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Thursday :: April 3, 2008
Why Every Christian Should ‘Quite Rightly Pass for an Atheist’
by Jon Stanley
“Only an Atheist can be a good Christian.” -Ernst Bloch“Only a Christian can be a good Atheist.” -Jürgen Moltmann
“I quite rightly pass for an Atheist” -Jacques Derrida
On Passing for an Atheist Along With Derrida
When the late French post-structuralist philosopher Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) confessed, “I quite rightly pass for an atheist,”1 it raised quite a stir—to say the least. This was not the first of Derrida’s devilishly pithy comments, but it remains one of . . .
Wednesday :: April 2, 2008
Reconstruction
by Luci Shaw
Sometimes, like an Andy Goldsworthyassemblage, You take us to the very edge
of our collapse. And when it happens,
and the ice is eaten away by its own melting,
and the wind takes the straws, there You are,
ready to rebuild with endless patience.
You splint the cracked bones, tether
the shaky spirits. Even as it crumples
You plan the reconstruction of the body,
resurrecting it for new resilience, a shape that
brings You pleasure, lets You sit back, exuberant,
“That’s it. Hold it right there! Breathe.”
Tuesday :: April 1, 2008
Review of Robert W. Brimlow’s What About Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World
by Clinton Campbell
Robert Brimlow boldly responds to the most difficult objection to pacifist philosophy, i.e., that the presence of an objectified evil, such as that embodied by Hitler in the Holocaust and the Second World War, necessitates violent response. Brimlow argues a Christian position of nonviolence, reminding the reader that the call of Christ to incarnate the kingdom of God is often absurd. War is necessary, we feel, to guarantee our safety and security. But security is not an ex . . .
Monday :: March 31, 2008
Faith as the Art of the Possible: Invigorating Religious Tradition in an Amnesiac Society
by Ronald A. Kuipers
Editors Introduction by Jon StanleyThis paper by Dr. Ronald Kuipers is a modified version of an address presented on the occasion of his inauguration as Assistant Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at The Institute for Christian Studies (ICS) in Toronto, Canada. While this piece does not address atheism directly, it is an important voice in the conversation we are hosting in this issue of The Other Journal in that it explores what it might mean to intentionally decide to remain "religious" in an age in which atheism is a legitimate spiritual option for many. As Kuipers notes, “Through this piece I . . .
Sunday :: March 30, 2008
Creation Sings Praise to God: A Review of Jeremy Begbie’s Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music
by Cabe Matthews
Music is surely the most ubiquitous art form in our world, finding its way into virtually every corner of our lives, and making inroads into every subset of our culture. It’s in the Church, too, in our worship services, at our gatherings, and on our Christian radio stations. How do we approach music as Christians, and how do we with fairness exegete its influence on our culture while also seeing in it at least the possibility of the glory of God’s good creation? Jeremy S. Begbie attem . . .
- 03-25-2008
PROBLEMS WITH SERVER - 03-22-2008
The Grandeur of Reason: Religion, Tradition and Universalism - 03-21-2008
Faith and Writing Festival - 03-02-2008
BLOGGIN' TOJ - 02-11-2008
EDUCATION ISSUE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - 01-21-2008
Upcoming Issues Submissions - 01-02-2008
Happy New Year - 12-11-2007
Mustard Seed Associates Conference Feb 28-Mar 1 - 12-03-2007
Issue 11: Call for Submissions - 11-26-2007
Slavoj Žižek's article in London Review of Books
- Celebrities and Religion, Sex and Politics (and God's good creation) :: Chris Keller et al.
- Thoughts On: Sera Cahoone & Grand Archives :: Luke Abernathy
- The Missional Church and Worship :: J. Todd Billings
- The World's One Hope by Bertolt Brecht :: Lindsey and Justin Holcomb
- Miraculous Exchange :: Artur Rosman
- Why Every Christian Should ‘Quite Rightly Pass for an Atheist’ :: Jon Stanley
- Faith as the Art of the Possible: Invigorating Religious Tradition in an Amnesiac Society :: Ronald A. Kuipers
- ‘God is Dead’ and I Don’t Feel So Good Myself :: Peter M. Candler, Jr.
- The Benefit of (the) Doubt: Revisioning the Role of Doubt for a Genuine Spirituality :: Tom Ryan
- The New Atheism as Inadequate Theodicy :: Ryan Dueck
- Review of Robert W. Brimlow’s What About Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World :: Clinton Campbell
- Creation Sings Praise to God: A Review of Jeremy Begbie’s Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music :: Cabe Matthews
- A Review of D. Stephen Long's Theology and Culture: A Guide To The Discussion :: Haley Clark
- Dark Matter: Reading Philip Pullman in Metro Manila :: Andy Barnes
- A Review of Michel Onfray’s In Defense of Atheism: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam :: Amarnath Amarasingam
- LOVE146's Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking and the Craigslist Problem :: Somanjana C.Bhattacharya
- A Spirituality of Gladness, Joy, and Celebration :: Walter Forcatto
- The Brothels Are Burning :: Heather Coaster Goertzen
- Communion on the Streets :: Monica Klepac
- From Kleenex Theology to Messy Spirituality :: Chuck DeGroat
©2007 The Other Journal at Mars Hill Graduate School, All Rights Reserved | ISSN 1933-7957 | 
Review of Robert W. Brimlow’s What About Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World
Ius bellum says ::
Was that a review or a summary? I wonder if we could get a Jew, Sinti or Roman to review this book.READ MORE >
The New Atheism as Inadequate Theodicy
gdargan says ::
Hi Chad, I just got around to reading this again (been a while!), and wanted to briefly respond. I agree that it is not wrong to "believe in and argue for what they take to be the "Truth"." In fact, I agree with most of what you say here. I think, . . .READ MORE >
Praise Him
bcdavis says ::
thank you. many (I included) want God to send relief for our suffering asap and then confuse such relief (or its delay or complete non-arrival) with his heart and will to save. a mentor once said that YHWH is a poor god; He offers us only himself. th . . .READ MORE >
The Benefit of (the) Doubt: Revisioning the Role of Doubt for a Genuine Spirituality
Chad says ::
Thanks for this article. However, I wonder if there needs to be more clarification about the thoughts placed under the rubric “An Ontology of Doubt.” For what is discussed in this section seem more a matter of a phenomenology and/or psychology of dou . . .READ MORE >
Praise Him
Laramie says ::
Great poem. I hope that the sentiment in last line is not always true.READ MORE >
Reconstruction
leeannfoster@comcast.net says ::
This poem stunned me and escorted me tenderly and sorrowfully into a precious moment with my God. As the tears began to sting, I closed my eyes and saw myself in a puddle of my own degradation, whimpering with soft sobs. And I saw Him patiently, qu . . .READ MORE >
A Few Suggestions for an Insubordinate Idea
Jenifer Hartsfield says ::
Luci, thank you for this very lucid (luci?) poem. My daughter-in-law has recently written about a wild hair from her head whom she calls Reynaldo. She expresses thoughts similar to the ones you have so skillfully expressed here. Your work has serv . . .READ MORE >
Review of Robert W. Brimlow’s What About Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World
mshedden says ::
First off I think the passage you are meaning to footnote is 4:18 at the end of this review. Secondly, while I would agree freeing the oppressed is part of the churches mission, however, to use that passage to point against Brimlow's case seems pro . . .READ MORE >
The New Atheism as Inadequate Theodicy
Chad says ::
Geoff, Just a couple of thoughts: Both sides in the foundationalist debate are not wrong to believe in and argue for what they take to be the "Truth." It should be hoped that any dialogue would be amongst those who pursue something like Truth. N . . .READ MORE >
Thomas Merton’s Apologies to an Unbeliever
ckeller says ::
Paddy, good call, even though Hogan's heroes was a great show, it should read, and now does, Richard Dawkins :-)READ MORE >
Thomas Merton’s Apologies to an Unbeliever
ckeller says ::
Paddy, good call, even though Hogan's heroes was a great show, it should read, and now does, Richard Dawkins :-)READ MORE >
Thomas Merton’s Apologies to an Unbeliever
Paddy says ::
thank you for an interesting posting. small error, i think: "In recent years Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawson, Sam Harris, and others have published best-selling polemics challenging Christianity with little or no recognition of the apophatic tr . . .READ MORE >
The Missional Church and Worship
jnaegeli says ::
Just wanted to agree. I'm currently reading "The Shaping of Things to Come" by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, and they talk about this some. In addition to encountering God in worship, they also talk about church as a place to gain biblical knowledge . . .READ MORE >
The New Atheism as Inadequate Theodicy
gdargan says ::
While I agree with much of what you say in this article, Ryan, I wonder whether you are creating a bit of a false dichotomy by drawing the lines in the way that you do. You say: "Christians have, historically, shared the new atheists’ bewildermen . . .READ MORE >
Texts of hope, part 2
thedude says ::
in case you want to read the speech: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23690567/READ MORE >