote tally since counting began, have moved past celebrating and are now trying to figure out just how to run the country.

Coffee With the Bishop

This is one of the most fantastic interviews of NT Wright I've ever read. Most of you know that NT Wright has been tremendously influential in my spiritual formation. If you are interested in him at all, you should take five minutes and read this. It addresses the Gospel in Public, John Piper, Doug Wilson, Resurrection, The Ascension, Third World Debt, his upcoming book on Paul (rubbing my hands together), and much more.
Read it: Wax with Wright

For those of you who don't know, NT Wright is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and probably the world's leading New Testament scholar. He studied at Oxford and Cambridge, was a former professor at McGill and Oxford, and was previously the Canon Theologian of Westminster.

Vancouver and Out

Tonight we will be getting on a plane in Seattle to head back to Denver. It has been a heck of a time, and much needed. Jenny made an interesting point when she told me she had planned this trip. She said, "Well, we are heading to Nepal in just ten months, and then we will be there for several years. By the time we come back, we may already have children or we will be ready to have children. This could be our last chance to travel around our home country without kids." I thought it was a good point, and it has turned out to be a remarkable trip.

The highights of the last three days: tulip festival near Mount Vernon, wine tasting in the Pacific Northwest, exploring small coastal fishing villages, the town of Fair Haven, camping out in a small state park near the border, touring the University of British Columbia's Botanical gardens (amazing!), checking out Regent College (home of JI Packer and Eugene Peterson), walking down Jericho Beach, eating Afghan food, riding a tandem bike around Stanley Park and the seawall, exploring various old churches, having communion at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver, , strolling through Gas Town and China Town, and having romantic meals in small coffee shops and cafes.

Pictures to come soon, and a post or two by Jenny... I promise.

Two Days Down

Two days down in Seattle, and it is everything I hoped it would be. Romantic, exciting, new, beautiful and adventurous. Highlights so far: Pike Place Market, World's First Starbucks, Space Needle, the troll under the bridge, Capital Hill, Mars Hill Church, taking the ferry to Bainbridge, the brew pubs, and walking hand in hand with my lover around the city. We have stayed the last two nights in the Green Tortoise Hostel, but we are heading out today for Mount Vernon area. Stay tuned, and we'll keep you posted.

Unbelievable Birthday

Well, my wife threw me an unbelievable birthday party tonight at the apartment. And aside from the Literary Study Bible (which I have been coveting for months), a membership to the Boulder Wine Club (from Jenny's parents), and the a bottle of Woodford Reserve Bourbon (thanks Tim), the big surprise of the night is that my wife surpised me with a trip to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow (well, technically today)!!!

We are flying out for Seattle at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, going to Mars Hill Church on Sunday (I love that my wife knows me so well), checking out the original Starbucks, going to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, heading out to the San Juan Islands, and then we are going up to Vancouver. I have no idea how she pulled this off. She even got my shifts covered at work without me knowing. Unbelievable!!! My wife is indescribably thoughtful and amazing. I have never had such a birthday surprise in my life. I'll give a full report here when we get back.

I love you Jen.

Apostles to the Apostles

If you believe, as I do, that God is sovereign in all of life, then what are the implications of the fact that He ordained that women be the first witnesses to the resurrection? Apostles to the Apostles if you will.

I'm not sure the weight of this reality has been sufficiently felt by modern evangelicalism, especially Reformed types like myself. It would have been an apolegetic liability to the early church, and yet, there it is, in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Next Up

...for those of you observing a Christian Calendar,

May 1st -- Day of Ascension

May 11th -- Pentecost

I'd love to hear from those of you who are thinking of observing these days and how you go about doing it. My wife and I started observing the Christian Calendar this past Advent season and it has been tremendously beneficial to both of us. As I've never celebrated either of these days before (my Reformation hertiage threw the baby out with the bath water), I'm still looking into exactly how Christains have gone about their discipline of celebration.

Tell Us How You Really Feel Piper

The Good Bishop on The Mission of the Church

Mission must urgently recover from its long-term schizophrenia. The split between saving souls and doing good in the world is not a product of the Bible or the gospel, but of the cultural captivity of both. The world of space, time, and matter is where real people live, where real communities happen, where difficult decisions are made, where schools and hospitals bear witness to the "now, already" of the gospel while police and prisons bear witness to the "not yet."...And the church that is renewed by the message of Jesus' resurrection must be the church that goes to work precisely in that space, time, and matter. -- N.T. Wright

Ballard Update

Well, sorry we have been away from the blogosphere lately, but here (by popular demand) is a quick update:

Jenny and I are enjoying marriage tremendously. We keep waiting for it to get proverbially difficult, but it continues to be nothing but pleasant.

Jenny is working at Pharmaca and I am still working at BSH. Our jobs are good as far as jobs go. We enjoy them, but we are really looking forward to heading to the Himalayas.

We have a Nepali language helper here in Boulder who is slowly but surely helping our language training come along.

We went up and did some hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park this week and got some much needed time in nature. We are looking forward to spring here on the front range and getting in mountains as much as possible.

Books we've been reading:
Surprised by Hope
The Reason for God
Cultural History of Nepal
Kingdom Under Siege: History of Nepal's Maoist Movement
The Resurrection of the Son of God
Dancing with Siva
History of Tibet
Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees

Nepal Update

Well, Nepal has been in quite a whirlwind these past few weeks, and we have been keeping up with events as we prepare to head to Kathmandu in about 10 months. In fact, you might say that things are a bit of a mess over there. If it is not, it will do until the mess gets there. For those of you who are interested, here is a rundown of the latest events:

A Maoist Bomb Killed Two Yesterday in Jajarkot

Two Were Killed by a Bomb in Biratnagar on Friday

Nepalese Police Arrested 84 Protesting Tibetan Exiles on Saturday

Peace Rehabilitation Center

These are some very informative videos about the organization that Jenny and I will be moving to Nepal to help with next year.

Part 1


Part 2

Seminary Anyone?

Thinking about going to seminary? Currently in seminary? Check this out:

For Theological Students

Peter the Brave (or Going for the Kill)

Some thoughts on a conversation I had with a good friend a few months ago.

My Issues

With 2008 being an election year, and with myself being a blogger with professed political interest, I thought it was time to show my cards. What follows is a rundown of issues that I think are important, my position, where that position falls on the left/right spectrun, and an explanation of my position. Please feel free to interact with me on this one. I would appreciate feedback.

War: Anti-war. Abolish war. Get the troops the heck out of Iraq. Close down our overseas miltary bases. (Left) In light of the New Testament's radical teachings about enemy love, the global communion of believers, Jesus's command to love our neighbor, and my belief that our journeys should, as much as possible, resemble the destination - which is a place where swords are beaten into plowshears and where they shall learn war no more - I am opposed to war in all forms, and for all reasons. I believe that Jesus' example of willingly suffering evil in order to overcome that evil is the only way out of the vicious cycle of wars and more wars, and I believe that the so called "just war" theory has gone over like a lead balloon. I insist that to resort to warfare, even for a moral end, is to adopt a means inconsistent with the Christian’s calling. The Christian Gospel is primarily a message of love and peace, and militarism & imperialism stand in stark contrast to the way of Jesus.

Abortion: Pro-Life / Anti-Abortion (Right) I hope and pray (not nearly with the tears that I should) that abortion will one day be just as abhorable and reprehensible as slavery. This use of catch phrases is surely tired. “Right to choose.” “Equal rights for women.” The grandchildren of the sixties are waking up to the vagueness and danger of those phrases. Right to choose what? Anything? All laws that protect children limit the rights of moms (and dads) to choose. You can’t choose to starve them. You can’t choose to lock them in closets for three weeks. You can’t choose to abandon them. You can’t choose to strangle them five minutes after they are born. And “equal rights for women”—equal with whom? Equal with the irresponsible dad. Dad has sex and bears no responsibility for the baby. Mom should be equally able to have sex and bear no responsibility for the baby. Young people are looking at this and saying: Something is wrong with this picture. Maybe our lives are as broken as they are because our parents have twisted their hearts and minds so deeply to justify equality in irresponsibility.

Health Care : Universal. Possibly socialized, at least subsidized. (Left) Why not? We have socialized education in this country. Why? Because we believe that an educated country is a better off country. In the same way, a healthy society is better than an unhealthy one. We also have socialized fire departments, police departments, roadways, etc., and we have managed to not become marxist commies. If you can find money to kill Iraqis, then you can find money to help Americans. We are the only large, developed country that hasn't clued in on this.

Marriage: Get the government out of my marriage (Far Right - almost Libertarian). Marriage is a religious institution, not a civil one. The government shouldn't have anything to say about my marriage. You cannot legislate righteousness. I am interested in the ideas of civil unions for govenmental purposes.

Imperialism: Anti-Empire, Anti-Imperialism (Left) America is becoming a defacto empire, especially through the arm of uncontrolled American-based global corporations. Which leads me to my next point....

Corporations: Stronger anti-trust laws. Limit corporate power. (Left) Corporations control our country and our foreign policy more than the politicians do, and certainly more than the People (capital P) do, and they aren't governed by conscience, they are governed by earning. This is getting out of hand. Time to pull in the reigns.

Capitalism: Conscious Capitalism (I can't find this on the political spectrum). I support capitalism as the best economic system that we have come up with so far, but this social darwinianism of earning as much as you can at whatever cost is maddness. We need a capitalism that has social, environmental, and moral boundaries.

Guns: Right to bear arms, not assault rifles and grenade launchers. (Slight Right). People should be able to own guns for sport and for hunting. Guns don't kill people, people kill people. However, I can see nothing good that can come from M16 wielding citizens.

Education: More funding, better pay for teachers. (Moderate) Our children are our future. An educated society is harder to govern, and that is a good thing. Governments should be afraid of their people, no the other way around. Everyone benefits from an educated society.

Taxes: No more IRS. Back to the gold standard. Sales Taxes, not Income Taxes (Far Right) We need to stop printing money out of thin air. AND, the Federal Reserve is a private (!) bank. What the heck? Tax spending so that people who are trying to be frugal and save aren't punished, and people who have money to spend on Ferraris carry more of the burden.

Death Penalty: No more. Done. (Left) We need a consistent ethic of human life. No war. No abortion. No death penalty.

Peace: Department. (My own idea) We have a Department of Defense, and a Department of Homeland Securtiy (waste of money), why not a Department of Peace.

Democracy: The fairest, most just system of governing a society that we have thought up so far...if people show up to vote!!! It is not without it's flaws. Perhaps in the future we will have something even better. Until then, democracy is where it is at.

Two Party System: Bad (Left?) We need more parties that more acurately reflect the people who are registered under them. This would also force us to learn to work together.

Political Accountability: More (?) Politicians should be held to account for their good and bad decisions by more than just getting voted out if they do a bad job. That seems very a very trite punishment for starting an unjust war that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Campaign Financing: Gov't Financed (Left) Each candidate should get a set amount of money to spend from the public, and that is all they get. This keeps rich elites from always running the show, and it keeps the influence of corporate lobbies at a minimum.

There you have it, or at least a part of it. As you can see, I don't light up particularly well with either party, so I have got my work cut out for me when it comes to voting (which I strongly believe in).

The Smart Shepherd

I know I just did a post on Keller, but NewsWeek just did an article on him that is a must read. Check it: The Smart Shepherd

Update: I just read the article again, and it is really and truly worth your time.

Keller's Reasons

Tim Keller's new book The Reason for God comes out in a week or so. Tim Keller (along with John Piper and NT Wright) has had some of the most profound impact on my life and living. This is the first book that he has written for the general public, and I am anxious to get it in my hands (He wrote a book entitled Ministries of Mercy for people in "vocational Christian service" a few years back).

His church, Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, has put up some free sermons related to the book. Whether you read the book or not, I really recommend them. Enjoy:

Exclusivity: How can there be just one true religion?

Suffering: If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world?

Absolutism: Don't we all have to find truth for ourselves?

Injustice: Hasn't Christianity been an instrument for oppression?

Hell: Isn't the God of Christianity an angry Judge?

Doubt: What should I do with my doubts?

Literalism: Isn't the Bible historically unreliable and regressive?

TIME Magazine interviews Wright

TIME Magazine just interviewed NT Wright about his new book Surprised by Hope and his views on Heaven.

Read the interview here.

Another Book to Get Excited About

Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy by Steve Monsma

“Urgent, compelling, readable. An important book on a crucial topic. Monsma’s entire life—as a successful politician and a gifted professor of political science—has prepared him to write this clear, compelling book. Every Christian with any interest in politics should read it.” —Ronald J. Sider, Evangelicals for Social Action

“Monsma is one of the most important scholars writing on church-state issues today. This latest contribution is perhaps his finest work. It brings together his wide-ranging knowledge of the history of politics and jurisprudence with a theological seriousness that is often lacking in church-state scholarship.” —Francis J. Beckwith, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies, Baylor University

About the Author

STEVE MONSMA is a senior research fellow at the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College and professor emeritus of political science at Pepperdine University. He has published widely in the fields of church-state relations and faith-based nonprofit organizations.

Abortion Debate Transcript

Here is the transcript from the Boonin-Kreeft Abortion Debate that I went to a few weeks ago. Sorry this is so late. Moving and getting back to work has kept me rather busy lately. Enjoy...I did.

Surprised By Hope

One of the the most exciting Christian books of the year will be available on February 5th.

Surprised By Hope by NT Wright.

Synopsis: What do Christians hope for? To leave this wicked world and go to 'heaven'? For the 'kingdom of God' to grow gradually on earth? What do we mean by the 'resurrection of the body', and how does that fit with the popular image of sitting on clouds playing harps? And how does all this affect the way we live in the here and now?

Tom Wright, one of our leading theologians, addresses these questions in this provocative and wide-ranging new book. He outlines the present confusion about future hope in both church and world. Then, having explained why Christians believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus himself, he explores the biblical hope for 'new heavens and new earth', and shows how the 'second coming' of Jesus, and the eventual resurrection, belong within that larger picture, together with the intermediate hope for 'heaven'. For many, including many Christians, all this will come as a great surprise.Wright convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death.

For if God intends to renew the whole creation - and if this has already begun in Jesus' resurrection - the church cannot stop at 'saving souls', but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God's kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life.Lively and accessible, this book will surprise and excite all who are interested in the meaning of life not only after death but before it.

A Dream worth Dreaming

The entire "I Have a Dream" speach by Martin Luther King Jr.:

I Have a Dream

Towards a Biblical View of Community

1.) We need to stop elevating personal "quiet times" (which means isolating yourself from community to read your bible) and individual prayer over against more communal Christian activities.

2.) We need to have a higher esslesiology. Church is not merely an institution created by God to help individuals who have a "personal relationship with Jesus" (is that phrase even in the NT???) to get through life sinning less while waiting to be taken up to heaven. The church is what Jesus continues to do on the earth (Acts 1.1-2). The church community is God's plan for bring His reign until Jesus returns.

--Matt Larsen

A Royal Allegiance

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Our dear friends Matt and Lauren Larsen have finally started a blog, and it is about time. If you ever read blogs at all (which I'm assuming you do since you are reading this) then you should bookmark this one without delay: A Royal Allegiance.

Two main reasons that I think this blog will be worth your time:

1. Insight. Matt is currently pursing his ThM and is concurrently a full time college pastor. He is wise beyond his years and has an incredible gift for bringing the theological and abstract together with the practical and concrete. He is a student not only of Jesus and the Scriptures, but of culture as well. I did another post about him a while back. See it here.

2. Beauty and Art. Lauren is perhaps the most gifted young photographer that I have ever seen. My grandfather was a professional photographer for years, so I say that as more than a casual observer. I expect we will see some of her art and eye for beauty on this blog as well. Check out her photog website at www.laurenlarsen.com.

So, what are you waiting for? Click on this now: www.aroyalallegiance.blogspot.com

Their tagline:

"Musings of life under the reign of King Jesus, particularly culture, theology, photography, our baby, politics, mission, and community."

Abortion Debate at CU

My wife and I are going to a debate on "Is Abortion Morally Justifiable?" featuring Dr. David Boonin (a University of Colorado philosophy professor, author of In Defense of Abortion) and Dr. Peter Kreeft (prolific author and professor at Boston College) at The University of Colorado at Boulder tonight in Humanities Room 1B50 at 7:00 PM.

I'm going to take notes as well as I am able and I will post them here on the blog, perhaps with some comment as well. Check back tomorrow or the day after and they should be up.

May the Lord be pleased to end this deplorable injustice in our country. Amen.

Back in Boulder

Well, Jenny and I are back in Boulder. While we wait for our apartment application to go through we are staying with our dear friends Brady and Julie. Brady was kind enough to provide me with his newest home brew as soon as I walked through the door, a well hoped Imperial India Pale Ale. It is nice to be back in a place with seasons, although I miss the fam in Texas.

Our next twelve months will be mostly devoted to our church plant and getting ready for Nepal. In addition, I will also be working for the Homeless Shelter here in town and beginning, at long last, seminary through Reformed Theological's distance learning program. Jenny is hunting for a part time job as well, and is hoping to get her Yoga Therapy certification. We've already found a Nepali language helper, and are super jazzed to get our feet really wet with our church internship.

Marriage is a blast so far, and no real seismic activity to speak of. My wife is just as delightful in our home as she is out in public. Continue to keep us, our marriage, and our work in your prayers.

Peace,
The Ballards

I Want This Book

Theology in the Context of World Christianity

It's no secret that the center of Christianity has shifted from the West to the global South and East. While the truths of the Christian faith are universal, new contexts bring new questions, new understandings, and new expressions. What does this mean for theology? Is the Christian faith not only culturally translatable, but also theologically translatable?

Theological reflection is alive and well in the majority world church, and these new perspectives need to be heard, considered, and brought into conversation with Western theologians. Global theology can make us aware of our own blind spots and biases. Because of its largely conservative stance, global theology has much to offer toward the revitalization of Western Christianity. Tennent examines traditional theological categories in conversation with theologians from across the globe, making this volume valuable for students, pastors, missionaries, and theologians alike.

Timothy C. Tennent (PhD, University of Edinburgh, Scotland) is professor of World Missions and Indian Studies and director of missions programs at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Friar Smith

An elder at my church, and my dear friend, Brady Smith won the prestigious annual Mountan Sun homebrewing contest with his Ladies' Man Stout. Combining Honey, rose petals, and Cognac, it is "one complex, smooth, and quaffable Stout!" Brady also happens to be the man who brewed all the beer for our wedding reception. The Mountain Sun is one of the best micro/craft breweries in the States (and my personal favorite), and this is one of the biggest homebrew comps around. Mr. Smith has proven himself to be one of the most capable home brewers in the Rocky Mountain Region, if not the States. If you are ever in Boulder, CO and are fortunate enough to track down the legendary Friar, it will be well worth your effort. Also, if you are in Boulder in February, the Ladies Man Stout will be on tap at The Suns. Congrats to Brady. May this be just the beggining in a long line of delicious craftsmanship.

Here is the announcement from the Sun:

The Mt Sun Brew Team has completed the judging process for our 2nd annual Stout Month Homebrew contest. As usual, we tasted a variety of great beers, and it was difficult to pick only one. We were really impressed with the creativity and wide variety of ingredients that we came across this year. It always makes for a fun tasting session and a difficult judging process!

This year's winner is Brady Smith with Ladies' Man Stout. Combining Honey, rose petals, and Cognac, this is one complex, smooth, and quaffable Stout!

Take Care,
Brian Hutchinson
Brewer Mt Sun/Southern Sun