Drew Goodmanson, a fellow presenter at Christian Web Conference and all around smart-guy, argued today that we should reframe the discussion about online church around this question: What are we called to be as a Biblical community? And can this be done with technology? Drew’s reasons are compelling, of course. He writes: The question of [...]
Archive for July, 2009
July 30, 2009
1
On the Question of the Reality of Online Church
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Technology
July 29, 2009
5
Perfectionism and the Death of the Local Church (at least as we know it)
By Matthew Lee Anderson in TechnologyAs more evangelicals begin to wrestle with questions of technology and how it shapes our local congregations, I suspect there will be many who sympathize with the position articulated quite ably and boldy by John LaGrou: The virtually-connected church now has on-line access to the finest teaching and preaching imaginable, accessible at their convenience, 7 x [...]
July 28, 2009
2
On Virtuality and Online Church
By Matthew Lee Anderson in TechnologyAndrew’s post about virtuality and the possibility of online church–or is it ‘church’?–is definitely a ‘must read’ for anyone who interested in the burgeoning conversation. While I will have a more substantive response in the next few days, my initial reactions–and that is all I can claim for them–are twofold. First, the question of online [...]
July 20, 2009
5
The Online Church is a Speaking Church
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Theology (Church)In The New Media Frontier, I distinguished between being and doing before going on to argue that the only way to signify one’s presence online was through linking, commenting, or some other activity. Otherwise, readers remain ‘depersonalized,’ known only by their locations and IP addresses. John Dyer, who is a model of constructive, thoughtful, and [...]
July 19, 2009
2
On Marrying Young
By Matthew Lee Anderson in People and RelationshipsBen Domenech’s recent New Ledger piece has set off no little conversation on one of my favorite topics: marriage. He writes (though the whole thing is worth a read): For the most narcissistic among us, the problem is even reaching a point in life where marriage and reproduction are viewed in positive terms. As Kay [...]
July 17, 2009
0
Morality, Beauty, and Abercrombie
By GaryH in "Questions worth Asking", All Things Lovely, Applied Philosophy, Money and Business, News, PhilosophyThere are, at least, two general ways of thinking about moral rights and goods. One way is to think of rights as protections against others who would prevent me from satisfying my desires. What is good is what satisfies the desires I happen to have. On this view, if I have a desire to eat, [...]
July 16, 2009
2
On Metaphysical Conservatism and the Problem of Marriage
By Matthew Lee Anderson in People and RelationshipsIt is an odd fact about American culture and the gay marriage debate that while conservatives are winning (at least for the moment) the public opinion battle, they are losing the intellectual war. While I have hope that this will be reversed, Jonathan Chait’s article offers a devestatingly accurate characterization of many conservative politicians’ arguments [...]
July 6, 2009
3
On the Premature Judgment of Sarah Palin
By Matthew Lee Anderson in America, PoliticsThere are few decisions or events in our media saturated era that happen without the requisite context to pass a reasonable judgment. And judgement–in a non-pejorative sense–is precisely what political punditry offers the political process. The ability to assess information, to compare competing theories, and to offer a plausible explanation in a persuasive way is [...]
July 6, 2009
1
Following the Cloud: On Changes in my Life and at Mere-O
By Matthew Lee Anderson in NewsIt’s been a long time since I have posted consistently here at Mere-O, or anywhere else for that matter. The new position at Evangelical Outpost and my day job have conspired to sap nearly all my intellectual energy. I simply did not have the time, or, more importantly, the motivation to contribute positively to any [...]
July 5, 2009
0
On Public Enemies
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Reviews (Films)There’s little left to say about Public Enemies that Brett McCracken (who is working on a book on hipster Christianity that is sure to be a must-read) hasn’t already said. More than anything, Public Enemies revels in and inflates Dillinger’s mythic status. Depp’s portrayal is sympathetic to the last. Dillinger refuses to kill the [...]