Featured Posts
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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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President Obama and the Peace Prize
This is just a quick early reaction, and my reaction is that it is too early to judge President Obama’s impact on world peace. Yet he has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for which nominations were closed two weeks after he took office. I want to be clear that what I like most about…
Private Censorship?
While I am an advocate of as open of discussion as possible, I dislike the use of the word “censorship” for the actions of private individuals. There are many television shows, for example, that I either dislike or even think are simply bad. I not only don’t watch them, but I will also tell others…
Biblical Inspiration Links – 1
In How has Literal Interpretation Changed, Erik at Fundamentally Changed discusses the ways in which we must reinterpret literal interpretation. I don’t generally like the very idea that interpretation should be literal, but Erik makes some excellent suggestions. One of the questions I ask in When People Speak for God is just how Abraham knew…
Giving Away a copy of Preserving Democracy
… on the Energion.com eZine, which is currently in development. But I’m trying to bring a few people over there, so a copy of Preserving Democracy will be given to a randomly selected commenter who writes a relevant comment. In mid-October I will be changing the topic to science education, and offering a $10 B&N…
Blogs in Tenure Applications Etc
There has been a good deal of discussion of this around the blogosphere, related to graduate school and job applications as well. Nels P. Highberg provides an interesting example at ProfHacker. (HT: Exploring Our Matrix)
Christian Carnival CCXCVII Posted
… at Thinking Christian. Enjoy!
Literal and Figurative in Genesis 3
I have been reminded several times recently in private conversations of just how inadequate the literal to figurative continuum is in discussing how we understand scripture. Bruce Alderman has written an interesting article on the number of things we take as figurative in Genesis 3, and then asks: Why is it that so many Christians…
Saturn has a Huge Ring
I rarely post just images, but this came in via one of my NASA subscriptions today. Head on over and take a look. And if you don’t subscribe to their news and/or images, consider subscribing. Their material is a great pleasure. Click on the image to get further information, including a link to download the…
Biblical Studies Carnival XLVI Posted
… at Hebrew and Greek Reader.
And the winner is …
[Drum roll please] Commenter Melinda Lancaster who edged out the runner up by a single point. The way I judged this was by by getting two other people, who will remain anonymous, to rank the entries from 1 to 4. Then I ranked them myself. I then combined the three ranks, and the result is…
Christian Carnival CCXCVI
Welcome to the September 30, 2009 edition of the Christian Carnival CCXCVI. This is the “I can’t think of a creative theme” edition! For His Glory presents Your Spiritual Wardrobe posted at For His Glory, saying, “God has provided everything we need for life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). Come and see the list…
Book Notes: The World of Jeeves
The World of Jeeves is an omnibus collection of stories about Jeeves and Wooster. If you’re a fan, this is a great collection. I have to admit that I had only read a little bit before I picked up this volume, but I am a fan of almost any British humor and Jeeves and Wooster…
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…