NT STUDIES AND THE SEPTUAGINT

I’ve often wondered this same thing. There has to be a systematic theological argument out there for the ongoing significance of the LXX, expanding on Augustine and taking into account that it remains authoritative for the Eastern Church.


NT Studies and the Septuagint

FORGET FANCY FORMATTING: WHY PLAIN TEXT IS BEST

Here is wisdom.


Forget fancy formatting: Why plain text is best

THE PLEASURES AND PERILS OF THE PASSIVE

Another one for my students, too often taught to slavishly avoid the passive even when their style or arguments would be improved by it.


The Pleasures and Perils of the Passive

DOWNTON ABBEY IS THE EDWARDIAN BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Priceless for the opening illustration alone.


Downton Abbey is the Edwardian Battlestar Galactica

JOEL OSTEEN WORSHIPS HIMSELF


The constant recitation of God’s transcendent goodness and the deference paid to his ironclad ability to lift believers magically out of suffering and woe both subtly downgrade the divine presence into a glorified lifestyle concierge. This God has no real way of accounting for the age-old paradoxes of theology, such as the tolerance of personal and historic evil, or the deeper ironies and unintended consequences of the believing life.




The Prosperity Gospel is heresy in a clown suit.


Joel Osteen worships himself

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH MOVES FROM ROLE TO ROLE


the success of “Sherlock,” the television series that casts him as a cool and contemporary — if brutally rational — upgrade of Sherlock Holmes. It returns on May 6 for a second season on PBS’s “Masterpiece Mystery!”




So looking forward to this.


Benedict Cumberbatch Moves From Role to Role

SOCIAL MEDIA'S SMALL, POSITIVE ROLE IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS


For most people, the choice is not leisurely walks on Cape Cod versus social media. It’s television versus social media.



Social Media's Small, Positive Role in Human Relationships

THE MIGHTY SCRIVENER… YOU MIGHT NOT EVER USE WORD FOR WRITING AGAIN

Follow-up to the Word post, with a light intro to Scrivener, aka the Batman of writing tools.


The Mighty Scrivener… You might not ever use word for writing again

THE COMING BOOK WARS: APPLE VS. AMAZON VS. GOOGLE VS. THE U.S.

A good description of the darkling plain.


The Coming Book Wars: Apple vs. Amazon vs. Google vs. the U.S.

MICROSOFT WORD: 5 MISUSES AND 7 ALTERNATIVES

Something for the students as they write their papers. I see every one of these misuses and more besides. It’s enough to make me start doing a course just on digital workflows and academic tools.



(via Instapaper)


Microsoft Word: 5 misuses and 7 alternatives

NOTES ON POLL-WATCHING

Essential tips for reading the deluge of polls that we’ll experience between now and November; general wisdom for every strain of partisan, completely independent of political views, from Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com.



(via Instapaper)


Notes on Poll-Watching

Q & A: ROSS DOUTHAT ON ROOTING OUT BAD RELIGION

Buy the book; I am.
(via Instapaper)


Q & A: Ross Douthat on Rooting Out Bad Religion

HOW THE FIRST CHRISTIANS UNDERSTOOD JESUS' RESURRECTION


Historically, then, how Christians have understood Jesus’ “resurrection” says a lot about how they have understood themselves, whether they have a holistic view of the human person, whether they see bodily existence as trivial or crucial, and how they imagine full salvation to be manifested.




Just so.


How the first Christians understood Jesus' resurrection

WHY WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

Apropos for the day, from one of the best NT scholars I know of, and just the thing for some common misconceptions.


Why Was Jesus Crucified?

REVISION AND READING ALOUD

A better explanation of what I always tell my students!


Revision and Reading Aloud

ABYSMAL GOOGLE+ NUMBERS: USERS SPENDING 3 MINUTES PER MONTH ON THE SITE

So true.


Abysmal Google+ Numbers: Users Spending 3 Minutes per Month on the Site

WHAT TO WRITE DOWN DURING A CLASS LECTURE

Something for the students or auditors among us.


What to Write Down During a Class Lecture

SIXTIES LANGUAGE MADE MASS BORING

Fr. Barron hits the spot on how to see the new Mass translation.
(via Instapaper)


Sixties Language Made Mass Boring

THE SURPRISINGLY RELAXED LIVES OF ELITE ACHIEVERS

For everyone heading into finals and the end of the semester!
(via Instapaper)


The Surprisingly Relaxed Lives of Elite Achievers

A MINOR FRIAR: ADVICE TO THEOLOGY STUDENTS

Equally good for undergraduate majors, graduate students, and those simply interested in theology.


a minor friar: Advice to Theology Students

THE MILQUETOAST RADICALS

David Brooks is so on-point about the fundamental frivolity and illusion of the Occupy Wall Street movement.


The Milquetoast Radicals

REPORTERS, BAPTISTS, ROMNEY & ‘CULTS’

Just can’t recommend GetReligion enough for anyone who wants to make sense of the ways that theological points appear in the news.
(via Instapaper)


Reporters, Baptists, Romney & ‘cults’

BIG PICTURE AT WORLD YOUTH DAY: 'IT’S THE EVANGELICALS, STUPID!'

John Allen’s take on WYD just past.


Big Picture at World Youth Day: 'It’s the Evangelicals, stupid!'

THE COMING CLOUD WARS


If Silicon Valley were hosting a basketball tournament for consumer money and mindshare in the cloud, right now we’d be looking at a Final Four of Google, Apple (plus Twitter), Microsoft (plus Facebook) and Amazon (especially if they can make a compelling tablet).



The Coming Cloud Wars

HOW TO LAND YOUR KID IN THERAPY - THE ATLANTIC

The unfortunate roots and bad results of the helicopter parenting I see so much of at school.


How to Land Your Kid in Therapy - The Atlantic

"I assure you, there is very excellent services committed at the bridge."
- Fluellen, Henry V