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Archive for July 2007
GoodSearch
Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 at 12:48 PM by Jason Barker
I learned from AppScout about a Yahoo-based search engine called GoodSearch, which donates approximately one penny to a designated charity for each search performed. There have been complaints about the fact that GoodSearch is only donating one-half of its ad-based revenue to charity, but this is nonetheless a good opportunity for churches and ministries to receive at least a little extra income.
When I looked yesterday, I saw that the Greek Archdiocese of America and the Orthodox Church in America, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, International Orthodox Christian Charities, and a number of individual parishes were already participating in the program (I just learned about GoodSearch yesterday, but it has apparently been around for awhile).
You can read about supporting your favorite charity, or registering your parish, at GoodSearch's website.
Posted in Online Resources
Audio Reports Online
Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 at 3:12 PM by Jason Barker
Thanks to Ancient Faith Radio, MP3 recordings of reports by Fr. Joseph Purpura (for the Department of Youth Ministry) and George Sackllah (for Teen SOYO) to the Antiochian Archdiocese Convention are available online.
Posted in Youth Department
"Screen Kids"
Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 at 12:46 PM by Jason Barker
Albert Mohler recently wrote on his blog about the well-documented phenomenon of "screen kids" - youth whose life is built upon electronic communication and entertainment. In the article Mohler quotes a 1999 speech by Bill Gates about the current generation for whom electronic media are truly an intrinsic part of their lives:
To them, the idea that all the rich information should be easy to search and find, and that you should be able to find other kids in another country and speak to them about what their thinking is about that topic. They'll simply take that for granted. They'll think of buying as something where you can go out and get the best prices, or get the product reviews across the Internet. And so, they will think about the Internet in a far more profound way than most of us who grew up without it being an ever-present tool.
While it's easy to laugh that Bill Gates is hardly a seer when it comes to the Internet and electronic media - his 1995 The Road Ahead said little about the Internet when it was in fact booming, and even this lecture fails (as Apple's coup demonstrates) to anticipate the rise of something like the iPod while mentioning kids using computers to listen to and organize their music - his prediction is nonetheless a concise statement of the importance of the Internet in the lives of modern teens. And, as this quotation states, this importance will only rise in the years to come.
It is for this reason that online Orthodox media is such an essential form of ministry and outreach. The Internet is where teens currently look - and will look even more in the future - for information about spirituality and for spiritual resources: it is therefore imperative that we provide things like online multimedia Bible studies and Internet radio and video.
At the same time, Mohler makes an important point:
We need a generation of parents who will exercise their authority to teach their children how to use these technologies responsibly. This means no digital babysitters and no screen kids. This would mean family dinners with no digital noise, just the rare sound of parents and children talking to each other. This would mean balancing "screen time" with "paper time" -- that activity previously known as reading books.
The media we provide for youth must not be "electronic babysitters" or resources to equip youth to be autodidacts - it must be media that is shared by parents and children. I strongly encourage parents to go through my Bible study materials and discuss them with their children. I'm sure that Fr. Christopher Metropulos, John and Tatiana Maddex, and Ruston Miles - along with all the other Orthodox media providers and educators - would likewise encourage parents and children to listen and view online Orthodox media as a family, rather than exclusively consuming the media as individuals. We all want the resources we create to build up the entire Body of Christ - families as well as individuals (and, of course, parishes).
Furthermore, Mohler correctly points out the need to read books, and not limit textual consumption to short Web articles and blog posts. I've discussed the issue of printed text versus electronic text before - in fact, it was inspired by another post by Mohler - but I nonetheless want to agree with him that reading and meditating upon longer texts is an essential discipline.
Posted in Miscellaneous
Orthodox Concerts Online
Posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 4:21 PM by Jason Barker
The Orthodox Christian Network has announced that they will upload videos from the Antiochian Archdiocese Convention of concerts by Fr. Peter Jon Gillquist and Ron Moore.
Posted in Miscellaneous
The Free Mac Classroom
Posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 9:40 AM by Jason Barker
I've mentioned numerous times before (such as here) my heavy use of free and open source software. I recently learned about a site listing FOSS for OS X that is of particular interest to students and educators: The Free Mac Classroom. I use a number of the applications listed there, and recommend it as a resource for people on a tight budget who are preparing to start the new school year.
Posted in Online Resources
Archdiocese Convention Materials Online
Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 10:12 AM by Jason Barker
The 48th Antiochian Archdiocese Convention is currently being held in Montreal, and you can find a number of materials from the Convention (including audio recordings from Ancient Faith Radio and video recordings from Orthodox.tv) on the Convention website.
Posted in Orthodox News
The Need for Orthodox Media
Posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 at 10:54 AM by Jason Barker
Fr. Christopher Metropulos has an interesting article about the need for Orthodox Christian media. He gives a good summary of the situation in the two concluding paragraphs:
We now choose to invest in making sure there is an Orthodox witness in the media. That means valuing our faith and what our faith has to offer to the point that we pay the price to include our faith in the mass-media community of ideas. That means we invest in radio programs. We develop and distribute TV programming. We work to use the Internet to share our faith, and we publish books that are readable and attractive to our culture.
In other words, we work hard to use media as well as we would use any tool to communicate the life-changing message of Orthodoxy to our nation. We don't try to do eternal things on the cheap, but we insist on excellence and we are willing to fund these good works.
I recommend reading the entire article.
Posted in Miscellaneous
Photo Slideshow of Celtic Christian Sites
Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 7:04 AM by Jason Barker
Christianity Today has a fascinating slideshow of photos from an individual's pilgrimages to early Christian sites in Ireland.
Posted in Online Resources
Scholarship and Reading Scripture
Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 5:47 AM by Jason Barker
Kevin Edgecomb has written an interesting article on scholarship and reading Scripture. He writes:
Our Tradition in Eastern Orthodoxy is full to bursting with that ancient type-antitype allegorical exegesis. This method is rich and deep, and has thrived for centuries longer than any critical methods of study, creating an environment which produced not only amazing works of art, literature, hymnody, and philosophy, but especially the people who created them, whose lives were transformed by immersion into that environment, that worldview, to such an extent that they were, by God’s grace, rendered into Saints, continuing the cycle by continuing to pass on the Tradition.
I recommend the entire article.
Posted in Miscellaneous
Providing Bibles for All
Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 at 9:01 AM by Jason Barker
The other day I read an article - I don't remember which publication - about the need to provide Bibles for students in Bible study groups. The point of the article is that many participants in a Bible study will not bring a Bible with them to the group - some will not own a Bible at all - and therefore churches and group leaders need to make available copies of the Bible for all participants. This is an excellent point, and jibes with my experience: if you want teens to follow along with the Bible reading and participate in group discussion, you need to have copies available at each meeting.
I include the New King James Version of the biblical text (generously provided by Thomas Nelson) in each of my Bible study applications. While this is necessary in the applications, it does not address the issue of providing copies of the text at Bible study groups. To meet this need, I encourage churches to keep numerous copies of the Orthodox Study Bible for use in study groups and classes. For churches or groups that cannot afford individual copies of the Orthodox Study Bible, I at least encourage you to find inexpensive copies of the NKJV (the official translation used in the Bible Bowl competitions in the Antiochian Archdiocese): for example, a few years ago I went to a sale at a local Christian bookstore and was able to purchase paperback copies of the NKJV for one dollar each.
Extending further the idea of making Bibles available for all, I want to particularly commend Steven Robinson and Bill Gould's ministry providing copies of the Orthodox Study Bible to all who ask. Steven and Bill - hosts of the Our Life in Christ radio program and podcast - need your support to continue this vital ministry.
Posted in Miscellaneous
iProcrastinate
Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 at 1:21 PM by Jason Barker
For readers who use OS X, Cool OSX Apps featured iProcrastinate, a free home / task management application. For my teen readers, this application looks particularly useful for managing homework and class assignments.
Posted in Miscellaneous
Teens Do Not Pay Attention to the News
Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 at 12:26 PM by Jason Barker
Foreign Policy links to a study by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government revealing the far from surprising fact that teens generally do not pay attention to news reports. Mike Boyer writes:
Nearly one in three American teenagers, according to the report, pay almost no attention to daily news. Another 32 percent are merely "casually attentive." So, taken together, 60 percent of teens can be considered to be basically uninterested in what's happening in the world...But surely, you say, "the Internet" must be informing America's youth. Apparently not. Just one in five teenagers say they get exposure to news on the Internet everyday, and two thirds of the teens who say they do get some news from the Internet also say they're not seeking it out, they "just happen to come across it."
This was an issue for me when I considered design themes for my Bible study on the Acts of the Apostles. The newspaper theme was the first idea with which I came up (and, obviously, is the theme I ultimately chose): laying out the articles in a newspaper format gives the content a sense of immediacy, a - for lack of a better description - "you are there" impression. The newspaper theme therefore reinforces the idea that the events in Acts are not simply historical events from the ancient near east, but are also events whose impact and import we experience today. The visual design therefore serves as a kind of bridge connecting "then" with "now."
At the same time, I knew there was a problem with design: most teens - and a continually decreasing number of adults - do not read newspapers, and therefore the impact of the newspaper theme would not necessarily be immediately apparent. I nonetheless went with the newspaper theme because, while most teens do not read newspapers, they are at least familiar with the look and purpose of newspapers, and could therefore eventually connect the visual layout of the Bible study with its content.
Getting back to Boyer's article, his final sentence brings to mind an important point about Bible study for teens: "I bet that if the military draft came back, though, you'd suddenly find U.S. teens paying rapt attention to what's going on out there." In other words, teen interest in news reports is largely predicated by self-interest: they will pay attention to the reports when they believe that the subject of those reports will have an immediate and tangible impact upon their lives.
This is an important reason for highlighting the life application articles in Orthodox Christian Bible studies. The main purpose for including these articles, of course, is simply to help readers see how to live out the truths contained in Scripture; the assumption in this case is that the reader has read the Scripture, wants to make this application, and simply needs guidance in doing so. Boyer's statement nonetheless helps us to remember that these life application articles serve an additional purpose: they appeal to the reader's self-interest, and therefore serve as an incentive for Bible reading for individuals who otherwise would not read the Bible. It is for this reason that the headline graphic on the home page for the Romans Bible study reads, "Do you wish you could transform your life?" Their self-interest serves as the initial attractor for Bible study that will ultimately remove their focus exclusively from themselves and turn it toward God.
I would of course, prefer to promote these Bible studies by focusing exclusively upon God, e.g., "Here's a study that will help you learn more about God and His Word!" And, if you look at the descriptions I give on the home page of each study, you will see that I do in fact emphasize this point. At the same time, however, such an appeal will not work with teens who have no interest in God; to attract these teens, you need to address their self-interest. The key is to NOT leave the focus on themselves, but instead to guide them in shifting their focus to God.
To wrap this up, if I were creating a newspaper for teens, I would have a sidebar for each article clearly stating something along the lines of "Here's what this means for you," and/or "Here's what this means for (the people of Iraq, the environment, the poor in Dallas, etc)." This would give the teens the information they need to be productive citizens, but would also give them the emphasis on relationship with self and others - in other words, the relevance - that inspires them to give their attention. I point out the life application articles in my studies for the same reason: I hope that readers will start with the biblical text and commentary, and set up the navigation so that these are always the first options, but provide easy access to the life application articles for those who will not (at least initally) read the biblical text. By providing easy access to the life application articles, I at least give otherwise uninterested teens entry into some of the principles in the Scripture, and hopefully inspire them to engage in further study.
Posted in Miscellaneous
Profile of Contemporary Youth
Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 12:09 PM by Jason Barker
OrthodoxyToday has republished part of the summary of a presentation by Fr. Jonathan Tobias giving a profile of contemporary youth.
Posted in Miscellaneous
20 Million Podcast Listeners by 2010
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 at 9:40 AM by Jason Barker
Via one of Scott Bourne's blogs, I learned about an eMarketer / Bridge Ratings estimate that 20 million Americans will download podcasts on a weekly basis by 2010. They estimate that 7.1 million Americans currently download podcasts on a weekly basis, and 21.4 million do so occasionally.
Interestingly, contrary to popular belief, the study found that listening to radio station podcasts tends to increase listening to that station: 56% of podcast listeners claim that they increased the amount of time spent listening to the station supplying the podcasts, while 44% claimed no change in their listening.
These findings are significant for the online Orthodox radio networks (Orthodox Christian Network and Ancient Faith Radio), both of whom offer downloadable content in addition to their streaming networks.
Posted in Miscellaneous
New Book on Luke
Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 at 9:28 AM by Jason Barker
Last night I received this press release from Fr. William Mills announcing his new commentary on the gospel according to St. Luke:
Press Release
New Orthodox Bible Study Resource Available!!!!
MOORESVILLE, NC (July 2007)—Fr. William C. Mills is pleased to announce the publication of his fourth book, A Light to the Gentiles: Reflections on the Gospel of Luke. This book is a collection of pastoral reflections on the gospel lessons from Luke that appear from mid-September through Christmas, including the readings for the preparatory weeks leading up to Great Lent. A Light to the Gentiles is a wonderful resource for personal and group Bible study, adult education classes, and sermon preparation. It is easy to read and provides “food for thought” for our journey to the Kingdom.
Other books in this series include From Pascha to Pentecost: Reflections on the Gospel of John (Rollinsford, NH: Orthodox Research Institute, 2005), Prepare O Bethlehem: Reflections on the Scripture Readings for Christmas-Epiphany (Rollinsford, NH: Orthodox Research Institute, 2006), and Baptize All Nations: Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew (Rollinsford, NH: Orthodox Research Institute, 2007). Future books in this series include reflections on the Gospel of Mark and on the Gospel readings for the major feast days.
About the Author
Fr. William Mills, Ph.D. is the rector of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC, and an adjunct professor of religious studies at Queens University in Charlotte, NC. Fr. Mills received his Bachelor of History from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and then pursued theological studies at Saint Vladimir's Theological Orthodox Seminary in Crestwood, NY where he received both a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees. He then pursued advanced theological studies at the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio where he received his doctorate in Pastoral Theology. His essays and book reviews have appeared in AGAIN magazine, The Orthodox Church of America Magazine, Cistercian Studies Quarterly, Pro Ecclesia, and Theological Studies. In the Fall, Fr. Mills will host a regular PODCAST on the new ARK radio program, a ministry of Come Receive the Light radio ministries.
Fr. Mills is available for clergy and parish retreats. For more information about his books or his speaking engagements please visit his webpage at www.wcmills.com
A Light to the Gentiles: Reflections on the Gospel of Luke by William C. Mills
Publication Date: July 2007
Trade Paperback: $13.95; 126 pages
ISBN 0-595-45078-4
1-800-AUTHORS OR www.iuniverse.com
Discounts available for bulk orders
Posted in Orthodox News
OSB on "Come Receive the Light"
Posted on Saturday, July 07, 2007 at 7:48 AM by Jason Barker
This week's episode of Come Receive the Light features Fr. Bob Stanford talking about the forthcoming complete Orthodox Study Bible, scheduled to be published by Thomas Nelson in February 2008.
Click here to listen online or download an MP3 version.
Posted in Online Resources
Fr. Lawrence Farley on Reading the Scriptures
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2007 at 7:20 PM by Jason Barker
The Orthodox Christian Network is featuring an article by Fr. Lawrence Farley on reading the Scriptures. To summarize the article:
- We read the Scriptures on our knees.
- We read the Scriptures to become more holy.
- We read the Scriptures as part of the larger Tradition.
- We read the Old Testament as Christians.
Click here to read the entire article.
If you would like to get a head start on studying the First Epistle to the Corinthians - the subject for our Bible study launching in November - you can read Fr. Lawrence's commentary, First and Second Corinthians: Straight from the Heart.
Posted in Online Resources
The Rudder
Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 at 9:25 PM by Jason Barker
The Orthodox Christian Network has launched their new Internet radio station, The Rudder. The Rudder plays Orthodox hymns and liturgical music, and joins the OCN's other station, The Ark, in offering 24-hour Orthodox online radio.
I've written before about problems that Mac and Linux users may encounter in listening to the OCN's radio stations: because the player for these stations embeds Windows Media Player - the embedding requires ActiveX - into a web page, users of these systems may experience difficulty listening to the stations (Mac users will need to use Flip4Mac to substitute QuickTime for Windows Media Player, while Linux users simply cannot use the embedded player at all).
Users of these systems who want to listen to these stations without the embedded player can open the following URLs in your WMA-capable media player:
The Rudder - http://63.247.194.178:7475/SAM_WMA_1P-128
The Ark - http://63.247.194.178:7475/SAM_WMA_3A-128
Readers who use these direct URLs will still want to open the player pages in your browser in order to see artist and song information.
Posted in Online Resources
Gender in the NETS
Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 at 11:19 AM by Jason Barker
Fr. John Fenton has written a brief post about the problematic "gender specific/inclusive language" issues in the New English Translation of the LXX (the availability of which I noted yesterday). He nonetheless writes:
Even if not intended for liturgical use, it is nevertheless good to have yet another translation of the LXX; particularly since this is the preferred OT text in Orthodox Churches. Yet I shall await more eagerly this long-promised translation.
I second his eagerness for the complete Orthodox Study Bible (scheduled at this time to be released in February 2008).
Posted in Miscellaneous
New English Translation of the Septuagint Available Online
Posted on Monday, July 02, 2007 at 10:30 AM by Jason Barker
Via Rick Brannan, I learned that the New English Translation of the Septuagint - to be published by Oxford University Press - is available online in PDF.
Posted in Online Resources