Lots of comments over at Versus Populum. Pastor Frontz has posted a very thorough explication of the kind of “liberal Protestantism” Braaten seems to have in mind: In the contemporary “Protestant” culture, Braaten and others see a Kulturprotestantismus which differs in its assumptions about the culture but is one with the primary assumption that Barth…

Remember the BBC poll to determine the greatest philosopher in history? Well, they’ve announced the winner and it’s none other than Uncle Karl himself! And by a significant margin too! Here’s how the vote broke down: Marx: 27.93%Hume: 12.67%Wittgenstein: 6.80%Nietzsche: 6.49%Plato: 5.65%Kant: 5.61%St. Thomas: 4.83%Socrates: 4.82%Aristotle: 4.52%Karl Popper: 4.20%

Maybe I don’t understand terrorist strategy or something, but I can’t see how blowing up little kids is a good way to win friends or influence people. I mean, presumably, even Iraqis who are hostile to the occupation would abhor this kind of depraved act.

You Are 60% American Most times you are proud to be an American.Though sometimes the good ole US of A makes you cringeStill, you know there’s no place better suited to be your home.You love your freedom and no one’s going to take it away from you! How American Are You? I only wish there…

Carl Braaten is one of the most noted theologians in the ELCA. Together with Robert Jenson he has worked to create a kind of “vital center” theology that is orthodox, intellectually rigorous, and ecumenical. The Pietist has posted an open letter from Braaten to Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, on the current state…

Michael W. McConnell is supposed to be on President Bush’s short list to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Here’s an article he wrote on the 25th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Assuming he still stands by these views, McConnell seems to think that a) Roe was a bad decision and should be overturned,…

Found this article by church historian D.G. Hart on different strands of Protestantism in American history and how they relate faith to politics. The most important distinction here, accordign to Hart, is between pietistic evangelicals and what he calls “liturgicals.” Pietists deemphasize the institutional church, the sacraments, etc. and focus on individual conversion resulting in…

As part of its tenth anniversary, Amazon has listed its top 25 authors in terms of sales during the course of its history. Here’s the list (I’ve bolded the authors I’ve read just to see how in tune with the zeitgeist I am – not very it appears): 1. J.K. Rowling2. Spencer Johnson3. Nora Roberts4.…

Very interesting interview with Robert Pape, University of Chicago political scientist and author of Dying to Win: The Logic of Suicide Terrorism: The American Conservative: Your new book, Dying to Win, has a subtitle: The Logic of Suicide Terrorism. Can you just tell us generally on what the book is based, what kind of research…

Here’s an excerpt from the book Bono in Conversation (via Bunnie Diehl): Assayas: Appalling things seem to happen when people become religious at too early an age or when their experience of life is nonexistent. Don’t you think? Bono: Zealots often have no love for the world. They’re just getting through it to the next…