Theology

Theology, as a system of thought, is so far removed from any reliable method of evaluating truth claims that its value is entirely questionable.

Concert for Virginia Tech

Last night, still getting over my cold, I went with my wife to "The Concert for Virginia Tech." Dave Matthews put together a show that also included John Mayer, NAS, and Phil Vasser. What a moment. Our Blacksburg community is still raw from the horrific events of 4/16, and any opportunity the school has to get together in one place is a chance to lift our collective spirits. I have been to every memorial service held on the campus as well as the gatherings at football games -- and now this memorial concert. We're trying to heal, and it is not easy. Each commemorative event brings with it the rush of emotions of the terrible day, but with each new coming together, we find strength.

At concerts, chanting and cheering is usually reserved only for the musicians. At this concert, with 45,000 in attendance at our football stadium, every break in the show was filled with "Let's Go, Hokies!" -- a chant rooting for ourselves and our revival. Dave Matthews is a good man for organizing this event and giving us a chance to listen to music, dance, and put our minds on happier things for a while.

Thanks are due to all the artists, none of whom were compensated for their time.

Oh, yeah -- the music! Amazing. I'm not a big John Mayer or Dave Matthews fan, but they are spectacular musicians. As a guitarist, I was wowed by Mayer's blues riffs. I wish more of his bluesy music would get played on the radio, because it's a lot better than his pop! The Dave Matthew's Band is one of the greatest collections of musicians on tour now. They jam over every piece. In concert, the Dave Matthews songs you hear on the radio become just the theme, and it is in the innumerable variations the band discovers in their live shows that the magic happens. A great show.