The Wanderer

Believe it or not, happy or not, I have been blogging for a year.  This strikes me as having come round a little soon, and leaves me – as on my own birthday – reviewing the labour and profitability of the work.

That apart, I get the sense that it is de rigeur among bloggers on such occasions to give their bleaders a sense of what has got the juices flowing over the past year.  With that in mind (and excepting the ‘About’ page accessed by those asking the question, “Who is this freak?”) here is a list of the top fifteen individual viewed pages, with some appropriate explanation and comment.

• The poem The Wanderer: A short essay on an Old English poem, the poem itself providing some of the backdrop to the naming of this blog.  A more-than-sneaking suspicion persists (based on search patterns) that this page becomes especially popular when there is a spate of essay-setting on this poem in current educational establishments.  It seems I am building a significant following among the students of this and other nations!  I trust that they are not cheating.
• Idols, God and Jesus: The popularity of this article (again, looking at search patterns) is due to the fact that it has a Welsh flag prominently displayed.  This is simply a brief report of various preaching activity and the life of the church here in Maidenbower.
• Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother: The only review on the list (one other was just outside).  A brief review of Carolyn Mahaney’s very helpful book, I suspect that this is a reflection of her popularity and the recognition of the Mahaney name especially in the US.
• Punctuality: Joining forces with C. H. Spurgeon, this is a pointed plea for punctuality, especially among believers.  I think I was probably graciously frustrated when I wrote it, but it is fairly good-natured.
• Psalm 107: Oh give thanks to God our Saviour: A paraphrase of Psalm 107, as the name suggests.  Not much more to say, really.
• Womanly Dominion: An interview with Mark Chanski: My friend Mark Chanski has written two books from the perspective of ‘the dominion mandate’ looking at the roles of men and women.  I interviewed Mark concerning the book for women, although I never did get round to posting a review of the book itself.
• A horrifying obituary: The blog equivalent of rubbernecking, this points to the kind of obituary that I cannot imagine anyone wanting – the woman in question was, it seems, unequivocally unmissed.
• Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End: Another hymn, this one reviewing some of the names and titles of the Lord Jesus, and seeking to weave them together.
• An introduction to John Bunyan and The Pilgrim’s Progress (outline of the book): Another student favourite, perhaps, or maybe a first resort for those who want to get an overview of John Bunyan’s best known labour.  Nothing spectacular.
• The end of the law?: Prompted by the Affinity theological conference that ran under this title, this post simply highlighted a trend in modern antinomianism, and suggested or hinted at some of the dangers inherent in the ‘New Covenant Theology’ which is increasingly popular.  It contains links to a number of articles defending what I believe is the Scriptural and orthodox perspective on the enduring nature of the moral law (even allowing for subtle variations among those holding to this perspective).
• The skulls of children: Prompted by a programme about the deaths of children in Africa, this post wondered why liberal angst never seems to embrace the horrors of the abortion holocaust.  It prompted an interesting and moving discussion.
• Facebook friendship #1: One of two posts asking whether the social networking experience offers anything approximating to true friendship as Biblically defined.
• Federal Vision UK?: Prompted by another blogger, I was raising questions about the theological pedigree of a new theological webzine.  There is some indication that behind the blurb their lies a definite attachment to the Auburn Avenue theology, also known as the Federal Vision or hypercovenantalism.  Having had some personal experience of the dangers  and direction of such thinking, I sounded a significant note of caution (and – having been called out because of my tone of writing – sought to do so more carefully in a revised post).
• Don’t ignore polygamy: Probably the aberration on this list.  If I remember rightly, this almost certainly got picked up for some strange reason on one of those sites that draws attention to particular posts.  I have no idea why this was chosen, but it boosted the numbers big time.  It’s a curious post to make this list, being a single quote followed by a sarcastic comment, and I expect it will drop off if I am still doing this kind of list a year from now.
• Reformed and reforming: When Time magazine called “the New Calvinism” one of the modern philosophical movers and shakers, it seemed as of the Christian blogosphere went spoony.  Among the responses was a post from Mark Driscoll.  While I have enjoyed and appreciated much of what Mark says (while disagreeing with some of the tone and substance, at times significantly) this one stirred my soul a little.  It raises questions about the nature of ‘being Reformed’ as well as false distinctions sometimes made with regard to Calvinists of different stripes.