Marc Johns

Found out about an illustrator named Marc Johns through Jason Boyett's Blog. This guys is hilarious, just check out some of his stuff:


I think I am going to go get his book, Serious Drawings, ASAP. I need to read more art anyway. I am definitely going to subscribe to his blog, huzzah!

Are there any artist who you are a particular fan of?

Filthy Roman Sponge

Have you ever been confused or unsure about that passage where Jesus is on the cross and is given something to drink from a sponge? [Matthew 27:45-50]



My stomach turned when I heard that, just the putridity of it. And how often do I still stick that sponge in Jesus' mouth?

[via The Resurgence]

Bill Clinton The Devoted Dad

I was pretty much floored when I saw this article. "No way," I was thinking, "Some idiot liberal journalist is trying to find a way to redeem the long lost image of William J. Clinton." (Maybe I didn't use his full name, but you get the gist of it). And to a certain degree, I was correct. But not as much as I thought.

I must admit that the examples the author provides are very compelling. He postponed a politically necessary trip to Japan to patch up international relations (an act that had Al Gore angry) so that he could support Chelsea during her school mid-terms. Dang, boss.

The most interesting part of the article I found was where it points out that "Any father can be proud of his daughter, but Branch's account suggests something more: that Bill looks up to Chelsea and finds the self he never managed to become." While they don't say anything directly regarding his morality, but it does point to the fact that "He [Bill] was one to gather laurels; she [Chelsea] preferred to share them."

That would be an interesting concept: that Bill saw in his daughter some redeeming qualities he could not see in himself. It definitely lends itself to a more compassionate view of the sinner Bill Clinton by the sinner T.J. Schley.

Was Bill Clinton a good father-President? Does deserve less hate and more (albeit just a little more) admiration?

[article found via Joshua Harris]

Of The New Calvinism

Apparently, according to Time Magazine, the New Calvinism is among the 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now. (#5 was Amortality, an interesting article, I recommend reading all 10)

They say, to introduce it,

"In the early 1900s you might have heard "The Old Rugged Cross," a celebration of the atonement. By the 1980s you could have shared the Jesus-is-my-buddy intimacy of "Shine, Jesus, Shine." And today, more and more top songs feature a God who is very big, while we are...well, hark the David Crowder Band: "I am full of earth/ You are heaven's worth/ I am stained with dirt/ Prone to depravity."

Now, I will admit, I am coming from the "New Calvinist" point of view, but the summary they provide for New Calvinism, "Our satisfaction — and our purpose — is fulfilled simply by "glorifying" him," seems like nothing but good Biblical exposition.

The article cites the success of the ministries of John Piper, Mark Driscoll, and Albert Mohler, along with "The Calvinist-flavored ESV Study Bible" selling out its first printing. I would also address Joshua Harris and C.J. Mahaney, and the growth in reading, especially among the younger generation, of such classic authors as John Owen, Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon.

The Religious Newswriter's Organization did a small conference about it, and here's Piper's conversation there, I thought it was a pretty good summary:


[If you're using a reader, you'll need to click through to see the video]

So what do you think? Would you consider yourself a New Calvinist, or do you sympathize with some of New Calvinism's doctrine? Do you think doctrine should even be emphasized? Or do you think New Calvinism's influence is even worthy of talking about?

From the Sketchbook of T. Schley

Something my grammar professor (Dr. Gloria Jones) said the other day in class. I think there are definite poetic repercussions to this.

Do you agree? If not, what words are more descriptive?

Things That Would Be Better Left Undone

As I looked down at her lovely, innocent-yearning face, I was overwhelmed with a flood of adoration for the innocence brokenly beheld there. Quiet, sleeping, content with my caress. There is a great sympathy, a pity if you will, that can overcome and coincide with a hardness of heart with such a subtly strong force, it will make you crumble.

Switchfoot -- "Mess of Me"

Here's the single from Switchfoot's new CD Hello Hurricane. I like it:



I've often toyed with the idea of me being my own worse enemy. I've got a line that I plan on developing into a full poem: "I am often the antagonist in my own story."

I have enjoyed Switchfoot for some time, I really appreciate Jon Foreman's poetic lyrics (Nothing Is Sound is one of my favorites CDs of all time). In this song, I particularly liked "I've made a mess of me/I wanna get back to less of me/I've made a mess of me/I wanna spend the rest of my life alive." Good stuff.

Do you like?

Jesus Christ > Rocky Balboa

And I think this proves it:


I really don't know how I feel about this. It's along the lines of the old school Jesus is My Coach statues, only...terrifying. Plus there are two others in this series.

Is it a good idea to represent Jesus in this fashion? Is there something wrong with it?

via Jesus Needs New PR

Of Marvel + Disney

One of the better things I've seen on the subject:



If you care, what do you think will happen?

Of Christian Excellence In Frisbee

Say what you will, Jon Acuff knows how to blog. He linked back to this post about how Christians are notoriously good at disc-based sports:

"I can't prove this, but I think Christians might be better at frisbee than non-Christians. I know that doesn't sound very scientific, but it feels right. Roughly 94% of the Christians I know can really throw the Frisbee well. They're good at ultimate frisbee, can play disc golf, and can even throw a pretty accurate flick or sidearm if you will. The Christians that can't throw the frisbee? Probably backsliding."

I can agree. There are very few Christians I know who actually dislike tossing a frisbee around, and while not all of them are Carleton College's UPA team or Nate Doss, they often know their way around a frisbee.

Are Christians, as a group, good at frisbee?