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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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On Faith Preceding Works
Some time ago I wrote an essay titled A Fruitful Faith, in which I maintained that there is a pattern of grace before law that is consistent throughout scripture, both Old Testament and New. One can also express this idea as call before response, or, as I’ve been thinking today especially, faith before works. Frequently faith…
Contest via my Company – Energion Publications
This is a sort of commercial message, except I’m trying to give some money away. My company, Energion Publications, is sponsoring a contest, and entries are very slow. There are two $50 B&N gift cards on the line, one for the best affirmative and one for the best negative entry in answer to the question:…
And on the Other Side: Merit Pay for Teachers
I marked this story a couple of days ago. In my view, merit pay is such an obvious idea, not to mention merit hiring, merit promotion, and lack-of-merit firing, that I don’t see why it would be controversial, except, of course, amongst those who lack merit. But there is one valid area of controversy–measuring merit….
Not a Republican
When I get annoyed at the Democrats, which I do frequently, I’m often directed by smiling friends to the Republican party. Obviously you’ve seen the light. We’re the party of freedom. In case you’re wondering why I don’t buy it, consider the working of the Texas Board of Education. (This is only one small point…
WorldNetDaily and the New Mexico Ten Commandments
Complete with silly headline and flanked by an ad for a tee shirt that reads “Waterboarding Instructor” (obviously on an attractive female model), the supposedly Christian WorldNetDaily reports a hike to an inscription on rock as important news. There are so many things wrong with this reporting that it’s hard to know where to start,…
Christian Carnival CCCXX Posted
… at And She Went Out …
Tyndale House NLT Contest
The following is a contest announcement from Tyndale House. There are some great prizes here and it’s not too hard to enter. The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes” Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey,…
Florida Inspirational Message Bill Cleared by One Committee
The Civil Justice & Courts Policy Committee, who ought to know better, has cleared CS/HB 31 with only three negative votes. I’m guessing someone is thinking, “What harm can it do?” I’d suggest a vote against wasting time.
Christian Carnival CCCXIX Posted
… at Thinking Christian.
Think Lightly of Wealth and Honor
From St. John Chrysostom, On the Epistle to the Hebrews 20.5, from Hebrews: Ancient Christian commentary on Scripture, New Testament X p. 167 Knowing then these things, let us be patient when we suffer evil and forthright in offering kindness. This is all the stronger if we think lightly of wealth and honor. He that…
An Inconvenient Truth on Israel and Palestine?
Brian McLaren links to this article at the Huffington Post. It may be inconvenient, but is it truth? (I guess I need to tell my readers that I often like what Brian McLaren has to say, but then there are these moments.) I’m also opposed to those who think Israel is always right. But there…
A Bill to Make Legislators Look Good
It’s Florida HB 31 (full text – original – committee substitute), and either version of it accomplishes pretty much nothing, thought the original version might have led some school boards to get into legal trouble, something many of them are quite adept at without help. I am opposed to officially sponsored religious events, but am…
Two Notes on the Authorship of Hebrews
The first is an interview at Euangelion with Andrew Pitts regarding his forthcoming essay on Hebrews (in a collection). It discusses the authorship and proposes Paul as the author, but in a speech rather than a letter, and Luke as stenographer, which he differentiates from an amanuensis. I didn’t get a completely clear picture of…
Augustine on the Need to Know Hebrew and Greek
… a quote at The Sacred Page.
Glenn Beck is Right – He Should Run from Social Justice
Why? My pastor, Geoffrey Lentz, says it’s because following Jesus in social justice is hard and demanding and might mess up our lifestyes: What would happen if we “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everlasting stream” (Amos)? It wouldn’t work out very well for me. This one hits us right where…
On Academic Freedom and Denominational Colleges
No, I’m not talking about my former denomination, the Seventh-Day Adventists. In this case, it’s Erskine College and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Let me make clear that I believe a denomination has the right to do what it wants to do with its institutions, always assuming that they uphold existing contracts. For example, if…
St. John Chrysostom: The Law a Shadow
I thought this was one of the most beautiful ways I have heard this expressed: “For” (he says) “the Law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things”; i.e. not the very reality. For as in painting, so long as one [only] draws the outlines, it is…
Origen: Stumbling Blocks in Scripture
The following is from Origen, On First Principles, 4.1.15. All emphasis is mine. (Also from CCEL.) But since, if the usefulness of the legislation, and the sequence and beauty of the history, were universally evident of itself, we should not believe that any other thing could be understood in the Scriptures save what was obvious,…
Origen: Threefold Understanding of Scripture
My reading today in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, X, Hebrews was unusually rich, commenting on Hebrews 10:1-11. This is the first of three extracts. As usual, I’m taking these from CCEL and I urge you to support them as you can. The way, then, as it appears to us, in which we ought to deal…
The Swerve – Too Close to the Truth
… like right there! The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c <td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'Crumbums & Fatcats www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform (HT: Language Log)
Harvest of Souls International Ministries Web Site
Via Dave Black Online and Nick’s blog I found that biblioblogger Nick Norelli’s church, Harvest of Souls International Ministries, has a new web site. Now why do I link to this particular church web site at this moment? Is it merely to congratulate them? Well, I do congratulate them, but I had something more specific…
Contest and Possible Blogswarm
Well, it may not be as spontaneous as all that. And with that, commercial warning … My company, Energion Publications, is sponsoring a contest and inviting people to blog about Christianity during Consider Christianity Week, (March 21-27) which is the project of one of my authors, Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. You can get full details on…
Inerrancy – Romancing the Term
I’ve previously expressed my surprise about what some people can believe about the Bible and yet call their belief “inerrancy.” As an example, I responded to Earnest Lucas’s excellent commentary on Daniel in which he maintains that one can hold both inerrancy and a late dating of Daniel. I think a good one sentence summary…
Patriotism Redux
I’ve written before on what citizens owe their country, and blind support is not patriotism in my view. I think that a blind support, my country right or wrong, would be analogous to suicidal tendencies in a person. I wrote on this before, amongst others in my posts Patriotism: What Do I Owe My Country?…