Picking up a link from Challies A La Carte feature, I wond up getting exposed to a discussion about a culture war happening with God-Bloggers. Marla
offers the chart not so much as a definition of the bloggers Challies
and iMonk (as some may have taken it to be) or even as supporting one
side over the other—but merely to show that most bloggers have areas of
interest that lie in both categories.
Cerulean Sanctum
went and did an interesting post where he highlighted where he stands
and openly supports dual categories as being a false distinction in the
chart. Mind you, I’m not attacking Marla or anyone—the chart proves to
be an interesting social exercise that I had to take part in.
That being said, I’ve added a third column called HETEROS or Other
where it describes where I stand in comparison to the chart and what I
think are some options that haven’t been mentioned or sections that
could be clarified. You may note that some sections are bolded across
the line whereas others have a question mark
RETRO | METRO | HETEROS |
Rural or Small Town | Urban or Suburban | NYC moving to PA soon |
Challies | iMonk | Rey |
ESTJ | INFP | ENTJ or ENTP or ESTP |
Left-Brained | Right-Brained | Analytical and an Artist |
Conservative | Liberal | economics skews liberal |
Calvinist | Arminian | non-Calvinist / anti-Armin. |
Quiver Full | Family Planning | 2 kids |
Prose | Poetry | RETRO |
C.S. Lewis: Mere Christianity | C.S. Lewis: Chronicles of Narnia | i loved them both |
Homeschool | Public School | Private School |
Pyromaniac | Tall Skinny Kiwi | neither |
Think | Feel | Act |
Sola Scriptura | God Revealed (Many Ways) | not mutually exclusive |
Apologetics | Testimony | |
Puritans | Mystics | and they both had errors |
God the Father | Jesus | and the Holy Spirit |
Isolate | Integrate | ? |
Past | Future | Present |
Gifts of the Spirit: NO | Gifts of the Spirit: YES | depends |
Words | Pictures | Rhythm |
Criminal Justice | Social Justice | not mutually exclusive |
Proverbs | Psalms | depends |
Amy’s Humble Musings | (vacancy) | ? |
Historic Reformation | New Reformation | Revival |
Older | Younger | I’m 31. half-dead? |
Patriotic | Global | Heavenly with Earthly Acts |
Women: Traditional | Women: Egalitarian | Women: At My Side |
Rant | Brood | Teach |
Do | Dream | Plan |
Reformed | Emergent | One Body |
Theologically Correct | Relationally Relevant | And Practiced |
Psychology: NO | Psychology: YES | depends on the issue |
The Thinklings | The Boar’s Head Tavern | ? |
ESV | The Message | NASB |
Certain | Open | Modified Open |
Catholics: NO | Catholics: YES | Depends |
Sermon | Conversation | Practiced Lifestyle |
Truth | Love | Grace |
Hymns | Modern Music | Choral |
Craftsmanship | Technology | Design |
Literal | Metaphorical | Literarily |
Harry Potter – NO | Harry Potter – YES | Rom 14 |
PC | Mac | Linux |
I’ve got quite a few blogs on my RSS feed:Parableman, MCF, Curt, Thirsty Theologian, Doug, Brian, Shane, Mike, Rebecca, Phil 3:10, a few dozen others (not to mention Tim and Marla and now Cerulean Sanctum—good site), I would put Ceruleum Sanctum, Theologica and Annie’s site on there if their RSS feed worked (::sigh::). So obviously my taste varies but when it comes to the selection between Tall Skinny (not my taste) and Pyromaniac (too many unavoidable arguments for my taste) I realy can’t say one or the other.
I’m openly a Non-Calvinist but I am adamantly against true
Arminianism’s (in contrast to some Calvinist’s oversimplification of
"if you’re not a Calvinist you’re an Armininian) defining points
(salvation-loss for one). Here’s another chart with a not-so-simple
explanation. Both Calvinism and Arminianism see man as depraved and
unable to believe and from there they differ as much as black is to
white (although Perseverance and Assurance may wind up practically
being the same). As for myself I would define people as Knowingly
Depraved, theElect or Choice body as Unconditionally Predestined,
Christ died for all but those who believe are those who will stand
without condemnation, a person can knowingly resist the grace of God and
God will preserve those who believe until the end.
CALVINISM | ARMINIANISM | NON-CALVINIST REY |
Total Depravity | Deprivation | Knowingly Depraved |
Unconditional Election | Conditional Election | Unconditional Predestination of the Body…the Elect |
Limited Atonement | Unlimited Atonement | Unlimited Atonement Appropriated by Believers |
Irresistable Grace | Resistible Grace | Resistable Grace |
Perseverance of Saints | Assurance and Security depends on faithfulness | Preservation of the Saints |
I think Words and Pictures are both great ways of communicating but
would also add Rhythm to that" be it sound, visual or literarily.
As for Literal vs. Metaphorical I think “literarily” actually encompasses both those categories and more.
Still, it did prove to be an interesting exercise I don’t know what some of the categories mean (Thinklings vs. Boar’s Head? Amy’s Humble Musings
vs. ‘Vacancy’?). With some clarification I could probably add to that
but I think this is suffice to say that there is an “other” option
which doesn’t fall into either category and will likely refuse to line
up as such. Some will probably take that to mean “Emergent” and others
will say “bah, just a Retro acting Metro by taking the Fab-5’s advice.” heh. Or maybe, you can take it as a new meme and that could add to conversation. :)