Featured Posts
-
Sorrow Like My Sorrow – Lamentations 1:12
Can we really understand the suffering of another person or they ours?
-
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
Excellent Links on Pentecost + 25 – Cycle C
Let me start with Energion author Bruce Epperly, who blogs at The Adventurous Lectionary. I always find his perspective on these texts interesting and challenging. Overall, he describes this lectionary as dealing with the authority of prophets and world spiritual leaders. We can experience inner authority by aligning ourselves with God?s vision of the future,…
How to Die – How to Live
I learned from my wife, a 12 year veteran as a hospice nurse, that it’s important to think and talk about end of life care and dying. We tend to avoid it, especially when we’re younger. First, it’s because death seems so far away. Surely we have 50, 60, or 70 years, at least, to…
Review: A Bat in the Belfry
This was the first book I’ve read by Sarah Graves. I must confess that initially I came close to abandoning the book. The first couple of chapters plodded along, and there were too many people introduced for my taste. But I persevered, and it was worth it. As the book moves forward the many personal…
On Partisan Criticism and Excuses
When President Obama was elected in 2008, I commented to Jody that I would now have to listen to over-the-top complaints from a completely different group of friends than I had over the previous eight years. I’m no apologist for George W. Bush. I just don’t think he was as bad as so many of…
A Bible and Book Burning
Pastor Marc Grizzard of (oh the irony!) Amazing Grace Baptist Church (I’d link, but the web page at the only link I have is suspended) is planning a book burning. He believes the KJV is the only true Word of God for English speaking people, so he’s going to burn copies of all those “perversions.”…
Of Fog and Decisions
My friend and Energion author Greg May writes about navigating in the fog today on Greg’s Waterin’ Hole. The post brought back a memory from the 60s, traveling with my family in Chiapas, Mexico, way off the main roads. We were in the mountains on a gravel road, with a cliff on either side, and…
God Gives and He Takes Away
My wife wrote her devotional today from the lectionary texts (After Pentecost 23C). I note that the post number is 6000, and though I know that number isn’t actually the number of posts (revisions run the number up), that’s still a lot of devotionals! The conclusion: God truly pours out in great extravagance upon His…
Two Old Testament Books (or Preach More from the Old Testament)
My company is offering special prices on all our books related to the Old Testament. I decided to blog a bit about the books we’re offering. So if you don’t want to hear about books that are for sale, this one isn’t for you. On the other hand, I promise to be wordy, tell stories,…
Of Truth and Giant Spiders
Anyone who looks at the blog header, or my Henry’s Web icon at the right, will know I like spiders. When I was younger (as in pre-teens and early teens), I read books about them and collected a few. That started while we were living in north Georgia, and continued in Guyana, South America, where…
Dialects
Next time I have the opportunity to teach Greek, I’m going to ask the students to watch this video, not because I need them to know about English dialects, but because it’s helpful to know how dialects change and are formed (HT: Dave Black Online). http://youtu.be/dzdP-zcXgeM One of my more interesting experiences with phonetics came…
Attitude Adjustment and Prayer
From Dr. Bob Cornwall on the gospel lesson for Pentecost 23C, Luke18:9-14: In light of all that has been happening of late, it might be difficult for some to be sympathetic to the plight of the tax collector. He and his cronies in the government should beg for mercy! Read the whole post!
Value of Long and Short Term Missions
Eddie Arthur comments with a link and provides some valuable advice. I grew up with my parents on long term missions, and have been on a number of short term missions myself, and this resonates.
Hebrews 13:12 and the Historical Jesus
James McGrath makes a connection here that I had never thought of, comparing a mythicist hypothesis that this refers to suffering outside the gate of heaven (for which we have have what evidence?) as opposed to a common belief at the time that Jesus suffered outside the gate of Jerusalem, for which we do have…
Cats Stealing Dog Beds
Because y’all have nothing better to do!
A Comment on Criticism
I wanted to promote a comment from Chris Heard: (who blogs at Higgaion) Sadly, when I clicked through to the article on Charisma News, one of the sidebars pointed to another Charisma News article entitled “This Is What Heretical, Counterfeit Christianity in Action Looks Like.” That article condemned an Anglican preacher as “sinning” and practicing…
John Byron on O’Reilly’s Killing Jesus
Finally there is a review of Killing Jesus from someone I trust. John Byron pretty much tells the story. You’ve gotta love this: On a recent 60 Minutes interview Bill claims that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the book (see below). If this is true, it’s too bad the Holy Spirit…
Open Communion
I’ve always believe in open communion in the sense that any Christian should be permitted to participate. Over the last few years I’ve attended a church where truly open communion is practiced, because the pastors believe, with John Wesley, that this is a converting sacrament. So they state each time communion is offered that you…
Speaking of How Not to Criticize
John MacArthur has a conference starting tomorrow. Here’s how he talks about the charismatic movement: http://youtu.be/vWp-rLTPQYE I recently wrote an article titled Nobody Is above Question. Now I’m questioning Dr. John MacArthur in the way he is challenging others. This is precisely the opposite of the philosophy I have for my company, Energion Publications (mission…
Pious but Stupid Statements about the Bible
I was out driving today and saw a church sign with the statement, “The Bible – Your First Notebook.” What exactly does that mean? I see almost nothing about the Bible that makes it like a notebook. It’s still better than the common statement—at least I heard it frequently when I was younger—that the Bible…
Some Landscaping Work
In these pictures I’m not doing the work. My landlord is. I’ve been working on some of this stuff as well, but today I was taking the pictures. Tom Hunt, my landlord, owns all the heavy equipment. I have to say that the work is fun. Right now we’re cleaning up the piles of limbs…
Soup Kitchen for the Soul or How I Learn from Authors
I am frequently amazed by our authors at Energion Publications. I suppose that other editors and owners are likewise amazed, but I think we have a very special group. Just the other day I received notice from an author that he had signed his contract, but that he wanted to donate his royalties to our…
One Law for Yourselves and for the Alien (Numbers 15:16) – An Exercise in Application
The Pentateuch is one key source for Christian debates about the treatment of aliens (especially illegal aliens) here in the United States. There are a number of commands that might apply, and they are interpreted differently, or perhaps seen as applicable or inapplicable, by the different sides in fairly predictable ways. For example, Leviticus 19:34…
Tabulated Lists in Translation
Elements of formatting and layout can have a significant impact on the use of a Bible translation and even the way in which it will be read and understood. Examples of formatting choices that may be very significant include paragraph divisions (not to mention the more historical, though unoriginal, chapter and verse divisions), section headings,…
Numbers 13: Biography of a Rumor
Yesterday I was recommending the chapters in Numbers, starting around 11, as “thinking fodder” regarding the way God works with people. But there’s some really good stuff there about how people deal with people as well. Even though many won’t remember that it comes from Numbers 13, the most famous line from the chapter is…