Category Archives: Humor

STARTLING CREMATION!

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I am currently reading through this terrific book with our youngest son, Chris, who is on a summer missions trip in the Dominican Republic.  Courtesy of Skype, we were able to talk through the first two chapters this past Sunday.

One excerpt for your reading pleasure:

“On one occasion a widow put into her husband’s coffin two cans of the spray adhesive that the dead man had used to paste on his toupee, causing an explosion that bent the furnace door.”

(Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright, p. 12)

 

SEPARATED AT BIRTH?

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Image result for Tony Lane theologian

This first picture is of Tony Lane who teaches at London School of Theology.  Later this summer, I will be interviewing Tony on his terrific book, Exploring Christian Doctrine.  The second is my dear friend, Dr. Dave McCoy, and yours truly.  So what do you think about the comparison?

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FUNNIEST SUPREME COURT JUDGE

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It can be scientifically proved that, at least while they’re listening to cases, Scalia is the funniest of the justices. As recently as 2004, the official court reporter identifies the justices’ remarks, questions, and comments; using the notation “(laughter),” it also notes any justice-induced jocularity. After mining the transcripts from the 2004-2005 session, Boston University law Prof. Jay Wexler determined that Scalia was the funniest justice by a landslide, “instigating 77 laughing episodes.”

Source: http://www.usnews.com/news/national/articles/2007/10/02/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-justice-antonin-scalia

CHRISTIAN VERSUS CLASSICAL COMEDY

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THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING AND INSIGHTFUL THINGS I’VE READ IN A LONG, LONG TIME:
W. H. Auden once commented that a Christian society could produce comedy of “much greater breadth and depth” than could a classical society. Its comedy was greater in breadth because classical comedy is based on a division of mankind into two classes, those who have arete [heroic virtue] and those who do not, and only the second class, the fools, shameless rascals, slaves, are fit subjects for comedy. But Christian comedy is based upon the belief that all men are sinners; no one, therefore, whatever his rank or talents, can claim immunity from the comic exposure and, indeed, the more virtuous, in the Greek sense, a man is, the more he realizes that he deserves to be exposed.
The Christian society’s comedy was greater in depth because, while classical comedy believes that rascals should get the drubbing they deserve, Christian comedy believes that we are forbidden to judge others and that it is our duty to forgive each other. In classical comedy the characters are exposed and punished: when the curtain falls, the audience is laughing and those on stage are in tears. In Christian comedy the characters are exposed and forgiven: when the curtain falls, the audience and the characters are laughing together.

CARL HENRY, A BATHROOM, AND ME

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Recently, there were some lecture series given in honor of the one hundredth year since Dr. Carl F.H. Henry’s birth.  Many say that Henry “was the brains of twentieth century evangelical Christianity while Graham was the heart.”

While I was doing research for my M.A. thesis, I spotted Dr. Henry in the library.  He was carefully reading and jotting down notes on a yellow legal pad.  He stood up so I took that as my opportunity to approach him.  

Dr. Henry was kind and easy to talk with.  I tried to cover as much terrain as possible in our few minutes.  

I couldn’t help but notice that Dr. Henry started to walk as he talked.  He was fully engaged in the conversation, but I thought it odd that he was walking.  

Dr. Henry finally stopped, thanked me for the conversation, and walked into the bathroom that I had not noticed until then!