Writing re Wright
I attempted to write a thoughtful reflection on Rev. Wright’s recent speeches, but I need some space. Instead, here’s the best commentary from Tuesday, which I’ll add to in the coming days.
Diana Butler Bass writes an altogether too kind portrait of Wright over the last few days here.
In the NY Times, Bob Herbert writes a much more damning, and much more accurate piece here.
Finally, Eugene Robinson accurately predicts Obama’s bus-throwing earlier today here.
My quick take: not good for Obama, not good for the black church, not good for American Christianity, not good for America.
Update:
Jim Izrael has a fair post on the UCC here (thanks Barbara).
Pam writes an interesting post here
This Wright-related article on Black Patriotism is well done (thanks Catherine).
Joe Klein, solid but not revolutionary here.
Another milestone (ok, a small one)
I received my 20,000th hit this weekend, so I thought I’d write a little reflection on how I’m feeling about the blog. Yep, that’s right: blogging on blogging.
First, it’s interesting how blogging colors the way one lives. In a way, it’s like preaching, but a bit more intense. When you preach often, you live looking through a lens wondering, “Will this work in my sermon?” I do similarly with the blog. I’ll often think, “I should blog about this” though I end up thinking that much less often than I actually blog. This constant reflection on one’s life and how it might be mined for curious and contemplative snippets is great…mostly.
The mirror of the comment above is how cognizant I am that the blog is a public record that could – and probably will – be used out of context against me one day. There’s lots I think about personally, professionally, theologically, that doesn’t make it on the blog because how it might be perceived. Reflections on a particular funeral, for example, I leave off because I don’t want a grieving family to find it somehow and have to deal with public – though anonymous – discussion. Similarly, I don’t blog about interactions with just one other person – unless that person is a blogger, which seems to change the rules somehow.
(A little related story. A Princeton Seminary intern and friend of mine in a neighboring Scottish town blogged about the ruckus in the public square outside his apartment following a football match. The next day he was quoted in the Glasgow Herald newspaper! Mind you, this was a particularly bad piece of reporting as the quotes were just copied and pasted from his blog – without noting so. But, the point is that the entire town read what the assistant minister of Cumnock Parish Church had to say about Scottish youth – and he had specifically written he was drinking while blogging. Moral of the story: bloggers be careful, or at least, be ready.)
I’m also struck how the profession of pastor fits blogging particularly well. A doctor might struggle to blog for all the obvious privacy reasons. A teacher, similarly. But a pastor already expects her life to be public – it comes with the job; it is the job. Pastors also need to be really keyed-into the wider world, have conversation partners, and express their thoughts through the written word. Blogging just fits.
I’ll end with the narcissistic stuff (by the way, anyone who says blogging isn’t narcissistic is confused, blogging is necessarily public and bloggers loves hits.) It took me six months to reach 10,000 hits, but only two months to get next 10,000. So, I’m doing better these days. I’ve been averaging between 130-150 hits a day, with occasional spikes in the 250s. Sometimes I think there really must be more interesting things for those 130 people to do each day (though I have a suspicion that my mom accounts for about 20 hits a day). Other times I figure there’s millions of blogs out there, I might as well strive to be one of the slightly more read ones.
I suspect the vast majority of my readers take the time to click on a bookmark and jump on over to the blog. I used to read blogs this way, but now am totally hooked on RSS feeds (explainer video here ). If you read more than a handful of blogs or do much at all online, you really should experiment with a reader.
Hopes for the future:
- I’ve had a few books sent my way by publishers for reviewing. Sort of an example, Tony Jones’ book review here. I’d like to do more of this, because I love thinking people value my opinion almost as much as I love free books!
- I’d like to get linked more often. My current technorati authority is a measly 19. I guess the best way to do this is just to write well. *Sigh.
- I’d like to use the blog to broaden my community a bit. I have made several Presbyterian friendships and random connections via the blog, and corresponded with colleagues all over the world. I love it when I find a new fun blog to read. When I find more, I’ll let you know
Finally, I’d love to know who you are who read. I totally respect your right to remain anonymous, but, I’m always curious who’s reading, and it would be interesting for other readers to know who else is reading. So if you have two ticks, pop me an email, or even better, comment below.
Thanks for a happy 20,000 (and I promise no more posts like this unless I hit 100,000).
image by lusi
Sermon: Like a Sonnet, John 14:19-25
Here’s the sermon from tonight’s service (spiffy audio above). I didn’t feel good giving it at all–completely my fault in not preparing well enough–but the audio turned out better than I had feared.
I accepted three edits via the wiki page, and though they didn’t change things substantively, they did improve the sermon, and give it an interesting community feeling for me when preaching (lots more to consider here, but when I have more energy.)
Ayr: St. Columba Church
Evening Communion, April 27, 2008
Like a Sonnet
John 14:19-25
My senior year at university, an honor society hosted a lecture series called “My Last Lecture.” I have to admit, the concept for the series did not originate with us, but it did bring highly entertaining and thought-provoking lectures. The idea was that a chosen professor each month would give a lecture as if it was the last lecture she or he would ever give. After thousands of lectures on specific subjects related to their fields, professors enjoyed the challenge of lecturing as if it were their last opportunity.
And so in their last lectures, a religion professor applied the lessons learned from the infamous Salem Witch Trials to contemporary religious life. An English professor spoke on the enduring nature of John Milton. A professor of American Studies–known as a strong critic of America–gave an inspiring lecture entitled, “Why I Love America.” By all accounts, the Last Lecture Series was a great success.
I said earlier those of us at my university didn’t come up with the idea for the Last Lecture series, and to tell you the truth, I’m not really sure where the concept originated–it’s been percolating in America for years. But a close reader of the gospel of John might just credit Jesus with the idea.
You see in John’s gospel, Jesus gives a long–almost lecture-like–talk right before he was betrayed and arrested. Tonight’s reading falls smack dab in the middle of Jesus’ last lecture. As Christians who repeat these same words with regularity, we can say his last lecture is a success. … Continue Reading
Sermon wiki
Ok, I’m determined to get this done earlier next week (and I hope to find a better platform), but here’s tomorrow night’s sermon in wiki format.
The context is an evening communion service generally attended by our most seasoned members.
The idea for you, is to read the sermon and edit it, or comment in the comment section at the bottom.
To access it go here: http://adamjcopeland.wik.is
Then (and this is the annoying part).
Click log in and type “Admin” as the user name, and the pnvmxzvq as the password. You’re now into my wiki account. Then click on Welcome on the lefthand sidebar and click on “Sermon, Like a Sonnet, John 14.” Read the sermon. Add your edits–subtractions or additions–by clicking edit up top. Or just comment in the box below.
You have till 6:00 pm Scotland time, 1:00 pm Eastern. I know that’s not much time. Next week I hope to have it up for several days. I’m quite intrigued by wiki sermons and figure internship is a perfect time for experimentation.
Dastardly Dandelions and Gravel Yards
I hadn’t understood the strange Scottish phenomenon of gravel or pebbled yards until now. I had thought that taking out all your grass in your front yard (or they would say “garden” here) and replacing it with small stones, paving stones, or rocks was pretty silly. Not only does a pebbled front yard look ridiculous, it’s not exactly keeping us in touch with nature, and probably is bad for the environment somehow. But then, the dandelions arrived.
They are taking over. Since I took these pictures Thursday, the dandelions have almost doubled in number. We’ll spend a half our picking them all, and six hours later others have grown back and are flashing their obnoxious yellow heads again.
We’ve tried pulling them out by the roots, but the roots are so deep that the tops just break off and the roots remain, ready to grow back in a few days. And if you actually get the roots, they leave a gaping hole. I suppose we could purchase a shovel and dig them out, but then our yard would resemble swiss cheese more than lawn.
So I broke down and went the horrible un-environmental route, and bought some Roundup. We’ve applied two sprayings, and the dastardly dandelions look more robust than ever–it’s like a freaking fertilizer! For the sake of our neighbors, I really want to take care of them. But, another week of pulling, and I may be considering a purchase of pebbles.
You think you have it bad…or good?
Sometimes Americans forget what it’s like in other countries. Take, for example, gas prices. Yes, I know, gas prices in America are setting some crazy records. (Though CNN’s headline yesterday was pretty silly: “$100 fill-ups arrive, $52 for a hybrid” What?! Gas for a hybrid costs the same as for another car, the tank is just smaller so it doesn’t take $100. Strange headline.) Anyways.
So I just wanted to remind Americans that Scotland – or the UK in general – has it worse. Big time. Actually, I heard a radio announcer making fun of all the American headlines and fuel complaints just this afternoon.
Here’s the facts:
- average cost per gallon in America today: $3.53
- cost per gallon in Scotland: $8.35
So to fill up that 25 gallon CNN headline tank in Scotland would cost $208.75
Though I’m not thrilled about the rising gas prices at home, I’m strangely heartened by them. As Bush himself said, “America is addicted to oil” and it will take very high gas prices to kick our addiction.
I’m a proponent of much higher gasoline taxes, and investing the profits in mass transportation and alternative fuels. Maybe when gas is $8 a gallon in the US we’ll learn to take public transport, car pool, ride a bike, or – Lord help us – think twice about making a long drive due to its ethics. This said, the flip side of our current situation is that high gas prices are hurting America’s poorest most, and I’m not cool with that.
image by cobalt123
Sermon: Money Matters, Matthew 6
For audio follow this link
Money Matters
Matthew 6:19-21 & 24
The headline in Monday’s paper read, “£50 billion bailout for banks may be doubled.” Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling are under heavy fire over the 10p tax issue. The cost of petrol rose 17p per liter last year, and the pound is quickly losing ground to the Euro.
As Brown debates how to shore up Britain’s struggling banks, and citizens owe more on their houses than they are worth and have more credit card debt than personal savings, it is an apt time to recall and consider Jesus’ sermon on the mount.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, your heart will be also.
Clearly, Jesus was not a money manager (though he sometimes does speak in terms as difficult to understand). How exactly do we invest in heaven? What is the routing number for heaven’s 401K? I wonder, Jesus, is heaven’s treasury counted in the NASDAQ or S&P 500?
Christians everywhere will argue over the best way to interpret Christ’s investment management scheme, but in this sermon I’ll only address the most popular three ways. … Continue Reading
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