Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.

CS Lewis

C. S. Lewis

Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.

Tim Keller on Absolutism

by on July 18, 2012

Tim Keller

Tim Keller
(Photo credit: revjasonclark)

In 1992 the Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy said in a ruling, “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” This definition of liberty or freedom has been the prevailing one in the West since Michel Foucault‘s claim that all truth claims are power plays.

This past week I’ve been listening to Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC, on my way to work.

Anyhow, today I listened to one from back in 2006 called Absolutism: Do we all have to find truth for ourselves? in which he talks about absolute truth, personal freedom and the liberty afforded by rightly understanding Christ and the Gospel.

The brief synopsis being: In today’s society, absolute truth is thought of to be the enemy of freedom. But truth is more important than you think, freedom is a lot more complex than you think, and Jesus is a lot more liberating than you think. Surrendering to God’s absolute truth gives you a deeper, richer freedom in every area, without oppression.

You can listen to it & download it here:
http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/absolutism-dont-we-all-have-find-truth-ourselves

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In this thing for real?

by on May 27, 2012

Sleeping Giant - Army of the Chosen One
An army composed, of walking dead, of willing hearts, in this our day of struggle
We speak with fire, we break all chains, the foolish bonds of carnal minds far beneath us
We see the leader transfigured light, he calls us forward in that moment receive
Gives us a new name, on stones of white, and then we stand commissioned searching for the valiant more to come
Chosen Ones!
Oh were rising, calling out your name
And you will hear our anthem raise
So answer us in truth
Answer me!
I know their faces
I hear their names, reveal their future, warriors of regeneration
I’ve seen their journey
I’ve felt their pain
I’ve reached into each shame filled, dark and failed existence
I see them rising my crest in heart, sealed to my vision anchored deep within each man
The day approaches, each life will close
The awesome day we see the Lion and the Lamb
Father where is the army I’ve seen in my visions
It’s the generation the dragon has feared in his dreams
Father where is the army I’ve seen in my visions
We are the generation the dragon has feared in his dreams, His Nightmares!
GLORIA!
Soon we will find out who are the real revolutionaries
Someday we will see who’s in this thing for real!
“The message in the song is essentially that it’s a callout to all of the people that are part of our generation, young and old, not to be lulled to sleep by sort of the circumstances and disappointments and business and all of the cares and worries that surround our life.

“There’s a higher calling and a better reality for all of us — that reality is the relationship with God and heaven. There’s something bigger for all of us. We’ve been praying for years and years that people would not fall into the same cycle over and over again. It’s an anthem and a callout to my generation that they understand there’s something bigger going on. They’re meant to be a part of it. It’s eternal and it’s really important. The irony is we want to show everyone in the generation of people who have given themselves completely and totally to their relationship with God, but not in a foolish and showy way. It’s supposed to be authentic and real, a real relationship, where you would die for your friend. We’re hoping people would actually hear that message.”

Related articles

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The Hunger Games and Racism, both conscious and unconscious.

by on March 28, 2012

My wife and I are both reading the Hunger Games right now. We’ve not seen the movie, but I’ve heard nothing but good things so far.

I don’t often frequent Jezebel.com, but my coworker shared a link to a particularly interesting article about reading, mental images and specifically racism and the Hunger Games books and movie.

Specifically, some movie-goers were annoyed, upset and angered at the fact that Rue, one of the central supporting characters, being cast as a black girl, even though she was pretty specifically described as being exactly that in the book. These really are great and interesting reads that delve into how we perceive characters in literature and movies. Warning, language and snark in both articles.

The second one totally gets at some things that I’ve been realizing when I read, and some questions that I’ve been asking as well.

EDIT: There, Nifer, you happy? I linked to your Tumblr!

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Spurgeon: Figs and Olive Berries

by on March 21, 2012

Awesome:

This fact ought also to promote in us brotherly admiration. It is one of the most beautiful exhibitions of a Christian spirit when a Christian man admires the gifts and graces of others more than he admires his own; when, instead of thinking of anything in which he excels others, he delights in those things in which they excel him. We ought to emulate the spirit of that noble Roman who, when he was beaten at an election, said he was glad that his country had so many better men than himself. It is not always easy to feel, “I am happy in knowing of a brother who is so much more brilliant than I am, for the world sadly needs far more light than I can give.” It is not alway easy to play the least important instrument in the band, and to rejoice that somebody else can beat the big drum, or blow the silver cornet; yet that ought to be our feeling. You remember how prettily Bunyan speaks of Christiana and Mercy admiring each other after they had been in the bath: “They could not see that glory each one on herself which they could see in each other. Now, therefore,they began to esteem each other better than themselves. ‘For you are fairer than I am,’ said one; ‘and you are more comely than I am,’ said another.” So should Christians see and admire the work of the Spirit in other Christians, and should bless God that there are such gracious men and women in the world; while those who are thus admired should, in their turn, see greater excellence in others than they see in themselves.

Interesting:

May God save all of us from bearing two kinds of fruit in this unnatural and dishonouring fashion! Suppose the whole Church of God should act thus, and at one time be eminent for holiness and at another time be notorious for sin, what would be the consequence? Suppose, for instance, that certain people were very particular about their attendance at public worship, and yet were known to frequent the theater, would it not be a strange state of things?

Awesome again:

I have often heard and read that England is a Christian country, but I have never seen any evidence of the truth of that statement, though there are some Christians in England, as there are some in India, China, Africa, and other countries which no one regards as Christian. Yet according to some people, all Englishmen are Christians, though some of them never enter a place of worship, and others are drunk every night in the week, and many do not even believe in the existence of God. To call a horse an angel will not make him an angel, and to call a man a Christian will not make him a Christian. You may label, and enroll, and number the unsaved as much as you like, but you will not make even one of them a Christian by that process any more than putting the name “olive” on a fig tree will change its nature, and make it produce olive berries.

And to the point:

Perhaps someone asks, “But, sir, what is it to be born again?” Well, it is not a mere outward change of life; it is not simply a giving up of certain sins, and a desire to possess certain virtues. It is as great a work as if you were to be annihilated,to pass absolutely out of existence,and God were to make a new man in your place.

Sermon text.

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A Conversation With a Social Network

by on March 1, 2012

Oh hey there, Path. How are you? It’s been a while. How’s start-up life?

Oh, I’ve been good, you know hanging out with Facebook and Twitter, and a lot with Instagram; and you?

I’m sorry to hear that.

No, no, don’t think that; you’ve got a great personality. You’re inventive and unique, and I like the people who hang out with you a bunch, it’s just… well… you’re a bit antisocial still and I tend to hang out where people actually are a lot. I think it’s just that our paths don’t cross very often.

Yes, yes, I know your name is Path… yes I know you’re supposed to be more limited and all that, it’s just that I only have so much time in my day that I can put into “social” networking, and most (not all) of the people I really want to interact with don’t hang out with you!

Yeah. Yeah, it’s not you, but it’s not me either it’s just life, you know?

Hey, I’m traveling next week, how about this – I’ll get ahold of you then and you can come to Austin, too, okay?

Alright. Well, have a good one, tell Google+ I said, “What’s up!”

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