andersoj.org oddments

The good folks at Thinking Anglicans have posted an excellent article reflecting on the history of terrorism in England:
English Bombers 1605-2005.

Thanks to the folks at Christian Century for pointing out this article by Sally Moregenthaler [see Morgenthaler’s website, sacramentis.com] on the topic of art–specifically, film–in Christian worship today. After exploring some of the motivations for current trends in worship, Morganthaler gives us this lump of coal in the stocking:

Let’s make a simple clarification from the outset. It’s not exactly “film and worship” that we’re discussing here. It’s film pieces and worship: miniscule chunks of digitized human journeys—excised, cut, trimmed, and otherwise amputated from their context, then grafted (sometimes carefully, often not-so-carefully) into an alien format. From the movie theater and/or the cocoon of personal entertainment space to the worship environment, any film clip has a potential range of destinies. At best, it can gleam on the worship screen as a transforming, luminous piece of a larger, sacred mosaic. At worst, a film clip can serve time as a worship bauble: a three-minute diversion in an otherwise lackluster and decidedly unmystical experience. It’s a warm piece of art, and it’s here. Somewhere in between is the realm of normal usage: well under the category of spiritual experience, and at various levels above prostitution.

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Sarah Vowell has a lukewarm column in the New York Times — The Speech the President Should Give — which got my attention primarily because it was Sarah Vowell in the NYT. Looking to President Carter for inspiration (or something)? Wild. –JA

Christian Science Monitor has an article (‘It’s all good, boss!’ | csmonitor.com) on the need for honest feedback and interaction in the maintenance of ethical behavior. –JA

All Things Considered this afternoon has a pair of segments on the topic of the evolution/creation controversy at NPR : Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial and in Maryland. –JA