The antidote to Rome

“Biblicist, liturgical, sacramental, ecumenical Protestantism is the antidote to Roman fever, not the cause.”


Via @PLeithart

The vanity of money

In other words, money can't buy happiness. A few quotes from some greats - ancient and recent - that testify to this. First, King Solomon:

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

Second, Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the US:

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of it filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfied one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way. That was a true proverb of the wise man; rely upon it: “Better a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures.

Third, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th US President:

Financial success is purely metallic. The man who gains it has four metallic attributes: gold in his palm, silver on his tongue, brass in his face, and iron in his heart.

John D. Rockfeller:

I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness. I would barter them all for the days I sat on an office stool in Cleveland and counted myself rich on three dollars a week.

It's good therefore to know that God has promised all His children a lasting inheritance with benefits both in this life and the next. Paul puts it well by asking:

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

Queen to the rescue

Currently looking for illustrations for the sermons to be preached during the Jubilee weekend and came across this:

Awkward conversation was being made at Buckingham Palace during the State Visit of General de Gaulle and his wife. Somebody asked Madame de Gaulle what she was most looking forward to in her retirement which was imminent. With great elaboration, not speaking English much at all, she replied, 'A penis'. Consternation reigned for some time but it was the Queen herself who came to the rescue. 'Ah happiness'!

The ugliness of Darwinism

From a tweet a read today:

"Show me one hospital or soup kitchen named after Charles Darwin."

Earth and heaven in a cosmic kiss

Whilst I completely disagree with NT Wright's take of Genesis 1 & 2, it is hard to watch the video below and disagree that he is a great story-teller (and incredibly talented scholar).

10 seconds every 4 years!

A relative once commented, “What a great job you have as a pastor - you only work 2 hours a week.” I replied “Olympic sprinters have an even better job - they only have to work 10 seconds every 4 years!”

Adapted from The Cripplegate

Champ by a mile

Not sure how precise the research was (e.g. Harry Potter before Lord of the Rings?) but I think this info-graphic gets the general trend right.