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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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Part-Time Ministry Call: Disappointment or Opportunity
No, this isn’t a topic I know much about, but I know that many past readers of this blog are either in part-time ministry or are (or have) considered it. There’s still space in tonight’s Webinar, Part-Time Ministry Call: Disappointment or Opportunity, by Energion author Bob LaRochelle. He’s author of Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church (Pilgrim Press,…
Brannon Howse Quotes an Etymological Fallacy
Well, not a terrible one, at least not in the quoted material, which is from John MacArthur. But Howse makes an even bigger error. He first quotes Romans 16:17-18: Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are…
A Comedian Shall Lead Them?
“Them,” in this case being the media. I’m not about to start recommending Jon Stewart as a balanced news source, but he has definitely put his finger on some things, and often comedy gets closer to the truth than anything else in our political system. And while I disagree with Ron Paul on a number…
Biblical Interpretation Influenced by Those Down the Pew
It seems that one’s approach to biblical interpretation is not influenced just by one’s own education. It may be influenced by the education of those you worship with, according to a study by Baylor doctoral student Samuel Stroope, reports the Christian Post. I hadn’t really thought of it, but it’s not as surprising as it…
What if Church Was Like
… This! This is Discipling from The Foursquare Church on Vimeo. (HT: Dave Black Online)
Hallelujah: The Soundtrack of Life
This is an introductory sermon to the current “Summer in the Psalms” series at my home church, First United Methodist Church of Pensacola. It was presented by Rev. Geoffrey Lentz last week, but I missed it. So many members of the congregation commented on it, I had to go back and listen to what I…
Why I Believe in a Designer but Don’t Accept Intelligence Design
This was triggered by Ed Brayton’s answers to the short ID quiz, and particularly by the first question. 1. On a scale of 0 (diehard disbeliever) to 10 (firm believer), how would you rate your level of belief in Intelligent Design? (Minimal Definition of Intelligent Design: The idea that certain features of the universe and…
Thoughts on Translating Psalm 22
First, two warnings. I’m not going to go into detail on the numerous translation difficulties in Psalm 22 and this post results from a book currently in the final stages of release from my company, Energion Publications. So if you want to avoid the potential commercial side, skip this one. On the other hand, that’s…
Worship and a Broadcast Sermon
John Meunier asks if he can be replaced by a video screen. It’s a good question, considering the number of megachurches that are broadcasting a sermon to multiple locations. I have several objections to the idea of a broadcast sermon: I think our worship services are already too far from the idea of active participation….
People Want Congress to Fight Harder
What’s an independent moderate to do? It seems people are telling their representatives to fight harder for their principles rather than compromise. Which all reminds me of what I’ve said many times: We the people are the real ones responsible for the state of government.
Corporations are People
Mitt Romney is taking a good deal of flack for saying that corporations are people, and there’s even a DNC ad on the topic. Now while the hot place will be frozen over before I vote for Mitt Romney, I have to agree with him on this one. Corporations are one way in which people…
A Four Year Lectionary
Will Humes has drawn up a four year lectionary, which he believes offers the chance to give the gospel of John its own place in worship, and also covers some passages we never see in our three year version. He’s looking for comment. My immediate comment is that I really like the basic idea. I’m…
NPR Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books
I was amazed at how many I have read and how few I wouldn’t agree should be in the top 100. The list is here.
Restoring Commas
Some of you may have noticed that I suddenly stopped using spaces after commas and some other punctuation. Well, actually I didn’t. The site theme was removing them for me due to a bug, which has now been fixed. So spaces after commas are back. If you didn’t notice, don’t let me interrupt your routine!
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…
Jon Stewart on the Debt Deal
Sometimes one finds more truth in comedy than in the regular medai. The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook Of course, if you think about it, we, the American people, would thus be our own worst enemy. And regarding the 77% who think our leaders…
Biblioblog Rankings for July
I thought they might not post a static list, since you can get it live, but they did, and it’s here. There are also a couple of notes on developing the library: Need for better hosting Possible peer reviewed bibliblog Check out the post for those, even if you don’t care about the actual rankings.
And so We Have a Debt Deal
A few weeks ago I saw a political ad supporting the budget proposal by Congressman Ryan. One of the points made in support of his plan in that ad was simply that nobody eligible for Medicare now, or if I remember correctly, becoming eligible in the next ten years, would be impacted by the plan….
Biblical Studies Carnival – August
… posted at Daniel O. McClellan.
Equipping is not Delegating
I just put an extract from Dave Black Online on The Jesus Paradigm. (I have permission to do this.) Unfortunately, Dave’s blog doesn’t allow linking to a specific entry, so I’m linking to the extract. All I want to say here is “Amen!”
Renaming the Unpopular
I loved this snippet from an interview with Speaker Boehner. In particular, this line stood out: J. BOEHNER: When you say the — when you say the word “compromise”… STAHL: Yeah? J. BOEHNER: … a lot of Americans look up and go, “Uh-oh, they’re going to sell me out.” And so finding common ground I…
First Century Church – Wanting and Doing
My wife said some important things in her devotional yesterday, First Century Church Wanted. If I might summarize, many of us want what the early church had, but we don’t want to do what the early church did.
If All Else Fails, Blame the Latest Technology
The Christian Post has a headline that reads Apologist Josh McDowell: Internet the Greatest Threat to Christians. Now if you read the article, you’ll realize the biggest problem here is headline writing rather than what Josh McDowell had to say. In the end he concludes that Christian parents need to be knowledgeable. I’d have a…
Subjectively Evaluating, Well, Stuff
J. K. Gayle links to me in a post regarding the notion of “canon.” There’s a good discussion going in the comments as well. Let me note in passing that the label “personal canon” grates on me a bit. Let me be clear that I’m not saying it’s bad; I’m referring to my reaction to…