Author: Paul Burkhart

Free Philly Concert for the 4th: The Roots & Goo Goo Dolls

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fireworks

For those living in Philadelphia, tonight (on the 4th of July) will be what is supposedly the largest outdoor concert in the country (really?).  Last year they had Bruce Springsteen come in and play.

This year?  Well, the Goo Goo Dolls are headlining (I had no idea they were still around).  But that’s not why I’m writing this.

One of the other acts is Philly’s very own The Roots.  For much of the country, this band gained notoriety as Jimmy Fallon’s band on his late night show.  For me, they’re perhaps my favorite hip-hop ensemble out there.

Their new album How I Got Over came out a couple of weeks ago.  It is amazing; one of the best hip-hop albums released in the past few years, in my opinion.  I’m working on a review of the album for Patrol Magazine, so to prepare, I’ve been listening through The Roots‘ entire discography this past week.  Wow.  What a group.  I can’t wait to see them tonight.  And if you’re around, you should be just as excited to come out.

For Philly: Grad Hospital Rejoice! Honey’s 2nd Location @ 21st & South

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According to the Philly.com’s Insider blog, my (and most everyone’s) favorite breakfast diner, Honey’s Sit ‘n Eat, will be opening a second location.  And where does this bastion of greatness decide to place this most-coveted of second locations?  In Graduate Hospital.  Three blocks from my house. For those that know the area, the new location will be found at this corner of 21st and South St, across the street from the great bar Ten Stone and the great coffee shop La.Va. It will also have in it a branch of the dog shop, Doggie Style.  They plan to open in the winter.  (this story was found via Philly Grubstreet)

USA over Algeria: New Internet Traffic Record

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donovan-goalAccording to my favorite tech blog, Mashable, Landon Donovan’s game-winning goal which beat Algeria not even an hour ago may have become the second highest spike in internet traffic ever.  You can read more about the metrics and other ways that the World Cup has affected internet traffic by clicking on the link below.

“USA vs Algeria World Cup Match Could Set New Internet Traffic Record” –Mashable

“BP, Obama, the Environment, and All That Other Stuff You’re Already Sick of Talking About”-Patrol

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hayward

I have my newest article up on Patrol Magazine.  It is joining in on a discussion happening between a couple of the writers at the magazine concerning ways to approach this oil crisis.  My opinion?  Stop trying to destroy BP.  Why?  Read on to find out.  And please, give comments; I’d love to know what you all think.  Here it is:

“BP, Obama, the Environment, and All That Other Stuff You’re Already Sick of Talking About”–Patrol Magazine

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“Jack Cashill Writes a Good Book, But He’s Insane.” -Patrol Mag

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I have an original blog post I’m working on for tomorrow, but for now, I’ll promote my most recent article on Patrol Magazine.  It’s about a book I’m currently reviewing for Thomas Nelson publishers (full disclosure: they sent me the book for free).  It’s about the struggle I’m having after finding out that this otherwise enjoyable book is written by an author who is pretty crazy.  How?  Well, just read on.  Patrol even made it a cover story today, so I’ve provided the cover story picture as your link to the article.  Enjoy.  And leave comments!

cashill
You can read all my articles for Patrol right here.

“Okay, So Jack Bauer Didn’t Die”-Patrol Mag

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Another week, another article in Patrol Magazine. This week, I wrote a response to my article two weeks ago, “Jack Bauer Must Die“.  The response was needed because, as the title of my current article implies, the series finale of 24 happened and Jack did not indeed die.  Here’s the link:

“Okay, So Jack Bauer Didn’t Die”-Patrol Mag

Once again, just as the last article, this article isn’t even so much about the show itself as it is about what this show, and it’s ending says about our culture and what is profitable.  Please comment freely here and on Patrol.  I’d love your thoughts.  You can view all of my past articles for Patrol Magazine here. [p.s.-starting next week, I’m changing my blogging philosophy, which will result in a very different feel for this site.  More to come.]

Beauty: Revisited

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Last year I gave a seminar/lecture/sermon thing at my old church, Epiphany Fellowship. The topic I spoke on was Beauty. I spent about nine months doing research, reading, talking, and thinking before ultimately delivering it last August. After the break is the full “Table of Contents” for each part of the blog series I did going through each individual part of the manuscript.  Those blog parts have not yet been updated.  Here are the the updated full written Manuscript, the audio of my “lecture”, and an appendix with the Greek/Hebrew breakdown of the words for “Beauty” in the Bible.

Full Talk
Full Audio
Language Appendix

Series Table of Contents:

Why do we long for Beauty?

What is Beauty?

What Things are Beautiful, and why?

How do we respond to this Beauty?

Conclusion

“Jack Bauer Must Die” -Patrol Mag

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My original title for my article this week for Patrol Magazine (before the editorial chopping block) was I’m Calling It: Jack Bauer Will Die (On Morality & “24”).  The article concerns the television series 24 and it’s upcoming series-ending finale.  My theory?  They’re going to kill Jack Bauer, the show’s iconic main character.  Read the article to find out my reasons why:

“Jack Bauer Must Die” – Patrol Magazine

It’s far more philosophical than “televisional”, so don’t worry.  I did not intend to bog people down with plot minutiae and spoilers.  Speaking of, as far as spoilers go, there are only a couple concerning very recent episodes of the current season, and even though are fairly nebulous.  Besides, how the story is told is just as exciting (if not more) as what the story is.

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I’ve Moved to South Philly! (hence no blog posts)

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Hey, this is one of those posts I have to put up every couple of months apologizing for not having updated things around here on the blog.  As anyone that reads this site knows, I don’t really do “personal” posts very often.  Sure, most every article is timely and has some sort of inspiration within my life, but the resultant product is still more “essay”-y and “article”-y.  This is just the way I am, and I’m fine with that.  But with the immanent demise of my “online magazine” (post on this forthcoming), I might have a place to put those “essays” and “articles” thereby reserving this space for “posts”: you know; quotes, links, quips, thoughts, witticisms, and the like, updated more than once a day.  But as I parentheticized earlier, all this will be talked about in the next week or so.  On to the personal stuff!

This past weekend I moved into my new place in South Philly.

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Wright, the Neo-Reformed, & Unity in the Church (If you read one thing all day, let it be this)

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easterDon’t worry, the title is not referring to this very blog post you are reading right now.  It’s actually referring to this article at Christianity Today by Brett McCracken:

Wrightians & the Neo-Reformed: ‘All One in Christ Jesus – A dispatch from Together for the Gospel and Wheaton’s Theology Conference with N.T. Wright

The article compares and contrasts the general ethos of two very different conferences that occurred very close to the same time.  One conference was the Together for the Gospel Conference and Wheaton College’s Theology Conference with N.T. Wright.

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“If You Believe in Jesus, the Resurrection, & Evolution, You Are A Heretic” – Patrol Mag

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photo from Wired Science

Well, my article for last week on Patrol took a little longer for me to submit it than usual so it only just got posted.  The article has to do with the recent situation involving Bruce Waltke, formerly of Reformed Theological Seminary.  The article is in response to a recent post by Rick Phillips of the site Reformation21, whose mission is “Encouraging biblical thinking, living, worship, ministry, and constructive cultural engagement.”  I believe the articles written by Phillips (and others) reacting to Waltke’s situation do not fall into any of those parameters set by that mission statement.  Here’s the link:

“If You Believe in Jesus, the Resurrection, & Evolution, You Are A Heretic”

Also, something that might be of interest to some, the article contains a very surprising and substantial list of names (and links to sources) of Christians throughout history whose view of Genesis either explicitly or implicitly allows for, encourages, or would have allowed for theistic creation by means of Darwinian evolution.  Check it.

You can see all of my past articles for Patrol here.

On Christian Books & Marriage (and a great 48-hour book sale)

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trippI’m not married.  I don’t even see it on the imminent horizon for myself. But it’s something I’ve waited for, have tried to prepare myself for, and have written my fair share of poetry about throughout the years (here’s a sampling of my passion for it, my confusion about it, my fears about it, and my desire for it).  The Westminster Bookstore is having a 48 hour sale ending at 3pm on Friday, April 16th.

There are two books that this sale affects, but there are three books I’m mainly talking about in this post, so don’t stop reading until I get to the third.  The main book being promoted in this sale here is Paul Tripp‘s new book, What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage.  The second book is not a new one, but it is one of WTSbooks’ “favorite books on marriage”, and that is John Piper‘s This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence.

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“Gone Too Soon: An Email Exchange with Michael Spencer” – Patrol

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death

[photo by David Schrott]

Well, this week’s Patrol article was interesting for me to write.  This past week, Michael Spencer, also known as “The Internet Monk“, died from cancer.  I had no idea how much it would affect me.  Really, for the past few months, I hadn’t even been keeping up with his site.  In fact, a good friend was the one that told me Spencer had died — I didn’t even read it on the site.

But it really has messed with me.  When you read my article, know that just writing it and getting it out there was part of my healing process.  I really am okay, especially now that I’ve put my struggles and frustrations into words.  As Spencer says in the email exchange I wrote about:

Some people live the Christian life in the mode of happy clappy. Others live it in lamentation. Disturbance. Some of those write it out to process it. That’s me.

That’s me as well.  And this article was how I processed his death.  Here’s the link:

“Gone Too Soon: An Email Exchange with Michael Spencer” — Patrol Magazine

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On Holy Saturday: “Better Your Arms Around Me” (a poem)

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_____________________________________________________

Better Your Arms Around Me

You know why I’m standing here.
You know what I’m going to say.
The look behind your eyes betrays you.
Your sleeping head goes away.

Dreams lie as you do;
Dreams lie all night;
like you do.

Pacing back and forth on Friday,
Before you lay these words in my head.
Hoping my closed mouth mined gold
to give you, to give you.
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