Category Archives: Current Events

Current Events

The Bible as Graphic Novel?

This New York Times article deals with an interesting proposal from Ajinbayo Akinsiku, a Manga artist, who hopes to become an Anglican priest and who is already the author of “The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation.”

What do you think? Is this something that would benefit Asian and Western culture? Who’s many teens and young adults are obsessed with Manga comics, stories, and artwork?

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Ajinbayo Akinsiku wants the world to know Jesus Christ, just not the gentle, blue-eyed Christ of old Hollywood movies and illustrated Bibles.

Mr. Akinsiku says his Son of God is “a samurai stranger who’s come to town, in silhouette,” here to shake things up in a new, much-abridged version of the Bible rooted in manga, the Japanese form of graphic novels.

“We present things in a very brazen way,” said Mr. Akinsiku, who hopes to become an Anglican priest and who is the author of “The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation.” “Christ is a hard guy, seeking revolution and revolt, a tough guy.”

Publishers with an eye for evangelism and for markets have long profited by directing Bibles at niche markets: just-married couples, teenage boys, teenage girls, recovering addicts. Often the lure is cosmetic, like a jazzy new cover.

Sales of graphic novels, too, have grown by double digits in recent years. So it makes sense that a convergence is under way, as graphic novels take up stories from the Bible, often in startling ways. In the last year, several major religious and secular publishing houses have announced or released manga religious stories.

The medium shapes the message. Manga often focuses on action and epic. Much of the Bible, as a result, ends up on the cutting room floor, and what remains is darker.

“It is the end of the Word as we know it, and the end of a certain cultural idea of the Scriptures as a book, as the Book,” Timothy Beal, professor of religion at Case Western Reserve University, said of the reworking of the Bible in new forms, including manga. “It opens up new ways of understanding Scripture and ends up breaking the idols a bit.”

While known for characters with big eyes and catwalk poses, manga is also defined by a laconic, cinematic style, with characters often doing more than talking.

In a blurb for the Manga Bible, which is published by Doubleday, the archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, is quoted as saying, “It will convey the shock and freshness of the Bible in a unique way.” (more…)

Current Events, Debate, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

The Former Archbishop Speaks About the Current Archbishop

In continuing coverage of the debate in Great Britain about Muslim Law… The predecessor of the current Archbishop spoke out on the topic in a recent edition of The Telegraph, a British newspaper. Here is the link to what he said, along with an excerpt below:

The storm of criticism that greeted the Archbishop of Canterbury’s lecture on sharia law in Britain will no doubt have disappointed him but, in fact, he may have done us a great favour by airing this whole area of controversy. He might even be regarded as prescient for discussing sharia, even before demand builds among Muslim communities for special provision in British law. Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, says there is no Islamic consensus on the application of sharia.

Indeed, some opinion polls have the number of British Muslims wanting to live under sharia as high as 60 per cent. Furthermore, sharia councils are based in almost every city and town with a sizeable Muslim population. Famously, Canada’s politicians came perilously close to introducing Islamic law for matrimonial cases, headed off eventually by an alliance of women’s groups and the opposition of ordinary Muslims.

Dr. Williams’s chief concern is the protection of religious communities against an increasingly aggressive secularism which last year, for instance, saw Roman Catholic adoption agencies put out of business by an insistence that they act against their conscience by placing children with gay couples.  (read more…)

Current Events, Debate, Interviews, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

Update: Latest News on Muslim Law Debate in England

Here are some recent articles regarding the recent debate and controversy that was recently started after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, said that Sharia Law is inevitable for Great Britain:

Also, for those of you following the Anglican crisis, here is an update from Christianity Today on the latest decision from several African Provinces that have said they will no attend the once-per-decade Lambeth gathering of the Anglican Communion:

Excerpt:

Events in the global Anglican Communion are going from bad to worse. On Feb. 12, an official governing body of the Anglican Province of Uganda announced that they will not be attending the once-per-decade Lambeth gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world. (Nigeria and Rwanda have also indicated they will not attend. Kenya will decide in April.)

Ugandan Anglicans place the blame at the feet of revisionist and “unrepentant” American Episcopal Bishops and a compromised, ineffective Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, saying:

This decision has been made to protest the invitations extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams, to TEC Bishops whose stand and unrepentant actions created the current crisis of identity and authority in the Anglican Communion.

Look here for the full statement released late on Feb. 13.

Current Events, Debate, Interviews, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

Law and Faith: N.T. Wright Interview

N.T. Wright was briefly interviewed on the topic of Law and Faith related to a recent lecture he gave at the London School of Economics. Here is the link and his lecture download. I’m posting the YouTube video of the Interview below. What do you think? Are people over-reacting to Archbishop Rowan Williams’ lecture on Muslim Law and British Law?

[HT: James Grant]

Current Events, Debate, Interviews, Islam, Politics

Should the Archbishop Resign?

Archbishop of Canterbury ‘should resign’ over Sharia row

Well, this is probably not a big surprise to most people, but there are now senior members of the Church of England’s governing body, the Synod, calling for Archbishop Rowan William’s resignation. They don’t think it will happen, but they are trying to show just how much opposition he has these days.

So, what do you think? Is the Archbishop wrong? Has he become incompetent? Or is he just trying to start a debate?

Here is a brief excerpt from the article linked above:

The senior Synod member, who insisted on remaining anonymous, told The Times: “A lot of people will now have lost confidence in him. I am just so shocked, and cannot believe a man of his intelligence could be so gullible. I can only assume that all the Muslims he meets are senior leaders of the community who tell him what a wonderful book the Koran is.

“There have been a lot of calls today for him to resign. I don’t suppose he will take any notice, but yes, he should resign.”

The Bishop of Southwark, the Right RevTom Butler, also challenged the Archbishop’s comments. “It will take a great deal more thought and work before I think it’s a good idea,” he said.

Although the means of forcing an archbishop out of office are so costly and arcane — short of his committing a criminal act, he could never be made to go — the row represents the most serious threat to the authority of his office since he became Archbishop five years ago.

It comes on top of the disintegration of the Anglican Communion in the dispute over homosexuality, with up to a quarter of the world’s 800-plus Anglican bishops intending to boycott the 2008 Lambeth Conference at Kent, and insiders are wondering if Dr Williams’s moral authority has now been damaged almost beyond repair.

Current Events, Debate, Islam

Civil and Religious Law in England: a Religious Perspective

For those of you who want to know more about Archbishop Rowan Williams’ rational behind his recent statements about Great Britain adopting parts of Islamic Sharia Law for Muslims to live under… here is his lecture found on the Archbishop’s web site.

Also, please see David Field’s entry on this. Field gives analysis of the Archbishop’s proposals and offers some helpful insight and correction.

[HT: Ben Myers]

Current Events, History, Politics, Prayer Requests, Reforming, Theology

TN Governor: Tornadoes the ‘Wrath of God’

Sermon Audio reported that my state governor, Phil Bredesen, said (after surveying the damage done by the tornadoes earlier this week), “The wrath of God is the only way I can describe it.“

These are wise words and the United States should heed them. Why do you think John McCain and Hillary Clinton are the leading candidates for both parties in the upcoming Presidential election? You think it’s bad luck these tornadoes happen to come through the day after Super Tuesday? Think again…

“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”“

Luke 13:1-5 (ESV)

[HT: Sermon Audio]