Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 56 (May 2013)

A brief plug before this outing. Someone asked how I keep track of various internet things. My secret is the wonder that is Pocket. People send me stuff or I see stuff on my RSS reader (NetNewsWire if you’re interested), and then I click pocket in the browser – and can then check them out off-line on my phone on trains and tubes etc. Simple really – so there you are.

Sacred Treasure

• This is a wakeup call – a global rich list tied to an appeal to donate to the world’s poorest. Very simple, very effective.
• A more interesting conversation now that “Richard Dawkins has lost…”
• A brief but pastorally important response to suicide amongst believers.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 55 (April 2013)

Oooooops – this is seriously late!! Many apologies. Been rather a busy week and completely forgot to post this!

Sacred Treasure

• Shhh!! Chris Green on introvert preachers and introvert lightbulb changers
• Eddie Arthur quotes the wonderful Oscar Muriu on the traps of western (though here, particularly American) missionaries in E. Africa.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 54 (March 2013)

Sacred Treasure

• Is there a new US-style religious Right in the UK – Theos argues no
• Research shows that if you ‘survive’ first 10 years of marriage, you’re more likely to last the course as divorce rates for that stage haven’t shifted much
• This is a bit of a surprise for this particular blog: 10 reasons why Creationism should be taught in schools

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 53 (February 2013)

Sacred Treasure

• Great stuff from Keller: Preaching in a Secular Culture
• This is good: 8 ways preachers harm the depressed
• Fantastic news: Proc Trust makes its audio archive available for free download.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 52 (January 2013)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to a great 2013!

Sacred Treasure

• Law and Grace in Les Miserables
• Important booklet on Prosperity Gospel made available by the Theology Network
• Why CSLewis’ Mere Christianity should have bombed… and the lessons we can learn
• It’s done the rounds – but no less fun for that: Higgs vs Dawkins on Atheist fundamentalism

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 51 (December 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• Eddie Arthur has provided some important updated stats on Bible Translation.
• An interesting response to voting in a presidential election
• Barnabas Piper on 7 things a kind wants from his pastor dad – really helpful stuff here

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 50 (November 2012)

Wow – how about that!? The 50th map of monthly treasure!

Enjoy…

Sacred Treasure

• Rowan Williams’ recent interesting Theos lecture on The Person and the Individual
• Tim Keller has been involved with creating a new catechesis – looks very interesting indeed
• In case you missed it, here are the links to the recent, interesting series at All Souls: Great Lies of our Time
  

60-second adventures in religion

I can’t remember who told me about these, but they’re fab. The Open University Religious Studies is obviously plugging its wares – but fair enough. The results are wonderful and very useable in all kinds of places I suspect – wryly humoured animation with the added bonus is the wonderfully-suited satirical voice of David Mitchell.

I Am The MOST IMPORTANT Person I’ve Ever Met

Which is a title sufficiently conceited to put anyone off reading this post. But let’s face it – it’s a not uncommon attitude. It lies at the heart of individualism, that pervasiveness western sickness that lies at the root of so many of our ills. It was the title I had in our current series, Great Lies of Our Time (I’m assured that the talks were not allotted because of some particular problem that needed addressing in each speaker – but who can say for sure?).

You can now download the talk here.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 49 (October 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• A heart-rending 16thC letter of grief from a pregnant widow to her now buried husband.
• Very interesting interview in Third Way with Tanni Grey-Thompson (Britain’s greatest paralympian)
• Covenant Seminar in St Louis have put some great free courses online in their Worldwide Classroom
  

Cynicism or Criticism? Developing an integrated mind at University

This is an update of a talk I gave nearly 15 years ago to some students back in Sheffield. My aim was to help them avoid the classic polar mistakes of either avoiding the intellectual challenges of university or being swamped by them altogether. There are all kinds of other joys, opportunities and challenges when people first go to uni, and so intellectual development is only one aspect of what needs thinking about. But I fear it is often overlooked altogether.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 48 (September 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• Bart Ehrman is a  widely respected atheist NT scholar – this is an important site that engages with many of his controversial (though not particularly original) assertions
• The complexities of translation: you never realised John 3:16 could be so complicated – a great little video from Wycliffe
• Phillip “Red Tory” Blond has a very interesting piece on Western Political Bankruptcy and what ‘is coming sooner than you think.’

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 47 (August 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• Nick Spencer writes the new Cambridge Paper on The Bible and Politics
• Catherine Weston has an interesting blog here reflecting on her experiences working across cultures.
• Threads is a pretty cool initiative by some media folk at EA – definitely worth following 

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 46 (July 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• Religious people are psychotic apparently… Interesting article by Jules Evans from Wired – a classic sign of the prevailing culture that values pragmatism over truth.
• A very interesting critique of the US Christian right from a member of the US Christian right (HT Carl Trueman)

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 45 (June 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• For fans, this will be a huge treat. Abraham Kuyper’s legacy is online c/o Princeton. For others, definitely worth a browse…
• Amazing story: The Passion Play in ‘Angola’
• This sums up SO much of where our culture has come to – with Bertrand Russell’s new Liberal Decalogue, his personal 10 Commandments from way back in December 1951. Fascinating. There is a lot of practical wisdom here too.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 44 (May 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• A really impressive and helpful Holy Week Timeline
• An American anthropologist spent 4 years fully embedded in 2 Vineyard churches in the US. This is a review of revealing result.
• A great project to make the vast catalogue of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermons available online.

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 43 (April 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• The importance of being forgivers in ministry… helpful, brief piece by Paul Tripp
• Keeping Pastor Yousef on the agenda – remember his extraordinary letter from January 2011
• Nice brief summary of Craig Keener’s helpful rebuttal of Hume’s objection to the miraculous: Hoist with his own petard

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 42 (March 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• A very important challenge for all those from ‘dominant cultures’ to walk the path of humility over at the other ‘Q’ (HT Lauri)
• Interesting take on the Bible and Imperialism from Peter Leithart (HT Antony B)

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 41 (February 2012)

Sacred Treasure

• John Piper offers some intriguing insights into why he loves G K Chesterton, despite the latter’s repudiation of Calvinism.
• The Bible becomes a best-seller in Norway…
• An interesting new Cambridge Paper: Guy Brandon takes a utilitarian approach to sexual freedom and assess the financial cost

Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 40 (January 2012)

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Q, one and all!

Sacred Treasure

• VERY grateful to have been sent this last month – Tim Keller on why Ministry can be dangerous to your health. Excellent.
• Lots has been written about the passing of Christopher Hitchens. But worth reading are definitely the appreciation by his (Christian) brother, Peter; and that of former debater Douglas Wilson. Also check out Tim Coomar’s thoughtful piece.