Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Greatest Man of the 20th Century Is Who?

Located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY is St. John the Divine Cathedral, shown to the left, which claims to be the largest Anglican church in the world. Construction on the Cathedral began with the laying of the cornerstone on December 27, 1892, otherwise known as St. John's Day. The foundation was completed at enormous expense, largely because bedrock was not struck until the excavation had reached 72 feet. For almost nine decades construction continued, often delayed because of world wars, the Great Depression, and other economic burdens for the Anglicans of New York. In 1979, at the dedication of the completed Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Mayor Ed Koch quipped "I am told that some of the great cathedrals took over five hundred years to build. But I would like to remind you that we are only in our first hundred years."

Throughout the century of construction worship services were still held every Sunday. Forty years into the work, sometime during the 1930's, leaders at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine decided to honor the great men of the Christian era. They commissioned an artist to handmake a collection of figurines which they housed for display under the communion table. Each figurine represented the greatest Christian man of each century in the Christian era. The men included were:

. 1st Century – St. Paul
. 2nd Century – Saint Justin the Martyr
. 3rd Century – St. Clement of Alexandria
. 4th Century – Athanasius
. 5th Century – St. Augustine
. 6th Century – St. Benedict
. 7th Century – St. Gregory the Good
. 8th Century - Charles Martel
. 9th Century - Charlemagne
10th Century – King Alfred
11th Century – Godfrey of Bouillon
12th Century – St. Bernard
13th Century – St. Francis of Assisi
14th Century – John Wycliffe
15th Century – Christopher Columbus
16th Century – Archbishop Cramer
17th Century – William Shakespeare
18th Century – George Washington
19th Century – Abraham Lincoln

I was curious as to which person leadership at St. John the Divine considered the greatest man of the 20th Century. My secretary has placed a call to the old cathedral and the receptionist said she was not sure who was chosen, but promised to get back with us shortly with an answer to our query. Until she does, it would be interesting to hear who you believe to be the greatest man of the 20th Century. Some may wonder the definition of the adjective "greatest," but without going into specifics of the criteria for the word, I would simply like you to answer with the name of the first man that comes to mind when you are asked the following:

Who, in your opinion, was the greatest man to live in the 20th Century?"

In His Grace,


Wade

P.S. As you can tell I am working on a new format for this blog. I am categorizing 700 posts and it will take me several weeks to complete the task. I lost most of my links to other blogs and am rebuilding them. If you would like for me to link with your blog, please send me an email with your blog address and I will be happy to link up.

217 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 217 of 217
Anonymous said...

Iam curious why Martin Luther was left off the list for the 16th century

Jesse said...

Byroniac – you understand exactly what I’m saying.

Old Timer,
You response implies that you believe that someone thinks you an idiot. {Old Timer said, JESSE: "there is only one correct interpretation of scripture" Yours? Who interprets God's word correctly so we 'idiots' understand it?}
I certainly don’t think you’re an idiot, I don’t even know you, your name, or anything else about you.
If you re-read my post I said, “Just because I'm occasionally right when interpreting scripture doesn't necessarily make me mean, narrow-minded in the negative sense, or bigoted when I refuse to budge from that interpretation. It just means I'm trying to stand on the interpretation of a particular scripture.
However, I must be careful about being too adamant regarding applications.
Notice that I did NOT say that mine is the only correct interpretation. I stated that I believe I occasionally interpret scripture rightly; please note that I said occasionally. If I feel that I have it interpreted rightly, you bet I’ll stand on it. Please note that I also said I have to be careful about being too adamant regarding applications, meaning application of scripture.
Old Timer, do I understand you to say that it is impossible to interpret scripture accurately and that a Christian should NEVER be adamant about his or her interpretation?

Jesse said...

Oops, bad form, I should have at least included a comment about Greatest Christian man of 20th century - Yes, C.S. Lewis is in the hunt.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rex Ray,

Would there be any PROBLEM if all Southern Baptists just called the Holy Scriptures 'INSPIRED'?

The term 'inspired' conveys the reason why we call the Scriptures
"holy" in my faith: that is, that, when we read the Holy Writings in reverence, we are praying essentially for instruction from the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding. Done in reverence, this IS a blessing.

In this way, a person is being blessed in a special way.

I really cannot understand when people 'throw' scriptures around at each other in irreverant argument which is obviously not the same as respectful debate. To me that kind of behavior is disrespectful of the Scriptures.
I'm much more comfortable with the reverence shown the Scriptures in the Hebraic tradition and in my own faith. L's G.

Ramesh said...

I think I found where KMC got the picture for his "logo" or thumbnail image.

Don Koenig's philosophy and theology on Christian and social issues in America

Anonymous said...

Hi Rex Ray,

Would there be any PROBLEM if all Southern Baptists just called the Holy Scriptures 'INSPIRED'? This term has been acceptable to Christians for two thousand years and to Jews for over five thousand years.

The change to the word 'inerrancy' violates the idea of men writing under God's INSPRIRATION. Now, if one man disagrees with another man over Scripture: the one in control of a church can 'fire' or 'refuse to communicate' with the other. Very divisive. Not to say extremely spiritually abusive: a sin harmful to another person and a grave sin against God. In addition to those men who wrote under inspiration, doesn't the Protestant faith ALSO consider the reverent READER to be inspired by the Holy Spirit?

The term 'inspired' conveys the reason why we call the Scriptures
"holy" in my faith. That is,
first: the men who wrote did so deeply under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Secondly: that, when we read the Holy Writings in reverence, we are praying for instruction from the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding.
Done in reverence, this IS a great blessing.

In this way, a person is being blessed in a special very personal way: our reading is a prayer that is granted as God gives us ability to understand.

I honestly cannot understand when people 'throw' what appears to be 'undigested' scriptures around at each other in irreverant argument which is obviously not the same as respectful debate.

To me, that kind of behavior is disrespectful of the Scriptures.
I'm much more comfortable with the reverence shown the Scriptures in the Hebraic tradition and in my own faith tradition.

If the Holy Spirit is involved when men wrote the Scriptures; the Holy Spirit must also be involved as a reverent reader personally seeks God's meaning. I think we receive what WE PERSONALLY NEED from God's word in the course of our lives, as just one of many ways that God gives us His blessing. :) L's

Anonymous said...

" We always should start reading the Bible with the Psalmist's prayer: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your Law" (Ps.119:18).

When we pray, we speak to God; when we read the Bible, God speaks to us…. speaks to us, and touches our lives, giving us his power of faith and love and hope, with the mysterious power of the Word of God"

Anonymous said...

IN SPIRATION: 'come Holy Spirit'

In ancient times, the WRITER was filled with the Spirit of God in his thoughts. And then he wrote the Holy Words, not dictated, but as his spirit dwelt 'in Spirit' with God, so he wrote:
an inspired man's thoughts overflowing onto the scroll.



ILLUMINATION: 'enlighten the hearts of the faithful' 'Oh Lord, that I may see'

In the dim light of his world, the Reader opens the Holy Book. In prayer, he comes before the Lord. And soon, he holds the Book up to a lamp held for him by the Holy Spirit. In this Holy Light, the reader reads.
And understands.



FAITH

"and enkindle in them the fire of Thy Divine Love"

"Christ be in my mind; Christ be on my lips; Christ be in my heart."




CHARITY 'caritas' 'caring'

"AND THOU SHALT RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH."

L's

Anonymous said...

SL1M said:
"You can even be a little "brave" like Wanda and use your first name (even if it's her mother's name)"

Wanda said:
"And SL1M, I do use my real name. One day I hope you will be courageous enough to share your first name with us."

SL1M said:
"Wanda, you sound angry and I'm not sure why?"

Wade,

Do you think I sound angry in my above response to Slim?

Thanks to those of you who came to my defense. Rest assured, Slim doesn't intimidate me, but I appreciate your encouragement.

Blessings,

Wanda

Anonymous said...

We've 'got your back', Wanda.
We look out for each other, here.

Anonymous said...

Wanda,

You told me I lack courage out of left field for no apparent reason. I simply don't understand why you would do that. I didn't say anything to you personally to provoke that from you.

It is not my goal to intimidate you or anyone else. I would like nothing more than to dialogue respectfully on the posts and the comments on the posts.

If I have ever in the past given you the impression that I am trying to intimidate you, I am sincerely sorry and would like for you to forgive me.

Blogs are truly funny in some ways. If you knew me, knew my heart, and even saw me physically, we would both have a hardy laugh at the fact that you feel "bullied" by me and need people to come to your "defense" because of me. :)

Please know that it's not easy to be called a coward for no good reason and to simply ignore it. But I suppose I should have.

God's grace to you on this Lord's day.

SL1M

Anonymous said...

KMC,

What specifically about the gospel preached by Hershel Hobbs causes you to be uncomfortable? I seriously doubt that you can cite any specifics; very much like the leaders of the resurgence who ruined careers by innuendo and wrongly believed they were doing God's work.

Anonymous said...

Stephen said
"like the leaders of the resurgence who ruined careers by innuendo and wrongly believed they were doing God's work."

Stephen, just suppose that the 'leaders' KNEW that they WERE NOT doing God's work.

These were supposedly men who had studied the Faith and the Bible. So they knew what they were doing was sinful to the max. If they were 'believers' at all.

My bet is that these 'leaders' are cynical political manipulators whose 'Christianity' is bogus. I don't go so far as to say that they are evil. Their actions are truly evil. Perhaps we could say their true characters are revealed in how badly they have treated people.

Some feel that the poor treatment of others is acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. That is pure fundamentalist doctrine: means justify the end. These people are what used to be called 'Good Nazis'. They will tell God that they were 'just following orders'. They will follow that leadership all the way to . . . . . . . .

Anonymous said...

Slim to Wanda:
"I am sincerely sorry and would like for you to forgive me."

Why don't you ask God's forgiveness? Wanda ia a wonderful Christian woman, of course she will forgive you. And, then, you will do this kind of thing again.
If you ask God's forgiveness, maybe you will think twice before you use a Christian blog to play the silly bully towards a decent woman.

BULLY CONTROL UNIT 1
Sgt. Kictale

Anonymous said...

FDR started this country down the long, slow slide into socialism that is culminating with the pending election of BHO. How sad it is that either of these destroyers of what Amercia is all about would be considered great men. Especially sad that those who call themselves by the name of Christ would not see that these men stand for all that He stands against.

Anonymous said...

FDR opposed Hitler.
The enemy of my enemy if my friend.
Leah

Anonymous said...

In my life, Adrian Rogers was a great man indeed. Whoever wins this vote, assuming he is deceased, is in the same place Adrian Rogers is. Otherwise, he wasn't a great man at all.

M

«Oldest ‹Older   201 – 217 of 217   Newer› Newest»