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…
Social Notes (see all)
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Book Notes: The Laughter of Dead Kings
The Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters has a couple strikes against it. (Note some minor spoilers ahead.) The first of these is that it is not consistent with other books in the series. Peters admits this and says she doesn’t care, which is obviously her right. I find inconsistencies in the background of…
Book Notes: Cat in a Topaz Tango
Cat in a Topaz Tango is the latest in the wonderful Midnight Louie series. If you don’t like thinking and talking animals, then this book probably isn’t for you, but if you like light-hearted fun and a bit of mystery, it’s great. If you like cats, so much the better! This is one of those…
Mosaic Bible (NLT) and Lectionary Preaching
I decided to check on what Holy Bible: Mosaic NLT might have for my lectionary reading this week. First I checked the material for the 18th Sunday in Pentecost. Their readings do not coincide with the Revised Common Lectionary at all this week, though they do follow the church year. The RCL readings (with United…
Christian Carnival and Mosaic Bible Announcement
OK, these are not that closely related, but the Christian Carnival will appear here tomorrow, and it will be evening before it appears. I will announce the winner of the Mosaic Bible giveaway at the same time.
Jesus Paradigm Giveaway
Details at for the Sake of Truth.
Can Anyone Identify this Spider?
It has taken up residence next to my office, in a large web stretched between the office and a nearby tree. I rather like it, and will allow it residence as long as it wishes. In my younger days I collected spiders and was fairly good at identifying them, but my younger days are long…
Singing Praise to President Obama?
CBS is reporting on a school that has children singing songs about President Obama’s accomplishments. I note that the story compares the reaction to this to the reaction to Obama giving a speech. I thought the speech reaction was way overblown. The president of the United States should be able to address the nation, and…
Mosaic Study Bible Contest Closed
I have only four entries, but the contest is closed. Thus, for the four of you who entered, I must say that 1 in 4 is a better chance than you are likely to get in any lottery. Considering the large number of reads of the relevant posts, I’m guessing my question put some people…
Retraction on NIV2011 Update
With an tip of the hat to Peter Kirk, I withdraw objections to the NIV2011 update project. Peter in turn links to this NIV 2011 FAQ. My objection to the update hinged on the idea that the TNIV was being bypassed in favor of going back to the 1984 NIV. I saw (and still see)…
Christian Carnival CCXCV Posted
… at The Evangelical Ecologist.
Railing against the Text of Scripture
… and against God. John Hobbins thinks you should. I think he makes a pretty good scriptural case!
NLT Blog Tour Continues
First, catching up, the 9/22 host was The Church of Jesus Christ, with the review is here. Yesterday, the tour continued right here with my review and an interview with Keith Williams. Keith provided some very helpful answers. The tour continues at This Lamp today, and Rick’s review is already posted. You can find all…
Doing Something
Talk is cheap, and I’m a good talker. This past Sunday I visited a new Sunday School class and met a young man who told me that he was opposed to abortion. He went on to say that he believed that if you talked about something you should be willing to act, and in his…
Interview with Keith Williams on The Mosaic Bible
I’m delighted to have Keith Williams, General Editor of the Mosaic Bible, and Bible and Reference Editor at Tyndale House. This is part of The Mosaic Bible blog tour. You can find Keith regularly on the NLT Blog, or follow him on twitter, @keithwilliams. Don’t forget to look at the rules for my contest to…
Another take on Low Church Evangelicals
… and whether they are protestant. I think that Geoffrey Lentz covers the ground rather thoroughly and points to some need for reformation in the church today.
Free Copy of The Mosaic Bible
… Tyndale has provided me with a certificate to award in a contest over on my Participatory Bible Study blog.
Longman, Genesis, and Inerrancy
I’m not going to make an extended comment here except to note that the point at which I get the most questions about my own interpreation of scripture and the doctrine of inerrancy is Genesis 1-2, possibly extending to Genesis 1-11. The fact is that I can find people who affirm the doctrine of inerrancy…
Holy Bible: Mosaic NLT
Note: I am participating in a blog tour for the release of this Bible on my Participatory Bible Study blog. Please go there for more information on the Mosaic Bible giveaway. There are more details on the tour at the HolyBibleMosaic.com site. I was very excited to receive a copy of The Mosaic Bible from…
Review: The Mosaic Bible (NLT)
Note: I am participating in a blog tour for the release of this Bible. More details on the HolyBibleMosaic.com site. I was very excited to receive a copy of The Mosaic Bible from the folks at Tyndale House, because I had great hopes for this devotional and study Bible. It’s very hard to get me…
The Mosaic Bible (NLT) Released
I am excited about the release of Holy Bible: Mosaic NLT, just released by Tyndale House. What is even more exciting is that I have been looking at a copy they sent me for a few days, and I have been invited to participate in their blog tour for the release. In addition, Tyndale House…
How to talk to ANYONE on a Journey
The Internet Monk has become must read amongst the many blogs I scan. Today, his post How to Talk to an Evangelical on a Journey is exceptionally good reading. As you can guess from my title, I do have one note, and if you know me, you may be aware that I can’t help introducing…
Bible Application Suggestion – Make Yourself the Target
I’m a strong advocate of Bible study by the laity, even when such study leads to errors. In fact, I think making mistakes is an important part of Christian growth. But there are a number of odd things that can happen when people apply the Bible. One of the checks on “loony” Biblical application that…
Which Way do you Listen?
Recently Dave Black made a comment regarding the way in which we hold certain correct doctrines (HT: Dave Black Online. I’m just going to quote one sentence here, which was as much as I could quote in a tweet: … sometimes even biblically correct positions can be reduced to a dogmatic narrowness, formalism, and fundamentalism….
Scot McKnight: Is Low Church Evangelicalism Protestant?
I find this an interesting question. But before I comment, let me summarize and quote Scot McKnight’s article. He first notes that from the early liturgies to the Westminster Confession there is a certain common pattern in worship, one which is dropped by what he calls “low church evangelicalism.” Amongst the elements he includes the…