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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Boldness to be Fools
Sometimes even when I’m way to busy to be blogging, at least on my personal blog, I just see so many things that point the same direction that I just have to write. This post didn’t start with this quote, but it says something I like to read: If our denomination has lost the boldness…
Another Reason to Hate Study Bibles
Thomas Nelson has release The American Patriot’s Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America*, which is a Bible so lousy in concept that one can dislike it without even bothering to read it. (HT: Christ my righteousness.) You’ve probably heard the cliche, “It’s a really bad book, that’s why I never read…
Because Government Money Means More Freedom
Why do these folks want the government to pay for their convictions?
All You Need is Love
Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21 While I confess to be a love teacher, I am often puzzled by the way Christians speak about love as though it is the easier way. It is as though they might try following some rules, but that would be too hard, so they’ll try love instead. But a love that…
Pete Enns Reviews Inerrant Wisdom
This is a very worthwhile review to read. I haven’t yet read the book, but the key points noted are interesting in themselves.
Are Sermons a Waste?
It’s a day for questions! Ben Myers has a guest post by Aaron Ghiloni titled On sermons: a rant. Basically, he doesn’t like sermons. Really doesn’t like them. So as I sometimes do I brought this up with my wife as I was driving her to work. (Since I work at home we live with…
When is the Gospel the Answer?
I had this question called to my mind a couple of times this week, and I want to pose it to you. Before I do that, however, let me tell you how it was called to my mind. The first item was a comment on my post on civil liberties. Dave Black comment on that…
Biblical Studies Carnival #41 Posted
… at Exploring our Matrix, and an exceptional carnival it is, even by the rather high standards of the Biblical Studies Carnival. For those who may not follow it, the Biblical Studies Carnival is posted monthly, and its hosts have tended to make it very creative, rather than just listing the posts. Thus it requires…
Ordination Humor
Ten reason why men shouldn’t be ordained … from a Salvation Army cadet.
Chuck Baldwin on Assaults on Personal Liberties
I frequently disagree with Chuck Baldwin, and am disturbed when I see the forest of American flags that appear frequently around his church. I live near enough that I drive by that church frequently. But in this article he is absolutely on target. One of my great hopes for the Obama administration was an improvement…
A Calvinist Complementarian defines Arminian and Egalitarian
… and does so very well. Not surprisingly (to me, at least), this is from C. Michael Patton on Parchment and Pen. To quote his definitions of “complementarian” and “egalitarian”: Complementarianism: Belief in essential equality, but functional hierarchy in the sexes. This hierarchy is by Gods design and is not due to the fall. Man…
Best Sermon on the Bible
… that I’ve heard, at least, and in my opinion! It’s by Dr. Wesley Wachob. Let me give you the link first: The Strange New World within the Bible. Those of you who are acquainted with Karl Barth will recognize the title. (You can subscribe to the First UMC Pensacola podcast here, or via iTunes.)…
Christian Carnival #CCLXXIII Posted
… at The Limitless.
Finding a Church Through a Blog
The Internet Monk is providing a post for exchanging ideas about church congregations. Though I wonder about a church search done via blog comments, I’ve already commented on the post indicating that if that’s where people are searching, perhaps that’s where you have to help. I’ll be interested in seeing which traditions are represented in…
Fear and Response (Easter 2B)
Scriptures: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133; (John 20:19-31) There are two major responses to fear in a group. One is to gather together and seek mutual support. The other is to scatter, with each individual seeking his own safety. One can see this in action in military history. Many military leaders have recognized the importance of…
Value of Short Term Missions
When I first led mission teams to eastern Europe, I told the folks we were there to support that my team would be a colossal waste of money unless the team learned more than they taught. I know a Dentist who leads mission teams–more than 20 of them to Central America as I write. He…
Reality, Perception, and TEA
One of the great experiences of my life was meeting a Calvinist evangelist. His name is John Blanchard, and I only “met” him in a fairly large group, but it was clear that he was genuinely an evangelist and genuinely a Calvinist. He was asked during a question and answer session just how he reconciled…
Expectations follow Encounter
I haven’t been posting on Leviticus for some time because I have been busy preparing books for publication. All that paying work sure does interfere with one’s hobbies! Today I encountered this quotation in my continuing effort to read through Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy alongside the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary on those books. … It is…
Book: Odd Girl Out
In this continuation of the Quadrail series, Timothy Zahn is in his normal fun and action form as he keeps Frank Compton and Bayta in a great deal of trouble. We learn new things about the ongoing war against the group-mind Modhri, and also about the Chahwyn who are Compton’s employers. Once one gets past…
Stuck on Silent Saturday?
OK, it’s Easter Sunday morning, and I can join the chorus: He is risen! But I know from experience that there are Christians out there who are stuck on silent Saturday or Good Friday. For them, Christianity is all–and only–about the cross. Jesus died, they died in Jesus. They had no hope. Jesus is their…
Atonement: The Error Adrian Warnock and Giles Fraser Share
Adrian says it wouldn’t be Easter “without a row about the atonement” and he has promptly located one in a Guardian article by Giles Fraser, in which Fraser says: Thinking about the celebration of Holy Week in my new adopted cathedral brings home to me quite how important it is for Christians to insist upon…
Of Making Many Books
… there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. — Ecclesiastes 12:12 (ASV) I think that will be my new theme text. With four books in process with release dates varying from this coming week to July, and a very small staff with most work done by contract, I have…
When the Climax Isn’t (Palms and Passion, Cycle B)
This week I did some reading on the lectionary, and even led a discussion on Wednesday, but due to work on some new book releases I never had time to write. There is one theme that came to mind when I was looking at the two liturgies–palms and passion. In teaching Bible study I like…
I Hope He is Right
Gaegan Goddard’s Political Wire reports that John McCain thinks he will be the last candidate to accept federal matching funds. One of the best savings, though small, we could make at the federal level would be to end public financing and also end all of the regulations on fundraising except for transparency.