I haven’t gotten anything written during the last week on this blog. This is not due to a hiatus in Bible study. There’s plenty to write, and I’ve been writing elsewhere, but I just haven’t gotten here with something specifically exegetical.
In the meantime, I wrote a devotional from my wife’s list, titled Handling Scandal. It seems rather relevant both in the church and the nation right now.
Who could doubt the words of the Bishop of Durham now? (HT: Pseudo-Polymath.)
My wife Jody, author of two books, has started her own blog. She has previously been an occasional contributor to this blog, and has kept up a daily devotional list, but now has launched a more general opinion blog.
She opened with her post on the causes and consequences of Paris Hilton’s recent activities.
I’ve updated my blogroll, and now y’all need to know that Adrian Warnock has a new URL (adrianwarnock.com).
. . . has moved here. It’s worth a look just for the header picture. The subtitle is “Dinosaurs and the Bible DONT MIX!!!”
I’m adding another site to my blogroll, Transformed Daily. I got an e-mail from blogger Eric Jones on this one, thinking there might be some synergy, and after reading a bit, I think there is.
A couple of entries that really caught my eye:
ARE YOU A TRAINED FLEA CHRISTIAN OR ARE YOU A FREE FLEA CHRISTIAN? — this is really good. Read it and think about it!
I Said the Prayer Now Make Me Happy. This is an exceptionally good short piece on our reading. Now why would I, a Christian writer and publisher, promote a blog entry that talks about reading too many Christian books? I do so because Eric is absolutely right here. My experience as a Bible teacher (and my publishing started and still continues primarily in support of that ministry) has put me in contact with many, many Christians who are thinking about Bible study or playing around with it. But what they do primarily is read books about the Bible or books that they think go more directly to the answer. But there’s a reason Jesus spoke in parables, and there’s a reason why the treasure–knowledge of God–is not strewn over the surface. So if you’re going to buy that Christian book in place of studying your Bible, even if I’m the publisher or author, think twice.
I expect to enjoy keeping track of Eric’s postings in the future.
Every so often in wandering around the blogosphere I notice a blog that makes me say, “Why haven’t I noticed this before?” I found one today, The Christian Cynic, and I wanted to call attention to his post dealing with formal issues of an argument from ignorance.
I think I’ll have fun keeping up with this one.
I’ve been a bit delinquent here on Threads for the last week or so. There’s a good reason for that. My next book, When People Speak for God is near the final step and should, in fact, go to the printer on Monday. The way we do things, that should mean availability for people to get actual copies (I’ve got definitions on the brain) about 10 days later.
I want to link to a couple of posts I’ve done elsewhere, but first just a note on the book. This isn’t new and original material. I have written several essays that I published on the web in my pre-blog days, and a number of additional blog entries since then. I also tend to discuss Biblical inspiration, the gift of prophecy, God speaking to people, and people claiming that God told them certain things when I’m teaching in person. A number of readers on of the internet material have suggested I get it in print, as reading 50-60 pages at a shot on the internet annoys them. Those who attend my classes often ask me for something they can read for more information on what I teach about inspiration. Thus far I’ve referred them to URLs, often an unsatisfactory option.
Print-on-demand technology allows me to create a book such as this for what appears off-hand to be a relatively small audience. My original plan was to collect the essays, write a couple of connecting or explanatory notes, add topical and scripture indexes, and publish. Ah, the wishful thinking! I may be the boss but I’m an incredibly cruel and evil boss. Thus when I looked at the collected essays I said to myself, “This won’t do at all. Get thee to work!” (Note that the archaic language is not an indication of divine inspiration.)
A few months of off and on work later, the resulting volume is 276 pages (243 pages + front matter, glossary, topical and scripture indexes), and based on word counts I’m guessing it’s about 1/3 new material. The backbone is my essay Inspiration, Biblical Authority, and Inerrancy, which you can check out on the web. Added to this is material on the modern gift of prophecy, and practical considerations for handling the situation when someone claims divine authority for their words. You’ll find almost all the existing material in this book (bar the 1/3 new stuff) if you add to that the Biblical inspiration category on this blog and on my Participatory Bible Study blog.
To my non-Christian friends I would simply note that if you’re looking for a book in which I argue for divine inspiration, this isn’t it. This book only discusses that issue peripherally. It is strongly rooted in the Christian tradition. I do argue against the doctrine of inerrancy from within the Christian tradition and discuss a number of related issues. I simply don’t want somebody to think this book is something it’s not.
I’ll probably blog more about that down the road. In the meantime, I wanted to point out that while I’ve neglected this one, some of my blogs have been active.
On my wife’s devotional blog I posted this entry yesterday, reminding all those of us who are Christians that we may be the one and only “translation” of the Bible that some folks may read.
The Running Toward the Goal podcast offered Elgin Hushbeck’s latest, titled Irrational Nobility. It includes some arguments that may annoy non-Christian readers. Elgin would enjoy it if you went and argued with him. You can also check out the transcript of that program here if you prefer reading to listening.
On my Participatory Bible Study blog, I posted on what the author of Hebrews believed was a difficult message. Elsewhere I’ve been just as quiet as I have here.
I’m adding Bob’s Log to the Bible study blogs section of my blogroll. Bob deals with a great deal of Hebrew poetry, especially the Psalms, and is very interested in structure. I think it will be valuable to look over his shoulder as he works on this interesting material.
Ben Witherington has a very good piece on cessationism and the Pentecostal movement. He acknowledge both the good and the not so good. It’s worth taking a look.
