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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Allan Bevere on Methodist Identity
In a post related to John Meunier’s, which I linked earlier, Allan Bevere provides some additional form to the question of United Methodist identity.
Some Basic Linguistics
One of the great problems I find in teaching biblical languages, or in explaining Bible translation to lay audiences, is that people don’t understand meaning very well. They assume that words have fixed, narrow ranges of meaning, and that if you search carefully, you can find a word or phrase to precisely represent that word…
Morally Crude Blogging?
John Hobbins thinks Jim West’s blogging style is “morally crude.” I confess that I find Jim West’s style mildly annoying, such that I don’t usually bother to read the most popular and prolific biblioblogger except on rare occasions, but he does hit the nail on the head at times. I read somewhere that there are…
John Meunier Wants to be a Methodist
No, not just a member of a United Methodist congregation, but a Methodist. He has been reading Scott Kisker, and after his discussion he notes: I don’t want something more than they do. “More” is not the right word. I want something real. I want to be part of the movement that started in a fishing…
In Which I Make Two Intemperate Remarks
I was talking to a friend the other day. Our main topic was church and the way it was done. In the course of our conversation I discussed what I feel is the 1 Corinthians 14 church, you know, the one Paul was trying to correct. (I discuss what I think about it in my…
Why Millenials Leave the Church
… because they don’t need it for social networking, says Richard Beck, as quoted by Scot McKnight. So if we’re running a church that is basically just a social network, why would they go?
Dogma Tweets
OK, these are just too much fun. I understand some people have gotten offended. If you’re that easily offended you should read them–you deserve it! (HT: Dave Black Online.)
Persecution
I hear complaints from time to time that American Christians are persecuted. Usually this means some minor annoyance, such as being ridiculed for some belief or another. I’ve even heard the complaint when someone is challenged to provide a defense for their faith. One of the best ways to get our balance, and to realize…
My Dad Was a Fundamentalist
Labels are such tricky things, and any linguist is aware of the problems of saying that a word should mean some certain thing. So I’m going to resist that. But it would be nice to have a label for people who were very firm about the tenets of their faith, and yet was not also…
Cameras in Public Places
There are three issues I’ve been wanting to comment on, but because I see all three as related, I’ve been looking for the right moment. I think this story, about cops caught on speed and red light cameras, gives me the right opportunity. The three issues are: Videotaping (or otherwise recording) police performing their duties…
Life Application Bible Winner
… is Jay Silvas, who is also the sole qualified entry. Despite having only this one entry, I’m happy with my plan for selecting a winner, because I think the comment itself was rather good, given the passage I selected. So congratulations to Jay. Send me your address (or I’ll request it soon), and I’ll…
A Couple of Links on the Purpose of the Church
A few days ago I posted a quote on the purpose of the church, particularly church growth, and between the comments to that post, Twitter, and my RSS reader, I’ve found a few to add to it. First, Jimmy Davis, a former student (for one year of Hebrew) and now an associate pastor in…
Need a License to be Smart?
Apparently Kevin Lacy, chief traffic engineer for the North Carolina DOT thinks you do. When a citizens group challenged his decision on a couple of traffic lights, and provided substantiating data they collected and compiled themselves, he said it was “engineering-level work” and reported it to the state licensing board. This one speaks for itself,…
Hermeneutical Self-Awareness
Pete Enns has an interesting article on Cain and Abel on the BioLogos Science and the Sacred web site. As interesting as it is–and I commend the discussion–I was most struck by the final paragraph: Pondering these sorts of questions leads to “hermeneutical self-awareness.” Such self-awareness may not lead to the final word about a…
Nice Note on the Johannine Comma
This article by Daniel B. Wallace includes some nice material about how the groundwork for textual criticism is done.
Life Application Study Bible (NLT) Giveaway
I have had this on my Participatory Bible Study blog for a few days and so far there is only one entry. Contest ends Monday. Check it out!
Keeping Your Greek (or Not)
Via Dave Black, I came across this review of the book Keep Your Greek: Strategies for Busy People. I’m going to try to get a copy of this book at some point, as I deal with many people who would like to keep some Greek but really haven’t. Dave comments: In the teaching world we…
Snow
No, not here in Florida. That’s our daughter and son-in-law’s front yard near Ft. Worth, Texas. Our granddaughters are enjoying themselves as school is closed.
On Cutting Spending and Investment
Mark at Pseudo-Polymath links to this post on Rand Paul’s ideas for cutting the budget, using the line: “Someone is forgetting that the left prefers social entitlements to science programs.” I think Mark has a good point, but not the best point. This illustrates one of the reasons I oppose across-the-board spending cuts. Some argue–and…
Sabre-Tooth Campaign Finance Laws
I think this is an excellent example of laws addressing problems that are out of date in ways that make little sense. (With due apologies to the book The Saber-Tooth Curriculum, which is old, but an excellent read.)
Should We Evangelize Uncontacted Indigenous Tribes?
I couldn’t think of a better headline than the one Allan Bevere used in his post asking this question. I think it’s a good question. I’m closing comments here. Comment there, or on your own blog with a link.
The Wrong Reason for Church Growth – Quote of the Day
From Allan Bevere: And one more thing– as long as the church wants to grow only in order to pay the bills; if we see new people not as persons made in the image of God who need God’s transforming grace as much as the rest of us; if we only see them as instruments…
Two Bible Reading Plans Compared
How’s that for a boring headline? I mentioned in an earlier post that I was trying a new reading plan by Robert Murray McCheyne. I don’t usually like Bible years, and I still have some problems with this one, but I still plan to use it through the year. I’ve made this my evening Bible…
More About Harder (to Read)!
Bible Gateway blog has picked up the topic of making the Bible harder to read. Join the discussion.