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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…
Social Notes (see all)
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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…
Valuable Evidence Found in Debate on Hebrew Scriptures
A tiny tablet has been found most likely confirming the name of one character in the Biblical book of Jeremiah. It is unfortunate that the Telegraph headlines it as Tiny tablet provides proof for Old Testament, though the text of their article is more accurate. Biblical archeologists generally do not go out attempting to prove…
Sola Scriptura (Link and Comment)
I am running late today, and may not get much of what I intended to post completed, but in the meantime, Mark Olson has a post on sola scriptura over at Pseudo-Polymath which is quite interesting. He has already been taken to task (only with the utmost courtesy, of course) by a commenter that the…
Christian Carnival CLXXX
. . . is posted at Everyday Liturgy. Check it out! There’s even a post on nudity–well, sort of.
St. John Chrysostom Quote
I’m reading the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament, Volume X, Hebrews, and I found this interesting quote from St. John Chrysostom: St. John Chrysostom We ought to receive all things with faith and reverence, and, when our discourse fails through weakness and is not able to set forth accurately the things that are…
How NOT to Express Your Views
I suppose it was inevitable, with all of the hype about the terrible evils supposedly caused by a belief in evolution, but it looks like some crackpots decided to express their views with threats. From the Denver Post: The first threat was e-mailed to the labs – part of CU’s ecology and evolutionary biology department…
Churches other than Roman Catholic are not True Churches
I always knew I was a heretic: Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches. (From MSNBC.com) Well, actually, I never regarded the Catholic church and the pope as having…
Impeachment and Political Strategy
I have long argued against the war in Iraq on strategic grounds. I don’t object to war when war is absolutely necessary, but I believe that when war is waged for the wrong reasons, conducted improperly, or for unattainable goals, however good those goals sound, that war is a tragedy and is immoral. Killing is…
Notes on Mark 11:12-14
Translation and Notes 12The next day, as he was coming from Bethany, he was hungry. 13And when he saw a fig tree from far away that had leaves he thought he might find something on it, but when he got there he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Mar…
Congratulations David Warnock
. . . who is now ordained and received into full connexion by the Methodist Church of Great Britain. I very much enjoy David’s blog, and truly could link to it much more frequently than I do. He will be a great asset to the Methodist church and to the church universal. Rejoice with and…
Guard Your Mind
20My child, pay attention to my words, Listen closely to my sayings. 21Don’t let them escape from your sight, Guard them deep in your mind. 22For those who find them find life, They bring healing to the whole person. 23Above everything guard your mind*, Because from it flows your life. 24Turn your mouth away from…
Communism and Bible Translation
Bible translators and those who discuss that work know quite well that translation produces controversy, sometimes quite virulent controversy. One of the great watersheds in American church history was the publication of the RSV and the fight that followed. Though many of these issues are still quite alive today, the battle lines have largely shifted…