Social media in the 16th Century: How Luther went viral | The Economist

As with “Likes” and retweets today, the number of reprints serves as an indicator of a given item’s popularity. Luther’s pamphlets were the most sought after; a contemporary remarked that they “were not so much sold as seized”. His first pamphlet written in German, the “Sermon on Indulgences and Grace”, was reprinted 14 times in 1518 alone, in print runs of at least 1,000 copies each time. Of the 6,000 different pamphlets that were published in German-speaking lands between 1520 and 1526, some 1,700 were editions of a few dozen works by Luther. In all, some 6m-7m pamphlets were printed in the first decade of the Reformation, more than a quarter of them Luther’s.

Social media in the 16th Century: How Luther went viral | The Economist

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion

This looks a bit interesting, did Kant lean on Luther for his thinking?: International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Online First™ - SpringerLink:

I will argue that Kant’s understanding of the radical evil will draws closer to Luther than Erasmus in a number of elements. These elements are (1) the intervention of the Wille for progress towards the good, (2) a positive choice for evil, (3) the inscrutability of moral progress, (4) the rejection of prudence as a means for salvation and (5) the rejection of moral sentimentalism.

The Incarnation (Spoken Word)

A Pretty good Christmas poem: The Incarnation (Spoken Word) – Justin Taylor

Why December 25?

A nice overview as to why Christmas falls where it does: Why December 25? | Christian History:

The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen's concern about pagan gods and the church's identification of God's son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.

No Sex Please, I'm British

I wonder if Driscoll's new book is on the back of this authors mind: No Sex Please, I'm British - Reformation21 Blog:

Those who speak explicitly in their sermons about sex acts may be reflecting the fact that the Bible does refer to such things; but the form they use may actually be reflecting rather the pathologies of the wider culture. They are certainly not paying any respect to the form which scripture uses to speak of such things. There is a beauty to the Song of Songs which is connected to its poetic form. Telling the world it refers to this or that specific sex act misses the point on so many different levels and is an interesting and eloquent response which perhaps tells us much about the reader and little about the text; it reminds me of being in a gallery and seeing priapistic teenage boys sniggering at the naked breast of a woman in a painting by a Renaissance master.

Whither YRR?

This is some good advice. Lets not build our own traditions, but be good church members in traditions we are already in: Whither YRR? – Kevin DeYoung:

one of the most important steps forward for YRR is for each of us to go deeper into our own churches and traditions. No movement, let a lone a mood, can sustain lifelong mission, discipleship, and doctrinal commitment. The Baptists should learn to be good Baptists. The Presbyterians should not be ashamed to be Presbyterians. Those in a non-denominational context will have a harder time, but they too should learn to swim in the church’s historic stream of confessions, hymns, polity, and theology.

Twenty Myths in the Gender Debate

Quite a good article hopefully dispelling myths on both sides of the argument: Twenty Myths in the Gender Debate | Blog | Theology Matters | Newfrontiers UK:

So I thought it might be helpful to give twenty examples of these myths, ten for each side, with a view to clarifying things somewhat. My aim is twofold: to debunk bad arguments on both sides, since they often lead to caricature and muddle, and to challenge some of the prejudices that can prevent loving, open and humble discussion.

Vaclav Havel, Christopher Hitchens, and Kim Jong Il

Is there a reward/justice/judgement/anything after death, or do we get away with anything and everything? Vaclav Havel, Christopher Hitchens, and Kim Jong Il:

We often say, when someone passes away, that they have "gone to their reward." But given atheism, what is that reward exactly? It is exactly the same for Havel, Hitchens, and Kim Jong Il. All three have now entered into nothingness, which is to say that, given atheism, there are no rewards for anything -- good, bad or anywhere in the middle.

Havel was an anti-communist hero, Hitchens was a courageous but infidel journelist, and Kim Jong Il was a murderous and genocidal thug. They all graduated from this class called earth, and they all got exactly the same grade. Is that justice?

Justin Holcomb and the Soterian Gospel

Do we need more Old Testament and story in our Gospel presentations? Jesus Creed » Justin Holcomb and the Soterian Gospel:

This skipping of Israel’s Story is why there’s no concern in this gospel that Jesus is the Messiah/King, no concern for how God works in human history, no redemption of creation, and no new heavens and new earth. The Bible’s message is reduced to salvation, but there’s more to the Bible’s Story than that. There’s not enough Old Testament Story in this sketch … the “according to the Scriptures” theme of the gospel statement of 1 Cor 15 (and the sermons in Acts, and the Gospels) is not given adequate grounding.

I want to point out that this is the most significant difference between the soterian gospel and the Story gospel of Jesus and the apostles. I do not believe this is a matter of “We can’t cover everything” but an issue of how to tell the Story that the gospel resolves.

Greene on Nozick on nothing

The problem of multiverses to explain anything (the end of the article is also good): Edward Feser: Greene on Nozick on nothing:

"Now, the proposal that every possible universe exists does not, by itself, actually explain anything. In fact -- again, at least by itself -- it makes things more mysterious rather than less. Suppose I ask “Why is there a cup on the table?” It is no good to answer “Actually, there are in fact two cups on the table; hence there is no special reason to ask where the one cup came from!” This hardly defuses the original question; indeed, there is now more to explain than there was originally. And the problem would rather obviously only be made worse if it turned out that ten or twenty cups were on the table, and certainly if every possible cup were on the table. Similarly, that every possible universe exists hardly explains why anything exists at all; it just adds to the explanandum rather than providing an explanans."

Christmas messages from around Australia

A list of Anglican Bishops Christmas messages from Australia: Christmas messages from around Australia : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia

Calvinism: My History 7

Do modern day Calvinist forget perseverance of the saints and the real warnings in Hebrews? Jesus Creed » Calvinism: My History 7:

The slogan “once saved, always saved” is put into deep threat by the view of Hebrews I have offered.

For the classical Calvinist and the Arminian — and I know this may sound like a bundle of hooey to many — there is precious little difference in this regard: both believe that perseverance is necessary. Which means that both believe that only those who do follow through in their relationship and obedience will find that eternal rest.

'via Blog this'

Tabular Comparison of 1646 WCF and 1689 LBCF

This is quite a useful page with colour coded differences between the two confessions: Tabular Comparison of 1646 WCF and 1689 LBCF

Real Marriage: Can We _______?

Driscoll's new book that isn't out yet is already getting a work over: Real Marriage: Can We _______? | Challies Dot Com:

The problem with the grid—quite apart from the exegesis (which we’ll look at next time)—is that it allows virtually anything that Scripture does not explicitly and expressly forbid. In fact, it is difficult to imagine any act or desire, except those clearly forbidden in Scripture, that wouldn’t make it through this grid. In practical use, the only acts it filters out are the ones overruled by the first question.

Not Compassion at All

Interesting thought experiment. My worry would be inflation: Not Compassion at All:

If you push the button, the real income of all the "have-nots" in the world will double overnight. Their health care will be twice as good as it is now, their disposable income will be twice as large, their houses will be twice as nice, and so on. But another consequence of pushing this button will also be the fact that the "haves" will see their prosperity increase ten-fold. They will all be ten times richer, thus enabling them to swank around all day.