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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Aiming Your Bible
I discuss letting the Bible convict you first in my monthly devotional post for the World Prayr devotional blog.
Spong vs Mohler
I found this video interesting, even though I don’t consider Spong one of the better advocates of a liberal approach to the Bible. From my perspective he’s slipped off the far edge of the map. I would suggest there is a position that does not affirm biblical inerrancy, yet maintains biblical authority. (HT: Exploring Our…
On the Ground Zero Mosque
I’ve been thinking of writing something about this for some time. The problem is that I think it’s fairly clear. First, there’s no legitimate legal reason to prevent the building of this mosque. Second, I don’t think it is appropriate, nor does it send a good message, for Christians to oppose those of another faith…
Word Ambiguities
HT: Language Log
Christian Carnival CCCXL Posted
… at The Jevlir Caravansary. Check it out!
Christian Carnival Coming
I’m hosting it at my Jevlir Caravansary blog. Deadline is midnight tonight.
List of Online Lexicons
Polycarp has a very useful list of online lexicons.
Gordon Fee on Reading Revelation
… and the Bible as a whole, but with a focus on his new commentary on Revelation. The video is at the Grace Communion International web site and is well worth watching. I would probably be a bit harder on the idea of literal interpretation for the Bible overall than Dr. Fee is, but he…
On C. S. Lewis
There’s an article in the Touchstone archives by Bishop Wright which I find very interesting, largely because it expresses some of my own feelings regarding Lewis. C. S. Lewis is, of course, a brilliant writer. I enjoy reading even those things with which I disagree, and not just because I like to be challenged. He…
Gordon Fee Discusses Interpreting Revelation
… in this video, which has been all over the biblioblogosphere. Sorry, I don’t even remember where I first saw it.
PNJ Picks 2 for Governor
Our local excuse for the press, the Pensacola News Journal, is in endorsements season, and like many papers, they pick one in each of the primaries. Thus they have endorsed one Republican and one Democrat for governor. I should note first that I have a problem with newspapers or media organizations endorsing politicians. I don’t…
Boycott BP – Maybe Not!
I live on the Gulf Coast, but I’ve continued to go to BP gas stations. Yes, I deplore what has happened, and the negligence involved, though I think our national push for more and cheaper oil is an underlying cause of the problem. But I hadn’t blogged about it. Allan Bevere did so on his…
Quote of the Day – Passives
From Language Log: If passives were UFOs, the country would be frantic over all the sightings, but the Air Force wouldn’t be scrambling any jets. I have two pet peeves with regard to passives. First, there are those who find passives where there are none, as in the post cited by Language Log. Second, there…
Burned Out Pastors
One of my observations in both churches of which I’ve been a member and churches I’ve visited, representing several denominations, is that the actual job of the pastor is so enormous and multi-faceted that no human being could actually perform it. That isn’t what was envisioned in the New Testament, but it has become pervasive….
Back Up to #28
Oh joy! Oh rapture! Oh Bliss! I have recovered from last month’s #50 to #28 in the biblioblog rankings, and all that with relatively little blogging!
New Biblical Studies Carnival
Jim West has brought back the Biblical Studies Carnival. (HT: TCOJC)
I Believe Some Bizarre Things
The Sunday School class I currently attend uses a random selection process for the questions we’ll discuss. Class members put questions in a container, and we draw a question for each week. Last week the question was: Why am I such a doubting Thomas? As we were discussing how much we doubted, what we doubted,…
Finding My Way in Christianity
I’ve tried to make a habit of writing some personal reflections on the books my company, Energion Publications, publishes. That doesn’t usually involve that many posts, but I got behind earlier in the year, and I’m catching up. This one is going to be longer than usual because these are personal reflections, and this book…
Text Today – Slave of Righteousness
So now that you have been freed from sin, you have become enslaved to righteousness. — Romans 6:18 (my translation) Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. — Romans 6:18 (NLT) And yet there are those who think Paul taught easy believism!
Discussing Preserving Democracy
I’d like to invite readers to join the discussion of the book Preserving Democracy, published by my company Energion Publications, over at Joel Watts’ blog. Why would I push a review that might be negative? First, I try to publicize all reviews to encourage discussion and encourage people to review our books, whether the review…
Reading Genealogies
I discuss why I think we should pay attention on the World Prayr blog today.
What Makes a Plumber Real
Michele Bachmann says she hopes that the newly formed Tea Party Caucus will provide a voice in congress for “real housewives, real farmers, real businessmen, real plumbers.” (Source.) I’m wondering how “real” farmers, businessmen, and plumbers differ from the rest …
Artistic Genius and Rape
I sometimes get tense with cases in which statutory rape laws are used in prosecuting one teenager for sex with another. I think that’s wrong. But there’s a very good reason for statutory rape laws, which is an adult preying on a child, and that’s what these laws were written for. In the case of…
The Season of Political Literature
I notice my wastebasket filling up with political literature as the season gets into full swing. Currently we’re approaching primary season, and because I’m registered as an independent, I don’t get much during the primaries. My wife is registered with one of the parties (though I’ll note that her voting habits are as independent as…