Goat Roasts, Johnny B., and Bart Ehrman

Goats Roasted at DeWelt's. I worked all day long on Saturday remapping network folders on machines in my computer lab, preparing for a software upgrade during the coming days. While I was mapping directories, Rose was at the DeWelt's property observing the killing (not ceremonial, I'll have you) of three goats. Our church is very intentional about showing kindness to international students. African students, especially, enjoy goat roasts. The committee from our church (with which Rose works very closely) dealing with international students, planned the goat roast with the help of some African students at OCC. Last year, they had done their own event, and had about 45 people show up. This year, the idea was to invite more internationals, and have more people. The goats were killed and the meat was dressed on Saturday. On Sunday, the principal roasters showed up in the early afternoon to prepare the festivities. We thought there would be about 70 people there. There were about 180 in attendance, and probably about 90 vehicles! A fun time was had by all!

Johnny B. (Dusty) Baker. In the off season between 2002 and 2003, the Chicago Cubs hired Dusty Baker (a proven winner) to be the manager. I was thrilled. Baker had seemed to put a winner on the field consistently. As Cub fans know, a consistent winner is a rare thing on the North side of Chicago. Dusty came pretty close in 2003, as the Cubs were 5 outs from the World Series. The Cubs collapse was no more Baker's fault than it was Bartman's (neither one of them were responsible for giving up 8 runs). 2004 was a disappointment, but the last two years, the Cubs have been such a disappointment, that I was wanting the axe to fall, and for Dusty to be relieved of his managerial duties. He was not fired, but yesterday that announcement was made that his contract, which was completed, would not be renewed. The day before that Andy McPhail resigned as chief executive office of the Cubs. Joe Girardi, former Cub, was fired today after one year as manager of the Florida Marlins. He is supposedly on the short list of potential Baker replacements. I would like to see what Girardi could do as the Cubs manager.

Bart Ehrman. I just picked up a copy of Bart D. Ehrman's book, Misquoting Jesus (2005). I read the introduction over lunch. Ehrman relates his journey from an Episcopalian background in Lawrence, KS, to his conversion at the age of 15 by a graduate of Moody Bible Institute. He went to MBI in Chicago, getting a 3-year diploma, finished his Bachelor's degree at Wheaton College, then went off to Princeton to study textual criticism under Bruce Metzger. All students of textual criticism know that there are textual variants in the manuscripts of the New Testament. When I was a freshman in college, we used J. Harold Greenlee's book Introduction to New Testament Textual Criticism (Eerdmans, 1964). Greenlee addresses the issue of variants, listing kinds of changes, both unintentional and intentional (pp. 63-68). That is nothing earth-shattering. Ehrman's book, however, promises something that it cannot give. The sub-title of the book is The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. I don't think this book will alter my position. Perhaps I will write a bit more about it, after giving it a read. Daniel Wallace has an abbreviated review of the book here.

I'm out of random thoughts right now. I guess I'll turn my attention to English grammar.

Peace to you all,

DGF