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Monday, January 19, 2009

What is the Gospel?

When talking about the gospels you must remember that it is part of a larger story.  Yes, one could read the gospels independent of the Old Testament, but the full understanding of the gospels is also knowing what came before and after the gospels.  The gospel is a metanarrative, meaning that it one narrative, with sub narratives adding to the bigger picture.  Basically the metanarrative of the Bible goes like this, God creates a good creation (creation story), creation falls, and God is in the process of redeeming it.  By Jesus dying on the cross that was the ultimate redemptive act, after his death there was a shift from Israel being God chosen nation to the invitation for all to enter the kingdom.

Gender in the Church

Since the beginning of time humans have fought for power and position.  The news often speaks of people doing unethical things in hopes to gain better position or power in a job or institution.  Also there are books written about the “glass ceiling”, and gender discrimination. Unfortunately, these issues are not absent in the church, only most recently have women been given the opportunity to assume positions of leadership in the church such as senior pastor. However, there is still people, some very influential that believe women should not be allowed to be in leadership in the church, and for the most part men occupy a good majority of the leadership positions in the church.  The issue is does the Bible say that women cannot lead in the church?  And if this is the case why is this so? There are two main views on whether or not women can be leaders in the church; the complementarian view, and the egalitarian view.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

A Letter Writing Campaign by a Future Activist

Hey guys my sister Kari (age 12) called me a couple weeks ago letting me know that she was starting a letter writing campaign about the mistreatment of sharks. Shark fins are used in China to make soups. Not only does shark fins have no nutritional value, but the mercury in the shark fins are harming those that eat it. The sharks are caught and brought onto the fishing boat and their fins are cut off while they are still alive, and since the fin is the only thing that is wanted by the fishermen the shark is thrown back into the ocean to die. Unfortunately after the shark is thrown back into the ocean their is no hope for survival because the fin is a necessary body part the shark. Here is a You Tube clip of these atrocities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC66ACRpBH8. My sister Kari is asking that friends and family would write letters to those who are responsible for these atrocities. If you want to participate in this letter writing campaign simply compose a letter and email it to me (superchic1989@juno.com) and I will pass it on to my sister and she will print off the letter and send all the letters she has received to those responsible.

Here is the letter Kari and her friend Casey sent out to gain support for the cause.

Dear Friends,