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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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Rightly Dividing or Slicing and Dicing – Jeremiah 4:23
In debates on creation and evolution I have occasionally encountered the ruin and restoration theory. This view allows an old earth, but does so in a different way. Genesis 1:1 is viewed as an original creation, and then the word in 1:2 normally translated “was” is instead translated “became.” I discuss the details in the…
Empathizing with Alan Greenspan
From a Newsweek interview via MSNBC: Interviewer: Who would you like to win next year? Greenspan: Is one of the choices leaving the office open? Yeah, me too.
Rejecting ID, but is it a priori?
On a previous post Ray commented: A religion or naturalism arrived at as a result of following the evidence where it leads, is quite acceptable, and even to be expected in most cases for it is a conclusion arrive at after an objective analysis of the evidence. It is therefore a reasonable conclusion. Naturalism or…
Evangelicals and Evolution
One response I get to my teaching and writing on creation and evolution goes something like this: “You’re just a liberal who’s trying to do away with the Bible, so it’s natural that you go along with the secularist society around you on evolution as well.” But that isn’t the case. For example my company…
Why the Creation-Evolution Controversy is Important
I’m going to try for a brief statement, something that seems to be an unnatural act for me! I am sometimes asked why I spend so much of my time on the [tag]creation[/tag]/[tag]evolution[/tag] controversy. The reason is simply that there is a full scale assault going on against free inquiry, something that is essential to…
Like Us or Die
Here’s another case: Leader offers $100,000 for cartoonist’s death. The head of an al-Qaida-led group in Iraq offered $100,000 for the killing of Swedish cartoonist [tag]Lars Vilks[/tag] over his drawing depicting the Prophet Mohammad. I’ll say again what I have said before. Blasphemy should not be illegal. I believe in [tag]free speech[/tag] when it’s engaged…
The Secret Diary of D. A. Carson
I love humor and satire in particular, and I think every public figure, even if only a public figure in a minor way, should be prepared to be on the receiving end. Hmmm! It would be nice to be important enough myself to be a good target, but I suspect I’ll have to sell lots…
Censored Lectionary – Psalm 79
I wrote a post today for my wife’s devotional list that refers to the boundary line between the [tag]lectionary[/tag] reading, Psalm 79:1-9 and the rest of the Psalm.
Where Teaching the Controversy is Prohibited
I have suggested many times before that before one believes what IDC (intelligent design creationism) advocates say about their goals, one should look at the way they handle the matter where they are in control. I’m sure that I will be accused of unfairly lumping ID and creationism together, but if they don’t want that…
Christian Carnival #189
. . . Deitrich Bonhoeffer edition has been posted.
9-11 Links
I want to link to a few posts from other blogs, both from the Moderate Christian Blogroll and from other blogs to which I subscribe. Crossinator remembers his day on 9/11/01. Through a Glass Darkly gives us a relevant quote from the Gettysburg address. Tom Sims reminds us of both positive and negative things that…
Learning a Little Greek
One of the major problems with seminary study of Biblical languages is that it is often short term and shallow. The seminarian, required to take a certain number of hours or just get by a particular test focuses all his efforts to getting past the hurdle. Precious few such students ever gain a real facility…
Just When I Think I’ve Seen Everything …
… I find this: Marry Our Daughter. Hat tip: Hit the Back Button to Move Forward. Will someone please tell me that this is just a sick joke? I’m thinking that it would be considered illegal despite the claims on the web site. Update: I should have looked on snopes, as pointed out by commenter…
Prison Book Censorship
This program, as reported in the New York Times concerns me, not so much because I think the [tag]prison[/tag] officials are biased in their selections, but because the approach appears to be overkill–a massive and sweeping solution to a very small problem. I would hope the prison officials would reconsider and go instead to a…
Of Necessity and Suffering
I’ve appreciated much of what John Piper has said about the prosperity gospel. Prosperity theology strikes me as not just false (Biblically and experientially), but particularly dangerous because it either drives one from faith and its actual benefits, or creates a very shallow Christian at best, ready to be driven away at the first difficulty….
Great ID Cartoon
It’s at Faith and Theology, with hat tip to Metacatholic. Enjoy! Also, I’ve added Metacatholic to my blogroll, and my RSS subscriptions. I’ll probably be linking there more in the weeks to come.
Defining Explicit Teaching
Wayne Leman has published the first part of his report on the survey he has been taking on Biblical teachings about headship. While this was not a scientific poll it did point to some interesting things. I’d suggest reading it with a primary focus on what people understand as an “explicit teaching” of scripture. What…
Arecibo Observatory
MSNBC reports that funding may be cut off for the Arecibo Observatory. But among astronomers, Arecibo is an icon of hard science. Its instruments have netted a decades-long string of discoveries about the structure and evolution of the universe. Its high-powered radar has mapped in exquisite detail the surfaces and interiors of neighboring planets. ….
Christian Politics
I appreciated this post from Monastic Mumblings. (HT: The Moderate Christian Blogroll [RSS]) I would like two add just a couple of notes. First, I think we begin to depend on politics when we cease to depend on the gospel. If we truly believe that Jesus can change lives, then we also must believe that…
MBWR Posted
The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup 2007.30.128 has been posted.
Could You Take Your Pastor?
I recall an argument in my freshman year in college, in which a fellow-student who was much larger than I was decided to end the debate by saying, “I think I’ll just beat you up!” He could have too. I wouldn’t have stood a chance. So obviously he was right. Well, I’ve found a second…
GMC not Ford
When I see a headline like The Search for the Heterosexual SUV, I go to the actual source hoping against hope that it will turn out to be in the Onion. Of course, since I know that the American Family Association has called for a boycott of Ford, I know I don’t have much hope….
The FBI, Haiku, and Christine’s Garden
I like this response to a recent court decision regarding the so-called Patriot Act. Hey Christine–people who read, and even worse write Haiku are extremely dangerous. Didn’t you know that? And those peonies for your garden? Indeed there ought to be a law! 🙂
Corrupt Politicians and Shrill Partisans
OK, I’m shocked and amazed. Well, not so much. This time it’s Democrats, as the FBI arrests officials in New Jersey. This story just reminded me that people who have power will be tempted, and some of them will turn out to be corrupt. The question is what we’ll do about it. In this case,…