We went to see Spiderman 3 yesterday.  A good film, if a little longer than would have been ideal!  For a more in-depth discussion, here is one of a number of reviews and comments at Hollywood Jesus.

I will limit myself to a few observations.

As with the almost painfully blatant ‘Christian allusions’ in last year’s Superman Returns, S3 plays obviously with Christian themes.

For example:

• There is a strong (and commendable) message of ‘forgiveness’ as a great key to life, but it is mixed in with a great deal of popular ’self-realisation’ babble. 
• The idea of sin within even ‘heroes’ is brought out - but even here there is a strong element of lack of responsibility for this - it is the fault of the ’symbiote,’ not of Peter Parker.
• Spiderman undergoes some manner of ‘redemption’ within a church, but alarmingly at the same time, it almost appears that Eddie’s prayer for the death of Spiderman is going to be granted. 
• And the ‘New Goblin’ manages both forgiveness and self-sacrifice.

But at the end of the day, even in Aunt May, the most obviously ‘devout’ character in the movie, the Christian message has been watered down and removed from the great Biblical themes of Sin and Redemption.  Redemption appears to be attainable by the individual, without the need of the help of God - even without the help of a ’superhero.’

Nevertheless it is great fun as a movie, and perhaps thought-provoking for the intelligent viewer.  Enjoy it, and be thankful that the story it tells is only a shadow of God’s glorious story.

A news article this morning caught my eye.  The Fire Brigade Union are having an argument about the representation of minority groups on their executive committee.

The debate centres on whether having black, gay and women representatives on the committee gives those ‘interest groups’ greater power than corresponds to their proportion of the total membership.

It represents a microcosm of some issues which we find in society at large.  Because of course, suggesting that these representatives shouldn’t have so much influence immediately leaves you open to the charge of “racism, homophobia or sexism.”  Toleration now seems to be our society’s primary value - although as many have argued this isn’t real tolerance.

But the reality is, that in a parallel way, well-organised ‘minority’ groups in democracies can affect the lives of everyone.  And therein lies the challenge for Christians today.

Where is the Christian Voice in (and my focus here is very limited) UK politics?  There is surely a place for political involvement by Christians - and in a democracy that should not simply be limited to organisations like The Christian Institute but individuals should be getting involved.

At the recent protest in London regarding the Sexual Orientation Regulations, there were a large number of Christians present.  But in reality only a small percentage of the total number of Christians in London alone, never mind throughout the country.

There is theological thinking to be done on how to engage, which is why this year’s Oak Hill School of Theology on Public Theology is so timely.

But we should not just be thinking, but also doing.  We are not called to build heaven on earth, but we are called positively to influence the world in which God has placed us.

As we continue to reflect on the blessings of Easter, it is interesting to note that the debate surrounding the doctrine of Penal Substitution (PS) rumbles on in the UK.

An almost tabloid headline in the Sunday Telegraph (Christ did not die for sin) trumpeted a strongly anti-PS sermon by Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans.

This was followed by a lengthy piece, The Cross and the Caricatures by NT Wright, the Bishop of Durham, who criticises both Jeffrey John’s position, and also Pierced for Our Transgressions (a book strongly arguing for PS).

The authors of PFOT have responded in turn here (and include links to a number of other responses to NT Wright’s article).

It is deeply upsetting to see the way this issue seems to be dividing ‘brothers’ - and it is sad to reflect on how poorly we measure up to the evangelistic challenge of John 13:35:

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

But then, it is not as though these kind of arguments should surprise us.  As Paul wrote (2 Timothy 4:4):

“For the time will come when men will not put up with shound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

And the solution, then as now, is to “Preach the Word.”  So I will leave the final word to Jesus (Mark 10:45):

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I’m grateful to my friend AJS for pointing me to this mini-debate from the BBC Today programme between William Lane Craig and Lewis Wolpert. 

It is a classic example of two people who will not accept each other’s presuppositions. 

The scary thought is that a large number of people would fail to recognise that the second person had any presuppositions.  It is ironic in a postmodern world that so many people of ‘no faith’ are still so keen to claim a position of objectivity.

 (William Lane Craig is currently running a ‘Reasonable Faith‘ lecture and debate series.)

A new book by Steve Jeffery, Mike Overy and Andrew Sach, all of Oak Hill Theological College is to be published next month.  The website accompanying the book which has links to some useful resources, including relevant texts, songs, and articles is now live at: www.piercedforourtransgressions.com.  Well worth a look.

There is an excellent article at BeThinking which goes into a little more detail regarding the weakness of many of Dawkins’ arguments.  Well worth a look.

We’re now on one.  Just thought I should mention it.

‘Generation Next’ have published the findings of their recent survey exploring the attitudes of young men towards ministerial training.  It makes interesting reading, and the discussion forum will hopefully be useful in exploring some of the issues raised.  Find out more here: Generation Next.

Dawkin’s latest bestseller The God Delusion was recently recommended to me. Not because the person in question throught it was a good book (although he did acknowledge that Dawkins writes well), but because, so he said, therein you see the unravelling of atheism. In particular he made the point that so ‘polemical’ is Dawkins becoming that even a number of his atheist friends are distancing themselves from this latest diatribe.

Now I must confess that I have not read the book yet myself. But a reviewer from Prospect magazine decsribed the book as ” dogmatic, rambling and self-contradictory” (you can read the whole review by following the link).

I confine myself to a single comment. When I did pick up the book in a bookshop the other day I was intrigued to note which intellectual heavyweight Dawkins chose to endorse the book on the back cover - Derren Brown…

A quick plug for a product I have just discovered and think is excellent!

Bible+ is a freeware Bible reader for the Palm OS. There are many other free and commercial Bible Readers (indeed I have been using Laridian MyBible for some time now), however, the real plus from my point of view is that this enables you to access the original languages - something which wasn’t possible with MyBible.

Find out more by following this link to Bible+.

I may post a more full review when I have played with it a little longer.