The Full Monte

Monte Wolverton has a new futuristic/Christian apologetic book out: The Remnant. It's described by Monte as "a physical and spiritual expedition through a dystopian world." I hope Monte's writing style is better in the book.

Wolverton acknowledges that The Remnant fits in the Christian fiction genre, though he's not keen on pigeonholing it.

"Well, I'd rather not have this lumped in with the Christian fiction genre. I suppose it's technically Christian fiction, but I wanted it to reach a broader readership. Regular readers don't want to be slobbered on with lots of syrupy religious language. I personally find that off-putting. Christians would get more traction in the world if we made an effort to be—normal. As C.S. Lewis once said, "The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature."'

Greg Albrecht's CWR is, as expected, in donkey-deep with the publication, which doesn't infuse me with any great enthusiasm. As "an award winning author" you'd think Monte could find a more credible publisher. So no, I won't be ordering a copy personally, mainly because the plot line doesn't particularly appeal (dystopian futures? [Dystopia: an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.] Christianity meets Mad Max? Whatever happened to optimistic sci-fi?) though I have a good deal of genuine respect for Monte's non-religious work - how could anyone not appreciate his his brilliant caricatures and 'toons'.

More information at CWR and an interview. The bio statement underneath the interview reveals that Monte "is an ordained minister", but then leaves it hanging. Surely not GCI? Please, tell us it ain't so! C'mon Monte, spill the beans.

CWGMR

If you've hung around this blog for any length of time you know that I don't have a high opinion of Greg Albrecht's Plain Truth Ministries, nor the slogan "Christianity without the Religion." Albrecht publishes a reasonably substantial quarterly magazine called CWR, the latest issue of which is now out, but I think it'd be more accurately titled CWGMR (Christianity With Genetically Modified Religion).

Which isn't to say that the burned-over constituency of the COGs won't find some interesting stuff here, particularly those who've traded down (or is it up?) to a less demanding, more evangelical type of faith. Hey, whatever works!

One article took my eye in particular. Zack Hunt writes some really good material, and he's a regular columnist for the "Gregoriana", so to speak. His blog is definitely worth the occasional visit (I even link to it over on my disgracefully inactive Otagosh blog.) In this issue he has a one-page piece with the provocative headline "Sometimes I Wish the Bible Had Never Been Written." Well worth the trip across to check out.

CWR magazine is available in - shudder - flipping book format, but you can hit the download button when that screen comes up and access the far more readable PDF version.

It's the PT Jim, but not as we know it

The May/June issue of The Plain Truth is out.

The Plain Truth? Is that still a thing?

We're talking about the 8-page newsletter produced by Greg Albrecht, the man behind the slogan "Christianity without the religion". As if that could possibly be a thing.

Page 1: Greg on the fourth (and fifth and sixth) beatitudes.

Page 2: Greg on grace.

"Christ-followers believe that God became a man, and that God is One and yet at the same time, He is Three—Father Son and Holy Spirit. That doesn’t make sense! You want something that makes sense?" 

Well, yes actually. Or is it a case of "Blessed are the incoherent". And blessed are those who have no idea beyond romanticized mush about the historical development of the Trinity doctrine.

Greg's argument - if it can be dignified with that term - is reflected in his title: "Grace is Senseless, Irrational and Absurd." Really? Does Greg feel this way about every act of unearned kindness? Does compassion make no sense in Greg's life? A decent theologian might assert that grace is surprising, unexpected and undeserved, but that's not the same thing. You can certainly say that it runs contrary to the wisdom of the everyday dog-eat-dog world; but again, that's not the same thing either. At best you could say that grace seems at times to be irrational to certain people.

But to move from overblown polemic about the imagined and arbitrary qualities of grace to a semi-mystical dogma about the necessary incoherence of the Trinity? That's, well, "senseless, irrational and absurd."

Page 3: More Greg on the beatitudes.
Page 4: Even more Greg on the beatitudes.

Page 5: Some bloke named Stephen Crosby on the new covenant.
Page 6: Second page of the Crosby article.

Page 7: A one-page column by Monte Wolverton.

Page 8: Fluff.

Perhaps the most interesting item is an ad for an upcoming novel by Monte; The Remnant. Monte is described as an "award-winning author", though the ad doesn't specify which book or which award. Wolverton is an insightful guy and - keeping a family tradition alive - a fantastic political cartoonist. You can't help wonder why he still hangs out with Albrecht in his tin-pot ministry. I guess he has his reasons.

The PDF is available to download.

Fred apes Greg

Church at home. It reminds me of the cartoon where the kid, about to be dragged off for services, asks "if I can be home schooled, how come I can't be home churched?"

Greg Albrecht has made this a speciality with PTM. Not a particularly successful speciality, judging from the "I'm eating beans" begging letter he sent out last year, but he gets a B minus for effort.

Now along comes dour old Fred Coulter, staring down the barrel of the camera and practising his humorless speech techniques. Yes folks, welcome to churchathome.com. Here you can view the Grate One (nope, that's not a typo) preening for the camera. None of this limp-wristed five minute stuff, Fred certainly couldn't restrict himself to that. Here you get a near thirty-minute monologue, chock full of Fred's rambling, ill-tempered pontifications. British-Israelism, law-keeping, the deception of "born again" and promos for Fred's very own "translation" of the Bible (a mere $119 - quite the bargain!) Are we all excited? Unless I'm much mistaken, Fred has spent a good deal of tithepayer moolah on this one, but making the team at Vild Productions ecstatically happy.

Fred left WCG shortly after Garner Ted Armstrong was booted, circa 1978. He initially founded the Biblical Church of God then, apparently after a spat, walked off to found the Christian Biblical Church of God. Listening to some of his stuff on the new website it's apparent that he hasn't learned much since. Frankly, you're probably better off with Greg.