Learning from the War
Joe Carter caught my attention again today with his post This I No Longer Believe: 5 Lessons Learned from the Iraq War. Now he’s responding to this post by Rod Dreher, but I actually found his list more interesting. I’m not going to make my own list, because I don’t think I’ve learned five things…
Pope Benedict XVI on Creation-Evolution Controversy
My sister e-mail me a link to this article on to me via e-mail. Pope Benedict XVI said the debate raging in some countries particularly the United States and his native Germany between creationism and evolution was an absurdity, saying that evolution can coexist with faith. The pontiff, speaking as he was concluding…
Moderates Snubbed
According to this story on MSNBC.com democratic presidential contenders are snubbing the DLC meeting in Tennessee this weekend. It’s a trend that I find annoying, though I do expect candidates to talk to the base of their parties during the campaign. I’m wondering this: Is the base of the democratic party so partisan that it…
Notes on Mark 11:27-33
These notes are intended to accompany my podcast A Question of Authority. Interpretations of this passage tend to focus on the conflict and how Jesus got out of it. He did, indeed, avoid a difficult situation in a very creative way. But there is an additional realm of discussion. Jesus suggested an entirely different way…
Christian Carnival CLXXXII
. . . has been posted at Brain Cramps for God.
Rules for Church Leaders on Politics
. . . or perhaps not. Joe Carter at evangelical outpost links to and critiques some rules for church leaders regarding political activities and involvement. I’m pretty much in agreement with Carter’s critique. I am a supporter of church and state, but even my view on church and state is informed by my faith. I…
Lybia 6 Freed
according to ABC News. These are the folks who were wrongfully jailed for 8 years. I rejoice, but continue to regard with horror the fact that humanitarians such as this could be imprisoned because of ignorance that ought to be criminal. People stupid enough to jail these folks shouldn’t be allowed to drive cars, much…
Evidence, Scientific Progress, and Creationism
I’m promoting a comment by Jonathan Bartlett, who deserves some response where it will be seen, and also a link to his material. So I’m going to quote his comment in full and then give my response. If one can fully analyze and test a model, one can assemble that model based on hypothesis and…
Notes on Mark 11:20-26
These notes accompany the Bible Pacesetter Podcast Having Godly Faith. 20And as they were going by in the early morning they saw the fig tree, withered from the root. 21And Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi look! The fig tree you cursed is withered!” Unlike the story in Matthew, the withered fig tree is…
Notes on Mark 11:15-19
The following working translation and notes accompany my podcast Cleansing the Temple. 15Then they went into Jerusalem, and after they entered the temple he began to throw out those who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and up-ended those of the dove sellers. The problem…
Enthusiastic for Everything
Adrian Warnock has written an interesting and challenging post titled I DON’T WANT BALANCE, I WANT IT ALL!. There is a great deal in that post with which I not only sympathize, I empathize–I’ve been there. For me one place I want both is in the intensity of much charismatic worship. I have experienced that…
Jena 6 Overview at Pursuing Holiness
OK, I’m generally pretty slow in getting on these political cases, and this is no exception. But Laura is right about this case and the need to get something done. I suspect the online position will not be useful either, but perhaps some mail to the appropriate government officials will help. Public opinion, properly applied,…
Creationism and Christianity
One frequent response I get when criticizing certain views of creation is that I believe the people who hold those views are wrong, not really Christian, and/or are incredibly stupid. Now there are occasional folks whose intelligence seems questionable, though I prefer to question the intelligence of their arguments, and not their actual IQ. I…
Author of the Month on Compuserve Religion Forum
I’m author of the month from now until sometime late August (not sure when it will end) on the Compuserve Religion Forum. I will be available for debate over there as well as on my excessively large numbers of blogs. The discussion is primarily of my new book When People Speak for God.
Because I Would Keep Right on Praying
That’s obviously the answer to some question, but what question is it an answer to? Well, I’m frequently asked by fellow-Christians why I would pray if I don’t believe that God will do what I ask. I’m also frequently asked by others why I would bother to pray if there is no evidence that prayer…
Christian Carnival CLXXXI
. . . has been posted at Mere Orthodoxy. My entry this week wasn’t from this blog, but rather from my wife’s devotional list, to which I contribute.
On Dealing with Scandal
I haven’t gotten anything written during the last week on this blog. This is not due to a hiatus in Bible study. There’s plenty to write, and I’ve been writing elsewhere, but I just haven’t gotten here with something specifically exegetical. In the meantime, I wrote a devotional from my wife’s list, titled Handling Scandal….
Young Earth Creationists: What They Say and What They Do
A couple of days ago I wrote an entry about young earth creationists and presuppositions. Two commenters have now taken me to task over my claim that young earth creationists try to dodge their main presupposition, that Genesis is narrative history conveying accurate science. Commenter Jonathan Bartlett said: I think you are slightly confused on…
Young Earth Creationism and Presuppositions
Via Dispatches from the Culture Wars I found this article on WorldNetDaily. Ed suggested that it didn’t require fisking, but from the Christian point of view there are a couple of things I’d like to comment on. Lofton says, I love Ken Ham president of the Answers In Genesis ministry because he’s a…
Update on CU Boulder Threats
There is more information available now on The Panda’s Thumb.
Of Miss New Jersey and Stupidity
No, not Miss New Jersey’s stupidity, the stupidity of anyone who thinks it should be news that a young lady, especially one involved in the performing arts, might horse around. Those pictures are supposed to be some kind of scandal? I don’t follow beauty pageants, but I was bothered by this, and then what do…
Good Source on Nabu-sharussu-ukin
My Akkadian is pretty seriously rusty, one might even say rusted out, so I was thinking of looking for good info on that new tablet discovery probably related to Jeremiah 39:3. But Chris Heard of Higgaion saved me all kinds of time by writing an excellent article, with links to a number of other good…
Christian Politicians aren’t Perfect, Just Forgive Them
Update: Please read through to the comments. Both Jeremy Pierce and Joe Carter believe I have misread them, though Joe graciously took responsibility for lack of clarity. If I am now reading him correctly, I agree with his points as made in that comment. One day back when I was a junior NCO in the…
Hindu Prayer in the Senate
My own preference would be that any prayers in congress be privately, not officially conducted. That is due on the one hand to my conviction that we should be a pluralistic, secular society, and on the other to my doubt that politically stage managed prayers are of any value. But given that prayers are offered…