Featured Posts
-
Fire – Lamentations 1:13
Discussing the symbolism of fire in scripture, highlighting its dual nature as both a sign of divine acceptance and judgment. It reflects on personal suffering and God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that while God’s fire can refine and cleanse, it often accompanies lament and discomfort, aligning with the broader pursuit of righteousness.
-
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…
-
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…
-
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)
All Posts
Structure and Literal Translation
I have found what is probably the best argument for a literal translation. I have certainly used literal translations frequently in commentary, though I favor dynamic equivalence for reading ease. But Bob MacDonald, whose blog Bob’s Log has just joined the Philophronos Blogroll, does some extremely interesting work on structure in the Psalms. Now you…
Hearing God’s Voice Redux
When I was a teenager, I lived in Georgetown, Guyana with my parents who were missionaries. (My father was the Medical Director of Davis Memorial Hospital there, and my mother taught nursing off and on.) During that time I had an opportunity to go visit Kaieteur Falls. In those days one got to the park…
Hearing God’s Voice
You know, John Piper has come on my radar on women’s ministry issues, and some of my comments have been pretty negative. But this article on his DesiringGod.org web site is something that resonates completely with me. For my skeptical friends, no, this is not the evidence you keep hoping I’ll provide. It’s simply an…
What Holds us Together?
I was reading this story about American Episcopal bishops and their response to the Anglican communion, and it struck a cord in me because of my own experiences. Here we have a conservative Episcopal bishop providing a response to a challenge that primarily resulted from the actions of liberal bishops. What is making the Episcopal…
Bibles: Turning a Blessing into a Curse
I have blogged a number of times on the benefits of having multiple English Bible versions to use in Bible study, especially for the student who does not know Biblical languages. I did so most recently in my post From Word to Study, in my series on word studies. Yesterday I got an e-mailed link…
Protecting Rights and Fighting Terrorism
In a comment on her blog, Laura of Pursuing Holiness drew my attention to this story in the New York Times about the posse comitatus and related material about the insurrection act of 1807. First let me note that I consider the posse comitatus to be a good idea, but my primary point in posting…
Added to my Blogroll
I’m adding Bob’s Log to the Bible study blogs section of my blogroll. Bob deals with a great deal of Hebrew poetry, especially the Psalms, and is very interested in structure. I think it will be valuable to look over his shoulder as he works on this interesting material.
Consider Christianity Week
Consider Christianity Week is an idea conceived by Elgin Hushbeck, Jr., author of the Consider Christianity Series. Note that I don’t come to this event completely without ulterior motives as I publish Elgin’s books and related study guides (Energion Publications). For me, Consider Christianity Week is an example of the kinds of principles presented in…
Philophronos Blogroll Growing
Laura has a good post welcoming the latest member of the Philophronos Blogroll, Pen of the Wayfarer. I join in welcoming a new member, and I’d also like to remind readers what this idea is about. But first, it is not about hiding your light under a bushel, diminishing your witness, or glossing over what…
Christian Carnival CLXVI
. . . has been posted. More fun for all of us! Thanks Dory!
Better Bibles on Translating Idioms
A couple of days ago I blogged about the idiom “brokenhearted” and closely related phrases, particularly in Isaiah 61:1. I’ve been collecting additional information via e-mail, and I may blog further on that one, though I am still pretty much looking at something like “give courage to those in despair.” Today, Wayne Leman blogged about…
Enormous Possibilities for Distortion?
Yes, indeed, but also for correction. After writing my previous entry, I found this column by Howard Fineman on MSNBC. Rather than hide it as an update to that post, I wanted to highlight it. Fineman concludes: As for Obama, he was benefiting from events. But he should be sobered as well. What the Viral…
Setting Political Speech Free
One of my very unliberal positions is on political speech. I very much believe that controlling money spent on speech, whether that speech is in a commercial ad for a product, or in an ad for a candidate, in that candadate’s own speech, or in a journalist’s article is the same as controlling the speech…
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?