The Reason For God

The End of Faith. The God Delusion. God Is Not Great. Letter to a Christian Nation. Bestseller lists are filled with doubters. But what happens when you actually doubt your doubts?

Dr Tim Keller (pastor of my church here in NYC) has a great new book coming out (February 14). The book not only received an early review in Publisher's Weekly (no mean feat in itself) but it's a good one:

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Timothy Keller. Dutton, ISBN 978-0-525-95049-3

"In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author's encounters as founding pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church. One of Keller's most provocative arguments is that 'all doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs.' Drawing on sources as diverse as 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson and contemporary New Testament theologian N.T. Wright, Keller attempts to deconstruct everyone he finds in his way, from the evolutionary psychologist Richard Dawkins to popular author Dan Brown. The first, shorter part of the book looks at popular arguments against God's existence, while the second builds on general arguments for God to culminate in a sharp focus on the redemptive work of God in Christ. Keller's condensed summaries of arguments for and against theism make the scope of the book overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it should serve both as testimony to the author's encyclopedic learning and as a compelling overview of the current debate on faith for those who doubt and for those who want to reevaluate what they believe, and why." PW

Very cool. I highly recommend him to you. I'm constantly challenged and inspired by his teaching... and best of all, if I'm lucky, left doubting my doubts...

For more information here.

Old MacNoah

Announcing the arrival of, sailing right into shops near you this very week, the one, the only ...
With a rumble of quacks, moos, and oinks, Old MacNoah has to get his boisterous group of farmyard animals on board his ark before the quickly rising water gets too high, in an amusing--and biblical--twist to a classic children's song.

It's my latest picture book just out this week from HarperCollins! It's beautifully illustrated by Jill Newton (her Dog, Starboard Bob, can be seen rounding up the ducks). And, you'll be glad to know, it's very very silly.

Here's what the publisher says:
"The flood (how could they resist?) of funny sound effects gives this favorite Bible story a twist that’s perfect for sing-along fun."

Here's what I say:
Everyone knows Old MacDonald’s Song but not everyone knows Noah’s version... which I should think must be the original version, don’t you?

Here's what The Critics say
(Well, actually my mum really):
(Actually no sorry she can't speak because she's laughing too hard)

So, you see, there was really only one person I could dedicate the book to: My Old MacMother.

(ARK DISCLAIMER: Sally Lloyd-Jones has never sailed in an actual Ark herself but she’s pretty sure–with all those days at sea–the animals must have sung songs to pass the time and probably if this song had been invented back then, it would have been their favorite.)

You can join in the song and the dance (or even just find out more) here.

Johnny Vegas - Al and Monkey talk about tea

well sorry about the infrequent blogging there but I've been away in The Land of Tea (and Maltesers and Christmas Puddings and Chocolate Digestives and all scrumdiddley umptious things like that)... but I thought now would be the time to share this funny duo. Comedian Johnny Vegas as Al and his woollen sidekick Monkey talk about tea in this exclusive behind the scenes footage from their PG Tips campaign... This fascinating clip explains what Al and Monkey have been up to and how they like their tea ... It's a very important question to establish. (I like mine strong, in a pot, inside a tea cosy, and definitely, definitely milk in first) How about you?

free gifts and gold medals

Australian sprinter, four times Olympic champion, Betty Cuthbert won more gold medals than any other Australian in Olympic history. Seen here in 1960. I just love her expression. It somehow seems the only appropriate one for going headlong into a new year with.

"My salvation was a free gift.
I didn't have to work for it
and it's better than any
gold medal that I've ever won."
— Betty Cuthbert (b. 1938)

roses in december

"God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December" — J M Barrie (1860 - 1937)

Pot Noodle Welsh Miners

This is one of the ads screened at the British Television Advertising Awards 2007: Award-Winning British Commercials at MOMA. Remember The Spaghetti Harvest from 1957?

children's Bibles: USA Today article

Ted and Alexis Olsen chose The Jesus Storybook Bible to read to son, Leif (photo: John Zich, USA Today)

I was interviewed by USA Today and they are running an article about children's storybook Bibles. The Jesus Storybook Bible caught the attention of several of their sources (including Ted Olsen of Christianity Today, seen above reading from non other!) who liked it because of "its unique theological approach" and because it doesn't "hammer down the meaning of the Bible to one long lesson in obedience." Cathy Grossman spoke to me about the challenges of writing children's Bibles. It's an interesting article and you can read it here.

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest (1957)

OK so I went to the British Television Advertising Awards 2007: Award-Winning British Commercials at MOMA yesterday and saw really cool stuff. (Confession: one of the biggest culture shocks of coming to the States from the UK is the dire quality of adverts here.) More on that later this week... but before I show you one particularly silly ad from that, I need to show you this. In this b&w clip, first broadcast on BBC Panorama (a serious documentary program) on 1st April 1957, a very young Richard Dimbleby revealed the wonderful world of Swiss spaghetti production to millions of deprived and hungry post-war Brits. (To be fair, back then Spaghetti was not eaten much and was rather exotic.) Most of Britain were taken in. Even my dad (who is usually dreadfully brilliant and smart) even the likes of he, totally fell for this giant April Fool's joke! Which just goes to show, if you have a serious and very important enough voice, you can hoodwink anyone. What an inspiration to us all.