Links to Your World, Tuesday June 2

You should reflect on this truth until it sinks in deep: “We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. If we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that it is "of him." If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, they will be found in his anointing. If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. For by his birth he was made like us in all respects that he might learn to feel our pain. If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of all blessings, in his kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. In short, since a rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other.” John Calvin, The Institutes of Christian Religion


That quote was in reaction to the Roman Catholic practice of indulgences, which was the spark that ignited the Protestant Reformation. (Indulgences is the uniquely Roman Catholic conviction that there are things one can do to speed the deceased through purgatory.) The practice of indulgences is, unfortunately, making a return in Catholicism. Couple that with much talk in Catholic circles about recognizing Mary as co-redeemer with Christ in the salvation of the world and, well, dialogue between Catholics and evangelicals could come to a grinding halt.


Where we still link arms with Roman Catholics is on the effort to build a culture of life. Catholic University of America hosted a discussion on "The Obama Administration and the Sanctity of Human Life: Is there a common ground on life issues? What is the right response by 'Pro-Life' Citizens?" the moderated discussion between Professor Robert P. George (Princeton University) and Professor Douglas Kmiec (Pepperdine Law School). Ambassador Mary Anne Glendon (Harvard Law School) moderated. Find it here.


Angels & Demons is the new film based on a Dan Brown book--he who authored the earlier The DaVinci Code. Fortunately, this new release is not causing nearly the stir of the first film, but it certainly may raise questions with its mix of fact and fiction. The good folks at Westminster Seminary have created a Web site called "The Truth about Angels & Demons," which you may find interesting whether or not you see the film. You can find it here.


Texting at dinner is a big social no-no.


“Darrel Rundus is distressed that Americans readily can tick off a list of 10 stores, 10 sports teams – even 10 beers, but there's a collective "Uhmmm" when those same people are asked to cite the Ten Commandments. To change that, he said, he and his wife decided to do "something a little crazy." They are taking $20,000 of their own money and posting it as a prize that either will be dispatched via casher's check or wire transfer to the first person who, on Monday, Oct. 26, answers his random telephone calls and can recite the Ten Commandments in order in 20 seconds or less” (HT: MMI)—




A Reporter Ends His Cable TV Dependency; Maybe I Should Follow Suit: “This decision was driven by a couple factors. First, I got tired of paying around $70 a month for access to video content I never watched. I can afford it; I make a lot of money. But what's the ‘Pleasure Return On Investment’ on about $850/year spent on cable? Well, it's unbelievably low, even when compared to something as fleeting as two $200 a plate meals. So, what's the point? Second, our decision was driven by the vast amount of content now available online, legally: iTunes, Hulu, etc.” More at NPR.


“To take the Bible literally simply means that you take it at face value, which is the proper task of hermeneutics. If it is poetry, read and interpret it as poetry. If it is history, read and interpret it as history. It also means that you take into account the historical-cultural context, and the wider theological context of the entire canon.” James Emery White, reacting sharply to an egregious Associated Baptist Press opinion piece.


“Today's Gen-whatevers may not know what Mrs. Robinson was up to, how big a breadbox is, or why going postal refers to murder and mayhem. Younger inquiring minds want to know: Where did all those 98-pound weaklings come from, the ones who get sand kicked in their face? What exactly did Colin Powell have in mind when he described Condoleezza Rice as being "in full Nurse Ratched mode"? And who is this Cher Noble newscasters keep referring to when they discuss nuclear power plant disasters?” From a CS Monitor piece about “retro-terms.” A cute article, though I disagree with the author’s contention that they “send a subliminal message to younger cohorts. This is a private conversation, OK? Haven't you got some Twittering to do?”


Wired magazine has a column called “Geek Dad” that parents of young children should check out. Here’s a review of the new Pixar film, Up. Here is a link to the feed.


Pete Docter, director of the new Pixar film Up, says that as a Christian he's learned that relationships matter more than anything—and Mark Moring of CT says his new movie shows it.


The Guy’s Guide to Marrying Well: “The simple purpose of the information here is to present a path that is as biblical as possible in order to help you marry well. But not just so that you can experience all the happiness, health and wealth that guys who marry well enjoy, but so that your marriage can point to God's glory and His greater purposes.”


The 100 most-read Bible verses at BibleGateway.com