Blog - Page 233 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Those Bothersome Simpsons

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 19th, 2008|Categories: Television|

I have not been a long-time fan of The Simpsons TV series but sometimes I catch an episode now and then. These writers are very good and often times provocative in insightful and interesting ways. A good bit of serious theological reflection has actually gone into several full-length books and articles on The Simpsons television series.

I was thus fascinated to learn that The Simpsons is actually a cultural phenomenon in many other parts of the world, especially in South America. But Monte Reel notes in this weekend’s Washington Post that Homer Simpson has succeeded in offending many people in Argentina. The reason is Homer Simpson’s complaining at Moe’s Pub, with his crumbling buddies, about the presidential candidates in America. Homer’s buddy Carl says, "I’d really go for some kind of military dictator like Juan Peron." To many this cut too deeply since they do not think Peron was a dictator at all. And Carl’s friend Lenny referred to Peron’s famous, and […]

No Laughter in Hell?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 19th, 2008|Categories: Humor|

I believe that laughter is unique to humans in all of God’s good creation. I also think that laughter is a great antidote to pride and self-importance. People who do not laugh will miss out on the goodness of God’s creation and thus
miss a perfectly delightful and normal expression of God-given joy.

In Dante’s "Inferno" and "Paradisio" it is only in the inferno of hell that no one laughs. I do not think Dante got the biblical teaching about heaven and hell right in several ways but in this case I think he was right on. Laughter is absent in hell but it will be a major feature of heaven.

Laughter and personal depth also go hand-in-hand. I once thought real seriousness required Christians to be careful to not overdo laughter, especially in public worship settings. I even said, […]

My Reading

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 17th, 2008|Categories: Books|

I read a lot. I read widely. I read theology and biography. I read fiction and poetry. I read the Bible and I read the newspaper (several). I read politics and cultural analysis. I have no set pattern other than that when I am doing research for a book I spend more time on that area for a season, thus right now I am reading more on the church than any single subject since I am writing a book on unity and catholicity: Your Church is Too Small.

Presently I am reading the following books:

1. The Household of God, Lesslie Newbigin

This book is an out-of-print classic, an early work (1953) of the famous missional theologian. It has real bearing on my present research. No one has more influenced my thinking about mission and church, and how they relate to one another so directly, than the late Bishop Lesslie Newbigin.

[…]

Thinking More About Race

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 16th, 2008|Categories: Race and Racism|

Because of the Jeremiah Wright controversy I have been forced to think a lot more about race in America in recent weeks. I have been reading, watching and processing a great deal of information and serious dialog. Over the past month I think I have had more conversations and done more work on this subject than anything I have looked at for a long, long time. I am far from where I want to be but now is a good time to put out a few observations I have made along the way.

First, I am quite convinced that the category of race is variously defined and used and this is still a major problem for good communication. Many good-hearted white people, especially intelligent and thoughtful white Christian people, think of race only in terms of color of skin or some similar physical trait or combination of traits. They want a "just and color-blind society" (a noble and correct goal) and believe that […]

The Pope and the President on Iraq

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 15th, 2008|Categories: Roman Catholicism|

When Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Washington today he will be met personally at Andrews Air Force base by President and Mrs. Bush.
This is the first time in seven-plus years that this has ever happened. No king or potentate has received a personal welcome at Andrews by this president. This underscores the importance of this visit.
Millions will be watching and talking about this visit and many of them will be Protestants, like me and many of you, who will watch and listen with profound interest.

The importance of all of this cannot be overstated. President Bush, who has occasionally been opposed by the Vatican, such as in his decision to enter Iraq in 2003, is a great admirer of Benedict XVI. In this he represents so many of us. The president has a way of speaking about how he looks into a person’s eyes and see their character. He made a huge mistake when he accepted Putin’s credibility on face value […]

The Papal Visit to America

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:58-05:00April 14th, 2008|Categories: Roman Catholicism|

The Pope comes to America this week (April 15-20) for his first visit to the United States as pontiff. Pope Benedict XVI sees this journey as a “missionary experience.” His expressed desire is to promote “a time of spiritual renewal for all Americans.” Said Pope Benedict of his American visit, “With the various groups I shall meet, my intention is to share our Lord’s word of life.” He means it and he will.

The theme of this visit is: “Christ is Our Hope.” The Pope elaborated on this message by saying, “Christ is the foundation of our hope for peace, for justice, and for freedom that flows from God’s law fulfilled in his commandment to love one another.” He asked for prayers for his visit. I am praying for him and for America as he comes. The only hope our society has, in the bigger picture of things, is not found in our political parties or in our secular systems of education. Culture […]

Hank Aaron and Race

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:59-05:00April 13th, 2008|Categories: Baseball|

My childhood baseball hero was Hank Aaron. 54 years ago today he played in his first major league baseball game in Milwaukee.
The color line had been broken a few years before but Aaron was to become one of the most important baseball players of all time and a man who courageously helped to break the racial profiles that still attended African-American athletes in this sport.

In his great book, If I Had a Hammer, Aaron relates the story of some of the trials that he faced from white players and fans. He handled it all with real grace and human dignity. But in time he also developed an angry side that came from his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record and the threats upon his life that followed him into the 1970s.
This is why Hank Aaron’s home run record (755) still […]

Rwanda: Inside the Citizen-based Justice System and the Continual Search for Redemption

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:59-05:00April 12th, 2008|Categories: Film|

I frequently check out new documentary videos at my public library. As a result I often find some rather outstanding material from time-to-time. Such was the case this week with the 2006 video In the Tall Grass: Inside the Citizen-based Justice System Gacaca. This 57 minute film takes a penetrating look into the search for redemption in Rwanda.

For those who do not know the facts the story is almost impossible to believe. In 1994, after the president died in a plane crash, the Hutu people decided to take their anger out on the Tutsi people, who lives in the same towns and villages throughout Rwanda. The result was a 100 day genocide that led to over 800,000 deaths. Neighbors killed neighbors; men, women and children were all brutally murdered as defenseless victims. The carnage was so different than other 20th century genocides because it was not government sponsored but a rather spontaneous explosion of ancient prejudice and unleashed mass hatred (also […]

The End of Suburbia?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:59-05:00April 11th, 2008|Categories: Film|

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream, for many younger people and those who predict a very gloomy future for America, is a virtual iconic documentary by now. It has been shown on a regular basis on the film-festival circuit and is an aggressive, in-your-face, examination of the development of suburban life in post-World War II America and where it has brought us as a culture.
Suburbia brought with it sprawl and large yards and spread out home. There was, and is, much good and bad about this development. How has this impacted lifestyle? (How has it impacted the church, which to me is a more important question?) I knew little about this much ballyhooed independent film but decided to watch it last evening. It is directed by Gregory Greene, a Canadian. He is a kind of Michael Moore without the zaniness and style.

As you can readily see from the title the general thesis of […]

Sweet Home Alabama Like You've Never Heard It

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:21:59-05:00April 10th, 2008|Categories: Humor|

"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping. Despite some controversy, it reached #8 on the US charts in 1974, and was the band’s second hit single record. It has a kind of unofficial "rock" state song and is proudly played at University of Alabama football home games.

Each fall I go to Tuscaloosa and always enjoy singing this song with 94,000 screaming fans in red. It is a blast. It is pure Southern and very fun.

Many of you know I have roots in Alabama, having attended the university and also both my parents are laid to rest in the red clay of that state. My one brother also lives in Huntsville. So I know Alabama, to some extent at least. But I have never […]