Midwestern Mugwump (mw)2

Its A Wonderful Life - Fast Forward

One of my favorite movies, Its A Wonderful Life, has been condensed to fit in with this week's schedule - 30 secs.  Animated with bunnies.  And if you have extra time, click the three bells at the end for extra scenes.

The Pride of France (as designed by an Englishman)

This bridge in Southern France is pretty cool looking.  I particularly liked some of these quotes:

The bridge will serve as a symbol of “a modern and conquering France,” he [Chirac] said. . . “a prodigy of art and architecture — a new emblem of French civil engineering.”

Except that it was designed by British architect Norman Foster.

Though I assume that a French company did actually build it.

Need A Place To Give?

CT has an article, entitled (ironically for regular readers) - The Church Awakens - about the AIDS crisis in Africa, about which readers are already aware.  Add to that this article in the New York Times as well as this editorial and there are plenty of things to think about and get involved with (apologies to those offended by the dangling preposition).  Whatever the over-arching problems in Africa might be, there is something to be said for not worrying about solving them (not because they aren't worth addressing) and simply exercising some compassion.  Try World Vision or Partners International (couldn't find a link) or Samaritan's Purse.

Donald Sensing points to this post on - Ten Things to Do Before Being Generous.  I'd particularly endorse #9 - Get Your Kids Involved.  We are looking for a way to develop a long term relationship with an area of the world/organization with which we can get involved as a family - give money (in ways that the kids [two five year girls and a three year old boy] will understand), give time (probably small amounts initially), teach our children about that country, develop relationships with people working there, perhaps someday visit, and use all of our talents and interests (as a lawyer, etc., etc.).  We haven't settled on anyplace yet. 

I also think that Christians should make sure that a part of their giving goes to what I would call a 'ministry of compassion.'  While Young Life and Inter-Varsity are great, Christians (particularly affluent ones like myself - though I usually don't think of myself that way) need consistent reminders about what life is like for much of the world.  And it's the obedient thing to do. 

Mark Gerson's "Theology of Culture"

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more on the President's speechwriter, Mark Gerson.  Oxblog tipped me to this 'non-interview' with him in the Washington Post.  Given the President's controversial use of religious language, Gerson would appear to be a hugely important figure and one deserving of more scrutiny.  The article states:

"The important theological principle here, I believe, is to avoid identifying the purposes of an individual or a nation with the purposes of God," Michael Gerson said. "That seems a presumption to me, and we've done our best to avoid the temptation."  [This strikes me as a VERY important line - ed.]

But on the whole, the speechwriter argued, Bush's references to the role of providence in human affairs have been carefully calibrated and fully within the tradition of American civic religion. [I'm somewhat uncomfortable, though not as much as some, with the notion and use of 'the tradition of American civic religion.]

Some participants closely questioned Gerson on Bush's frequently repeated line that "freedom is not America's gift to the world, it's the almighty God's gift to all humanity.". . . They [those words] are, he said, a repudiation of the kind of "American exceptionalism" that holds that God has chosen the United States as his special instrument" [Is that the way they are heard?  Are they consistently misinterpreted?  And if so, whose fault is that?]

"They're not code words; they're our culture," he said. "It's not a code word when I put a reference to T.S. Eliot's 'Four Quartets' in our Whitehall speech [in London on Nov. 19, 2003]; it's a literary reference. Just because some people don't get it doesn't mean it's a plot or a secret."

I liked the article and Gerson's articulation of some of the principles he uses to write speeches - critics were less impressed thinking that the President had "slipped over the line on many occasions."  I would probably count fewer occasions, but nonetheless I think this is an important discussion to have - calmly - regarding the proper use of American civil religion in public discourse and what lines should not be crossed, particularly by those who believe in God's role in human history and should shudder against its misuse.  To be beneficial, such a conversation would have to be comparative (to other Presidents), contextual (occasions, etc.) and complete (full speeches).  I'm not holding my breath.

What might I want to ask Gerson:  At what point does a consistent misunderstanding become the responsibility of the President to utilize different language to avoid such misunderstandings?  At what point does clarity and precision veer into 'deliberately obfuscatory'?

While I'm 'Stalking' LFB

Just kidding - of course.

John Zimmer has has some interesting posts up recently about science, scientists, and his own vocational calling (which is very good).  He also has this interesting post relating Jacques Barzun's thoughts on connecting the Council of Trent to the later coming "Warfare Between Science and Religion."  What I found particularly interesting about the post was the invocation of Trent and not the Protestant side of the Reformation when discussing the subsequent impoverishment of our ways of reading Scripture.  I wonder why Barzun highlighted the Catholic response more than the Protestant events in this process?  What continues to amaze me about the "Warfare" thesis is how the initial "warfare" was declared by those hostile to religion and in little more than 50 years the table's had so turned that it was religion on the defensive.  The trip from John William Draper to John T. Scopes is a fascinating one. 

Barzun (and I take it John) is right about the impoverished way that we read Scripture today.  We tend to read everything as a philosophical or theological text (essentially, like an academic essay) with insufficient regard for the way it was written and the way it has been interpreted over the centuries by the Christian church.  I certainly am guilty of this.

If you are interested in issues relating science and the Christian faith, Prosthesis is also a great and thoughtful read.

One FLEW Into the Cuckoo's Nest

Along with Joshua Davey  (and Jeremy Lott), I found the reports that Antony Flew has repudiated atheism and acknowledges a moderate theism to be very intriguing.  Christianity Today also has a report.  There is also this interview in the Evangelical Philosophical Society's publication, Philosophia Christi. 

I say intriguing and not exciting (and I don't accuse Davey of excitement in this regard, this isn't a response to his post - just a personal reaction to the news), because frankly (maybe its intellectual pride more than theological or philosophical principle), I think it somehow intellectually undignified or un-Reformed or something, to be too excited by this development.  I wish not to appear 'validated' in my own belief by Flew's abandonment (or whatever it is) of his former atheism.  If I didn't find Flew's atheism to be a too damaging charge against the intellectual strength of Christianity (or even theism), I shouldn't find his repudiation of that position to be significantly strengthening either.  Or something like that.  In part, I say all of that because the first time I came across Flew was in reading some of Alvin Plantinga's work on 'Reformed Epistemology.'

That said,  a turning from atheism by anyone should be a cause for rejoicing.  I wonder what Professor Plantinga thinks, I imagine he's intrigued as well.

UPDATE - for what it's worth, I titled my piece before reading GetReligion's take, I guess I'm not as clever as I thought.

Debacle

What do you think I'm talking about?  Jump all over me for being disloyal, I'm dismayed and am interested in how the story plays out.

Sports Illustrated has a funny (or not so) list of potential coaches - including Bono, the CEO of Guinness (BRILLIANT) and ending with Tyrone Willingham. 

There was also some follow up to Fr. Malloy's comments in the South Bend Tribune - including a story about an African-American assistant to Malloy who shaved her head in protest.  It's worth a read and though I don't know completely what to make of the issue (in terms of understanding the balance of stakeholder interests), it's a perspective worth hearing.  And check out the shirts that are being sold - yikes.

Another Good Advent Piece

There is a good excerpt of a Robert Webber book at Christianity Today called - Advent's Spiritual Pilgrimage.  It highlights the place of Advent in the life of the Church and the individual Christian and is well-worth the read.  It highlights:

• Meditating on the Second Coming of Christ
• Meditating on the Longing for Christ
• Meditating on the Advent of Christ in our own lives

And even has a few practical suggestions. 

Some Good News for Notre Dame

Well, this won't exactly bring in the traffic, but I am pleased to note that my former teacher and mentor at Notre Dame - George Marsden - has been awarded the 2005 Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion (and $200,000).  Louisville's announcement is here.  I could go on and on about Professor Marsden or the book, but the long and the short of it is - buy it (its also on the sidebar).  The award notice comments that -

The point of historical scholarship, Marsden says, is not simply to take the past apart and show its complexity, but also to help people see how to put things back together again. “We need to use history for the guidance it offers, learning from great figures in the past—both in their brilliance and in their shortcomings. Otherwise we are stuck with the wisdom of the present.”

This, I think, is what George does with great integrity - teaching us about the past and its lessons for the present, while not distorting the past for our own uses.  It's the constructive nature of this vision that is so compelling and what makes him such a remarkable model. 

ND Football - Looking More Foolish Every Day

My friend the Suffering Cubs Fan has beaten me to the story that Father Malloy, the CURRENT though retiring University President, has spoken out against Coach Willingham's firing.  I disagree with the firing [I also disagree with TJW's statement a week ago that the firing "what can only be viewed as a mistake" (emphasis mine)], but I thought that there were some legitimate reasons for it (losses to BC, incremental improvements in offense, inconsistent play, etc.), though I hated that fact that people actively took pleasure in it.  And while I wasn't heavily invested in the Urban Meyer myth, I thought that his going to Florida was a set back. 

This, however, is embarrassing.  Not just as a public relations debacle (which it is), but as a substantive matter.  It appears to represent a total breakdown in policy making, basic governance and focus on key institutional mission.  This now appears like a poor decision that was developed in an conniving way.  Let's hear Malloy's take (remember, he is STILL the university president):

"In my 18 years, there has only been two days that I've been embarrassed to be president of Notre Dame: Tuesday and Wednesday of last week," ... Having lost to Southern Cal, we had a meeting called by my successor [John I. Jenkins] with a strong presence of the Board of Trustees, which led to a result...There was also the phenomenon of the messiah coach...But I think the philosophical hit that we have taken is a significant one. I am not happy about it. And I do not assume responsibility for it. [OUCH] ...institutions get tarnished in ways that I think in the long run we pay a huge price."

It seems to me that if it hasn't already happened, that mortgage just came due. 

Ironically, the South Bend Tribune had a story this morning about the uncertainty of Fr. Jenkins' vision for University athletics stating -

If he has a clear vision of the future of Notre Dame athletics, it's presumably buried under the protocol of not wanting to upstage outgoing president Rev. Edward A. Malloy.  Nevertheless, Jenkins remains a stranger. And that may very well be the scariest caveat for coaches on the outside looking at the Notre Dame head football coaching vacancy.

Well, with Malloy saying that Jenkins called the meeting, I guess we have cleared up those questions.  (A)  Unwilling to upstage Malloy - NO.  (B)  A stranger with an unclear vision of the future - NO.

To add to the embarrassment - really, its possible, ESPN also has a story about black alumni (BAND is the group's name) being upset with the firing.  Willingham was a strong positive presence for the African-American community on campus (in particular, though also for the campus as a whole).  It's not clear how the administration would properly balance their concerns (it doesn't 'balance' wins and losses, how does it interact with that number?), but I think they are right - there is damage and it needs to be repaired - particularly given the ongoing nature of this debacle.