Featured Posts
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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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Psalm 29 (Baptism of Jesus) Year B
Whenever this Psalm comes up, I have to link to my short story, written from the Canaanite point of view, A Killer of Kings. This story has now been included in a collection, A Living Psalter: Creative Reflections on the Psalms, edited by Geoffrey D. Lentz.
When Campaign Finance Reform Has the Reverse Effect
Radley Balko (The Agitator) has an interesting article on actions of the Institute for Justice, which is helping some folks in Mississippi challenge the laws on spending to advocate for a political cause. The idea of such laws, of course, is to provide for openness and accountability in politics. In this case, however, it provides…
Connecting the Scriptural Dots – From Then to Then … to Now
When it came time for third year Greek at Walla Walla College (now University), I had Dr. Sakae Kubo, who had just become dean of the School of Theology. Taking a Greek class with Dr. Kubo was an experience. I credit him with bringing my Greek to the level that allowed it to stick with…
Mounce on Matthew 2:8, May, and Might
A good discussion, especially of the aorist adverbial participle followed by an imperative.
Facsimile Bibles Online
BLT lists some excellent facsimile Bibles available online.
Study the Bible – Nutshell Version
From C. Michael Patton. This approach is a bit different from my own, but will provide a valuable basis to examine the way you approach the Bible. I am somewhat skeptical of the “timeless theology” phase, even though it’s necessary.
Book: Snuff (Terry Pratchett)
How can I say enough good things about Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books? The fact is, I can’t. If you have any liking for fantasy and humor, you need to get involved in this series. The most recent one (at least that I’ve gotten my hands on) is Snuff, and the only new thing I’d have…
Book: Fatal Error
J. A. Jance is one of my favorites in the mystery/thriller category, and Fatal Error is up to her best standard. I enjoyed every minute of the book. I didn’t feel like speed reading through anything, and I never felt that she’d left out part of the story, which is a rare thing for me….
Book: Bones of Empire
William C. Dietz is one of my second-tier authors, i.e. he’s not in my top five, but I’ll pretty regularly pick up one of his books. In Bones of Empire he continues the story previously told in At Empire’s Edge, and I actually found this book more engaging than the other. We get some politics,…
I Can Haz – the Ontological Argument
… or not. I’ve always thought the ontological argument for the existence of God was pretty silly, so I can’t resist linking to the kitteh version.
Is the American Church in Prison?
Christians in many countries face imprisonment, but is it possible the American is imprisoned metaphorically by our way of thinking? Eric Carpenter thinks we are, and suggests some things to rethink.
The Problem with Stories
I like stories. I believe we think largely in stories. I have a separate blog where I write stories. I have published two collections of stories from my blog. I like stories—got it?! But I also really enjoyed the talk I’m embedding below by Tyler Cowen, who blogs at Marginal Revolution about the dangers of…
Dave Black on Greek Study Resources
Dave Black suggests ten books for studying New Testament Greek during 2012. Four of these are on my regular list and a couple more are on my reading list. I might work on a list of my own when I’m back in Pensacola with my library. I’ve extracted the list onto The Jesus Paradigm since…
Christmas Message
I’ve posted my Christmas message on my company web site, An Incarnational Christmas Witness. I won’t have time to post anything more here. Merry Christmas!
A Note to Politicians This Election Season
I’m reading about direct mail in the campaign, and soon it will come to Florida. I just want all politicians to know that no piece of direct mail has ever increased my chance of voting for the candidate who sponsored it. Concealing your sponsorship behind a supposedly independent organization (I think they should be legal,…
The Problem with My Church’s Children’s Ministry
My church has a good children’s ministry. I’m impressed every time I hear our children’s minister present a children’s moment during the church service, and every time I’ve encountered the children’s programs myself, including the couple of times I’ve been invited to speak. The children are learning a great deal about Christianity, their church, the…
Worship Music Criticism Criticized
… by Lisa Robinson. And she does a good job of it.
Inerrancy is to Evangelicalism as Inspiration is to Christianity (or Not)
Michael Patton has written a post arguing that inerrancy is not the linchpin of evangelicalism. This post should make me happy, and indeed I am glad that someone is making this claim. Further, Patton makes some very interesting points, including noting that we don’t throw anything else out completely just because of some error in…
How Much Can We Change
… through politics (HT to myself at Under Christ’s Archy).
This Will Make You Feel Better
Anonymous donors are paying off layaway bills at KMart (and occasionally other stores) for those who can’t, especially for children’s Christmas toys (HT: The Agitator).
Christopher Hitchens Dies
I’m sad to report that after years of living with cancer, Christopher Hitchens has died at age 62. I have not personal encounters or recollections to report, but I must admit that, while disagreeing with him on many things, including his stand on the war in Iraq, I appreciated his gift for writing, the one…
Of Virgin Births and Whale’s Bellies
Allan Bevere asks an interesting question today on his blog: Just how important is the doctrine of the virgin birth to you? He titles the post Must One Believe in the Virgin Birth to Be a Christian? I tend to annoy people on both sides of the spectrum (belief in miracles spectrum, of course) because…
Blessings!
Despite this I think I’ll still use it. Sort of like “Peace!” or “Joy!”
No Apologies for Believing the Bible
Mark Kellner (Adventist Review, Dec. 8, 2011) says he makes no apologies for believing the Bible. That’s great. Neither do I. (Jan M. Long responded to this at some greater length than I am on the Spectrum Magazine blog, to whom a tip of my hat.) I don’t usually pick on my former denomination (I…