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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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Carl Zimmer on Genes
I’m a fan of Carl Zimmer’s writing, either in print or on his blog, and I wanted to call attention to today’s post on the human genome and on how science works. I think it’s well worth reading.
Brokenhearted in Isaiah 61:1 – a Brief Note
I was reading this for my morning reading, and I noticed the phrase “nishberey lev” which is nearly universally translated as “brokenhearted” or something very close to that in English translations. This is an extremely familiar passage, and it is quite possible that translators are wary of moving from the familiar phraseology. But as I…
God Guided Evolution
Ed Brayton has an interesting post on views of evolution amongst doctors, which is based on this post by Steve Reuland on the Panda’s Thumb. I should have gotten around to it earlier, like when it was first posted, but it’s finally Saturday, I have a few minutes to work on it, and Ed’s post…
Congragulations to Joe Carter and the Evangelical Outpost
Congratulations to Joe Carter who has been mentioned as a key evangelical blogger in this Washington Post article. Joe himself responds here. Joe certainly is a central figure amongst Christian bloggers. Even though I’m not an evangelical myself, I read his blog regularly to keep track of some of the thinking in that stream. Keep…
More on the TNIV
I was a bit put off at first by certain rhetoric on the new TNIV Truth blog, and I must confess that anonymity doesn’t rank high with me, even when I understand the motivations. Now the blogger there has “outed” himself and also posted a note on the TNIV on one of my pet peeves–discussions…
Government Planning
Our government was apparently unaware of the potential damage from a hurricane like Katrina, and thus unprepared. Similarly, it appears someone either didn’t notice that massively increasing the requirements for passports would, shockingly, increase passoport applications. Either they don’t particularly care, they didn’t plan, or more likely congress figured they could mandate it all without…
The TNIV has a Blog
I got an e-mail today with just the link for this new blog–only two entries–and the blogger is [drum roll] –wait for it–the TNIV Translation. Well, I assume the book has a spokesman and he or she (or should I use the singular “they”) is typing the entries. I don’t know if this is an…
TVC is at it Again
The TVC is generally bummed about their week, and one of the major downers for them was California Representative Peter Stark declaring his unbelief in God on the floor of the house. I’ve commented on this sort of attitude before. What did they want him to do? Lie? What about all those Christians and others…
From Word to Study
(Continuing my series on word studies.) From time to time in conversation with my wife I’ll jump topics. My brain does that to me, as one thing suggests another thing, often related only in the most distant way. Suddenly she’ll stop me and say, “I need a context for that.” I’ve said something that she…
American Civilization, Christian Faith, and Cultural Clashes
How’s that for a broad title? 🙂 I’m going to annoy quite a few people with this post, but I have noticed for a number of years that Christians in America often conflate Christianity and American patriotism. This goes to extremes with certain Christian reconstructionists who actually believe that America is the new chosen nation,…
Christian Carnival CLXV Posted
. . . here. I like the theme texts with each post. I only had time to scan quickly, but they looked good, and of course of great importance to me 🙂 I liked the one on my post. How could I not?
Freedom of Speech Rights Tangled
Here’s an interesting freedom of speech issue again brought to my attention by Breaking Christian News and this time referring me to this LifeSite article. It appears that at a minimum there is confusion about the facts of the case, including the professor’s intentions and when the paper was graded, as comparison of the LifeSite…
Laura has some Good Advice
Being a father and then a grandfather has made me progressively more interested in how to protect kids. One of the best ways is by teaching them to be aware of their surroundings and not to be paranoid, but to be intelligent and careful. If someone is scaring them, it’s generally a good idea to…
Structural Typology and the Tabernacle
That’s a fairly pretentious title for this little essay, but in overview form, it fits. This post also represents a return, finally, to my series of posts on the book of Hebrews. I’m looking at the book topically, and using questions from my study guide to the book of Hebrews. On page 24, in the…
Turning Point? What Turning Point?
From the Washington Post: Feb. 22, 2006, is the day the Bush administration says everything in Iraq changed. Before that day, military and administration officials frequently explain, Iraq was moving in the right direction: National elections had been held, and a government was forming. But then the bombing of the golden dome shrine in Samarra…
Persecution Victim as a Profession
It seems that former Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who claims to have been dismissed from the Navy for praying in the name of Jesus, is making a career now of being persecuted. The story is being kept alive. I was alerted to the current edition through my Breaking Christian News e-mail alert, a source that…
Only Evil People Disagree with Me
Well, not really. But that’s what many people think according to this Washington Post story, that reports on a study by Glenn D. Reeder, a social psychologist at Illinois State University. When Reeder and his colleagues asked pro-war and antiwar Americans how they would describe the other side’s motives, the researchers found that the groups…
Example of Doing Dialogue
I comment from time to time on dialogue and diversity (most recently here), a pair of topics that I regard as particularly important. It’s important amongst Christians because we have much in common, but we often focus on difference. It’s important in general, because we do share a home planet, however much we might think…
Newsweek Article on Human Evolution
There’s an excellent piece on human evolution in Newsweek, written for those of us who are not scientists. I think there are a couple of unclear points, but for the most part it’s a good update on the state of science. I did notice that things that have been around for some years seem to…
Accuracy in Communication
I have maintained in a number of posts that it is pointless to talk about accuracy in a medium intended to communicate without involving the audience that is intended to receive the communication. First, I would like to note that it is quite possible for the information in a medium of communication to be inaccurate…
ESV vs KJV (Better Bibles Blog)
Those following the ESV/KJV debate might be interested in this post by Suzanne McCarthy, explaining why she prefers the KJV as her literal translation. I don’t find the language of the KJV nearly as attractive as she does, but that’s a matter of taste in my view. I always love to find the occasional comments…
On the ESV
While I don’t mind being seen as a critic of the ESV, I feel that lately my posting has gotten a bit out of balance because I have largely been responding to the ESV proponents, who appear to be pretty much critics of everything else. I want to comment on the “critics of everything else”…
Waiting for my Link
Update (3/7/07 6:40 PM CST): I stand here with egg on my face. The trackback appeared on the ESV blog. I apologize for my insinuation that they would not do so. I was wrong. The folks over at the ESV Blog say that “[a]s always, we appreciate everyone who blogs about the ESV.” They were…
Christian Carnival CLXIII Posted
. . . at Everyday Liturgy. Another rich carnival. Enjoy!