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And the VM Award Goes to...



As the year hurtles towards its conclusion, its the season of award shows and so I thought I would round it off with my own special VM Awards - an assortment of plaudits regarding some of the other offerings out there in the virtual world - the winners get nothing except my admiration and adulation...


Favourite Methodist Blog: Given that I call this blog Virtual Methodist, I felt duty bound to include this category. In terms of Irish Methodist's there aren't too many consistent bloggers out there (they've probably all moved over to twitter now, leaving dinosaurs like me behind) although Paul Ritchie continues to write "To Whom it may Concern". But extending my view beyond these shores, it will be no surprise to those who have noted the number of links to (and lifts from) it that I would see Connexions as the most consistently interesting (and eclectic) Methodist blog out there... Richard/Kim et al are also one of the few who churn out more stuff than I do... Never mind the quality feel the width!
But there is more to theological life than Methodism... (Much more!) So let's move on to...

Favourite Irish Theological Blog: There's so much great stuff out there, including Patrick Mitchel's always interesting FaithinIreland and Zoomtard's rebranded Creideamh, but my favourite (and its not just because he's a mate) is Glenn Jordan's "Crookedshore" (as well as his advent "Mockingbird's Leap" although this year, for various reasons, I was merely an interested observer on that...). Why? I suppose it is the depth, range, originality, biblical literacy and practical application... Is that enough to be going on with?


Favourite Non-Irish Theological Blog: Scotteriology used to be a firm favourite, and in the past it could have been in the running for the humourous blog award too, but it has gone off the boil recently. Biblical World turns up some interesting stuff, but is a wee bit po-faced. Ben Myers Faith and Theology is always worth a look, however, in terms of sheer volume of output, Scot McKnight's "Jesus Creed" puts everything else into the shade, and by the law of averages there's something interesting there most days! Whilst it comes from an unashamedly evangelical perspective, it isn't too narrow in its theology and ecclesiology and it treats most subjects with grace and balance... Given the fruit-basket that is the church, particularly the church on line, that is high praise from me...

Most Consistently Amusing Blog: Tight run thing here between two local contenders, WhyNotSmile and 1690 An' All Thon, with our Ulster Scots friend Prof. Billy McWilliams carrying off the honours... Tho' the WNS commentary on the Apprentice is worthy of an award in its own right.
Favourite Non-Theological Blog: Discounting the 2 in competition for the most amusing blog, that only leaves one non-theological blog on my current blogroll, ie. Ben Goldacre's "Bad Science". I used to have more, but since Rupert Murdoch started charging for web-content I dropped them... I like Ben's consistent debunking of pseudo-scientific charlatanism, but he seems to have lost his sense of humour recently...


So those are my picks... don't be too devastated if I didn't namecheck you this year... And if you have other nominations, chip in...

Tomorrow I'll be trying to prove that I don't just exist in the virtual ether by offering my plaudits of real world events...
Cheers
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Richard Hall said…
I'm late (I've had a week away from the blogosphere) but thanks for that. You're too kind.
Monday, January 03, 2011 11:59:00 PM
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