Comments on: A Few Things I’ve Wondered About Lately

By: nick

nick — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:25:44 +0000

7. Perhaps I’ll have to go back and review the text again. I do recall he used the word “diabolical” at one point, though I don’t recall why. In any case I did appreciate the honest, straightforward way he wrestled with the scripture. It’s his very personal review that largely comes from a literary angle. Obviously this is not exhaustive of the spiritual realities that lie uncontemplated therein, but I thought it was a helpful introduction at the time. However, I have to admit that I really don’t remember anything he said about the nature of God. Thanks.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:09:55 +0000

Hi Nick,

1. There’s an article called “Carnivores Creedo”, but that is not the same. There’s some indication it might be from an older comedic act, but no concrete info on that yet.

3. Good one, never thought of that!

5. If you go far back enough, I think you will find the Psalms being at least more prominent in all Christian worship. I guess I’m thinking of modern exclusive uses of it. Probably some isolated group somewhere, I imagine!

6. In the movie, Hitchens acknowledges that not haivng anyone to argue is one plus side to it, but not THE reason. Great point about “though I’d imagine that the last Christian would end up behind glass in a museum somewhere, where he couldn’t hurt anyone anymore”

7. I’m not completely done Reflections on the Psalms yet, so I can’t comment on it in its totality. But its quite out there, I think. Left field. Among other things, he’s flailing all over the place with judgments against the Psalmist, not to mention Job, etc. Really shaky on the Scriptures, that we shouldn’t condone certain Psalms, calling parts of the scripture “devilish” and making serious accusations against the Psalmist as being sinful and wrongheaded. I totally understand what Lewis is struggling with and they aren’t easy topics, but the resolution is totally compromised and wrong headed. Lewis’ medicine here is worse than the thing that supposedly needs “curing”. What Lewis introduces about the nature of God and His Word is worse than any “difficult” Psalm. Honestly, I was not at all expecting this–I though this would be a good read. Now, granted, there are good parts–really good parts, no doubt, but also some really, really bad parts. Too much bathwater, not enough baby.

Thanks for your comments and help, Nick.

By: nick

nick — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:32:20 +0000

1. I wish I did. According to a simple Google search, the full credo shows up on websites going back to 06, but even then they’re referencing email signatures. The only name that appears in conjunction with it is “Jim Williams”, though I didn’t see any with contact details. The first lines show up in a Google Book search referencing a Guardian article from 1997, though I didn’t see anything else. I have to admit that it strikingly sounds like something Samuel Johnson would’ve said, but I have no way to confirm that.

3. I always though vanTillian theology looked a little something like the game “Go”.

5. Good question. I think Methodism may have a tradition of chanting the Psalms, though it seems like many of the small, rather tetchy Arminian groups despise anything smacking of Rome (which somehow ends up including most all liturgy, including traditions of Psalmody). Then again, that’s coming from a very small sample (I don’t get out very much). Then again if Arminian means non-Calvinist, then I’d imagine that a number of other groups would come pretty close.

6. I think he likes having voices of dissent around. The idea of completely squashing out anything probably wouldn’t sit with commitment to freedom of thought (though I’d imagine that the last Christian would end up behind glass in a museum somewhere, where he couldn’t hurt anyone anymore).

7. I liked his stuff on the Psalms…what did I miss?