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Sorrow Like My Sorrow – Lamentations 1:12
Can we really understand the suffering of another person or they ours?
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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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Dave Black (and Charles King) on Greek Teaching Methods
Dave Black notes the following: 9:04 AM This morning Kyle Davis, one of my teaching assistants, sent me a link to this excellent essay: The Method of Teaching New Testament Greek (.pdf). On the several takeaways I got from reading it, this one is perhaps the most important: Extensive memorization produces improved strategies for memorization,…
The September Biblical Studies Carnival Episode III Posted
… at Exploring Our Matrix. So many posts, so little time. Who can possibly keep up? But this blog is actually linked twice.
On Publishing Philippians: A Participatory Study Guide
This post will contain reflections both on the recently released Philippians study guide and the series of which it is a part. I generally write such reflections after each book my company releases. So be warned—there are products discussed here! When I first created this blog I was the only author in the participatory study…
When Robots Chat
This is too much fun: HT: The Agitator, who suggests they should be hired as commentators by MSNBC and Fox News. I agree.
The Biblioblogs Strike Back
James McGrath has posted episode two of the Biblical Studies Carnival, The Biblioblogs Strike Back. Fun!
Out of Context Comfort
When I was in college studying Biblical Languages, my mother told me of an encounter with a biblical scholar who had corrected her somewhat forcefully on the use of a text. She had claimed Isaiah 49:25, “… I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children” and done so…
Jon Morris at The Drowsy Poet
I thought I’d give a bit of plug to my young friend Jon Morris. Last night he played and sang at The Drowsy Poet here in Pensacola. He’s working up to recording a new CD. Jody and I had a great time for two hours with a number of friends and some interesting music. You…
On Roman Catholics and Scholarship
One of the great benefits of owning a publishing company is that there are always a number of smart people who will answer my e-mails. Thus, when I saw the brouhaha about Michael Patton’s post calling ‘Roman Catholic scholarship’ an oxymoron, I remembered immediately that I have just contracted Dr. Robert LaRochelle to write a…
One Reason Christian Leaders Fall – Overload
There have been any number of Christian leaders who have fallen recently, and while the publicity makes it appear that there are more and more, I suspect this isn’t anything new. One major reason for a failure in leadership is that we put too much trust in people. We give a pastor a great deal…
Bruce Epperly Series on Philippians
… at Bob Cornwall’s blog. Bruce Epperly is the author of Philippians: A Participatory Study Guide.
Comparing a Three and Four Year Lectionary
Will Humes, a Methodist pastor in Pennsylvania, is proposing a four year lectionary. Two major benefits he sees for this lectionary is that it would give the gospel of John a bigger place in the lectionary, and also inclusion of more wisdom literature. I have already briefly commented on this. What I’m planning to do…
Note on the Four Year Lectionary
I’m doing a few comparisons of the passages in the four year lectionary I mentioned the other day. I’m posting them on my lectionary blog.
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…