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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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The Best Bible Version is the One You Read
Across the front cover of my book What’s in a Version? I placed the slogan that forms the title of this post. You might think it’s a strange thing to put on the cover of a book. I’ve used it in class as well. I’ve received more criticism for that one line than for anything…
The Risen Christ is Know Initially by His Wounds
From the forthcoming study guide to Philippians (from my company, Energion Publications), in commenting on Philippians 1:27-30: Even now in our time, we can take confidence in Paul’s assertion that God is with us and that, in life and death, and celebration and persecution, Christ sustains us. We are resurrection people. But, our lives are…
There are Things Worth Contending For
And some that aren’t … After much of what I heard about Paul in school, which was really rather a lot, I think one of the most important things to remember when reading Paul’s letters is that they are letters, and that Paul writes pastorally. He is not writing systematic theology. On the other hand,…
Fear, Beliefs, and Questioning
I’ve often said that I think people who become angry when their beliefs questioned are actually less confident of those beliefs, rather than more so. But that’s a pretty broad and inadequate statement, I think. I was discussing this with my wife recently, and we were wondering why neither of us get annoyed with people…
Of Lead Codices and Crucifixion Nails
Actually the headline is just hype. I’m not going to say much about them. By the time things settle down to where I think I have something to say, somebody else has already said it. I guess I’m just slow. But here’s a great quote from James McGrath at Exploring Our Matrix: Even while the…
How David Ker Made Me Read Jim West
David Ker has written a book, and it has lots of pictures of hippos in it. Since my very favorite song is “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,” this means that I truly adore the book. Besides, I’m only about a decade late taking notice of it. Now I haven’t actually read the book, but…
If Your Spouse is Abusing You, Get Out of There
A video from John Piper is making the rounds (HT: Tim Ricchuiti). I’m not going to comment directly on the video. Rather, I think it is worthwhile to give my answer to the question asked. What does a woman who is abused do? (Note also that I’m aware there are men who are abused, but…
If We Were Doing Our Job in the Church
… then perhaps nobody could say this: But if four years of college undo 18 years of parenting and religious affiliation, perhaps the faith community’s tenuous hold is the problem, not the particular place outside its bubble where that hold evaporates. Consider the believers we’ve seen in history. With all the persecution that Judaism and…
A Misuse of the Word LITERAL
One of my pet peeves is the way “literal” is used in discussing biblical interpretation. The problem is not just that the word has changed meaning; rather, it is now scattered all over the map. “Literal” comes to mean anything from “seriously” to “severely out of context” much more often than it means “literal as…
Clergy in Philippians 1:1
It’s been awhile since I made a comment regarding the Orthodox Study Bible. In preparing for my study of Philippians with my Sunday School class, I read the OSB notes on the book. Regarding the phrase episkopois kai diakonois in verse 1, it has the following note: This is the only epistle in which St….
Philippians Study
I’m going to have the privilege over the next eight weeks of teaching from the book of Philippians using advance copies of a new study guide. The study guide was written by Dr. Bruce Epperly, and will be released by my company, Energion Publications, in July. This will be the next release in the Participatory…
On Missions and Priorities
Three days ago I wrote a post on our priorities and the purpose of the church. Today over at Energion.net (belonging to my company, Energion Publications) we publish a post by D. Kevin Brown titled Missions – What about It?. He’s asking some of the same questions along with a few more.
Voter Ignorance and the Budget
Some comments from Dispatches.
No, Burning Books Is NOT Worthy of Respect
The Fifth Column has a post titled On Burning Books (HT: Divine Ripples), referring specifically to the recent burning of a Qur’an. He concludes that: It may not be prudent, it may not be useful, but it is a stand worthy of respect. I disagree. Book burning is either the petulant reaction of fearful people…
No Preaching and Leave Your Bible at Home?
Via Dispatches I found this story about a lawsuit against the Grossmont Union High School District. The suit alleges that the school forbade the student to bring his Bible to school or to preach. The district tells a different story, claiming the student was very disruptive. I mention this story for a couple of reasons….
N. T. Wright on Hell and Universalism
(HT: Through a Glass Darkly)
If THIS is the Purpose of Your Church then It IS Obsolete
John Meunier cites comments by Mark Cuban, owner or the Mavericks, who says he doesn’t need the new media because he can reach their readers just as well himself. I would note in passing, though it’s not the topic of this blog, that I think Cuban is optimistic about his ability to reach people directly….
Amongst the Biblioblogs
… I’ve attained #19 on the top 50 list, and do not appear in the Biblical Studies carnival (there’s good reason for this), which is extremely well done and links to some excellent posts.
Christian Carnival (March 30) Posted
… at keyboard theologians.
Keep Prayer and Advocacy Separate
I was deeply troubled a few years back when attending a meeting of Christians called to pray for our city (Pensacola, FL). One pastor who was asked to pray for our political leaders offered a prayer that was more of a Republican agenda of things he hoped God would accomplish through our government. I was…
Smart on Crime Agenda
This looks very promising. I hope it gets more attention. (HT: Dispatches.)
USA Fish?
You will never see one of these on my car.
Vegetarians and Nazis
Ed Brayton has a post up regarding a WND column by Ellis Washington which is off-the-map weird. In it, Washington links vegetarianism and fascism because, well, Hitler was a vegetarian. I’m a vegetarian, so I guess by those standards … In any case, this reminded me of another column back in 2006 which claimed that…
On Publishing a Calvinist Book
Well, not exactly a Calvinist book, but a book about a Calvinist, in this case John Piper. This is another of my posts giving my thoughts on publishing a new title. It’s a couple of months late, but I think it’s still quite relevant. Be aware, of course, that I may be advocating buying this…