Around the Horn

Looks like Jamie Smith received some critical responses to his open letter to praise bands. He's followed up here and here with a few more thoughts.

Saw this video on Tony Jones site. Very interesting local news story done on Mark Driscoll's Mar Hill churches.

If you're up for a good story, you gotta check out this one by Maria. You wish you had to guts to do this!

Need some new music? The John McKenna Band just released a new EP. Check out Tim's review here.

Franklin Graham apologizes for his huge flop last week when he fumbled over his answer to the question of whether or not Barak Obama is a Christian. Check out the whole video here.

Rowan Williams and Richard Dawkins faced off last week on the subject of the nature of human beings and the question of their ultimate origin. Check out the video here. I'll hopefully soon contribute my own response to this as I am finding the buzz over Dawkins's claim that there is .01% chance that God exists to be a bit over played and rather mundane compared to some of the things Williams said.

And lastly, another Garfield minus Garfield cartoon for your weekend pleasure:

Rowan Williams to debate Richard Dawkins

I just found out that Rowan Williams will debate Richard Dawkins. Williams is the head of the Anglican Communion and Dawkins is a prominent voice in the so called "new atheist" movement, people like Richard Dawkins, Same Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. The details of the event can be found here.

Any thoughts on how this will turn out? Does anyone know if they will stream this for the rest of us?

 For a sneak peak, check out this exchange between Williams and Dawkins from a few years ago.

You might also check out this audio interview with David Bentley Hart (it's number 12 on the list). Hart is not one to pull punches when it comes to the new atheists, accusing people such as Dawkins as lacking "the training, perhaps the aptitude ... to understand the metaphysical tradition" he critiques, and this interview doesn't disappoint. I haven't read Hart's book on this topic, but I am sure he takes him and others to task there as well. The interview is a little heady because that's how Hart rolls, but nevertheless it's pretty interesting stuff.

Couple of question: (1) If you're an atheist, do you find a person like Dawkins to be someone who speaks for you, who voices your concerns? (2) If you're an atheist, does Williams offer at least a decent take on Christianity that's different from the normal outspoken evangelical right perspective?

I'm just wondering how much I should listen to Dawkins if he's not speaking for a majority of new atheists. I'm also wondering how much Williams is able to offer at least a helpful Christian perspective that takes science seriously.

Let me know what you think!