Tony Jones

Because I’m going back in time and becoming a 1908 revivalist in a month, I’ve been growing out my beard.  

Facial hair was all the rage in 1908.  Now the question is, which style to choose?  (We must all remember that Julie holds veto power.)  Personally, I’m leaning toward the Franz Joseph.

…on the Personality Map?

First Base: Norm continues his interaction with Pete Rollins’s new book at Christians in Context.  Pete’s also commenting in response.

Second Base: Darren King interviewed me for Precipice Magazine.

Third Base: David Fitch takes on Mark Driscoll.

Home Plate: Steve Knight has a Mega-Post on Evangelicalism at EV.

Here’s another portion of my book that didn’t make it into the final version.  Remember, it’s rough and unedited, but it is a story that’s dear to my heart.

I’m a volunteer police chaplain, and when my pager starts buzzing, Julie gives me a knowing glance. Most likely, I’ll be gone for the next several hours, leaving her alone with the kids.

Last December, the tell-tale vibration happened at about 9:30 p.m., just two days before Christmas. I called into the police dispatcher, and she told me, “We’ve got a DOA.”

“What more can you tell me?” I asked, after she gave me the address.

“Well, he was big. Really big. They couldn’t get him out to the ambulance.”

“Oh. Okay. Which officers are there?” I asked.

“Everyone’s there.”

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At least Drew Marshall does.  I was on his radio show last week.  Listen HERE.

Dear Tony,

I’m currently reading through your book “The New Christians.” It is my first real introduction to the emerging movement from the perspective of an emergent.

Wow! It’s great!

A little of my background. I’m a Presbyterian raised lad, taught the ways of Calvin and co. My father is a Prezzy pastor a straight down the line conservative, though with a twist. I’ve completed an undergrad degree in philosophy and since changed to the Vineyard Church.

I’ll get straight to the point: what you’ve written about has put into words a lot of the stuff I’ve been thinking about over the past few years. So I guess I owe you a thanks.

Being the philosophy undergrad and all, I wanted to share with you an argument that I think buttresses your hermeneutic of humility (which I whole-heartedly agree with, having once been an arrogant young know-it-all type).

First, to your reasoning. You state in your book (I’m too lazy to reference it ) that many people in the theological landscape have changed their minds about theological issues such as slavery, so how, really, can we know that what we think about now is, in fact, God’s super-truth. True truth.  This is, I think, a powerful argument. Here’s mine.

I don’t think we even have to reference changes in theological beliefs over time to prove your point. I think we can simply look at the vast plethora of differing interpretations that exists now and stand in awe of the complexity of theology.

I compiled a list of “views” books, you know, like those Zondervan books that have four views on blah blah blah. My argument for a hermeneutic of humility would be:

If there are so many views argued so well, by godly, intelligent men, who all think they have the correct interpretation, doesn’t that imply a humility of sorts? And boy, do these guys argue well for their views! How the bleep, then, can one claim so dogmatically and with such over-arching certainty, that their view is the one!  Here’s my list:

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Previously:

Webisode 1

Webisode 2

Last week, I spent two days at Princeton, speaking at the annual youth ministry conference. I’ve always got mixed feelings when I go back — a love of the people there, and an aversion to the bureaucracy and to New Jersey in general.

In happy news, I recently found out that I won a dissertation grant from the Louisville Institute, so I’ll be hunkering down and finally writing that massive term paper next fall/winter/spring.

First Base: Collin Hansen and I have begun a dialog on our two books and two movement (if you don’t know, Collin is part of the “young, restless, Reformed” crowd).

Second Base: Scot has a guest blogger?  Yes!  RJS is blogging through Tim Keller’s book.

Third Base: Jenell Paris inveighs on gender in emergent.

Home Plate: The Democratic race thus far, in 7 minutes.

“Dear Stephen, Please have my Daddy on your show!”

Every week I receive a “publicity report” from Kelly Hughes, the best in the business.  She’s been in contact with scores of journalists over the past three months, telling them about my book and trying to interest them in doing a story on it.  Between the Democratic primaries and the Pope, there hasn’t been a lot of leeway in the media for “trends in religion” stories, which is how my book is generally categorized by journalists.  But she’s still gotten the book a lot of great notice.

Well, in the report this week, I got the worst news of all.  The Colbert Report said “no” to having me on.  Sure, it was a long shot, but my kids were praying every night that I’d get on Colbert. 

Charlie Rose?  Who cares.  Tavis Smiley?  I’m too busy.  Bill O’Reilly?  Not interested.

But Colbert?  He’s my hero.  I watch every night.  I dream about him.  I study his interviews.

So, my atheism increases.  I’m melting my Wrist Strong bracelet down.  I’m adopting a bear cub.  I’m giving Colbert a wag of my finger…and he knows which finger.

Why, Colbert, Why?!?!?!?