Mini Blog #28: Reformation Day

Today is not only Halloween, but also Reformation Day--the day each year when the Protestant Reformation is remembered and celebrated. My view of that event can be summed up in two equally hard-hitting words: tragic necessity. Tragic because Christ's desire, as seen in His prayer in John 17, is that His followers be one so that the world may know that the Father sent the Son. If I may be so bold, I think celebration of such a flagrant violation of Christ's will is completely out of line. Necessity because I do affirm that the late medieval Roman Catholic Church had become horribly corrupted and desperately needed restoration. Were I alive then I doubt I could have, in good conscience, remained within the Catholic fold. Yet because an action had justification doesn't imply its innate good; in legal terms, being proven not guilty isn't the same as being proved innocent. Regardless of where the fault lies, schism within the Body of Christ should never be celebrated. A more appropriate tone would be solemn appreciation, somber reflection, repentance that our sins have defiled the Bride of Christ, mourning that those sins have turned many in this needing world away from her, and hopeful prayer that some day there will be full reconciliation.

Mini Blog #27: Heat-Celtics

Heat

• Jeff Van Gundy is insane. No way they win 72. For as talented as they are, no one has they Jordan-esque eye of the tiger that will refuse to let them lose on off-nights. 60-65 is probably realistic, though.
  
• They'll be far better than they were last night, which was still almost good enough to beat a Celtics team that played pretty well. It's going to be a matter of building chemistry.
  
• Wade needs a tetanus shot for all that rust.
• They have no low-post game, which is a big problem. In the same way NFL teams with a great receiving core need to complementary running back that the defense at least respects, so in the NBA parameter players need a decent inside game to relieve some of their pressure. The one exception in league history is the '90s Bulls, and this team ain't them.
  
• For them to score they have to RUN. They need to play at a speed approaching the Nash-led Suns and I don't see that happening with Carlos Arroyo running the point.
• LeBron needs to accept his passing DNA and run the dang offense. Drop down to 15-17 PPG and average 12-15 APG setting up Both and Wade. Doubt that's going to happen, though.
  
• All the commentators are saying that Dwayne Wade is the guy who'll be sacrificing the most. I couldn't disagree more. I think he'll be sacrificing the least. The guy to keep an eye on, in my mind, is Chris Both. Even with an off night by Wade he only got 11 shot attempts. I doubt he's going to be happy very long averaging 10-12 PPG.
• Like most young coaches, Erik Spoelstra needs to develop. He might be a fine coach one day, but he's not Pat Riley. He's not even the young Pat Riley who took over the Lakers in '81.
  
• Juwan Howard. Man, those Fab Five guys just can't win a championship can they?
  
• The NBA is all about match-ups. I can see the Heat battling the Celtics for the East, but don't see them beating the Lakers. They've got no way to match-up with Gasol and Bynum.
  
• I enjoyed hearing LeBackstab get booed every time he touched the ball.
• For a good reaction to The Commercial, click here.
  

Celtics

• They're starting 4 (and possibly 5) future Hall of Famers. Sick.
  
• Their chemistry is just amazing. Love that crisp passing and help defense.
• I'm interested to see how well that defense keeps up with Lawrence Frank replacing Tom Thibodeau.
• I thought Barkley had a great point when he said that it's hard to be focal point of the offense when you can't shoot. Rondo is the motor that makes the whole thing run. If anything happens to him, they're hosed.
• Jesus Shuttleworth's jumper remains a thing of beauty.
  
• As much as I'm rooting for the Geriatric Department, er, Celtics, to play well at their advanced age, it'd be kind of fun to see them lose seven players to season-ending injuries.
  
• Most people don't realize the Artist Formerly Known as "The Diesel" is now the oldest player in the league. Shall we call him "The Electric Car."
  
• That team now has two Big Babies: Big Baby Davis and Bigger Baby O'Neal.
  
• I don't care what everyone says, KG's knee still looks gimpy. He still has a noticeable limp. Is he healthier than last season? Sure. Healthier even than he was in the play-offs? Probably. But I doubt he'll ever be the same.
• Once Perkins comes back, that bench is stacked: the Big Babies, Jermaine O'Neal, Nate Robinson, Marques Daniels, and Delonte West.
  
• This team is better off losing a few more games and staying fresh for the playoffs. I hope that don't play as hard every night as they did last night.
  
• Why couldn't 'Sheed have just played one more year?! I would have loved to see him get ejected from each and every game.
• The thing I dislike most about the Celtics is Paul "Mock Epic" Pierce's constant fake injuries.
  

2 Weeks' Worth of Assorted Thoughts

Yankees suck.

For an Anglican who truly values reverence, I sure love irreverent humor. I'm a sucker for a good Eucharist joke.

It's been too long since I've drawn. Need to decide upon a portrait. Who's... it... gonna... be... ? Hmmmm...

Biblically speaking, both the Monophysite position and Chalcedonian Definition seem equally plausible. Two natures--fully God and fully man--and one person. That much is fairly clear. Beyond that I don't think the Bible says. I've heard, however, that Tertullian's Christological position is similar to the Chalcedonian Definition.

People's natural reaction when they hear I live in Waco is to crack a cult joke. I get that. Doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that most people seem to think they're being original.

Figured out the #1 thing that's really been bothering me: I'm deeply worried that my learning disability is effectively eliminating all my options for everything I want to do with my life. I can't learn foreign languages, which is necessary for nearly all history and theology programs. I process information slowly, so, although I do well in terms of answering the questions correctly, standardized tests, i.e. GRE, don't accurately reflect my ability. (Unfortunately, the GRE is basically the gatekeeper of graduate programs.) And I read so slowly that, even though I'm confident that I can intellectually keep up, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with my work.

Dang it I hate the Yankees.

I feel like I have little direction in life right now, because I'm not a drifter. I need a major breakthrough.

Dear American Christians,
In case you didn't get the memo, the Body of Christ is supposed to transcend national, ethnic, racial, socio-economic, and linguistic lines.
Signed,
Carson
P.S. Nationalism is unbiblical.

I'd like to propose that we use "Favre" as a new euphemism for penis.

Portrait selected: Philip Yancey.

I'm so thankful for God's provision.

Breakthrough: I've officially begun the discernment process for Anglican ordination. I'm excited!

This picture makes me happy.

Damn Yankees. Just swept my Twins.

Also getting worried about this job sitseeation. It doesn't take a philosopher-king to know that income is going to be important.

Right about now I miss Molly and Rocky, the Jalovicks' boxers.

Why do I keep having these vivid dreams? Why do these dreams keep being about my high school basketball team? Why are they so gohl darn practical? Seriously, brain. The Three-man Weave?

What do I dislike most about living in TX? Being a mere 3 1/2 hours from Joel Osteen. *shudders*

Seeing Bobby Cox's final goodbye to the crowd brought me back to the '91 World Series.

Few things irritate me as much as men who are whipped, whether they're dating or married. These guys seriously need to grow a pair.

This funk is finally starting to lift.

I've always wanted to be musical, but have royally sucked at every instrument I've ever tried. Zero natural talent. I wonder how I'd do with a jimbe? Always like the sound and I'm not exactly Navin Johnson. Need to watch The Visitor again for inspiration.

Just had a great phone conversation with a friend who shares my disdain for reading the Bible devotionally. Two thoughts: 1) No one did this until the 16th century, so why do we presume all people should do it now? 2) I think prayer should be done in isolation and the scriptures should be read in community, which seems to have been Jesus' model... but don't tell the conservative Protestants.

The Vikes' season is over. Drat. Just not a good time to be a MN sports fan.

If it comes down to people thinking I don't care vs. people again likening me to Satan (true story), I'm thinking I'll abstain from voting this election.

The AMiA's stubborn refusal to so much as commit the eventual transference of authority to the ACNA really bugs me. My opinion: AMiA (Rwanda) has a thing or two to learn from CANA (Uganda).

Another vivid dream last night: I was hanging out with a late, obscure, B-list celebrity. Seriously, brain. Paul Winfield?

Arrested Development. Over ... rated (clap clap clap-clap-clap).

To put the Christological controversies dealt with at Chalcedon and Constantinople II into modern terms, it seems to me that the question boiled down to this: Was Jesus a physical or chemical reaction? Apparently the orthodox position is physical reaction. I'm still unconvinced either way.

It's 3:00 AM and I'm not in the least bit sleepy. This suck-didily-ucks. Oh well, reading Roger Olson is fun.

Ugh. C'mon, Baylor! After 4 years of being able to watch minimum sports (no TV in our abode), I was really excited about this year. But the Vikes suck, the Twins got spanked, and my (new) favorite college team is getting investigated by the NCAA upon my arrival.

Catholic and Orthodox Christians are like Peter Parker and I'm like Clark Kent. Spider-Man was bitten by a spider that altered his DNA, thereby making his powers part of himself. Superman's powers come from an exterior source; specifically, living on a planet that revolves around a yellow sun. They think Christ imbued the Church with authority in and of itself whereas I think its authority is found only in its preservation of apostolic tradition.

Great news! Andy Richter will return to Conan. Also, this video is great.

This story about the miners being rescued is really uplifting... Say, you think those guys were getting time and a half?

I miss my brother today.

I'm falling in love with Anglican polity.

Great time of Anglo-prayer tonight.

Not all theological development is equal. There's tradition and Tradition. The former clarifies, nuances, and explicates apostolic teaching, i.e. the Trinity. The latter expands, builds upon, and fills in apostolic tradition, i.e. Mary's perpetual virginity. I affirm tradition but not Tradition. (Or maybe it should be the other way around...) What prompted this? I'm trying to figure out if orthodox Christology as set forth in the Chalcedonian Definition is tradition or Tradition. Clearly it's theological development, but of what sort?

Two hilarious videos from The Onion:
Obama Releases 500,000 Men From U.S. Strategic Reserve
TIME Announces New Version Of Magazine Aimed At Adults

An Anglican friend told me he wishes all non-Catholic, non-Orthodox Christians shared his tradition. I get that perspective, but ultimately disagree. Clearly my preference is Anglicanism, but I support the diversity.

I want to read Gabe Lyons' The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America.

Is it just me, or does it feel like the NFC North is trying to let the Vikes back in this? I feel like Michael Corleone: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" By the way, that movie could have been seriously amazing if they'd of just paid Robert Duvall his money and either of the first two actresses (Julia Roberts, Winona Ryder) casted for the Mary Corleone role had done the it.

Drawing again has been good for my soul.

Louis Armstrong, my cat, just mauled my head as I was walked up the stairs.

Being as I see no resolution in Scripture...
IF Tertullian (and/or another apostolic father) actually articulated a similar view to the Chalcedonian Definition, and
IF other apostolic fathers didn't teach something closer to the Monophysite view,
THEN that might be enough to sway me to the Chalcedonian view.

I'm not gonna lie. I love Alicia Keys' music.

Grandpa's chair is back in Waco and the occupant (a male Clark) is rooting for the Rangers. Holy circle of life, Rafiki.

Mini Blog #26: Recalibrating My Life

This might sound too mechanical, but I need to recalibrate my life. For 18 months I've been battling the onset of depression. I've been "winning" in that I've not succumb to full-blown melancholy, but the numb exhaustion I now feel is almost worse. After recovering from a crippling migraine this afternoon I've spent the past couple hours in serious thought and prayer. What I've realized is that I've been surviving rather than thriving because I've failed to live proportionally to my values. Some things have grown to occupy too much space while others have shrunk so as not to occupy enough. Specifically, I've spent too much time following politics and sports, writing blogs, and interacting on facebook and too little time playing basketball, listening to music, investing in friendships, reading books, drawing, and praying. Life experience has taught me that I'm not able to take small corrective measures, though. I have to go cold turkey on the bloated values and then slowly, carefully reintroduce them while strongly emphasizing the neglected values and then slowly, carefully cutting back. So that's what I'm going to do. Among other things, over the next two weeks I'm not going to check my facebook or write any blog posts followed by two weeks in which I write posts but don't interact with any of the comments. If anyone needs to get a hold of me, I'll still be checking my email and phone. Your prayers would be most appreciated.

Mini Blog #25: Historic Parallels for 2011 Miami Heat?

Last year LeBackstab, Fishing Waders, and... uhhhh... Bosh averaged 29.7, 26.6, and 24.0 PPG respectively. How do you suppose this will be impacted? The commentators are right, of course. There is no perfect precedent of three perennial All-Star (2 of which are among the top 5 players in the league) playing on the same team while all in their prime. Nevertheless, I see five potential models from NBA history:

1. Big Three (More or less)
- '69 Lakers: West (25.9), Baylor (24.8), Chamberlain (20.5)
- Failed to win the title

2. Three Amigos (Lesser individually, greater together)
- '08 Celtics: Garnett (18.8), Pierce (18.4), Allen (17.4)
- Won the title

3. Alpha Males (w/ a All-Star Helper)
- '87 Celtics: Bird (28.1), McHale (26.1), Parish (17.5)
- Failed to win the title

4. Complementarian Alpha Males (w/ All-Star Helper)
- '71 Milwauke Bucks: Kareem (31.7), Robertson (19.4), Dandrige (18.4)
- Won the title

5. Descending Rank (Different tasks, but clear-cut rank)
- '00 Lakers: Shaq (29.7), Kobe (22.5), and the oft-forgotten Rice (15.9)
- Won the title

In my mind the Heat are the favorites going into the season, but it'll all depend upon how well they gel together.

Two final thoughts:

1. Nothing would make me happier than LeBackstab still losing this year, especially after all the "I'm remembering what everyone said about me" comments.
   
2. The following picture embodies why I'll be rooting against the Heat.