Threads from Henry's Web

Author: henry

  • Exodus 17:1-7 – In and Out of Trouble

    I provide some devotional thoughts (not particularly exegetical!) that I gleaned from this passage in my post today for my wife’s devotional list.

  • Al Mohler Advises on Educating Your Kids

    Through a Glass Darkly expresses appreciation for Al Mohler’s advice on educating his kids. Well, maybe not so much! 🙂

  • On Being a Stepfather

    I was pleased to find a report on MSNBC.com on titled It’s tough being a stepdad. In my experience stepparents are often underrated, and do not receive much consideration. The stories we hear tend to be negative–when stepparents fail, as often we do.

    You see, I am a stepfather. I got married late in life to a woman who had three lovely children already. The two oldest were already past the age of 18, and I remember with great amusement my pastor telling me that I didn’t have to worry about them. He gave excellent advice, but he missed it on that point. I still had occasion to be very much involved in their lives, despite their age, involving both joy and sorrow.

    Our younger son was 12 years old, and was in chemotherapy for cancer when we got married. He passed away five years later. As things got more difficult with the cancer treatment a good friend of the family called me aside and said, “Henry, many people are going to ignore you in this situation because you’re the stepparent. But don’t forget to take care of yourself.” Well, some people did ignore me, but to be honest most people gave me all the consideration I could possibly ask for.

    My relationship with all my children grew with time. Let me offer a word of advice from my experience: Don’t be in a hurry. Children don’t get used to you overnight, and trying to force things doesn’t help in the least. I tried to be very patient, and I have heard from the kids now that they are substantially older that they appreciated that. There are some things you have to get involved with, and there are some things you should. Just be sure you think carefully about which are which.

    The second point I would make to other stepparents is that your relationship with your stepchild isn’t something that takes away from, or loses something to the relationship with the birth parent. While my children’s father was alive, I was careful not to say anything bad about him, and never to try to replace him. It won’t work, and it is neither necessary or desirable. You can have a good, constructive relationship with a stepchild that is yours, while nurturing and encouraging the relationship with their birth parent. My children’s father passed away suddenly, early in the morning, when he was out of town. My youngest son came to me within a few minutes after he heard the news and said, “Well, Henry, I guess it’s all up to you now!” He never called me “dad.” I was always his stepdad. I had and have no problem with that–stepdad is an honorable title.

    I made it a note in my last paragraph, but let me make it explicit as well: My third suggestion is to never run down the child’s birth parent. It’s a game you’ll lose, and it’s a game you should lose. Learn what isn’t your business and stay out of it.

    Now I have grandchildren. I like to call people’s attention to the bumper sticker that reads, “If I had known how much fun grandchildren were, I’d have had them first!” I say, “I did that!” There were easy points, and there were hard points, but it was all worth it.

    I offer this for what it’s worth. This was just my experience, and I’m no expert. Not even close! But I do know that stepchildren can be a joy, and that giving stepparenting the time and attention it deserves is well worth the effort.

  • Obama Campaign and Race

    I think Barack Obama has done a good job of keeping his campaign from being about race. I’m certain this hasn’t been easy. In reading this article from MSNBC.com I was struck that apparently the commentators are holding his campaign to a standard of perfection.

    In my view, whether he wins in the end or not, Barack Obama’s campaign has been very good for the country. I think he has paved the way for many people to give serious consideration to candidates irrespective of their race. There must be pioneers, and he is one. Readers of this blog probably know that I like him, and while I do have policy concerns, they are no greater than with any other candidate; in fact, they are considerably less in his case.

    The expectation that an African-American candidate could run without any signs of race showing up is ludicrous. Obama has done a good job with the options available.

  • New Poll – Why Do You Read the Bible?

    I’ve replaced my poll on Origen with a new one, this time asking what reason causes you to spend the most time reading the Bible. I’m interested in the results. In my personal experience I have heard people express all of these reasons. You’ll find the poll in the right sidebar.

  • Origen and Bible Censorship Poll Results

    You can see the poll results here if you haven’t done so already. I’m going to replace the poll with a new one. I posted this poll after reading Origen’s comment that immature Christians should not be permitted to read certain passages of scripture, especially the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon).

    I found this poll interesting, because as I expected there were few people who wanted to try to control church members’ Bible reading. I was wondering if there might be a few out there, but there were none. The only restriction that received any votes was that children shouldn’t be allowed to read sexually explicit passages (1 vote out of 20). The remainder were simply different ways of saying people should be allowed to read whatever they want.

    Thanks to all who responded.

  • Roundup Florida Science Standards

    Wesley Elsberry has provided a roundup of his posts on the Florida science standards. Note that the vote on these will be February 19.

  • Am I a Darwinian?

    I spent Saturday, February 9, traveling to/from or in Tallahassee. I was there to attend the annual meeting of Florida Citizens for Science, and also to take in some Darwin Day speakers at the FSU Medical School. I was able to work in Dr. Harry Kroto and Dr. Eugenie Scott (National Center for Science Education), and also part of the final panel that include Dr. Michael Ruse amongst others.

    There is a problem with these meetings in that we gather together people who already agree that the theory of evolution is sound science and we are encouraged by those supporting it and alarmed by the number of folks in this country who oppose it. Often little is accomplished in convincing anyone who wasn’t convinced already. But it’s really a very small problem. There is a place for educating and encouraging the choir, and those of us who were there learned some things about communicating evolution. I would say that the very best way to build support for the theory of evolution, and thus also sound science generally, is to provide better science education.

    Why do I think supporting the theory of evolution in particular encourages sound science? In order to truly do science one must be willing to follow the evidence where it leads. Evolution is the main point on which large numbers don’t want to do that. As long as we say we can ignore the facts discovered by science, we are inevitably weakened.

    There was one discussion that interested me especially because of my linguistic background. Dr. Scott made the comment that we should not accept the title “Darwinist” because that title is applied to us by creationists as an epithet. Physicists are not Kelvinists, for example. (Dr. Scott provided a considerable list.) I can see her point on this, because the term “Darwinist” has been poisoned so much by the debate. Dr. Michael Ruse objected on this one point and suggested rather than he didn’t mind being called a “Darwinian.”

    I’m kind of torn on the issue. I don’t like being called an “evolutionist.” It’s not my religion or my political “ism.” It’s just a well-established scientific theory that I accept. It shouldn’t be regarded with surprise that I accept it; the reverse should be true. Why would one not accept a theory with such solid support? But at the same time I dislike the misuse of Charles Darwin’s name. Evolution today is not limited to what he discovered, but at the same time he was both a man of his age, and thus not perfect, while at the same time he was a wonderful example of a scientist, and a scientific thinker. He was able to step beyond the paradigms of his age and provide a whole new foundation for understanding the whole science of biology. In that sense, I would proud–but unqualified–to be called a Darwinian.

    The bottom line, I suspect, is that I can do very little about what people choose to call me or anyone else. I will likely be a “theistic evolutionist” for the indefinite future, even though I object to the “ist” on evolutionist and the “theistic” part of the title. I both believe in God and I accept the theory of evolution. My theism does not modify the data of the theory of evolution. Yet the title has become accepted and does identify a somewhat coherent group of people.

    Perhaps we should take on the name “Darwinian” and try to rescue the reputation of the fine scientist form which it is derived. The fact that this must be done is a sorry comment on our culture.

  • Not Through the Law: Romans 4:13

    One of the major elements of the new perspectives on Paul is the changing view of justification. In a broad sense, one could say that justification involves not a moment of personal salvation, but rather a moment of incorporation into a broad community, known as the people of God, kingdom of God, or the body of Christ. One of the things that Jesus did was to make it possible for you to become part of that community, and it is that community that will eventually be glorified.

    The individual aspect of salvation is not eliminated, but is certainly pushed more into the background. There is less room here for the individual who has “prayed the prayer” and then never done another thing that appears related to being Christian. James might call on that person to show his or her faith by works.

    Lately, I have been trying to read passages in Paul with this option in mind just to see how it fits. I am not fully convinced of the change, but I am becoming more so. Today I was again reading Romans 4:13 (it’s part of this coming Sunday’s lectionary passages), and it hit me again:

    For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (NRSV)

    Now if “law” generally refers to the Torah–and I think that’s not a bad suggestion for Romans and Galatians at least–then there’s something obvious going on here. The Torah came after Abraham. God inaugurated this whole thing without any such written body of law. Grace was the only option. Grace had to act before there was even any knowledge that things could be other than what they already were. Revelation comes to Abraham as a grace, and grace comes to him by revelation.

    This reminds me of an issue I have with some Christian apologetics that attempts to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, the Christ, by means of tying a series of prophecies together that he fulfilled. Enough prophecies apparently should bring certainty. But how many prophecies did Abraham need? Did Moses have to fulfill a string of prophecies to prove he was anointed by God? No, each person comes through an act of God at the time. The prophecies are much more a case of tying Jesus back into the tradition stream–the community if you will–than it is a case of proving that he fits some specification.

    God can come and act without getting ducks in a row. “For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6 (NRSV).

  • Colgate Cares Giving Child Fun Center

    Colgate Cares will give one fun center to a hospital and they are inviting votes as to where it will go.

    Many of my readers know that in 2004 we lost our 17 year old son James to cancer after a five year battle. Each year our son John Webb, supported by the rest of the family and many friends, hold the John Webb Winter Golf Tournament to raise money for the child life program at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital here in Pensacola. The reason we chose that particular project was simply that James chose it before he died. He said that was the most difficult thing for him, and that is also not where the big bucks usually go.

    Right now the Colgate site has suspended voting for a technical issue, but I want to call your attention to it in any case, and hopefully you will get on there and vote for a hospital near you or one you prefer. More importantly, take this opportunity to look at some of the hospitals and consider getting involved just a bit. Childhood cancer is very difficult for parents, children, families, friends, and all the wonderful medical professionals who fight it. Every ray of sunshine is appreciated.

    So go and vote, and also learn.