Bye bye Schilling?

I know baseball's a business and all but should Schilling depart Boston, I would nonetheless be very sad. It's entirely possible that he won't play as well as he did two or three years; in fact, it's likely. He is, after all, 41 years old--a bit up there for a professional athlete. All the same, who can forget his heroics in bringing the Sox their first World Series title after nearly 90 years. Still vivid in my mind are the truck commercials leading up to his Red Sox debut, in which he announced his migration to Boston for the purpose of winning the title. Of course, much more memorable is his making good on his plans, and doing so while pitching on a temporarily stitched together achilles, leading to the famous bloodly sock. Judging from past experience--notably, the trade of Nomar, seemingly a Red Sox ficture--Theo will be willing to part with Schill should his performance not be great, but I'm not ready to see that happen.

Veritas Forum at MIT

For those of you who have never been to a Veritas Forum, I recommend you go. This year's one at MIT starts on March 1. Our good friend, Annette Kim, will be speaking on Saturday (3/3). Here's the schedule.

New Haven

Back to New Haven tomorrow. Monday I drove down there (with the wife) to speak with a professor in the Religious Studies Department about their PhD program in New Testament. Because I also have an interest in their Ancient Christianity program, I had to set up a separate appointment with a different prof. for tomorrow. Had I been able to check my e-mail Monday before leaving, I would have seen that the NT prof. offered to meet me on Weds as well, in order to spare me the extra trip. Alas, I was long gone before this e-mail was sent.

First of all, I'm not sure I have even the smallest chance of making it into either of these programs. (Early on in our conversation, Dr. Martin informed me that they basically admit one student a year into the PhD program. Nice odds, huh?) Aside from that, I'm not sure these programs are right for me--or if I'm right for them. I guess this is just part of the journey. Hopefully, just one of the schools I apply to will accept me. Ok, enough of the pity party. I better go listen to my Rocky sound track to get pumped up.

I guess I would rather be a bulldog than a terrier . . . .

Arepas for All

Okay, ignore the fact that I look less than masculine in this picture. (Ping was quick to point that out.) The important thing is that I'm enjoying a nice cup of Venezuelan espresso while Ping hangs on for dear life and Suru and Paul sit back and wait for the fireworks.

Here's the other side of the table. Yutian is certainly the ladies man. (B-day girl, Meritza, is third from left. Emily is to her right and Karen is on her left.)

Here's all of us together. Unfortunately, Ping looks like a growth protuding from the side of Karen's head, but what can you do.

Above are some photos from a wonderful lunch that our CG had to celebrate with our dear sister, Meritza, whose birthday was recently. The restaurant is an awesome Venezuelan eatery in the South End of Boston. Here's its website. We had Arepas, which are the main offerings on the lunch menu. I highly recommend the place. Meritza herself is Venezuelan, and since she seemed to like the food, it now has street cred with us.

Odds and Ends

Over at IsElbrechtDead, cousin Nate shares a touching story about his first manicure. (I'm sure there's many more to come.)

Ben Witherington has a balanced review of Rob Bell's ministry (HT: Jason). And here's a more recent post by prolific Ben.

Michael Gilleland at Laudator Temporis Acti reports on Killing God.

Jon at The Brew Site highlights Dogfish Head's Indian Brown Ale. I'm a huge fan of Dogfish Head and would recommend almost any of their brew. In fact, it was only after sampling their 90 Minute IPA that I started to take a liking to the bite of India Pale Ales.

Oh, this just in: UNC finishes off BC, a solid team. (Can't wait until Tournament time--the only time of the year when the wife will let me watch sports for an extended period of time; this is a new phenomenon, ever since I got her addicted to filling out brackets.)

Finally, I'd like to mention Reunion Christian Church's opening in the Boston area. Their first service is on Sunday, February 18 at 10:30 AM. More info is available on their website.

Special K

Nothing says baseball season like a Japanese import. This guy makes me super excited about this year's Sox team--and baseball in general. Sure, he probably won't live up to expectations for the first year, but there's no doubt that every game he pitches will be an event. Overall, I'm thinking that the Sox have pretty good odds of winning the AL East, or at least making it to the playoffs via the wild card. The Yanks seem to be having pitching doubts and all I can say is HA!

Bruce Metzger, RIP

I've just heard that Bruce Metzger has died. His contributions to biblical studies are numerous, and I have benefited from his scholarship. In addition to his broad expertise on New Testament-related issues he was, from what I have read elsewhere and deduced from his own writings, a fine Christian. He will be missed. (HT: Evangelical Textual Criticism.)

Update:
An obituary for Metzger is featured on the Princeton Seminary newsletter here, as well as on the SBL site.

Volf on Iraq War

Oh, I meant to highlight this post by Miroslav Volf on the Christian response to the Iraq War. While I certaintly don't agree with all he says--and feel he over simplifies the modern context of wars (as noted by one commenter)--I do feel that we as Christians should be extremely hesitant about under what conditions we would sanction acts of war that could (no, will) have lamentable consequences. I remember listening to a lecture given by as conservative a figure as Alan Keyes (sp?) on the immorality of the US intervention in the Balkan conflict due to the repercusions in terms of loss of innocent life; in my opinion, many of the same arguments can be applied to the Iraq conflict. However, on the whole, I recognize (contra to many) that many of the geo-political reasons given for invading Iraq were legitimate, even if on strategic grounds I was against the decision and on moral ones I was ambivalent. I am one confused puppy. The short of it is, however, that I feel that we need to engage the ideas proposed by Volf--however much some of us may cringe at the oversimplification in Volf's position--since Christians by the nature of their calling are required to evaluate issues from a unique vantage point.

Gotta Love Snow

It's a wintery day in NE. Today's blanketing was a welcome semi-surprise for me, someone who loves the white stuff (fyi: that's snow, not cocaine). Too bad classes couldn't have been called off; instead, I had to commute 1 1/2 hours to school for one afternoon class--the worst. Hope every one in the New England area is enjoying the long-awaited Jack Frost. (I'll take a picture and post it later for you non-NE folk, though, having had snow already in your parts of the country, it will seem a non-event.)

Service a la Paul

Okay, blogger sabbatical is over. I'm happy to be back if truth be told. Guess I kinda started to miss pontificating. Our small group is commencing what will be--I hope--a life changing interaction with 1 Thessalonians. For me this letter is very apt for our small community in the South End. Radiating from Paul's pen (so to speak) is his ardent love for a group of new believers; his willingness to give up all for their well being is hard to miss.

Two sections of the letter, both in chapter 2, particularly jump off the page for me. Defending--or recommiting to the record (?)--his manner of service among the young church, Paul says in 2.7-8: "But we were very gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only te gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." Later in the chapter he goes on to exclaim: "For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."

This for me is what living life together is all about--giving of ourselves on behalf of others and exalting in the realization of the other's ascendency in faith. I hope to be an emulator of Paul in this respect and to see others in the CG become so as well.