Every now and then Beliefnet will offer some interesting, if unusually-titled content. Given the recent flurry of opinions about St. Paul (mostly spurred on by Peter Jennings' prime-time documentary of a couple weeks ago), Beliefnet has harnessed the hype and big brains of a couple leading Pauline scholars for what they've entitled a "scholarly smackdown." In the ring this round is Princeton's gnostic crusader Elaine Pagels and Asbury Theological Seminary's Ben Witherington III (officially the most un-smackdown sounding name ever). Like any WWE Smackdown event, the match is rather predictable. Pagels basically asserts that Christianity as we know it today would be better termed "Paulianity," whilst Witherington III says that that Paul and Jesus are as complementary as peas and carrots. I tend to side with Witherington III, but I'm also something of a charlatan. For a durn good analysis of the whole matter, it behooves you to check out NT Wright, who dismantles faddish "Jesus was just a groovy hippie, man" arguments like Muhammad Ali dismantled Sonny Liston.
Also, by way of Meredith's blog, a cool prank involving "peeps" (you know, those hibernate-in-your-colon Easter by-products?). What a great idea for a prank - much better than the prank I helped orchestrate back in my undergraduate days. Let it be known - live chickens trapped in an office is funny, but a veritable shit-load of carpet-staining chicken excrement isn't so funny.
And man, do I need to go to Chicago and eat.
Also, by way of Meredith's blog, a cool prank involving "peeps" (you know, those hibernate-in-your-colon Easter by-products?). What a great idea for a prank - much better than the prank I helped orchestrate back in my undergraduate days. Let it be known - live chickens trapped in an office is funny, but a veritable shit-load of carpet-staining chicken excrement isn't so funny.
And man, do I need to go to Chicago and eat.