Update

I know that I am supposed to be putting up stuff about Van Til, Schaeffer, Federal Vision and the Pirates crumbling hope, but I had this beautiful little girl. So, I am behind a little.

In the meantime, please read James's wonderful blog about Jeremiah Wright.

Multiple Book Reviews

My wife has brought it to my attention that I have been neglectful of my book reviews. It has been sometime since I did one, so this one will have to encompass many books, and it will sadly not encompass all of the books I meant to review.

Let us just start with history. I just finished two books from the American Presidents Series. The first, John Quincy Adams by Robert Remini was an exceptional book. As with all of Mr. Remini’s work it is educational and easy to read. Despite the fact that Remini is a Jackson, Clay and Webster scholar, his work on Adams is fair and even handed. Unlike some of the other books in this series it is more like a true biography rather than just an examination of the Presidency of John Q. Adams. It is still short to fit the format for the series and would easily mastered by a high school student if one so chose to use it. The book deals with why John Q. Adams did not go into the Federalist Party as well as the Corrupt Bargain and the return to Congress of the former President. While I think that Mr. Remini takes a few unnecessary shots at the strict parenting of both Abagail Adams of John Q, and John Q of his children, all in all the book is very good.

The second book in that series I read was Marting Van Buren by Ted Widmer. This book was a fascinating glimpse into the founder of the two party system. It too follows Van Buren though his whole political career rather than just his Presidency, and it even takes time to examine the causes of things that affected Van Buren such as the sudden rise in the slavery debate during the 1830’s and the Panic of 1837. The style of Mr. Widmer is much more flamboyant than Mr. Remini. He seems to enjoy a good lofty metaphor, fancy introductions, and the odd ball quotes that drive his point home. Oddly enough it means that Davy Crockett gets quite a few quotes in a book about Van Buren. The book does give a good picture of the forgotten 8th President, and includes many trivia facts as well such as the origin of the word OK. OK was the abbreviation used for Old Kinderhook (even President Van Buren used it about himself). It was then equated with ‘oll korrect’, a slang way of saying ‘all right.’ Thus, if one was for President Van Buren he was OK in that he was for Old Kinderhook and all right. That is the origin of the now common word. Something to file away in your memory banks.

I of course read more than just historical biographies. A few books that had been recommended in past issues of World Magazine finally found their way to my bookshelf courtesy of birthday gifts. Why Johnny Cannot Tell Right From Wrong: Moral Illiteracy and The Case for Character Education, by William Kilpatrick, analyzes the ways in which Public Education destroys the moral reasoning of children. The format and name of this book derive from an earlier book explaining Why Johnny Can’t Read. That book explores the affects of removing phonics from school and replacing it with the See and Say Method. This book examines the consequences of removing Character Education and replacing it with Moral Reasoning or Decision Making. The numbers seem to back his analysis up. Suicides have risen 300% among teenagers in the past 30 years, 21% of all public school kids avoid the bathrooms at school (I was one of that group) out of fear. More disturbing is that despite the frequent use of contraceptives 1.1 million teenagers became pregnant in 1991. The number is not declining. Approximately 40% 14 year-old girls will become pregnant by the time they are 19. The number one concern of teachers in America is behavior problems. Back when the schools followed the Character Education method in 1950 the number one concern of teachers was reading. He has some disturbing illustrations, and if you think this is not going on in your school, I suggest you read this book. Still, the author is convinced that Public Schooling is acceptable if we just do it right. That is a conclusion that I am not sure is justified. It is not written from a Christian Worldview so the idea of whether or not Christian values should be inculcated and what happens when the values taught are not the values of the parents do not make the cut in this book. A sad deficiency. Still the book is worth a read, and it contains a list of good books to read to your kids in the back.

The Party of Death by Ramesh Pnnuru of National Review is even more interesting. It is not for the faint of heart. If you are against abortion or euthanasia this book will probably make you sick and then overwhelmingly angry. The tone of the book is just right. It is exposing like a good journalist expose, but not insulting like Ann Coulter. It destroys the arguments of the Party of Death, which is defined not as Democrats but as anyone who supports abortion, and goes into the Stem Cell debate as well. It is a very up to date book that stops just short of the Democratic Mid Term victory. The book is a must read. I do quibble with some of his suggestion for how to proceed in the fight against the Party of Death, but that is a very minor criticism. My main problem with his suggestions is that it is political, and not directed at the masses. A good quote from Martin Van Buren should be inserted here to sum up my feelings about the situation.

Those who have wrought great changes in the world never succeeded by gaining over chiefs; but always by exciting the multitude. The first is the resource of intrigue and produces only secondary results, the second is the resort of genius and transforms the universe.

I also have finished most of Jay Adams’s Shepherding God’s Flock. This book really should have been required reading in a Pastoral Theology Classes at seminary, but it was not. It has great information and is very detailed as Jay Adams is want to do. It contains information on how to do Home Visits and what to look for when candidating at a church. Very useful, very practical. It does contain the theories of Jay Adams as well, but that is not the focus of the book. For example, Jay Adams is convinced that Home Visitation is not the same as Pastoral Visitation and Shepherding. Adams has always been big on the Counseling from the Pulpit, and much of that emphasis can be seen in this book. So, if someone has a problem with some of Adams Pastoral theories, this book will need to be read in that light. I think that it would still be helpful just for all of the wonderful details like where to sit during a visit and not to get caught in new conversations after you are planning on leaving. The advice is often things that new pastors do not think out before being thrown into having to do it. For that reason alone, I found this book helpful.

One final note for those of you who enjoy my baseball thoughts. I have started a new blog Blogging Baseball. Mainly I started it to experiment with Wordpress.

I just received another round of books that will keep me busy for a while. I will try to be more diligent about posting reviews.

Blog Update and More Madness

We have been trying to label all the posts and completely take advantage of the blogger upgrades here at the Two-Edged Sword. And by 'we', I mean my wife. She is the computer guru. I basically just answer a question from time to time. But, she is still trying to shake all the bugs out, so please be patient and let us know if you run into any problems.

Speaking of my wife, it is time for our annual competition by filling out our March Madness brackets. So far my wife has beaten me every year excpet one in our seven years of marriage. She never watches a game all year, but spends hours researching after the brackets are announced and usually gets her way. This year she found a site she enjoyed. MSNBC has an interactive bracket that gives stats and opinions on each team when your mouse rolls over them. You click on a team and the computer fills in the bracket for you. Then you get head to head comparisons for every game. It is a nice way to avoid the pencil work and have a nice, neat bracket.

Just for the record, this year I have Wisconsin, Kansas, Georgetown, and Ohio State with Georgetown beating Kansas for the national title.

New Pub in Town

You might want to visit a new discussion site run by Andy McIntyre. It is called McIntyre’s Tavern. If you are worried that it might be a little too much like the Boar’s Head Country Club do not worry. At McIntyre’s Tavern everyone is welcome to comment.

Why I do not live in the UK

The Confessing Evangelical explains why it is better for me to remain in the states than to take my chances with English officials.

Random Thoughts

I have been busy enjoying God's newest blessing. Yes, this little one is mine. Child and mother are healthy.

Bret Ceren is a friend of mine who was one of many that made my old job almost enjoyable. Despite being a self-professed metrosexual, he has a good mind and is putting his insight to work in a new blog. I will be adding this to my blog roll soon.

I thought about using this space to comment on President Carter, but why bother after James Solis does it so well.

Some light reading

A few links to keep you reading.

Tim Challies has a nice post on the importance of catechizing.

Johannes Weslianus has a nice piece about theology, its importance, and discussion of it.

The Chicago Sun Times reports that some immigrants are against a boycott on May 1st for fear that it might cause a backlash against the immigration cause. I bet it is too little too late to call of the boycott now. Whoever decided to put the boycott on the Communist May Day anyway? Why not wait until Cinco de Mayo and then you could at least claim a cultural heritage to it? Just some thoughts.

I have been at a workshop put on by Heidelberg Seminary. It was an enjoyable time. I will get something up later today.

Hodgepodge

I will be traveling to visit New Geneva Seminary for the RCUS most of this next week, so I thought I would leave you with some posts to keep you reading.

I did write a post for Westminster Brass, if you are just dying to read new things from me.

For those of you who cannot get enough political news, do not forget that the military is fundamentally a political entity as you read about retired generals against Rumsfeld. I am not taking a stand one way or another on the Iraq war. I just think that people need a little more historical perspective about generals and politics. After Washington and Jackson were the two most popular Presidents, the army became a way for people to step into politics. James K. Polk conquered Mexico, but knew he was defeating his own political party in the process because all of his top generals were Whigs. Eventually General Zachary Taylor became President. Of course who could forget General William Henry Harrison or General Grant or Gen. Eisenhower, all of them won the Presidency, and so did Rutherford B. Hayes who also served. Generals Fremont, Scott, and Hancock all ran for the Presidency after winning party nominations. Countless others also served in politics after military careers like General Wade Hampton. If you think it is only historical figures take a look at Colon Powell or Wesley Clark. A general making political a statement is old hat and is not news worthy.

I did watch a portion of a show on National Geographic channel about the Gospel of Judas. It was basically an all out assult on Iranaeus as simply choosing four gospels when the Gospel of Judas was just as legitimate. Sad. Read a good critic of National Geographic to learn more.

If you are interested in illegal immigration then you need to be reading Philologus.

If you are going to see N.T. Wright speak soon, you should keep this critique in mind.

If you care about all things, and enjoy a good laugh from time to time, you should check in on Untied, the blog of Tucker Carlson. And if you are not watching the Situation with Tucker Carlson, then you are missing out on Willie Geist, news, laughs, and hands down the best show on TV (excluding Lost of course).

I also will be adding some new blogs to the link on the side such as The Wittenburg Door and Soli Deo Gloria.

Post of Note

A good post by Mr. Baggins on the righteousness of Christ. Worth reading.

Democratic Ignorance

I have lived lots of places in my life. I grew up on the Tennessee/Virginia border so that I got to see the politics of both states. I moved to South Carolina and then Colorado, and now I live on the South Dakota/North Dakota border so that I can see the politics of both states. I have to say that if the Democratic Party does not learn to abandon the New England Liberals soon, they will cease to exist as a party. I give them 20 to 25 more years. When my children are old enough to vote, there will be the Republican Party and a party to the right of it.

I say this because I saw the end of the Southern White Democrat that was the backbone of the party for such a long time. I saw the Democrats unable to win over a state full of immigrants in Colorado, and I see now traditional democratic farmers vote Republican in every election. The problem? Democrats have stopped being the party of entitlements and social handouts and started being a party with a social agenda no one likes. Roe v. Wade was the height of their power, and since then as devotion to Roe has gone up, the Democratic power has gone down.

If the Democrats would run Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico as a Vice Presidential candidate and someone like Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska or former governor of Virginia Warner for President, the Democratic Party would win in a landslide and pick up seats in the Senate and House at the same time. These men could stress issues that are important to everyone like border security, working with the opposition, as well as appeal to the minority population and champion entitlement programs and government handouts. That ticket would sweep New England and California. It would take back Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada, and probably steal away South and North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia, Missouri, and Louisiana without much problem. Minnesota would stay a blue state as would Wisconsin and Illinois, and with some effort maybe Michigan too. This would be far and away enough to win.

If they change nothing they will lose another state or two every election. They will lose Minnesota in one, Wisconsin in the next. They will not be able to hold Michigan and Pennsylvania forever, and by that point the party will collapse. It amazes me as I watch some of Judge Alito’s hearings that the Democratic Party has not yet discovered this plan for success. Enjoy the Democratic Party now because in 20 years, it will be a thing of the past.

P.S. My wife disagrees with me. She thinks that because of the current government school monopoly, our nation's children will grow up to support some party that will be to the left of the Republicans.

The Value of a Housewife

You need to read Matt’s piece on women at home. Very well done. Look around on his site for the first part of this discussion.

Must read. . .

Check out Philologous and his good analysis of the recent Supreme Court fiasco over private property. Or what used to be private at any

A discussion worth action

Matt has a great discussion going between himself and an atheist named Darksyde. And it all started with Martin Luther King Jr., and his dream. I suggest you check it out.

And as long as I have a quick post, I want to remind everyone about that January is the anniversary of Roe v Wade. Today we may believe the climate is changing and I pray it is, but in the end Late Term abortions are still legal. This is the sort of abortions that Pharaoh wanted during the time of Moses in Exodus 1. And sadly the Supreme Court has become a place of party politics and agendas. This month I suggest everyone write your Congressman and Senator. Also write your State Representatives, after all Constitutionally this is a state issue. More importantly, pray. This is a national sin, and we should all be on our knees. It is God who heals and forgives, not any form of government.