clarification

First of all, I am now blogging with a mac. It has made things slightly more complicated, blog-wise. For example, my profile and links and what not are now at the bottom of the blog. I don't know why, and I'm not savvy enough to fix it. Also, posting pictures is rather more complicated. I'm sure these are all work-around-ible issues.

Also: some have wondered what I meant by "therapeutic" in reference to Evangelicalism. Now, I didn't mean it in any kind of pejorative sense. I just mean that evangelicals, with their emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus have concomittant emphases on devotional EXPERIENCE. Hence, perhaps, all the closed eyes and raised hands at praise and worship events. This is mainly the sort of thing I had in mind. The experience of feeling close to God, loved, intensely devotional, etc. can all be very good (and were good for me last weekend). We just shouldn't cling to the experiences, as such. Its just like fiddleback chasubles and six candles on the altar for anglo-catholics: great stuff, but not objects of devotion in themselves.

We would all do well to remind ourselves every day that we are serving our crucified and risen Lord, and that we are preparing for his second Advent. The point of religion is not to feel this way or that way; its just to serve the one and only End, Jesus Christ.

So likewise with, e.g., Jack van Impe below. I was actually pleasantly surprised by his little talk. He spoke rather favorably of the pope and of Roman Catholicism. He kept citing Irenaus, Justin Martyr, and Origen. He referred to them as "priests of the Church." And he knew the Bible like the back of his hand. It was really amazing. I'm just not sure he's RIGHT. And even if he is right, I'm not so sure it matters.