I just finished reading the phenomenal graphic novel, Daredevil: Redemption, written by David Hine, published a couple years ago by Marvel Comics. As far as graphic novels go, this one is pretty amazing, and illustrates exactly what's wrong with Fundamentalist culture. Very little action, a lot of emotional depth. And I like my action, but this I highly recommend. For a little more action, but a comparable level of emotion, see X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong by Greg Pak. [EDIT: After reading some other reviews of this one, it seems the committed fans of the X-men in general and the Phoenix saga in particular weren't as impressed as me. The consensus is that while the art here is greatly improved, the story is a re-hashing of previous elements. Well, most of what I know of the Phoenix plotline comes from the Fox movies (and X3 was something of a disappointment), so as a new comer, I'd still choose this incarnation; at least the art is better, right? ] Parental warning: Most comic books these days are NOT for kids.

Michael Spencer, aka the iMonk, has a great post today on what's wrong with Revivalistic Evangelism. I couldn't agree more with his sentiments. I've seen the very crimes he describes many times. Just this past Sunday, we visited a charasmatic church where the guest pastor sang the praises of Benny Hinn in between screams for revival. It was all they hype your money can buy, but his message was severaly lacking in content. I could have given the same 90 minutes sermon in 10 minutes.

A few years ago, I spent an afternoon in the library reading a book called "Beyond Fundamentalism." This site has nothing really to do with that book, it's author, or publisher, except that I hope this site might accomplish what I'd hoped for from that book. That book would have been better titled, "Against Fundamentalism." The author told me a lot I already knew and agreed with, and said some things I simply couldn't agree with, but he didn't give the slightest clue as to what one should do once one is beyond Fundamentalism.

Since I happen to recommend a few of Brian McLaren's books, it seems I must answer the question posed by this post's title. I really enjoy and thoroughly agree with some of McLaren's work. Other parts of his canon don't interest me at all. I'm also a fan of some of the writings from Leonard Sweet, Don Miller, and Stanley Grentz. It's probably fair to call me a post-modern.

The "About" Page is up and available from the Main Menu. Check it our for some fun quotes from my childhood. I'll be back before long with a post to explain what I mean when I use the term "Fundamentalism" and what I mean by going "beyond" it.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." - The Gospel of John Jesus Christ is the Word of God. It is idolatry to elevate anything, or any book, to that position.

Reactionary Christians have railed against post-modernism as "The Newest Greatest Threat" because, they claimed, it reduced to a rejection of any concept of absolute Truth, a.k.a. relativism. The adoption of relativism would certainly be death to the claims of Christ, wouldn’t it?

"The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits." - G.K. Chesterton