1. Wilco’s new record, Wilco (The Album), leaked earlier this week, prompting the band to stream it on their site for free. A serious review would be premature, but I will say that upon my initial listen, the songs strike me as stronger than those on Sky Blue Sky and the production a bit tighter. Which is good news, as I have been starting to agree with this guy. The mockingbird in me is also excited about the way Jeff plays with the Jesus imagery in “I’ll Fight”, the My Sweet Lord pastiche of “You Never Know”, and the touching humility of “Solitaire” (sample lyric: “It took too long to see/I was wrong to believe/In me only”).
2. An utterly fascinating article entitled “What Makes Us Happy?” in the new Atlantic Monthly, reporting on the longest-running (begun in 1937!) longitudinal study of mental and physical well-being ever attempted, the Grant Men study. A few choice findings from the mouth of head researcher, Dr. George Vaillant:
“[When] asked, ‘What have you learned from the Grant Study men?’ Vaillant’s response: ‘That the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people.'”
“What we do affects how we feel just as much as how we feel affects what we do.”
“It’s very hard for most of us to tolerate being loved.”
The accompanying video is also gripping. His bit on exhortation and forgiveness at about 3 min mark is particularly relevant:
3. The latest volley in the American Religious Identity Survey discussion over at ChristianityToday.com entitled “The New (Evangelical) Mainline”, much of it a response to the recent Newsweek article, “The End Of Christian America”. The CT article contains such potentially-awesome-but-ultimately-disappointing lines as:
“A rigorous and public recommitment to the unchanging truth of the gospel is essential if we are going to continue in bringing more people to the foot of the Cross and assist them in becoming fully devoted followers of Christ.” [i.e. Law-Gospel-Law… sigh. I recommend Aaron’s assessment from a couple months ago.]
4. What did you think of all the TV season finales this week? I felt LOST delivered the goods, bigtime (as always The A/V Club review says it all) and would love to hear your thought and theories (especially you, Jacob…). The Office was a tad lame/obvious – though Rolf strikes me as having potential – and 30 Rock had a good-not-great end to a good-not-great season, albeit scoring serious points as per normal with Dr. Spaceman. Oh and Dollhouse finished on a serious high – please God don’t let FOX cancel another great series. (I am glad to hear they’re putting Sit Down Shut Up out of its misery…).
COMMENTS
26 responses to “Another Week Ends: Wilco, Happiness, Evangelicalism, LOST, Dr. Spaceman”
Leave a Reply
LOST WAS RIDICULOUS!
I will probably watch the season finale again.
Bones finale was really a “what the…huh??” with a kind of lame/cliche plot device at the end.
How is that line frm CT law-gospel-law? How is desiring churches to be involved in the discipleship of christians law?
Anonymous, it is because often times the word “discipleship” is code word for “control” and just becomes the furtile ground for works righteousness! Now, of course your going to disagree but that is o.k. and you just keep on being discipled.
I have a confession, I never got into Lost. I was really into Surface (with Jady and Liza Koch) when Lost first came out. I did watch the Biggest Loser and once again I am filled with envy. In the begining I always have such compassion for the people, but by the end of the show most of them are lighter than me (and despite all the discipleship in the world) I still can’t help but be very jealous.
Wow. Snarky.
Thanks for helping me understand how you guys comprehend the call to make disciples.
Hi anonymous. Sorry about the snarkiness. I think Jacob was trying to be funny. What I would say is this: disciple does not mean “serious Christian”; just a person Jesus has called. Jesus, not you, makes you a disciple. Second:
Ok second: we have a high view of the Holy Spirit. It’s hisrole to make us like Jesus. Our job is mostly to get out of the way. So we believe in “discipleship” but not in the way many churches teach it where it is, in practice, 100% your responsibility.
For those who care, I couldn’t resist looking up ‘snarky’ to see if it was in the Oxford English Dictionary…it was!
snarky, a.
Irritable, short-tempered, ‘narky’.
1906 E. NESBIT Railway Children ii. 49 Don’t be snarky, Peter. It isn’t our fault. 1913 J. VAIZEY College Girl xxiv. 326 ‘Why should you think I am “snarky”?’ ‘Because you are! You’re not a bit sociable and friendly.’ 1953 E. COXHEAD Midlanders x. 247 I’ve known you were the soul of kindness, under that snarky way. a1974 R. CROSSMAN Diaries (1976) II. 627 We also have to overcome something elsethe stream of anti-government propaganda, smearing, snarky, derisive, which comes out of Fleet Street.
Hence snarkily adv.; snarkiness; snarkish a.
1912 R. FRY Let. 16 Mar. (1972) I. 355 So sorry I seem so snarkish just now. 1960 Economist 28 May 859/2 In some of his comments on bureaucracy there is a relapse into snarkiness. 1967 Listener 20 July 91/3 Viewers’ letters are not just read out. They are commented upon by Kenneth Robinson (usually rather snarkily).
For those of us who know Jacob, snarky he is not, perhaps smarmy, but not snarky.
The Atlantic clip was gripping. I wonder if there is a book about the study mentioned.
Discipleship. That’s a word that has taken on a life of its own.
It seems that “discipleship” in Christian-ese means placing oneself under the direction of another “more mature” Christian so that one can undergo a process of improvement and become more “mature” (whatever that means).
Sounds more Aristotleian than Christian to me, considering Paul came “preaching nothing but Christ crucified” and saying that Christ dying for sinners was of “first importance”. No offense to anyone, but it might be helpful to interpret the word “disciple” in light of the doctrine of justification and Christ’s inclination to the sinner over the righteous.
Also, since they are Jesus’s disciples, maybe we ought to let Jesus disciple them. Through the Holy Spirit.
Good points, Browder. Good to note that “discipleship” is a term not found in the bible this canbe used lots of ways. It often denotes one’s rank as a Christian and can beproblematic. The key is to define it. If d’ship means Christ’s work in us by his Spirit, then I’m all for it.
Browder and Aaron,
Great comments. I’ve always been a little skeptical of the terms “mature” and “maturity” when it’s used in conjunction with Christian spirituality. I agree that often times it’s meant to denote some sort of “spiritual superiority” that is gained by some means of working really hard to be a really “great” Christian. This seems antithetical to Christ’s teachings and can be a real stumbling block in terms of “weakness over and against strength.”
It may not be snarky but it sure is condescending.
Anonynous,
To answer your original quesion, “Law-Gospel-Law” is a way of describing the approach that some churches take in which they preach that humanity is condemned by the Law, the Gospel frees us from he Law, and when we are justified and are experiencing the freedomt from the condemnation of the Law that is the Gospel, these churches come right back with “do’s and don’t’s” which they call “doctrine”, which is nothing more than Law redefined.
As Christians, we believe that the law has 2 purposes. The first is the obvious…to give us worthwhile guidelines, ie., it is not good for us to kill, steal, etc. The second use is to condemn us, in that we can not perfectly follow the Law and thereby attain righteousness (I have already brokent the Law today…and I’m sure I’m not alone).
Because we can not perfectly follow the Law and thereby attain righteousness, then we must look to Christ and his once and for all atonement for our sins, and to him alone, for our salvation. And that’s where the power of the Law over us ends. Past that, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and our purpose is to bear fruit…the fruit of the Spirit.
We as Christians do not believe in Law-Gospel-Law. We believe in Law-Gospel…that’s it. Then we receive the Holy Spirit, and the good that we do is defined as being the fruit of the Spirit.
I hope that helps!
And just to add Jeff. It is fruit because it is nolonger I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
Anonymous, I apologize for my snarkiness. However I think one of the fundamental problems with the idea of “discipleship” is that it seeks to make us “better.” However it is absolutely clear that God is not interested in “better.” He wants new and new only comes about through death. Therefore when we die (everyday) through the preaching of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit makes the new and we are “born again.”
Despite our desire to move beyond the cross and get into some “deeper teaching” or “meat” as it is often called. All one needs to hear over and over again is that Christ died for you!
On the discipleship point, let’s remember that for many Christians – including pastors, authors, theologians and bloggers – discipleship is not much more than an outgrowth of Paul’s discussion of sin (“shall we continue? Certainly not!”). It is taking seriously the idea that we are called to die to self and to sin. Likewise, lots of programs about scripture reading, etc. that get lumped in to discipleship aren’t bad…they’re just looking for ways to help other believers carry out the Biblical commandment to know God’s word. In other words, it’s a long way from John Piper to Joel Osteen.
And one of these days, could we have a Mockingbird discussion of Bonhoffer?
“Call” or “calling” is also a word that has redefined itself.
How would you define “calling,” Browder?
From my reading of Scripture, it seems that a call is something that monergistically grasps the individual called. Entirely different from an exhortation or command.
I think that Mockingbird will start will a discussion of Bonhoeffer’s discussion of “The Non-Religious Interpretation of Christiantiy”. . sometime soon. . .so be on the lookout:)
I was about to cue Jady on Bonhoeffer.
By the way, “Shall we continue to sin? Certainly not.” is not in Scripture anywhere I can find it.
Actually, the latter part of Romans 7 says (and I paraphrase), “Shall we continue to sin? We sure do!”
Romans 6:1 says “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (2) By no means…
Different context altogether.
David – fair point, but I was angling towards your interpretation anyway. Cheers.
Cool man. I enjoy the give and take!
Guys-
How about that Atlantic video?! The stuff about people’s blood pressure going up when they’re told to forgive is priceless. even though they know it’s the right thing to do…
Many a sermon illustration in there. Watch it if you haven’t already.
dz
I’m def going to use that in a sermon soon, DZ. The fact that studies show two things: (1) Forgiveness is really good for the heart and one’s sense of well-being, and (2) Telling someone to just try to forgive raises their blood pressure.
Great illustration of the fact that the Law is good, but exhortation towards law-keeping pretty much fails.