Intellectuelle   Blogosphere

Last week I had hinted at a big change coming to my blog and Catez asked me if it had anything to do with the 8th. I had no idea what she was talking about. Saturday I revealed that I was going on an indefinite sabbatical from my blog.

I had quite forgotten all about the reference to the 8th until this morning when I found a trackback to an Intellectuelle post at the URL for Dean Abbott's former blog on World. I was confused since I know that Dean now has his own blog. I was even more confused when I saw that the post was authored by Catez.

So I went to World's main blog to see what was going on and it had been totally redesigned. That's because--more surprises--Joe Carter, our sponsor, today officially became editor of World Mag Blog, now called World Views. A new sub-blog called "BlogWatch" (using the Dean Abbott URL--I expect Joe will clean that up soon) is staffed by J.D. Mays, Mark Olson, and...Catez Stevens.

So that's what she meant by the 8th! Just when I'm planning to lay low, other bloggers are taking on even more responsibilities--if they can keep it all in balance, more power to them and I look forward to what these changes bring...But does anyone else suspect that Joe and Catez have a secret plot to take over the God blogosphere? I hope they're getting compensated, since they may have to quit their day jobs soon ;)

This week at World Magazine's blog, my friend and colleague at The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, Matthew Eppinette, began the 2BHuman feature blog. Be sure to stop in and tell him that Sarah'elle sent you. :)

For those interested in what's going on in the emergent church community, September 15 begins "A New Kind of Conversation Blogging Toward a Postmodern Faith� with contributors Brian McLaren, Mabiala Kenzo, Bruce Ellis Benson, Ellen Haroutunian and Myron Bradley Penner.

"This blog-book will discuss what a postmodern evangelical faith looks like. The blog format will make it possible to allow you the reader, to participate in the writing of both the blog and the eventual published book to follow by Paternoster Press. Be a part of this experiment in conversation by adding your voice to the discussion. Sign-up to be notified when this project kicks off, or just check out the website.

Update: The Carnival topic has been changed to the broader topic "Sin" rather than the narrower topic "Original Sin."

There's a new carnival on the blogging horizon called "God or Not." This carnival is the outgrowth of a "blog swap" between an atheist blogger from The Evangelical Atheist and a Christian blogger from Eternal Revolution. The carnival will be once a month, and each month will have an assigned topic. Next month's topic is "Original Sin."

I am biting my fingernails about this one. Though I'm tempted to make a stab at submitting, I'm not yet as well-studied in the doctrine of original sin as I'd like to be. Anyone else want to make a go at it? From what I've read, there's been a strong response from atheist bloggers but not so strong a response from Christian/theist bloggers.

There are some good apologetics bloggers whom I know, and I'm strongly tempted to name a few names. But I'll refrain. You know who you are. Start writing.

Informatium magnum habet Marcus Olsonus de Pseudo-Polymath.
That is, Mark Olson at Pseudo-Polymath has a great idea for those of you who could read the first line, assuming it means you are into classics. (I don't mean to discriminate against Hellenists, but I think three weeks of accelerated college Latin have made me realize how little Greek I actually know.) Ancient literature buffs could certainly get in on the project as well, which Mike describes thus:

The idea is to compare and contrast two heroic stories from almost the same eras but from very different cultures. The two stories I had in mind were the Hebrew heroic story � that is the story of King David in Samuel I & II � and the Greek heroic poems from the same era by Homer � that is the Iliad (and perhaps the Odyssey). I had in mind perhaps posting once weekly (say Thursdays) on the similarities and differences - to contrast and compare the stories of David and Achilles. We could write on the same subtopic on this theme each week. For example, for next week I was thinking we could write on the openings. To compare and contrast the Iliad�s immortal opening cadences to the more subtle (tender?) vignette of Hannah giving up of Samuel, her firstborn, to the Temple.

Tomorrow he'll start off with his own essay on that topic, but in the Thursdays to come, Mark would like other interested bloggers to take him up on suggesting topics and contributing their own for discussion.

This week it was decided to increase the number of Elle's by means of our own individual appointments. Each of the Elle's arrived here as a result of Marla's brilliant idea to host an essay/blog contest, and now we are individually inviting like-minded ladies to join in the conversations. In the coming weeks, please be sure to check back and see who is writing. It is so very exciting to see women of God functioning according to the gifts and talents God has so richly given.

In the last few weeks, it may have not been communicated clearly that, since Marla stepped down from the moderating role, I have actually stepped up to lead the team. I am grateful for the opportunity to administrate a blog of this caliber and, with the gracious sponsorship and technical assistance of Joe Carter, I know we are in a place of influence in the blogosphere.

That said, please welcome Ashley to Intellectuelle! Ashley will be bringing some fresh new topics to the table while at the same time, engaging in some of our golden oldies.

Just taking a break from blowing my nose to let you know (belatedly) that the Christian Carnival is up at Digitus, Finger and Co.

Honk, honk. . . Where's another box of kleenex when ya need it?

Christian
Carnival is up at In the
Spirit of Grace

The Christian blogosphere is filled with controversy. Some of it is civil; some is not. At times, controversy grows into full blown conflict. Often, with prayer and reasoned debate, conflicts can be resolved and friendships restored. Sadly, this is not always the case. There are times when stronger measures become unfortunately necessary.

Thus, it is with regret that I announce I have reached the point at which there seems to be no recourse but to take legal action against bloggers who have wronged me. Some of you might say this is unbiblical. Let me assure you, I have prayed about this. I even read the Bible.

True, Paul does say in 1 Corinthians 6 that believers ought not to sue each other but should submit their disputes to the Church. After careful study of that passage (including an exegesis of the original Greek and consultation of several scholarly commentaries), I can affirm that Paul says absolutely nothing about blogs or blogging. Nowhere does Paul prohibit suing one�s fellow bloggers.

As we know, the blogosphere is not a church. The blogosphere has no potlucks, no overhead projectors, and very few elderly ladies. Thus, it cannot be considered a church, and I conclude that I am within my Biblical rights when I take legal action.

The following is a brief list of case details.

Name: Marla Swoffer
Blog: This blogger changes her name frequently to avoid detection--Proverbial Wife, Marla Swoffer, and Always Thirsty are just three of the aliases I am aware of.
Crime: Inflicting emotional pain and suffering on other bloggers by frequently changing her blog name and layout.

Name: Adrian Warnok
Blog: Adrian Warnok's UK Evangelical Blog
Crime: Failure to add my excellent blog to the Christian Decablog List.
Details: I understand that my blog was not in existence when he formed the Decablog. But once he became aware of my blog, he clearly should have booted someone off to make room for me. I've given him nearly nine months to do so. He has failed to take action and must face charges.

Name: Sparrow
Blog: Intent
Crime: Posting graphic photos; implying that Jesus was a vegetarian.

Name: Annie Crawford
Blog: Chief Executive Mom
Crime: Multiple counts of thought plagiarism.
Details: As I have been reading her blog regularly for the past several months, I noticed that she would frequently blog just what I happened to be thinking. At first, I thought it was mere coincidence. But when she started fermenting vegetables, I got suspicious. I'm the only one that I know with a passion for fermenting vegetables. And when she developed her thoughts on the sovereignty of God, I know it was no accident. Annie is stealing my thoughts before I have time to blog them.

WARNING! If you find your name on the above list, know that legal action is about to be taken against YOU. If you desire to avoid serious fines or even jail time, please write a post on your blog praising me, apologizing profusely for the harm you have caused me, and linking to at least one of my posts. If you do, all charges will be dropped.

So, "what does it mean when even embryonic stem-cell researchers have some qualms about their work?" Read CT's interview with a leading stem-cell researcher in Ethics Interrupted.

Why didn't I have Michael Spencer around to answer my questions when I was a piercing-infatuated teen? At least, thank God, when my tattoo lust was highest my finances were lowest and I choose buying groceries over body art. This week, IMonk has a great post with a long title: High Culture, Low Lifes and Judgement In The Household of God: Answering That Tattoo/Piercing Question. He rightfully rejects the notion that we can become more effective evangelists merely by piercing and tattooing ourselves, but also warns against uncritically accepting evangelical culture as the "right" one.

Amy at Amy's Humble Musings has an encouraging post about When the Milk Spills. I have already spilled milk once this morning, and my average dishes broken per day rose to three yesterday. Sigh. This post was just what I needed. Accept the place where God has placed you.

AND, there is a new blog just out called Christian Aesthetic. Its aim is "pursuing the beautiful." Reading some of the poems posted there makes me want to start writing poetry again.

Finally, one reader of my personal blog pointed out to me an article that made my eyes pop. Societies worse off 'when they have God on their side The first paragraph reads, "RELIGIOUS belief can cause damage to a society, contributing towards high murder rates, abortion, sexual promiscuity and suicide, according to research published today." Okaaaay. . . They seem to base their thesis on the fact that England is more secular than the US but has fewer social ills. No doubt that's entirely due to the spread of Christianity within the 50 states, particularly the rejection of evolution.

Oh, and did you know that nearly 99% of people who eat carrots end up dead within 100 years? And that women who wear blue jeans have fewer children than women who wear chadors? No doubt blue jeans are abortifacient and carrots are toxic. And did I mention that if your parents had no children, chances are you won't have any either? Studies also show that bloggers have a higher rate of heart disease than African pygmies. Blogging must be bad for your health

Okay, I better stop here. But did you know that the single greatest risk factor for having a divorce is being married? Unmarried people have an extremely low divorce rate compared to married people. Thus, marriage must contribute to divorce.

UPDATE: (I know, I know, this is like the 5th time I've updated this post). A most scintillating analysis of the faulty statistics used in above mentioned asinine article is up at Magic Statistics. (Hat Tip: the astoundingly brilliant Macht)

She messed with my blog. She's not that innocent!

In spite of my prior warnings, Annie Crawford at Chief Executive Mom has refused to listen or change her ways. Instead, she has taken her crimes one step further. She has not only plagiarized some of my thoughts but has now stolen and blogged my entire theology of God's sovereignty. It's rare that I read a post more than two words long which I fully agree with. This one is lengthy but describes exactly where I am. Just read God's Eternal Decrees and see what I mean!

If this continues, I might have to give up being a serious theology blogger and just focus on being really sarcastic.

Or, what serves who?

Does the blog serve the blogger, the reader, or both? Or, does the blogger serve the blog (including the format) and the readers? I realize these aren�t new questions, but I�d like to look at them in light of the blog format itself.

I�ll admit, I�ve got a love-hate relationship with blogging. There�s more than one reason for this, but one of reasons has to do with the format. One the one hand, the blog-post format allows for a piece to be written and published in relatively short time. Someone who doesn�t have time to (or chooses not to) research and write long pieces need not be held back from sharing good information or thoughts. On the other hand, blogging, being a type of journaling (weblogging), brings with it the expectation of fairly regular updating. In order to keep a blog updated, a blogger needs to write often. This, in turn, means that the topics written about need to vary a bit, else the blog will have little chance of holding anyone�s interest (including, probably, the blogger�s).

Yet, for those who like to explore topics thoroughly; i.e., those who like to examine, ponder, expand, mull, develop, and perhaps revise a topic over time, blogging may not be the best format. Perhaps blogging isn�t the best set-up for actually journaling these developments. Or is it? Might not a reader think, sheesh, this guy/gal is really obsessed/neurotic/psychotic and has no life...why doesn�t he/she write about something else for a change? Even if the blogger does write about other things, perhaps all that will stand out is the �main topic.� If a blogger has limited time to blog, it may be a burden to have to blog about other things while he/she is preoccupied � I mean occupied � with the �main topic.�

Tod Bolsinger wrote about what he termed �Blogging ADD� at the GodBlogCon blog:

One of the most challenging parts of trying to maintain an updated blog has been keeping a sense of focus on a subject to do it justice. While some bloggers [Mark D. Roberts, for example] do an exceptional job at it, most of us tend to jump from subject to subject based on what catches our attention, or our current interests.

Three questions this raises for me:

1) Is it necessarily bad to jump from subject to subject (i.e., is it bad for a blogger not to narrow down his/her many writing interests), and, do some/most readers actually expect it?

2) Is it possible for a blogger to have the opposite �problem;� i.e., to belabor one particular topic, if even different aspects of the topic are examined in different posts? Might it depend on the actual topic? Might it work better for a blogger to run a �series update� once per week, or once every two weeks, for example? Are regular, predictable updates better than "random" ones?

3) Does the blog/comments format affect the longevity of a comment-section discussion? Do comment threads reflect real-life discussion, or does the on-going-update nature of blogging necessitate that comment discussions only go on so long? (Do commenters lose interest in a comment discussion because the blog/their blog/life moves on, or because they simply tire of it naturally?)

In other words, does the blog format require certain uses, or can it be adapted to the purposes of those who use it? As with any social phenomenon, is it inevitable that the "major" bloggers will set the trends/standards for the way(s) the blog format is used?

Spotlight on Darfur 2 is up! Eddie from Live from the FDNF is the host. He's done a great job bringing together a wide variety of posts and he even accepted my small entry after the entry deadline was past. With so many blogs competing for your attention, this carnival is worth visiting. Come on! Quit reading what I have to say and go over there. It is a small but powerful way to help raise awareness of the situation in Darfur.

I am convinced that these carnivals (it's not exactly a carnival but for lack of a better word. . .) do make a difference. I personally know of one blogger who is prone to forget to pray and is easily distracted by less important issues--like how many unique visiters her blog received today. This blogger tells me that although she cares about those who suffer, she needs regular reminders of what she can do to help.

And if you fear to take the big "click" and read about Darfur because you don't want to feel guily, you're not alone. But consider this. Even if you were a janjaweed and personally responsible for the death and destruction in Darfur, God's grace would be wide enough to cover your sin. But you're probably not a janjaweed. You're probably a pretty comfortable middle-class person like myself whose worst sin is apathy. But God's grace is still wide enough to cover your sin and mine. Even the sins of apathy, sloth, and greed.

The point of raising awareness for Darfur is not to make us feel guilty because we didn't send all our extra money to Sudan or because we didn't pray for more than five minutes today (or this week). The point is not to make us feel bad because we're safe, warm, and well-fed. If anything, we should be humbly grateful, not wallowing in guilty. The point is to give us an oportunity to express our thankfulness to God by helping those who are in need of our assistence.

Reading about the suffering in Darfur is hard, yes. It is painful. But in the end, we shouldn't fear being made to feel guilty or frightened that we may end up depressed by the horror in this world. God is more than able to bring good out of evil, even out of genocide, rape, and starvation. In the end, we know that good will triumph over evil. God is not impotent or slow to act. God will hear and answer our prayers for the people of Darfur and for our own hard hearts. So don't avoid thinking about Darfur. Rest in the power and goodness of God.

All right, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Now that the honeymoon is over, some who attended the GodBlogCon�05 are examining blogging in a more critical light, which is naturally a good thing. The main theme of the conference (which originated with the Godfather I mean Godblogger Hugh Hewitt himself) was that Christian blogging represents a new reformation in the church insofar as it is a means of getting information/reform/the gospel out in a quicker, more comprehensive way than ever before. This phenomenon was examined during panel discussion at the conference, as was the nature and proper use of that relatively new means of communication called blogging.

The Jollyblogger David Wayne writes, in Some cures for a GodBlogCon hangover,

blogging is just one piece of a much larger pie involving new technologies. blogging is one ingredient in this interactive and personalized pie of the new media and we should expect it to lose some of the pre-eminence it now holds.

At the same time I don't think this necessarily means that blogging will go away. People didn't quit reading newspapers when the radio and tv were invented.
And just as there is still a place for newspapers and books in the age of the television, I think there will still be a place for blogs. It won't be the same place of pre-eminence it enjoys now, but it will still have a place and an important one at that.

We need to make sure that we don't use blogging simply as a way to validate ourselves and our opinions -- we need to interact and engage. I've read a lot of blogs that have tried to change peoples' minds about a lot of things, and none have been very effective. I've read evangelistic blogs, and I've heard nothing good from any nonChristian who went to one. They aren't effective in and of themselves, and that is what I see happening quite often. If blogs are properly used to build relationships, then I can see them being an evangelistic tool. But that seems to be a very big if.

The printing press may have improved the spread of knowledge more than any prior invention in history, and I think we'll soon find that the internet has come closest to offering a similar advance.

Of course just as the printing press brought the common man a Bible, Plato, and Ayn Rand, it would also soon bring Playboy and Hustler.

Personal responsibilty can never be hacked.

Let me tell you a story. A man I know very well was a well-respected pastor of a small rural church for 19 years. Believing God was calling him to a different place, he resigned his pastorate last year. Shockingly, within three months he ended up in prison.*

He is now blogging about his experiences in prison at a brand new blog called Random Thoughts.

*Fortunately, he is in prison working as an electronics instructor in a vocational rehabilitation program, not as a convict. (I'm proud of you, Dad!)

The Spotlight on Darfur 3: Christmas Edition entry deadline is approaching! Just in case you haven't seen Catez' post, here is the info.

Any posts you have on Darfur that were posted since the last Spotlight (October 17) can be sent in. Posts don’t have to be long. You may want to post on what is happening and/or include info on a suitable aid agency for donations. This will be one way of giving something for Christmas to the refugees of the Darfur genocide crisis. Here are the details:

Spotlight on Darfur 3: Christmas Edition will be hosted on 16 December. Please send the following info for your post by 15 December:
1. The name of your blog
2. The URL of your blog
3. The title of your post
4. The URL of your post
5. A description of your post

Send your post details to:
catez2003 ATT yahoo DOTT com

Thank you so much Catez at AllThings2All.

Spotlight on Darfur 3: Christmas Edition is now up at Allthings2all. Take a moment to visit, explore the diverse posts, and leave a comment for Catez. I especially enjoyed Catez' post Three Teens Up to No Bad. There are times I think I should start my own blogging series called, "Posts I Wrote for Various Carnivals and then Forgot to Submit." This time, though, I barely made it in by the deadline. In fact, I really enjoying writing To Darfur a Son is Born. Merry Christmas to you all!

This week's Christian Carnival is at Nerd Family's place. It looks to be a fine gathering of articles on important and timely issues. Ashley's God of the 'burbs and the cities is there, as is Martin LaBar's perhaps somewhat surprising meditation on growing old.

A Small Faith � Our View of the Bible

A new blog has a conversation going on about theological concerns and women. Touching on some of the same topics that have come up here. I think there is a lot more rumination going on within our Churches on this subject then what we see on the surface, and further, I think God is behind it. We could feel that this is just aroused by the activity of feminists in our society, but I don't think it is that alone. Women are the key to unlocking the Islamic countries for the gospel I believe, from within. Women are the sanctuary for many broken souls who need nurture and healing in this post-modern Western society.

I think God is working on women... and our view of a woman's destiny.

If you're like me, it's easy to take the term "evangelical" for granted. It's also easy to accept a general, vague understanding of it. "Evangelical" is an umbrella term for all who believe in the Great Commission (Mark 16:15): go and preach the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus to all creation. However, as described at Wikipedia, it has several distinct meanings:

1) the definition just given, i.e. belonging or related to the gospel (Greek: evangelion)

2) a general designation (of mainland Europe, specifically Germany and the Scandinavian countries) for churches adhering to beliefs of the Reformation (otherwise known as Protestantism), e.g. Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Reformed Church, or Evangelical Methodist Church, in contrast to Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches. In this sense, it comprises everything from a liberal state church to a conservative free church in the Baptist or Pietist tradition. This designation also applies to US churches descended from mainline European churches.

3) a separate designation, in German, for Protestant -- specifically, Lutheran and Reformed churches (evangelisch), and evangelicalism (evangelikal).

4) an adherent of evangelicalism (in Australia, Canada, the UK and the United States).

Wikipedia defines evangelicalism as "a tendency in diverse branches of Protestant conservative Christianity, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. In the late 20th century and early 21st century, Protestant people, churches and social movements have often been called evangelical in contrast to Protestant liberalism."

The Wiki reference states also that sometimes "evangelical" is mistaken for a synonym of "Pentecostal," but that this is far too narrow a use of the term. And certainly the history and meaning of the term "evangelical" are far more complex than indicated by the general definitions given above.

Hidden away in our comments is a link to Apologia Christi's The Grace Series: "Romans 5:1 - The Grace of Salvation" Part I and Part II. Check out these doctrinal posts and see what you think.

Interestingly enough I also found a post pertinent to some topics and discussions we have had here on Intellectuelle @ A Reasoned Faith The Weblog of C.L. Wynn. He discusses the issue of complementarianism and Women in the Church from the perspective of the act of discussion itself. That has made it a widely applicable viewpoint. In some ways the message is similar to Bonnies post on Evangelicalism. Another one to see what you think on the matter.

Is there a social structure to the blogosphere? You betcha. In Blogging: An Innocent Fraud?, LaShawn Barber comments on Nicholas Carr�s The Great Unread:

Carr calls blogging an "innocent fraud," a reference to a book on economics of the same name. The term is a euphemism for "lie," and Carr believes the assertion that blogging is "open and democratic and egalitarian" and different from mainstream media is an innocent fraud.

I'm linking to the post because I think a fair number of bloggers feel this way. Speaking only for myself, blogging is open and democratic and egalitarian in the sense that starting a blog is free and non-discriminatory, and relatively painless to set up. The more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it, but you have to be realistic.

Read her whole post, plus the comments. (HT to Catez at Allthings2all. )

The beauty of blogging is that it is available to anyone with a computer who can read and type. Yet being a blogger is like being a citizen of a country: although the only "passport" needed is internet access, one still has to learn the "lay of the land," speak the language, obey the rules and follow the customs. And it's possible to do all of those things yet still find oneself a relative stranger in a relatively foreign land.

As the initial date of early August did not work out, dates for GodBlogCon 2006 have been reset for October 26-28, 2006. Register and make your travel arrangements now!

The conference will take place at the Torrey Honors Institute of Biola University in LaMirada, CA and feature such speakers as LaShawn Barber, James Kuchiner, Charmaine Yoest, John Mark Reynolds, Stacy Harp, John Shroeder, Intellectuelle Melinda Penner, Intellectuelle�s sponsor, Joe Carter, and of course Hugh Hewitt, the Blogfather himself.

Last year�s conference, also held at Biola in October, was a wonderful event. Panel discussions and workshops were first class, as were the �after-hours� socializing and media opportunities (not to mention the food at the Biola cafeteria -- my, how college food has improved!). It is the coolest thing to be part of a gathering of lots of other Christian bloggers! (I wrote about my experience here, and a follow-up here.)

Titles of discussions at this year�s conference include:

1) Bridging the Political Divide

2) Bridging the Christian Divide

3) A Hermeneutics of Culture: Understanding the Challenges That the Church Faces

4) Blogging as a Winsome Witness

5) Theology and Praxis Collide: Blogging as a Bridge Between Academics and the Church

6) Beyond Blogging: Why Podcasting and Vidcasting Will Expand Your Audience

7) Understanding the Trajectory of Godblogging

8) Strength in Numbers � Community Content Generation Through Team Blogging

Some great posts today pertaining to �9/11" at Townhall blog including Hugh Hewitt�s essay, The New Reality, on the war on terror.

Is confession good for the soul? Mollie atGetReligion writes eloquently on the phenomenon of mysecret.tv, an Internet confession booth:

Evangelical Protestant churches long ago shunned confession as part of a larger movement against creeds, documented confessions of faith and rigorously trained clergy. American Protestantism has favored personal piety, conversions that were demonstrated in improved personal behavior, testimonials, and solutions to temporal life problems. Could this be a move back toward a more sacramental view of absolution?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

Along these lines, Stacy Harp at RedBlueChristian writes on The Crisis and Cure of Comfortlessness. Awhile back I attempted to call attention to the need for Christians to help one another with addiction. But I like Stacy�s approach, especially her use of the term �comfortlessness.� Comfortlessness is at the root of addiction and is much more useful for illustrating what I called a �continuum� of unhealthy dependency. The line between a healthy and an unhealthy dependency is often hard to draw. The term is also useful toward discouraging an �us� vs. �them� mentality toward the addicted because we all, to some degree, rely upon the wrong things for comfort.

Stacy calls us to love and comfort one another:

People, who feel loved by others, love others. People, who have been comforted during a time of distress, comfort others. Those who have never felt loved or comforted use other ways to temporarily comfort themselves.

Charlie at AnotherThink
highlights Julana and her blog, Life in the Slow Lane. Julana has a son with Down�s syndrome. She speaks of blessings she�s received through blogging:

I think I've begun to change my paradigm for the connection between the church and people with disabilities to be primarily one of relationship (communion) rather than of service (washing feet). We don't wash feet until it's seen as reciprocal.

I hadn�t thought of it that way before but I think what Julana says is beautiful, not to mention very important. It is applicable toward anyone who might be viewed as �lesser� or �weaker� in some way, not just toward those with disabilities.

Scot McKnight writes another great post on friendship and how it confers a kind of equality upon participants.

I spoke at a break-out session at the GodBlogCon at Biola University several days ago. The session I was asked to do is called "Blogging As a Winsome Witness." Now, the liability of offering thoughts on this topic when our blog is for all to read is that I'm positive examples of violating each of the principles I offer can be found. I'm fallible, quite so. But that doesn't mitigate the value of the principles that I try to follow and the standards I think are helpful to control my unconstructive impulses. Here is a summary of my suggestions.

1. KWC - Develop knowledge, wisdom, and character. They are all necessary to be a winsome blogger. Here's how we define these traits at STR. Knowledge - an accurately-informed mind. Wisdom - an artful method. Character - an attractive manner.

2. I'm always an ambassador and my blogging always reflects on another. Our blog is a bit different than the many Christians who blog for themselves. It is always quite present in my mind that what I write will reflect on STR's reputation and I want to be very careful about that. All Christians represent Christ and hopefully that is a very immediate concern for every God-blogger as they post.

3. Have a mission statement that defines what your blog is about. STR has a mission statement and it guides me in the topics I choose and how I write on our blog. It's very helpful in constraining me at times when otherwise my contribution might not be very constructive. It's very helpful to have a defined purpose to guide you.

4. Define the values that you commit to follow in writing your blog. Again, STR has a values statement and I'm obliged to live up to these and I try to. Again, it's an external control that reminds me what I need to be about on the blog.

5. Deal with ideas and not personalities. Be charitable in interpreting other's comments. Be fair. Don't ascribe motives to someone you have no knowledge of.

6. When dealing with politics, tread carefully. Christian values have political implications, but they are not articles of faith. Some issues are more closely entailed from the Bible, like the pro-life issue, others are less so, like taxes. Allow some liberty in how other Christians work out their politics. Having said that, Christians have a lot to add to the public discourse. When you do enter the public square, make generally accessible arguments that can appeal to other citizens regardless of religion.

7. Pursue excellence. Attend to your spelling, grammar, and style. Credit sources and quotations. Follow blogging etiquette as it evolves. Develop your style. Find a good role model in writing and read them often to get a sense for their voice and rhythm. Good writing can rub off on you.

8. Model clear-thinking Christianity. Find ways to embody Christianity in everyday topics to post on.

Conclusion: Godblogging offers a unique opportunity to have an impact in the world. Be a player, but play by the rules. In ten year's time the world can be a different place because of your influence. The web gives each of us a reach without physical barriers. Be a good steward of that opportunity.

(If you’re tired of this by now, read no further)

These comments are in response to the blogosphere mainly, or, more specifically, to the section of the blogosphere I read, because that is where most my observations have been made.

1) I’ve read statements to the effect that, without God’s saving grace we all deserve to go the way of the abject sinner, which is to say, we are all Ted Haggards in heart.

While I agree with the first part I don't believe the second part is true. I believe we do have some control over whether or not we succumb to our sinful tendencies, after we accept the truth of the gospel. I believe God makes available choices and means by which we can avoid some sin. Oftentimes, though, we turn from these. I know I do. I get lazy. I coddle myself, and this breeds a habit of spiritual laziness and bad habits of thought. The consequences of this usually serve as a warning, though, and I make some changes. I see the price that is or will be paid for my errors, and that is usually enough to wake me up. Sometimes it takes awhile, and the squeeze has to be pretty tight before I’ll do anything. But still, I thank God daily for His care of me (and those around me) in this way.

2) I read a statement to the effect that we cannot be prideful over Haggard’s fall because the only reason we’re at all saved or conquerors of our own disgraceful sin is because of God’s grace. We can’t say, “I’m not as bad as Haggard because I don’t sin that badly.”

I think there’s a fallacy here, and it is not that there are degrees of sin, but that we distinguish between degrees of sin wrongly. Yes, some sins are more outwardly destructive than others, but I know from personal experience that subtle sins – even those that look “good” on the outside – can have devastating consequences for both those who sin in this way and the ones whom these sins affect.

Also, if there is no reward for doing good; if the good is all of God and noneof us, then why are we told to run the race here on earth, looking to heaven and not to man, and to look for our reward in heaven? We will all be held accountable and rewarded according to our actions. I’m not looking forward to that, actually, because I fear I do and have done a lot more that’s not deserving of reward than I have done that is! Not that I’m trying to keep my own account, because that’s rather impossible and a waste of time. But I think that the credit God gets is that, without Him and all the means He makes available, we would be unable to conquer even the tiniest sin on our own. He made everything, anyway, which is why in Him we live and breathe and have our being. And we love because He first loved us.

Therefore, any bragging about what awful sinners we really are except for the grace of God – in essence bragging that we are as bad as Ted Haggard except for the grace of God – is of no use. Each of us is responsible for our own selves before God, so any sort of comparison is prideful. (And yes, I am guilty of this as well!) At the same time, any sin is that which separates us from God and brings down those around us and we are accountable for it.

We must also distinguish, perhaps, between salvation in Christ and perfection in salvation – what might be referred to as salvation as distinguished from sanctification. If it’s true that we have no choice over our own salvation, we certainly do have some choice concerning our own sanctification.

3) Many bloggers I’ve read have said that they’d never heard of Ted Haggard before, and one (can’t remember who) said that he believed that probably 95% of us haven’t.

I wonder, though, why that would be, and what it means. Does it mean that Haggard was really of no consequence? Or does it mean that, even in this Age of Information, we are still limited in our awareness by the spheres we live in? Can we help it that we live in such a limited awareness? Probably not. But I don’t think we should assume that we’re aware of more that’s important than we really are (I am guilty of this too), as much as we can help it...this again is pride. Whether pride in our own knowledge or in the technological capacities we have, it’s still pride – the pride of man.

If Haggard was not of consequence because of his erring theology (Pelagian, perhaps, whether he knew of it as that or not), yet he was of consequence because of his promulgation of errant theology, then he really is of consequence as a brother and leader and therefore deserves our loving aid and correction rather than our judgment for his errant theology.

4) Theology is very important, and is surely not taught as it should be. But I don’t think this means that it is not taught as much as it should be, for it is taught all the time! It just may not be labeled according to originator or system, or taught with any sense of organization. I’m not sure that this is necessary, anyway (for everyone, at least!). If we are to truly love our brothers and sisters both in Christ and in humanity, we must focus on people and not on theology as separate from them. If our theology does not inform a God-pleasing treatment of others, then what good is it?

John Schroeder at Blogotional writes a trenchant post on Why we Blog. He shares thoughts from a GodBlogCon discussion he moderated based on Linc Ashby’s post on blogging at Common Grounds Online. Of church, community-building, blogging, and affirmation, he says:

Dear friends, blogging is no place to turn for affirmation, or appreciation, or encouragement. In general it is a place of competition, of beat down, of elbows, and cheap shots. Sadly, that is true even of the Godblogosphere. I think it is true because we are largely a bunch of insecure, under appreciated, desparate people that think hit counts and audience can give us the kind of affirmation we desire.

...Why should people have to turn to blogging to find the kind of appreciation and encouragement that they should receive from their local congregation? ...mostly its because we don't do church very well. We do worship, but we don't do church. We build audience, but we don't build community.

If you are lonely and insecure and need affirmation - please don't look for it here in blogging. You will only end up hurt and disappointed. You need to look for it in your local congregation - and you need to work hard at finding it. It will not be apparent at church - it will not be looking for you. It is not here at all in blogging, but it is there in your church, you just have to dig for it, you have to ask. That's an indictment of the church, but at least it is there somewhere.

And turn to God - He loves more than the rest of the planet can combined.

I took a little of my own medicine lately, at least as prescribed by others. I went back to forum life for a time to discuss the concerns of atheists, specifically those who say they have left the faith of Christianity. Two things came up that I thought I would ask about in an informal poll.

I was given the statement that it is my duty as a Christian to "prove that God exists" . And the effort was made was made, rather enthusiastically, to engage me in giving forth arguments in that direction. Have you, the readers here, exercised yourself in similar conversations? Do you basically think that God's existance may be proven? How have you come to settle this with the people you have contact with, the ones with questions and doubts?

How do we see our duty to witness and share the gospel? How do we articulate our stand in the postmodern culture, in which communication is so large a part of life?

The third monthly Christian Reconciliation Carnival is at Pacesetters Bible School Newsletter. Not a lot of entries but things are picking up!

Post topics continue themes of racial concerns as well as Catholic-Protestant conflict. There's a post from an Episcopalian suggesting that we do well to understand Christianity's Jewish heritage. Specifically, he recommends participation in a Passover seder meal. I've done this a few times myself and agree that it is a tradition well worth observing.

In the Questions section, discussion continues on God's essence as distinguished from his energy in an East-West Christian comparison, thanks to Mark at Pseudo-Polymath. Mark also tackles the Topic of the Month, which has to do with both Defining Essentials of the Faith and wrestling with our differences in an edifying way. There are also more posts on the topic of Christian unity.

In the Discussions and Debates section, the general tenor of the current continuation vs. cessationism debate is noted, in a regretful way. There's some work to do here.

This month's Carnival will be held at Pseudo-Polymath. See Weekend Fisher for details or check Pseudo-Polymath. (update: see here.)

Hopefully I can get my act together to enter sometime soon. I have a post in mind, actually, and it has to do with this.

I found this blog on the the short list of Cool Chick Blogs For Christ at Lingamish. It appears we might be on probation, but that is OK since I am truly grateful that there are readers considering some of what is said here. I mean that is what the blogging is all about, IMHO. Maybe not so humble, but there it is.

I didn't know some of the others on the list... so I am very enthusiastic about making their acquaintance. That is another thing that I believe blogging facilitates : the meeting of minds, and the infusion of their creativity into ones own.

One of the things I respect most about Joe Carter is that he recognizes things (and people) not according to their worldly stature or to any agenda but promotion of the gospel. His attentions are based upon principle and earned purely by merit – good or bad.

Though Joe's attributes such as his rapier intelligence (unacknowledged by him) and formidable knowledge base make him a force to be reckoned with, never does he lord these things over anyone. Rather, he shares them generously, so as to inform for the cause of Christ. He is tireless in his efforts to support other Christian bloggers, which include sponsorship of this blog.

(I will confess that I have always worried that the blog would not live up to this honor, not due to any shortcomings but mine as blogger and manager, and because it can be difficult for a group of busy women to keep a blog like this going, let alone get them together to blog in the first place.)

So it is both an honor and a reassurance to learn that Intellectuelle has been deemed worthy of inclusion in Joe’s list of the 100 blogs which have influenced him the most. Especially considering the quality of blogs in that list.

On the other hand, Joe’s criteria were “(blogs that I have found to be) the most convicting, enlightening, frustrating, illuminating, maddening, stimulating, right-on and/or wrongheaded by Christians expressing a Christian worldview." It’s entirely possible that 'Elle was chosen on the basis of how frustrating, maddening, and wrongheaded it is to Joe. In which case I offer an apology, not for 'Elle's content, which I unabashedly support, but because I (we) certainly do not wish to cause Joe distress.

But regardless, I am happy that we’ve gotten Joe's attention, which in itself is a feather in our cap. Besides, there’s not one blog on his list (that I’m familiar with) that I would not also recommend, and to be included in such a quality list is highest praise.

So, thank you, Joe. Thanks so much for believing in Intellectuelle.

It's been a long while, I'm not exactly sure how long, since my last post on Intellectuelle. In fact, many of you probably don't have a clue who I am. I was honored to be invited to post at Intellectuelle at it's inception and I am honored to return to a regular posting status. Topics I tend to do a lot of thinking and writing on are bioethics, Christian worldview, apologetics, women's ministry, and my newest theme, women's leadership development outside of the church. I hope you'll interact with me on these topics and we can learn from each other, always pursuing God and meaningful understanding. Once again, thanks go to our host Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost and I'm grateful to Bonnie for keeping this thinktank on track.

I'm glad to be back!

Just have to say a few more things about Dawn, the mother of six I wrote about in this post (whom Sheena introduced us to originally -- thanks, Sheena!). First, and main: She did not contrive, conspire, maneuver, plot, scheme, plan, arrange, or otherwise try to achieve influence, notoriety, etc., on eBay or anywhere else. She simply began using her gifts, and her situation -- i.e., what she already had.

Apparently, the Pokemon card auction wasn't her first landslide writing (or auction) success; a couple years back she sold an old, dirty baseball for $1125 because of the description, which chronicled a morning in her life as a mother. (Another great read!)

As result of that auction, she got emails from people telling her she should write a book. But, considering the logistics, she decided to start a blog instead. Because I Said So "(changing lives, one diaper at a time, since 1994)," is as good as her auction. She's also been collecting stories from her family life with the possibility of a book in mind...and may have her opportunity to publish soon!

Dawn hasn't been to college and has never taken a writing class outside of high school. But she's a natural writer, with a fantastic sense of humor. She portrays motherhood as the crazy, messy, expensive, exhausting, and joyful thing it truly is -- free of shame and apologies. She's not afraid to express the feelings that all mothers have, whether they'll admit it or not. (About shopping for school supplies, she says, "Yes, it's almost that most wonderful time of the year and it can't come soon enough.") It's apparent that she loves her kids and is a great mom (she wouldn't have such a sense of humor about everything if she didn't, and wasn't), but she's also honest about things such as the exhaustion factor and the relief of a break.

A recent post at The Point claims that “virtual communities are consuming marriages across the country.” Profiled is Ric Hoogestraat, 53 and recently married, who spends hours – sometimes an astounding 20 per day – in an online fantasy world where users (patrons) create a persona and playact at all sorts of activities, spending virtual cash on virtual goods and tending virtual property. As The Wall Street Journal (linked in the post) tells us, Hoogestraat has a virtual “second wife" there, controlled by a woman he has never met or spoken with.

Virtual (simulated, imaginary) living is nothing new. Online virtual life is just another, newer way to escape real life, if cheaper and with more easily accessible options. But we’ve had avenues for escapism since time immemorial; virtual communities simply offer another alternative to dealing with reality, with what's at hand. Another form of porn, another drug, another gamble. Not that everything acting as porn, a drug, or a gamble is explicitly that – food can be, well, food, or it can become a drug (or porn, but we won’t go there...), as can TV, work, a hobby, you name it. Even blogging! (Gasp!)

In just seven short weeks, GodBlogCon 2007 will be underway. This year’s conference is to be held in conjunction with BlogWorld and New Media Expo, “the first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference, and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of blogging and new media." By including the Con with the Expo, we affirm the presence of Christian bloggers as players in the blogosphere-at-large.

The goals of GodBlogCon 2007 are to build community among Christian bloggers and to help them, whether advanced or beginner, “become better contributors in the new media.” There’s also an effort to introduce church leaders to the ministry potential of blogging. Topics to be discussed include “Focus and Motivation” (Dr. John Mark Reynolds), “New Media Ministry to the Myspace-Facebook Generation” (Rhett Smith), “Writing Well in the New Media” (LaShawn Barber), and “Communicating Biblical Womanhood” (me). (Oh no...I'd better start studying!)

CitizenLink has interviewed conference organizer and speaker John Mark Reynolds, and coordinator Dustin Steeve asks, "Will Socrates be at GodBlogCon?" He suggests that we understand the communication-media bigger picture of which blogging is but a contemporary part, and underscores the responsibility we all have to use new media well. (Will Socrates be at the Con??)

Hugh Hewitt, founder of the GodBlogCon (a.k.a. The Blogfather), will speak at the BlogWorld Conference on “The Cult of Blogging,” along with Arianna Huffington and Om Malik.

Register now to secure your spot and early-bird savings! Hope to see you there!

In a nice tribute at Breakpoint, Chuck Colson announces that Breakpoint's blog, The Point, has just celebrated its one-year blogiversary. (Congrats, Point-ers!) The goals stated for The Point sound similar to those for Intellectuelle:

to apply Christian truths in every situation and to speak those truths in a winsome manner that draws both believers and nonbelievers into the conversation.

Colson reports that those goals have been reached. He emphasizes that

The Point was never intended to be a place where we just sat around talking to ourselves. It is a community—mainly a community of believers, although all are welcome to participate in the discourse. That has always been part of our vision of what a blog could be, and it has been a joy to watch that vision come true.

He goes on to say that online community is not preferable to in-the-flesh interaction with friends, family, and neighbors, but that "when we have to spend time in cyberspace—and an increasing number of us do—we can work together to serve the cause of Christ and promote Christian worldview even there."

(Not many of us have to spend time in cyberspace, I suppose, unless our jobs involve use of the internet, as do those of journalists and communicators for organizations, such as Colson.)

However, "virtual" community of the type that is not imaginary can help its members grow in ways that benefit their in-the-flesh relationships, as I can attest to personally. The things I have learned from reading blogs, from blogging myself, and interacting with people I've "met" through blogging have made a very significant difference in my life, for which I am eternally grateful.