Sarah Palin is a Braniac

Sarah Palin's credentials have been questioned and defended countless times in the past (can you believe it?) two-and-a-half months. One of those credentials is her intelligence. The truth is people cannot possibly gather her true intelligence, so they just look for cultural markers of intelligence -- her accent, her attractiveness, her personal convictions all weighing against her. I say this, mind you, full aware of my own heart's tendency to stereotype and cast her aside.


That's why it's helpful to hear an account of someone who's been a little closer to her than any of us have. Elaine Lafferty, a Democrat and former editor-in-chief of Ms. magazine (!!), gives a positive assessment of Palin's intelligence and native ability. While she's at it, she rebukes the cannabilizing comments of many feminists who hurt their cause in the comments about Palin.


Read it in full here. (HT: Middlebrow)


(And, just so you don't think I'm being self-serving, remember my positive comments about Bill Ayers a few weeks ago.)

Sleep and the Kingdom

Justin Mullins passed along to me a word about sleep and the Kingdom. (He thinks he heard it from John Piper, but isn't sure.) It was encouraging and challenging and so I pass it to you.

The Kingdom of God is why we go to bed late and wake up early.

May we remember that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed, that we are in the last days, and our Savior could come at any moment. Let us work diligently without complaint but with anticipation, as if these were our last moments.

Ra Ra Riot

The 930 Art Center is hosting Ra Ra Riot on December 11th @ 8 p.m. ($8 advance/$10 door).

Maybe you're like I was an hour ago and have never heard of them. Well, you're in luck because NPR Music has a full-length concert online. Check it out here -- sounds like a great concert.

False Gospels according to Dr. Tom Nettles

Dr. Tom Nettles delivered a Faculty Address yesterday entitled, "Wie es Eigentlich Gewesen: The Hope of a Christian Historian." He discussed a Christian philosophy of history. (It's not yet posted online, but check back at a later date here.)

I found this thought most helpful.

False gospels are those systems of thought that find our problem in any other place but the Fall and the solution anywhere other than the Cross of Jesus Christ. (Paraphrase)

Hot New Organist

So, perhaps I'm overstating it, but check out the impressive footwork in this video hosted on NPR Music. In it, Cameron Carpenter performs his adaptation of Frederic Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude.

(Link takes you to story page. For video, select "Watch Now"... and try not to be distracted by the bedazzled shirt.)

God Made a Mistake

Perhaps the saddest people I see are transgendered men and women. So much effort and care is taken to mask what is plain to everyone. These men and women tell themselves that makeup or short hair or hormones will change something that is written clearly in each and every one of the trillions of their cells. Yet, they will never be at peace with themselves because nothing man can do -- from decades of hormonal treatment to gender reassignment surgery to fake eyelashes -- provides the change that they wish for. The foolishness would be comical if it weren't so devastating.

The growing acceptance of transgender is a tragedy with ramifications yet understood. With the bounds of life determined only by feeling and possibility, sexuality and gender identity has been grossly redefined. As science advances, the possibilities continue to expand.

In "A Boy's Life" (The Atlantic Monthly, October 2008), Hanna Rosin explores the growing phenomenon of transgendered children. It is excellent. She simultaneously engages the contentious debate among medical doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists on whether parents are qualified to make these decisions for children and the heartbreaking personal stories of parents torn over the suffering of their children.

Take the time to read it in full. It is a gospel issue which needs to be engaged truthfully and compassionately. This is clear from the opening lines of the article, as Mrs. Rosin recounts a conversation between a mother and her son.

“Brandon, God made you a boy for a special reason,” she told him before they said prayers one night when he was 5, the first part of a speech she’d prepared. But he cut her off: “God made a mistake,” he said.

This is the heart of the issue. Does God have the right to tell me who I am? One of the clearest testimonies to the affirmative is our very existence as male or female. We have no part in our "being" - rather, God, according to his will alone, gave us life. The life he gives comes with parameters.

Romans 9:20 reads, "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay." Yet, even at the tender age of five years, we rebel against this reality.

To rebel against reality is foolish and futile. Rosin captures this in a story of a girl who did everything like a boy.

Once, when she was 6, her father, Mike, said out of the blue: “Chris, you’re a girl.” In response, he recalls, she “started screaming and freaking out,” closing her hand into a fist and punching herself between the legs, over and over.

The transgendered movement is merely a more sophisticated permutation of this little girl's rage against her Creator. And it will no more change anything than her fruitless tactic did. What destruction do we sow by telling her otherwise?

What is needed for Chris and other children like her is a belief in a Creator God who is all-kind, all-wise, all-powerful and Sovereign. He is kind: he loves her and desires her best. He is wise: he knows how to reach what is best. He is powerful: he is able to execute what it takes to reach what is best. And he is sovereign: he will do what he wills.

Is this harsh? Does it resign Chris to lifelong struggles? Just the opposite. Here lies freedom! Chris is able to live fully trusting a good, wise, powerful Sovereign Lord for all things, including his decision to create her a girl. No longer does she need to rage against that which she cannot change. She can focus on those things which she can change -- steering her heart and mind and affection toward God and others.

Again, read it in full. May it be a sobering call for faithful ministry in a dark, confused world.

Empire, Suffering and Idolatry (Books to Read No. 2, 3, 4)

Not one book, but three to recommend!

Greg Beale is a great bible scholar. He manages to stay thorough and well-argued while pastorally sensitive. Both his The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (NIGNT) and his seminal study, The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, will change how you read Scripture and how you see your world. So, needless to say, I was excited when I saw that he was writing a biblical theology on idolatry. And the title makes me more excited. We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry is now available from IVP Academic and should be very good.

I have never read anything by Seyoon Kim, but have heard good things about his critique of the New Perspective on Paul. Now, he has a book on the New Testament engagement of Roman Imperialism. Christ and Caesar : The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke examines the perspective of Paul and Luke on Roman imperialism. From the publisher's blurb on the back, it seems to stand in criticism of anti-imperialist readings and applications of Christianity. Paul and Luke are not concerned with earthly empires, but are working towards the consummation of an altogether different kingdom. So, with this book and his book on the NPP, I guess we should see Kim as N. T. Wright's academic arch nemesis.

One of the most emotionally difficult, if not intellectually difficult, apologetic challenges faced by Christians is the presence of suffering in a world created by a wholly good God. A resource now available for this challenge is Suffering and the Goodness of God, a collection of essays (view titles here). Don't take my word for it, though: Blurbs are by Jerry Bridges, Bryan Chapell, Stephen Nichols, and Stephen Wellum. Dr. Wellum said, "Chapter by chapter, the authors root and ground their reflections in Scripture, modeling how to move from biblical exposition to a biblical theology. The reflections are not only theoretical and necessary but also practically engaging. There is much wisdom in this work." This book is the first of a series called "Theology in Community." If this is any indication of what's to follow, it will be a series to watch.

Bushian or Reaganite?

Like FDR or JFK in the Democratic Party, Reagan has achieved sainthood in the Republican Party, specifically in conservatism. McCain and Palin are all the time invoking his name. Even Democrats join in the Hail Marys (being attuned to the phenomenon of Reagan Democrats).

So, we have to be careful when reading about Reaganomics and Reagan foreign policy. People remember only the good and not the bad. The comparison below holds some of that bias, but I think its still helpful. It explains why so many Republicans, especially those who aren't just voting with their upbringing but those that are also political junkies, are dissappointed with the Bush presidency. It's how they say Bush is not a true conservative.

Peggy Noonan articulates (in this editorial) the reason she is increasingly doubtful that Sarah Palin is equipped or even interested in carrying the mantle of Ronald Reagan. She's not sure if she's a Bushian or a Reaganite. Here's her helpful definition:

For seven weeks I've listened to her, trying to understand if she is Bushian or Reaganite—a spender, to speak briefly, whose political decisions seem untethered to a political philosophy, and whose foreign policy is shaped by a certain emotionalism, or a conservative whose principles are rooted in philosophy, and whose foreign policy leans more toward what might be called romantic realism, and that is speak truth, know America, be America, move diplomatically, respect public opinion, and move within an awareness and appreciation of reality.

ESV Study Bible Now Available (complete with warning sign)

Today, I received my copy of the ESV Study Bible. It's always fun to get books in the mail, but this package was especially exciting. Tens of thousands of Christians have been awaiting its release for a long time. Nearly one hundred top-notch evangelical scholars have their hand in the project, and many more men and women whom I respect cannot seem to say enough good about it. In fact, I've almost been uncomfortable with the rave reviews -- from some comments, one gathers that the ESV Study Bible is to evangelical scholarship what High School Musical 3 is to tween girls and boys.

Elsewhere I've noted, to offer another teenage analogy, that my relationship to study bibles is like running into an old girlfriend. I don't know how to relate to them anymore and there's quite a lot of awkwardness. I am so grateful for study bibles I owned while growing up -- they showed me how parts of the Bible related to the whole and helped work out implications for my faith today. Being a lazy student, though, it quickly became a crutch. The way I read them, the publishers should have just organized them interlinearly: read a verse, read the comment, read a verse, read the comment, ad nauseum. Sometime in college, I had to set them aside , sticking to Bibles with only cross-references. This helped my mind to separate Scripture from study helps.

I'm still very prone to entrusting my mind entirely to fallen men, due to idolizing others as infallible, believing in my heart that Scripture, like my other interests, is worth serious reflection, or just laziness. That's why I appreciate this word in the first pages of the ESV Study Bible:

The ESV Study Bible contains two kinds of words. The first kind is the actual words of the Bible, which are the very words of God to us. These are printed in the larger font at the top of each page. The second kind is the study notes, which are merely human words. These are printed in the smaller font at the bottom of each page. The difference in font sizes serves to remind readers that the words of the Bible itself are infinitely more valuable than the words of the notes. The words of the Bible are the words of our Creator speaking to us. They are completely truthful (Ps. 119:160; Prov. 30:5; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18); they are pure (Ps. 12:6); they are powerful (Jer. 23:29; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:23); and they are wise and righteous (Ps. 19:7–11). God's people should read these words with reverence and awe (Deut. 28:58; Ps. 119:74; Isa. 66:2), and with joy and delight (Ps. 19:7–11; 119:14, 97, 103; Jer. 15:16). Through these words God gives us eternal life (John 6:68; 1 Pet. 1:23) and daily nourishes our spiritual lives in this present world (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 4:4). The words of the study notes are useful because they help to explain the words of the Bible, but they must never become a substitute for the Bible itself.

The best way to use a study Bible, therefore, is always to begin and end with the words of the Bible. We should always begin by reading the Bible's actual words, seeking with our hearts and our minds to understand these words and apply them to our lives. Then, after starting with the words of the Bible itself, we can turn to the study notes and many other study Bible resources for information about the background to the text, for the meaning of puzzling words or phrases, and for connections to other parts of the Bible. Finally, we should return again to the Bible itself, reading it with a new and deeper understanding, asking God to speak through his Word to the situation of our life and to draw us near to himself.

May I be so diligent.

My wife on Obama and Abortion

Obama believes in teaching children about the "sacredness" of sexuality as a means of preventing abortion.

My wife's response: "So he believes sex is sacred but not unborn children."

Andrew Peterson: Listen for Free

Andrew Peterson's new album, Resurrection Letters: Volume II will be out soon. You can stream it online for free here.

(HT: JT)

Bill Ayers: "Kind and affable and even humble"

Much has been made by the Republican party of Barack Obama's longtime affiliation with Bill Ayers, professor, community organizer and a one-time domestic terrorist.

I'll admit the issue should receive fair coverage by the media. However, that means that voices from both sides should be aired. We've heard a great deal from those at Fox News & Co. who call him treasonous. I was pleased to see an editorial from Thomas Frank, the WSJ's faithful liberal voice, which spoke very highly of the man. Some of his thoughts:

Bill's got lots of friends, and that's because he is today a dedicated servant of those less fortunate than himself; because he is unfailingly generous to people who ask for his help; and because he is kind and affable and even humble. Moral qualities which, by the way, were celebrated boisterously on day one of the GOP convention in September.

With the qualification:

I do not defend the things Mr. Ayers did in his Weatherman days. Nor will I quibble with those who find Mr. Ayers wanting in contrition. His 2001 memoir is shot through with regret, but it lacks the abject style our culture prefers.

Still, "kind and affable and even humble" are all wonderful qualities -- qualities which arguably cannot be claimed by Rush and O'Reilly.

As Christians, we should give stronger weight to positive assessments than negative. As those who have received so much grace, we should be gracious. Let us genuinely hope that character aspersions, which fly more frequently at election times, are not true.

So, if you are want to believe the bad things about Ayers, you owe it to him to read this first.

Some Really Awful Economic News

Not to poopoo on the silver lining pointed out yesterday, but the economic crisis is still one serious storm. As in most panics, the details are often hard to decipher through the news media's gross use of action words and exclamation points.

If you're looking to understand what got us where we are and what might get us out, take the time to listen to two radio documentaries delivered by This American Life. Like all their shows, its both informative and entertaining.

The first one, a little dated by news standards (05.09.2008) is about the housing crisis. It's called "The Giant Pool of Money." The second aired two weeks ago (also dated by news stardards) and is about the credit crisis. It's called "Another Frightening Show About the Economy."

So, if you didn't know there was a difference between the housing crisis and the credit crisis, between CDs's and GSE's, check it out. It'll be well worth your time.

Some Good Economic News

The nation has received a crash course in economics over the past four weeks. (Unfortunately, lessons learned in crash courses usually aren't remembered.) If you're like me, though, you are a little tired of the doom and gloom headlines. So, here's some positive spin:

First, from the man in charge, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's op-ed in the WSJ: "We're Laying the Groundwork for Recovery."

Second, also from the WSJ, an article comparing our economic outlook to those of other nations: "America Will Remain the Superpower." I like the tagline, "When the tide laps at Gulliver's waistline, it usually means the Lilliputians are already 10 feet under."