The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Flying low

A strand in my life discussed really only by my family is embarrassing and futile conversations I have had with non-native English speakers. I will have to tell you another time about the pronunciation of Suchi adn the dead centre of Oradea. Anyway I saw this man the other day with his flies down. I knew he wasn't a native English speaker. I should have just left it but it seemed to me that here was an opportunity to do a chap a favour and teach him a useful English phrase. So I started "Do you know the expression flying low?" I explained it to him and mentioned the fact we were in the midst of a current crisis. At this point I'd imagined him rectifying things. But no. So I tried again. As a veteran of such encounters I now know when t leave well alone and I did. Whether he grasped what I was talking about at any level (no pun intended) I don't know. I doubt it.

No comments: