I decided today that I would check out what the Technorati website is all about, and in the process stumbled across a couple of interesting blogs. Emily is a fellow reformed charismatic based here in the UK, and although she focuses a lot on women’s issues, I still found a lot of interesting and well articulated posts on her site. And Rick Ianello seems to share a remarkably similar set of theological influences to me. There are quotes from Tom Wright, C H Spurgeon, John Wimber, R T Kendall, Mark Driscoll, and John Calvin. Plus there is a generous helping of silly pictures and videos.
Even more interesting was the fact that I have been tagged with a couple of "memes" and knew nothing about it. So rather belatedly, here are my answers…
First, Jeremy Pierce (Parableman) tagged me with a Bible Meme:
1. What translation of the Bible do you like best?
ESV is my main Bible but my copy is barely hanging together thanks to copious amounts of gaffer tape, and most of Genesis has been stained yellow (I think its to do with rain and my children’s felt-tip pens if you are wondering how). So I’m really looking forward to the forthcoming ESV Study Bible which I have earmarked as my next Bible purchase. I’d also like to get myself a TNIV, when they finally put one out in a nice format (Zondervan really seem to be shooting themselves in the foot with this translation at the moment).
2. Old or New Testament?
I’m with Jeremy – they’re both the Word of God. I will confess to having a much better stocked commentary collection for the NT than the OT. Something I hope to rectify in the coming years.
3. Favourite Book of the Bible?
Hmm, hard question. I like 1 Corinthians because its got a bit of everything in it. 1 Peter, Matthew, Ephesians, Philippians and Romans get honourable mentions in the NT category. As for the Old Testament, its between Psalms, Leviticus, Joel, Proverbs, Hosea, Isaiah, Nehemiah, and Genesis.
4. Favourite Chapter?
Now this is even harder. I think I’ll go for Romans 8. I love the Sermon on the Mount too, but that’s three chapters.
5. Favourite Verse?
Again, too many to choose from, but I will go with Romans 8:32
Other than that, I always liked Job 3:2 in the NIV as it is even shorter than John 11:35
6. Bible character you think you’re most like?
Timothy
7. One thing from the Bible that confuses you?
I remember reading Rev 7:5-8 when I was probably only about 12 years old and wondering why Dan gets left out and why Ephraim gets turned into Joseph. I guess my commentaries on Revelation will have a good answer but I’ve yet to check it out.
8. Moses or Paul?
They’re both a little scary, but I think I’d feel a bit safer with Paul.
9. A teaching from the Bible that you struggle with or don’t get?
Why does the book of Job have to be so longwinded?
10. Coolest name in the Bible?
Apart from Mark, I would say that it would have to be He-man.
The other meme I was tagged with is from Peter Smythe, asking for "five things I dig about Jesus". He rather flatteringly calls me a "famous pneumablogger", but he wouldn’t be saying that if he saw how few readers I actually have! Anyway, it’s a great question and I have no shortage of things to say here…
1. I love his single-minded sense of purpose. He was on the earth to do his Father’s will and would allow nothing to distract or sidetrack him from that mission.
2. I love the intimacy of his relationship with his Father.
3. I love the way that he chose such a motley crew for his disciples and stuck with them even when they failed repeatedly.
4. I love his servant-hearted attitude, pouring himself out on behalf of others, and thus displaying complete integrity in his call for us to love sacrificially.
5. I love the fact that he is my advocate (1 John 2:1) before the Father.
I’m supposed to pass these memes on to a few people. Jonathan Skipper, I’ve not read much from you recently. And Graeme Mallett – it’s time to start blogging!
Hi Mark,
what is a meme anyway? And how do I respond to it?
Hi Jonathan,
I think Richard Dawkins might have come up with the idea of a meme. Basically it’s an idea that spreads like a virus (so religion is a “meme” in his view). I think Alister McGrath has written some criticisms of the concept.
But in the world of blogs, a meme is simply a list of questions. You answer them and then ask a few friends to answer them on their blog (and so on), so eventually it spreads all over the place. I generally ignore them, but if the questions are interesting enough, I will answer them.
I’ve found Technocrati an interesting source of links and leads as well.
Have you tried Digg and Stumble Upon as well?
Anyway, you’ve got a new subscriber so keep writing.
Cheers!
Thanks for the link. I am in Mexico City this week so I’m a little slow on the blogging … but I enjoyed dropping by here to see your stuff.
You might be interested in this online commentary “Putting God on Trial: The Biblical Book of Job” (http://www.bookofjob.org) as supplementary or background material for your study of the Book of Job. It is written by a Canadian criminal defense lawyer, now a Crown prosecutor, and it explores the legal and moral dynamics of the Book of Job with particular emphasis on the distinction between causal responsibility and moral blameworthiness embedded in Job’s Oath of Innocence. It is highly praised by Job scholars (Clines, Janzen, Habel) and the Review of Biblical Literature, all of whose reviews are on the website. The author is an evangelical Christian, denominationally Anglican. He is also the Canadian Director for the Mortimer J. Adler Centre for the Study of the Great Ideas, a Chicago-based think tank.