An Experiment In The Mundane, part 1

I met up with some friends to see a flick. It was funny and entertaining. Then we stopped by a drive-in burger joint because I was in the mood. But I didn't have any cash and they were cash only, so a friend spotted me. It was all tasty. Also had a taste of mint chocolate chip ice cream, the green kind with the flat square-ish chips. Made me remember great-uncle Buddy as it always does.

I've noticed my clothes, though just washed, have a somewhat sour mildewy smell. I must have left them in the washer too long before drying. Or maybe buying that ultra-cheap detergent wasn't a good idea. On the way home I went to the 24-hour market and got some higher quality stuff and am re-washing everything.

I came across this article on the moral theology of William Ames. No opinion on it yet.

The may flies and lightning bugs are out in droves.

Of Spheres And Such

On Tuesday, I voted for Ron Paul in the Pennsylvania Republican primary. Find out why I did, at http://knowbeforeyouvote.com
It was my first time ever voting for a GOP candidate, and while I intend to vote for Ron Paul in the main election, I'm going to return my registration to the Constitution Party.

This past week I was substitute teaching first grade (yes, really) at the local Christian school. Sure enough I caught a cold. But the regular teacher is out recovering from surgery, so I'm praying for strength to persevere another week.

Speaking of education, I enjoyed the Kuyper Center conference on Civil Society and Sphere Sovereignty at Princeton Theological Seminary. I think my presentation went well (read it here). You can view the video below. Part 1 is about 35 minutes, and the Q&A starts at about 29 minutes. Part 2 is the remainder, about 8 minutes. Thanks to Brian Dijkema, Jonathan Chaplin, Russ Kuykendall, and others for the good questions. I may revise and expand the paper for submission to the Kuyper Center Review.





Thanks to my friend Scott Graybill for driving out to the conference with me, and buying the most expensive brunch I've ever eaten.

We couldn't have asked for better weather, and Princeton was in full Spring bloom. Here I am at the sepulcher of Archibald Alexander. We searched for the grave of Jonathan Edwards, but somehow couldn't find it. Alas.

Before heading home, we saw Ben Stein's documentary Expelled. I believe in academic freedom, so I liked the film and its main point. It makes me wonder if Stein would enjoy reading The Myth of Religious Neutrality. Anyway, it's sad and hilarious to see the dogmatic natural positivists going ape.

Sunday Post
audio

Monergism mp3 library

Christ the Center :doctrine for life at the Reformed Forum

Grace OPC in Hanover Park, Illinois

New Hope PCA in Fairfax, Virginia

Providence OPC in Fitchburg, Wisconsin

The Upper Register, with Lee Irons

Westminster Seminary California

The Academy at Christ Reformed

Presbyterian Polity, with Stuart Jones

These are sermon and theology audio sites that I visit. My audio section was starting to get too long, so I'll be linking to this post on the sidebar.

To Look For America

I wish I could tell you about my Valentine's weekend. Perhaps privately over beer. There's nothing scandalous; just a literature-worthy character or two. The less dramatic events involve my car breaking down, and my having to walk about 10 miles in the freezing cold and dark along a windy shoulderless highway. It was a 2hr30min hike home.

So I'm working night shift at the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant, which resides in my back yard. It's temp work, and I'm proctoring National Academy for Nuclear Training e-Learning (NANTeL) and other computer-based training (cbt) exams for the contracted outage workers. Some of these guys travel all over the U.S. for outages. The parade of Americana is interesting. I was invited to a bar with mud wrestling. Not kidding. If I go, maybe that'll be one for private conversation too.

I've also been working with the Susquehanna Valley Community Education Project (SVCEP) as acting secretary. Mostly, I just take meeting minutes, but I'm learning a bit about institution building. Here's some local news coverage (post commercial). You can see part of the back of my head briefly [at 2:08 - 2:12], on the left, front row.

Here is a recent photo of me and nephew Owen doing some coloring.

Rural Pennsylvania life must be getting to me, because lately I've had a hankerin' for scrapple. And did I tell you about my occasional hangout in Sunbury, The Squeeze-In? Five bar stools. Hotdogs and coffee.

Exterior and interior photos (below) courtesy of Denny Gibson, road trip photographer extraordinaire.

Announcement

I'm officially scheduled to attend the conference on Civil Society and Sphere Sovereignty at Princeton seminary 17 thru 19 April 2008 (about 12 weeks from now) and to present a paper Friday morning (10:30am til noon) at a session on "education as a sovereign sphere".

The purpose of the conference is to explore and critically examine neocalvinist thought concerning its relevance to contemporary debates about the relations between religion, society, and politics. I can't tell you how tremendously I'm looking forward to this. Any of you showing up?

I've been to Princeton once before, in 1998, for the 100th anniversary of Kuyper's "Stone Lectures" on Calvinism. I had just dropped out of college, sans degree, and it was like a pilgrimage to my intellectual motherland with a heavy heart, seeking inspiration and direction. Ten years later, I find myself in an oddly similar state. I'll be sure to update you on what comes of this opportunity.

In other news, I had a good week-long visit from brothers Jeff and Gary. We imbibed in our traditional DS9 fest, bowling and bar routine without incident. Our dear Garçon, natural enemy of oppression that he is, thoughtfully joined la cause pressante.

Be sure to examine my sidebar for a new 'about' page (top), audio and book link sections (above archives).

Educate for 2008
what you don't know about monetary policy is hurting you... terribly

Find out how private bankers (the so-called "Federal Reserve"), irresponsible officials, and corrupt bureaucrats have been robbing you, your family, and other American citizens, causing inflation, devaluing your salary and savings, and driving our government into over $9,000,000,000,000.oo (that's over 9 trillion dollars) of debt at an increase of over a billion dollars each day.

This is one of the most outrageous injustices we suffer today, and RON PAUL * is the only presidential candidate who clearly understands the issue and speaks out for our God-given liberty.





If this weren't enough, Social Security, government medical, and other "entitlement" programs will be bankrupt in our lifetime. See the 60 minutes report with David Walker, U.S. Comptroller General. Glenn Beck explains that the federal government is today $53 trillion in debt (or more) with future entitlement obligations. The socialist system is collapsing and no one in D.C. is willing to be honest with you except Ron Paul.

Ron Paul is [as of summer 2008, Chuck Baldwin is] the only presidential candidate who will uphold the rule of law, reinstate the Constitutional limits on government, restore the Republic, re-establish a just monetary policy, and protect each citizen's life, liberty, and property. Read more on Ron Paul's position on the Federal Reserve, monetary policy, debt, taxes, and economic freedom & prosperity [pdf here].

Update : visit http://www.truthin08.org

Even this ever-increasing "true" debt number looks a little shy compared to more comprehensive estimates. How about $100 trillion?
New flim I.O.U.S.A. is helping to wake some people to the reality (one can only hope). See trailer here.

Thanking Jesus
retro-posted

Thanksgiving was so good, I had two feasts this year.

Brother Jeff came for a visit, and we stopped by to see Nate and "uncle" Steve. Our discussion at Market Cross was just what we all needed.

A thought for the occasion, something I like to read aloud every year after the big meal --The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving, given by the Continental Congress in 1777:

"FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion."

Amazing, isn't it?

This year I'm particularly grateful to the Lord for work at the Academy, my pastors Roth and Paul, and my gracious landlord Gordon.

Allegheny Autumn

I was in the car, driving through fall-time beauty, listening to the radio when Supreme Court Justice Breyer said (rhetorically, implying a negative response) "There are 112 treaties where [the United States] submits to international jurisdiction, mostly commercial, like the WTO and NAFTA. Are all these unlawful?" I shouted out loud "YES!, You Tyrannous Flunky!" wanting to somehow reach my arm through the radio and slap him silly with a copy of The Constitution.

Mars Hill Audio offers an mp3 free issue of their new series Dialogues on Justice and Judges. Perhaps Roberts will help improve things. Now, if only we elect someone to the Executive who follows The Constitution too...

P.Robinson draws my attention to a book on our favorite pastimes.

Selected Shorts at Symphony Space finally puts their stories online.

In several entries Lee Irons proposes how Meredith Kline could have revised his earlier work By Oath Consigned according to his mature covenantal thought represented in Kingdom Prologue [pdf]. Kline said to Irons that "the passages [in BOC] on covenant theology were the ones that needed the most extensive revision. [Nevertheless,] he still stood by the main outline of his interpretation of circumcision and baptism, including his case for infant baptism."

Brother Jeffrey introduced me to quinoa (keen-wah), a SouthAmerican sort of grain. It's texture is like couscous, but heartier. And quinoa is rich in protein, essential amino acids, and iron. It's also fast & easy to cook and has a light, pleasant flavor. Does it sound like I'm selling something? Just a recommendation. Maybe I'm feeling a little hungry.

Say Uncle

After the trip to Iowa, I took an unplanned hiatus from blogging just in time to receive a pleasant approbation (#59). Thanks, Joe.

Sometimes I do keep my thoughts to myself, and the past few months occupied me with a heavy load of private thinking. In any case, I have a few stories to share. The first involves a visit with my friends Nathan and John in Harrisburg over a vat of oatmeal that may or may not be transformed into a delicious and healthy beverage at this very moment.

We discovered that (contemporary) beer is rarely, if ever, brewed exclusively with oats because, after the grain is steeped, what little liquid can be leached from them is more akin to cream. Modern oatmeal stouts normally use a maximum proportion of 5% oats. An update on our chemistry project may be forthcoming.

My car died. This made me very sad because, not currently living in the city, my livelihood depends on having one. Happily, brother Jeff decided not to keep his wagon and I flew out to Chicago and drove back. While there, we saw the amazingly superb documentary The King Of Kong *. You really ought to see it, because it's a terribly engaging Millerian anti-tragedy. Interestingly enough, this theme relates to Fukuyama's Kojevean-Hegelian notion of 'thymic' longing for recognition as the engine behind universal historical development. Take that for what it's worth. It's the feel-good film of the year.

As of the 11th I'm a proud uncle to my first nephew, Owen Jasper Rees!

I've moved to a new dwelling, which turns out to be across the street from the house of Nick Coyle, the lead singer of the Nu Metal band The Drama Club, originally of Strangers With Candy. Not kidding. It's not my favorite genre, but they've got melodic hooks and the band seems like friendly people.

This semester I am pleased to be instructing on Apologetics at the Susque Academy in Trout Run, PA. I'm using Roy Clouser's "Knowing With The Heart" as the main text. Perhaps I'll publish a study guide blog when the course is through (with some assistance from S.B.?). Unrelatedly, after class the other day, I went with my students to the historic Bloomsburg Fair. Mulled apple cider means autumn.

Finally, for your further pleasure and edification:

1. Jonathan Chaplin speaks on a Christian view of state and city.

2. Aaron Belz* reads poetry and catalyzes unity and succeeds in his administration.

3. G.K. Beale speaks (mp3) about his book The Temple and The Church's Mission.

4. Lars Brownworth wonderfully educates us about the Byzantine Empire.

5. Frank Key hosts the Hooting Yard in the style of Garrison Keillor's and Douglas Adams' illegitimate child.

6. My friends, the Costanzos, offer a sophisticated guide to finer points of Japanese culture.

7. Radio Lab has an episode on musical language, and introduces David Cope in the last segment.

Somewhere In Middle America



Extraspecial thanks go out to Dr. Roger Henderson and family for their warm hospitality and encouragement to me while here in Sioux Center, Iowa.

In the above video I ask John Muether a few questions. We are at Dordt College for General Assembly. Mr. Muether is an historian, librarian, and editor... and an all-around swell guy.