Perspectives on why we won't be American (or any other nation's) Idols

Yikes - One of Jesus' warnings about clergy types came up tonight, as a reading for the first Friday night of Advent:

"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." Luke 20:46-47

The recognition that we are not "better than" and in fact should seek a self-fading transparency is critical to our calling:

"The apostles could not do everything. They did not dispense miraculous gifts upon all occasions, lest more should be ascribed to them than was right... For many things were permitted by God that the weakness of human nature might be manifested."
John Chrysostom, Homilies on II Timothy

It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus' sake. For the same God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of revelation—the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (appointed for use in the "Order for Evening," Book of Common Prayer 1979)

Live from New York: fly-over follies

OK, this video makes me laugh, too (h/t FB friend and Twin Cities resident Dave).

But here's the thing: is this really what a New York audience assumes about Minneapolis?

In reality, Minneapolis has: bars that fly huge rainbow flags (let the reader understand), pro sports (Joe Mauer, anyone?), a major university, gridlocked traffic and no parking, Al Franken, in fact, all the amenities of a large coastal city except the coast (but it does have the Mississippi River running right on through).

The video's still funny, 'tho I'd love to see skits on some of the simply awful attempts at theatre that infest NYC, or a pretentious group of wannabee writers, or... well, let's just say I've lived in The Big Apple (saved my page of the 212 phone book just to prove it) and there's plenty to mock.

Christianity & Libertarianism: are South Dakotans then syncretists?

h/t FB friend Lisa

Ayn Rand: Goddess of the Great Recession | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

I found this long article fascinating. Evangelical Christianity and Libertarianism both have strong voices in SD. When it comes to economics, they do tend to wind up on the same side, although on other issues less so.

From the article:

About the time Fortune was extolling Greenspan, I was putting the finishing touches on a book about finances for a major evangelical publisher. I included a chapter on Rand's quasi-religious philosophies, and another that encouraged Wall Street to embrace a traditional Judeo-Christian ethic. I wrote, "Ayn Rand, like Karl Marx, was one more self-proclaimed prophet who denied the existence of a loving God." I added this comment from a leading political commentator: "Libertarians have replaced Marxists as the world's leading utopia builders." I concluded that we would one day apologize to our children for what Rand had done to our souls, as well as to the political economy.

My junior editor removed the chapter on Rand. "No one has heard of Ayn Rand," she said. But my senior editor reinserted it. He said he had never understood his family until reading it. It made him realize that they had mixed Rand's strongly anti-government, unquestioningly pro-business, and individualistic worldview with biblical Christianity. Theologians call this "syncretism"—which George Barna calls America's favorite religion. It's a religion too many Christians have bent the knee to.

By the end of 2008, "Maestro" Greenspan was booed off the stage. Yet there are at least three reasons we should stay aware of Rand and her remaining disciples...

Fr. Ryan Hall: A video on the Advent Wreath

The video is up at his blog and on the NPA Facebook page. (I'm having trouble embedding here).

I'm glad he's mad at college football hijinks 'cuz he's spending his fall & winter coming up with great Anglican stuff.

Baghdad's Anglican congregation endures, labors on

Inside St. George's - Baghdad from FRRME on Vimeo.

h/t FB friend Kevin K.