parables of a prodigal world

Ever notice how smart I am? You should. I'm pretty smart. Every few days or so, I write a post to show how smart I am. It usually presents a topic from a unique angle. It's always important to present topics from a different angle to demonstrate one's intelligence. Humility is also important. I've got a lot of that going for me, too. My posts come off as humble, like you can easily convince me that I was wrong, when really you can't, what with all my intelligence (see above). Sense of humor. That's a big one. That usually comes in the whole smart/humble package, but not always. I sprinkle some of that around my posts as well. I try especially to utilize the self-deprecating variety; that also goes a long way in demonstrating my humility. Smart. Humble. Funny. I really am a pretty terrific guy. Trust me. Just read my blog and you'll see. Grace and Peace, (See? Not your run-of-the-mill salutation.) Raffi (First name basis. Get it? That's humility, baby!)

Want this badge? Welcome to the 238 th edition of the Christian Carnival. I thought I'd spruce up this edition with a scattering of random quotes that were lying around in my hard drive. Not that we needed much sprucing up...some great posts this week. Enjoy your trip around the Carnival. Ken Brown presents The Shack posted at C.Orthodoxy , saying, "My review of The Shack , focusing especially on the theme of intimacy with God." Anthony Delgado presents The Integrity of Modesty posted at eInquisitive Giving you something productive to think about! . We should not serve the poor like they were Jesus. We should serve the poor because they are Jesus. - Mother Teresa Margaret Mary presents "The Scapegoat" by William Holman Hunt posted at The Earthly Paradise , saying, "William Holman Hunt's painting 'The Scapegoat' is filled with religious symbolism. It was initially quite controversial, because Victorian critics weren't used to the no...

For ease of navigation, I'm providing the links to the entire review series of The Faith of Barack Obama by Stephen Mansfield in one post. Happy navigating. Grace and Peace, Raffi The Faith of Barack Obama: An Introduction to a Book Review Series The Faith of Barack Obama: A Review Series (Day 1) -- A Double Prologue The Faith of Barack Obama: A Review Series (Day 2) -- A Balanced Look at Trinity United? The Faith of Barack Obama: A Review Series (Day 3) -- A Public, Postmodern God? The Faith of Barack Obama: A Review Series (Day 4) -- Faces of Faith, Hope for Healing, and Lessons Learned

In this final installment of my review series, I wanted to briefly examine the final two chapters, "Four Faces of Faith" and "A Time to Heal," and then try to sum up what I learned from the book, about Barack Obama and about the difficulties of discussing topics like "faith." The penultimate chapter delves beyond the book's title and offers a brief caricature of the faiths of three of the other key players in the current political arena: John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush. McCain is portrayed as the poster child of the faith of a bygone era, a faith uncomfortable speaking of itself, a faith, molded by its unique locus in American history, that "came to understand religion as the power behind character, as the fuel of right behavior." Hillary's faith, according to Mansfield, is the product of a number of intersecting factors: Her Methodist upbringing, the influence of an ultra-liberal youth minister, and her infamous marital ...

Yesterday, Michael Spencer expressed some skepticism about what he would hear when Rick Warren asked Barack Obama and John McCain "The Jesus Question," as he had promised he would. Well, he did. This is a transcript of the two candidates' responses: First, to Obama. RICK: THE FIRST ONE IS CHRISTIANITY. NOW YOU'VE MADE NO DOUBT ABOUT YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO TRUST IN CHRIST AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN ON A DAILY BASIS? I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY LOOK LIKE? OBAMA: AS A STARTING POINT, IT MEANS I BELIEVE IN THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR MY SINS AND THAT I AM REDEEMED THROUGH HIM. THAT IS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND SUSTENANCE ON A DAILY BASIS. I KNOW THAT I DON'T WALK ALONE, AND I KNOW THAT IF I CAN GET MYSELF OUT OF THE WAY, THAT I CAN MAYBE CARRY OUT IN SOME SMALL WAY WHAT HE INTENDS. AND IT MEANS THAT THOSE SINS THAT I HAVE ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS HOPEFULLY WILL BE WASHED AWAY. BUT WHAT IT ALSO MEANS,...