2 in a row!

What are the chances...

You scored as Moltmannian Eschatology. Jürgen Moltmann is one of the key eschatological thinkers of the 20th Century. Eschatology is not only about heaven and hell, but God's plan to make all things new. This should spur us on to political and social action in the present.

What's your eschatology?
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Which Theologian Are You?

Ironically, I started reading Moltmann about 2 weeks ago for some unknown reason. I don't know much about him at all.

You scored as Jürgen Moltmann. The problem of evil is central to your thought, and only a crucified God can show that God is not indifferent to human suffering. Christian discipleship means identifying with suffering but also anticipating the new creation of all things that God will bring about. Jürgen Moltmann 73% John Calvin 53% Karl Barth 47% Martin Luther 40% Friedrich Schleiermacher 40% Paul Tillich 40% Charles Finney 33% Anselm 33% Augustine 27% Jonathan Edwards 7% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Does Hope Cheat Man of the Happiness of the Present?

We do not rest satisfied with the present. We anticipate the future as too slow in coming, as if in order to hasten its course; or we recall the past, to stop its too rapid flight. So imprudent are we that we wander in times which are not ours, and do not think of the only one which belongs to us; and so idle are we that we dream of those times which are no more, and thoughtlessly overlook that which alone exists....We scarcely ever think of the present; and if we think of it, it is only to take light from it to arrange the future. The present is never our end. The past and the present are our means; the future alone is our end. So we never live, but we hope to live; and, as we are always preparing to be happy, it is inevitable we should never be so.

--Blaise Pascal, Pensées, No. 172 as quoted in Jürgen Moltmann, Theology of Hope

New Member of the Family!

Welcome the newest member of the Flynn family: Ellie. That is one cute dog.

Donny--were you listening to the Dude's story?

Me (with chocolate syrup spilled on my shirt), Donny, Meghan, and Zach.

Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors... and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and... up to... Pismo. He resigned, like so many young men of his generation, he resigned before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Donald Rumsfeld, in accordance with what we think your retiring wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince.

Resident Blogger

William H. Willimon, Methodist Bishop and co-author of Resident Aliens (and other books that I haven't read), is now blogging. I found out from Jordon Cooper. I am going to go ahead and suggest checking it out regularly.

A Peculiar Prophet

Marriage and 'The End of the World'

I was in Raleigh, NC, this weekend for the wedding of my good friends Ryan and Anna. It was probably the nicest wedding I've ever been to. It was over-the-top fancy and I haven't eaten better hors d'oeuvres in my life. It was also my first non-groomsman involvement in a wedding. I was a 'reader'. I warmed up the crowd with Revelation 21:1-5 before Doctor Steven Scott Garber (as the program very nicely spelled out) took it home with an amazing homily.

I love homilies that include readings from Wendell Berry and no one can read Berry aloud like Garber (I think it was a selection from Hannah Coulter but I'll have to check on that). The homily had a simple but profound point: In your marriage-to-be what is your telos, and what praxis is sufficient to get you there?

Perhaps it was appropriate that I read from Revelation before Garber got up to speak. All joking aside, I did warm up the crowd with those 5 verses:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

That is our telos. Left Behind? I think not.

But what is our praxis?

Amen!

This man has been alive for four of my lifetimes.

104-Year-Old Named America's Oldest Worker

POSTED: 7:55 am EDT October 5, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Thinking about retiring? Waldo McBurney of Quinter, Kan., isn't. In fact, the 104-year-old has just been honored as America's oldest worker by Experience Works, a group that provides training and employment services for seniors. A 1927 graduate of Kansas State Agricultural College, which is now Kansas State University, McBurney had a nearly 25-year career in agriculture. He now works as a beekeeper. In the last few years he's maintained as many as 100 colonies. But that's just part of his story. McBurney began long-distance running at 65, and running competitively at 75. At age 80, he set a Kansas state record for the 10-mile run for runners his age and went on to set records in running, long jump, discus and shot-put into his 90s and 100s at the Senior Olympics.

Retirement? McBurney said, "I can't find it in my Bible."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.

America's Young Theologian

I wanted to point everyone to a great post about a guy named Walton. As you'll see it's not really about Walton, but it has everything to do with Walton. You can read it at America's Young Theologian.

"People with disabilities don't suffer from being disabled...they suffer from us." - Stanley Hauerwas

New Website

Hey everyone. I hope you're doing well.

My friend Matt, along with myself and a few other close friends (although Matt did all the work), has started a new blog devoted to the idea of doing business as Christians. It can be found at http://churchinbusiness.blogspot.com . I'm excited to be a 'contributor' to this forum even though my experience in the business world is short and a few years old now. There should be some good ideas generated and hopefully some lively discussion. Check it out.