As I said in my last post, some new things are coming down the drain for my blog. You’ve probably noticed in the last year or so that I have moved from my more academic posts to a more general approach to blogging (including academic posts as well). This is on purpose, as I’m hoping to move this blog away from a purely academic blog to a more personal blog (essentially done already). I’ve updated the look of this blog to reflect this more personal shift. The next step is more in the future, but I’ll be discussing that when the time comes.

Those of you who receive updates through email for a feed reader can check out the new look by clicking here: http://www.katagraphais.com.

Tomorrow marks the release of a brand new Bible from the folks at Tyndale House Publishers: The Holy Bible: Mosaic.

I’m extremely excited about this Bible, and was able to secure a copy for a forthcoming review. Here’s the “about the book” from the new Mosaic website:

“On our own we are little more than bits of stone and glass. Together we are the Body of Christ. Holy Bible: Mosaic is an invitation to experience Christ in His Word and in the responses of his people. Each week, as you reflect on guided Scripture readings aligned with the church seasons, you will receive a wealth of insight from historical and contemporary writings. Full-color artwork, quotes, hymns, prayers, and poems enhance the rich devotional experience. Also includes a Dictionary/Concordance, NLT word study system with Hebrew/Greek dictionary.”

Essentially, it is a devotional Bible that connects the reader with church community throughout the centuries and around the world. Some of the key features include: writings from every continent and century of the Christian Church, full-color art, and liturgical readings and meditations for each week of the Church year.

If done well, this Bible could become very important to an individualistic society, reminding us of the depth and breadth of what Jesus’ Church really is. Will it be a glimpse into John’s vision?

“I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout,
‘Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
and from the Lamb!’”
(Revelation 7.9–10 NLT)

Tune in tomorrow for a few Mosaic related announcements!

You can purchase the new NLT Holy Bible: Mosaic at amazon.com: Holy Bible: Mosaic

Kentucky National Guard goes door-to-door to administer aid

Power is out at my apartment, but I have water. I’m doing well, thanks to some incredible friends who have let me stay with them. They were unaffected, power and water-wise, by the storm. No clue on a time-line for when things will be power will be up again.

Christianity Today has posted their 2009 Book Awards. Two of my favorite books of the past year made it on the list- albeit in two different ways.

The first is the winner of the Christianity and Culture award: Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch. I really can’t say enough about this book.

The second didn’t win the award, but came in second place for Theology/Ethics: Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright. Again, I can’t say enough about this book either.

Both of these books have really transformed the way that I look at culture and the place of Christians within it. Crouch really changed my view of the purpose and reason for Christian interaction with culture, and Wright strengthened my convictions on the role of eschatology as the hope of Christians. The two are more tied together than we tend to think, as Paul ends his discussion on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 by saying, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Brent, pastor of Church of the Cross in Glendale, AZ, and (former) author of the blog Colossians Three Sixteen, has moved: Check him out at Holiday at the Sea.

I’ve been tagged by Jeff with the 123 Book Meme.

The rules state that I must pick up the book closest to me and:

1. turn to page 123
2. count the first five sentences
3. post the following three sentences

Here is Christopher J. H. Wright’s “Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament”.

“In the texts above, for example, they are ‘rebellious sons’, ‘faithless sons’, or ‘lying sons’. This second aspect of Israel’s sonship thus clearly corresponds to the other side of the covenant relationship, namely the imperative demand for obedience- a demand which applied to all individual members of the nation.

So what we find then, is that both poles of the covenant (God’s initiative and Israel’s obedience) are held together within the same relational metaphor of father and son.

Consider yourself tagged!

In the next few weeks I have 3 papers due, and I’ll need to start studying for finals. The papers are on 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, a position paper on the Problem of Evil (my position: what problem?), and a book review on Chris Wright’s “Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament.” The only problem is that I have NO motivation to work. At all. Prayer would be greatly appreciated. Also, I have to reread the book by Wright, because I didn’t take notes as I went through it and there is no index. Seriously, what book doesn’t have an index?

I decided that since my blogging has gone down the past few months, I should let you guys in on what I’m immersing myself with instead of being online.
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Today is the birthday of theologian John Calvin, born on July 10th, 1509. Whether you agree or disagree with Calvin, or the movement which came about after his death and borrowed his name, it is undeniable the effect that he has had to Christianity.

You can check out Calvin’s commentaries for free here.
You can read Calvin’s major work, Institutes of the Christian Religion, also for free, here.
You can check out what is being worked on for John Calvin’s 500th birthday next year at calvin500.org.

When I write on this blog, I have two main objectives: 1) be educational, and 2) be accessible.  While a lot of my readers are either knowledgable about languages and technical theology terms, not all are.  I don’t want those who feel like they don’t have a grasp on the topics covered on this blog to feel left out of the conversation that is being held here.  With this in mind, I have a couple of points that I want to enter into a covenant with my readers, so that I can be held accountable for accessibility.  Here are two points that I have thought of. Feel free to suggest more.
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