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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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Two Cows
I think I first saw this thing about two cows several years ago, but there have been several more instances added in this version. Some of the new ones are even funnier than the earlier ones. It looks like people have just been tacking examples on the end. (HT: 42)
Exclusion and Inclusion and Vague Boundaries
A community must have some sort of definition in order to exist. This may seem fairly obvious, but often in discussions of religion we lose sight of that fact in efforts to be inclusive. It’s important to remember that there is a difference between saying somebody is a bad person and saying that they don’t…
Expressing the Multifaceted Nature of the Atonement
Peter Kirk has a post, The personal relevance of the atonement, that expresses what I have been trying to say about the atonement much more precisely than I have managed to do it. I commend it strongly. At the same time, Adrian has posted again regarding a review of Pierced for Our Transgressions. Since I…
Added to my Blogroll
Every so often in wandering around the blogosphere I notice a blog that makes me say, “Why haven’t I noticed this before?” I found one today, The Christian Cynic, and I wanted to call attention to his post dealing with formal issues of an argument from ignorance. I think I’ll have fun keeping up with…
Media Interviews, With Scientists or Anyone
There has been some discussion amongst the science blogs about dealing with interview requests, in this case specifically for scientists. I had thought about saying something from my non-scientist perspective, but hadn’t really come up with anything. Then this morning, going through my Technorati favorites, I saw this story from Carl Zimmer. Now since I…
Richardson Misunderstands Diplomacy
This story and video shows why Richardson really doesn’t understand how diplomacy actually works. He’s going to withdraw all the troops and then he’s going to go seriously into diplomacy. Let’s not make a mistake about this. When we withdraw from Iraq, we’re going to lose most of our ability to impact the country diplomatically….
Salman Rushdie Knighted / Violent Reaction in Muslim World
Update: Or really, just a better reference. I think this story from MSNBC covers the ground better in a single article. I believe very strongly that we need to distinguish between radicals who want to kill us, and the very large number of Muslims who are peaceful people. But with the reaction to the knighting…
Excessively Large Tent = Crash
I have written a few times before on the need for a core of essential beliefs that provide a basis for community along with a broader set of non-essentials on which people can agree. Probably my most comprehensive discussion of the issue is in Unity, Diversity, and Confusion. Over the last few days I’ve been…
Moral Absolutes
Most of the time I read the evangelical outpost to keep me up to date on intelligent conservative thinking. I can disagree with Joe Carter, and often do, but I never call him stupid. Today, however, he hit on an important topic–absolute truth. Now I’m all in favor of humility about our personal knowledge about…
A Singular Lack of Imagination in ID
A post today dealing with junk DNA led me to some thinking about just how the nature of a designer might impact the nature of the things designed. It seems to me that no matter where we are looking for design, whether in the form of alien artifacts on a distant planet (in our imaginations)…
Ephesians 5:21-33: A Short Lesson in Focus
It often amazes me to notice the difference in what I get from the scriptures when I approach a book or a passage simply asking what message God has for me in that passage as opposed to when I search out various passages of scripture in order to answer a particular theological question. That second…
The Duke Lacrosse Players and Prejudice
According to this MSNBC commentary, Mike Nifong has received a severe penalty but it is precisely what he deserves: Lawyers usually try to understand a fellow practitionerÂ’s blunders and usually reprimand their colleague without issuing the ultimate penalty, the death penalty for a lawyer: disbarment. While it is public disgrace indeed, it also says “you…
Moderate Christian Blogroll Issue
For those who don’t regularly read the home blog of the Moderate Christian Blogroll, I want to call your attention to this post which explains a recent run of links that result apparently from a single post on a former blogroll member’s blog. Please comment there.
Evolutionary vs. Scientific Thinking
In a comment to my earlier post Why Talk About Evolution in Church, seeker said: You might enjoy criticizing my article Is creationism a barrier to faith. But I also think your assessment of creation science is too steeped in evolutionary, rather than scientific thinking. Well, you asked for it, so here it is. What…
Worst Worship Song
Peter Kirk is discussing the “worst worship song,” a theme (or proto-meme?) that seems to be running amongst the Christian blogs, and he’s particularly concerned that “Heart of Worship” is regarded as the worst by a number of bloggers. That one isn’t my favorite, but I also wouldn’t call it the worst. I’m a bit…
Mildred Loving’s Statement
I recommend that everyone read this statement printed in full and discussed over on Dispatches.
Book: Hebrews
Attridge, Harold W. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989. 437 pages. This is the second of two commentaries I have been spending a great deal of time with. The library managed to get both of them to me on the same day, loaned from different libraries–a shocking event!–and thus I worked with…
Book: The Book of Hebrews
Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990. 426 pages. I’ve been reading and using F. F. Bruce’s commentary on Hebrews for the last few weeks, and it has to go back to the library tonight as I’ve exhausted my renewals, so I thought I’d write…
In Which My Wife Uses the Language of PSA
This morning as I was listening to my wife’s message for our Running Toward the Goal podcast, I heard her use some distinctly PSA-like language. I thought I’d link to it. Today’s podcast was first broadcast on local radio here in Pensacola on July 21, 2003 and is titled I Surrender All. This is the…
Recognizing Literary Genre – I
I’m keeping things short today as I’m facing another deadline tomorrow night when some research materials have to be returned, and I need to have all my notes extracted and filed. Nonetheless, I did feel the urge to post a couple of things. I’m promoting this comment from Peter Kirk because he makes a couple…
Importance of Correct Procedure
On both sides of the political spectrum, and even in the middle, we tend to elevate particular policies over the procedures. I think it is very dangerous to do so. This type of thing has occurred in abortion (use of RICO, free speech issues), various federalism issues, and quite commonly in church-state issues. Ed (Dispatches)…
Bible Curriculum in Odessa
Ed Brayton has an informative post on the process of selecting a Bible curriculum in Odessa, TX. I haven’t had time to follow the case closely, but it appears that Ed is doing so. If one is to have a specifically Bible curriculum in high school, as opposed to appropriate mentions in literature, history, and…
Notes and Links on Atonement
I’ve gotten severely behind in reading the current atonement debate, but I haven’t ceased being interested. I note that Adrian has taken to throwing passages at his opponents, ones which we’re sure to have read before, including Isaiah 53, and 2 Corinthians 5. Because I accept substitution and even penal substitution as valid metaphors, but…
Religion and Politics Forum
I was happy to see this forum take place, though I only had time to watch a portion of it as it played. (I must note also that I am resistant to watching major political debates this far from the election.) The major reason is simply that there have always been many more people of…