Saturday, 22 April 2023 in C. S. Lewis, Chesterton, G.K., Christian Mind | Permalink | Comments (0)
She offers a no-holds-barred, fierce diatribe -- with which I agree!
Last summer I conversed with a gifted young lady who had just graduated high school. She was a home-schooled Christian, an accomplished violinist, and a speech and debate champion. I asked her whom she was listening to these days. Among others, she said "Allie Beth Stuckey." I hadn't heard of Stuckey before, but since then I have looked at some of Stuckey's YouTube videos. Quite something, as evidenced above.
Monday, 01 March 2021 in Biden, Joe, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Presidential Race | Permalink | Comments (0)
UPDATE 4/8/2017 - I saw the movie today and agree with both Ed Morrissey's review (below) and that of Steven D. Graydanus'. Both reviews acknowledge that this faith-based film evidences the genre's maturation. One can watch it without cringing. I found the acting very good, and the emotional responses of Erika Christensen (who played Strobel's wife, Leslie), particularly outstanding.
Here is a trailer followed by Lee Strobel's talk at a church last month in which he tells his story in his own words.
Original post:
Ed Morrissey, whose opinion I regard highly, gives five stars to The Case for Christ movie. It opens in theaters across the U.S. tonight. Strobel is the author of the best-selling book (over 14 million copies) The Case for Christ. Here is Morrissey's review:.
The faith-based film industry has both grown and matured over the last several years as filmmakers and investors see enthusiasm from audiences for these offerings. The new film The Case for Christ, based on the real-life conversion story of former Pulitzer-nominated journalist Lee Strobel and taken from his 1998 book of the same title, provides further evidence of this maturation.
In fact, the pursuit of evidence forms the core of the film’s narrative. In 1980, Lee Strobel (Mike Vogel) finds his marriage and professional life turned upside-down when his wife Leslie (Erika Christiansen) converts from their shared atheism to Christianity. Convinced that his wife has been brainwashed by a cult — being just a couple of years removed from the Jonestown massacre — Strobel decides to apply his journalistic expertise to debunk the central core of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Can Strobel find an evidence-based argument to refute Christianity, or will he be forced to face his own biases and assumptions?
The Case for Christ models a familiar tension for believers between faith and reason. People come to Christianity through both paths and generally find ways to accommodate both. Leslie’s conversion comes through an emotional tie to faith, but Lee clings to his vision of reason. That dichotomy plays out in their interactions, depicted realistically and very believably between Vogel and Christiansen on screen. For most of us, who struggle to blend the two, we will recognize ourselves in Lee and Leslie.
Friday, 07 April 2017 in Atheism, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Movies | Permalink | Comments (0)
This is a tremendous talk which gets better and better as it goes along. He was invited to speak on his new book, Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical.
Wednesday, 22 March 2017 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0)
Keller pastors Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. He is known for his thoughtful sermons which attract a large and varied audience. He has lectured at Google on three occasions that I am aware of (here, here, and here), as well as at Oxford and other universities. Keller is also a prolific author. Just before Christmas New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof published an interview with Keller titled, "Am I a Christian, Pastor Keller?" I think it really good, both the questions and answers, and commend it to you.
(Note: I have blogged about Tim Keller several times. Simply google "Muddling Toward Maturity - Tim Keller" for a list of posts.)
Monday, 26 December 2016 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Evangelicals | Permalink | Comments (0)
I have not yet read the Harry Potter books. Jerram Barrs' exultation (below) at the excellence of the last book in the Harry Potter series has wet my interest. Barrs serves as Professor of Christian Studies and Contemporary Culture at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He met his wife, Vicki, at L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland and then served for 18 years at English L'Abri Fellowship before joining Covenant Seminary in 1989.
Barrs has authored several books and articles. Here is the opening paragraph of a paper titled, "Christianity True to the Way Things Are:"
Christianity claims that the Bible explains the world in which we live, tells us of the origin and meaning of man's existence, gives us a basis for knowledge and for understanding the difference between good and evil, shows us how to live in this world, provides answers to the problems we face as humans, and offers us a hope for the future which lends a purpose to our life now. Before such claims can be examined, there is an important objection that must be considered. (More...)
Thursday, 08 December 2016 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Literature | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, and one of the world's most articulate and thoughtful Christian communicators, here offers a helpful consideration of "hope." It's is all the more interesting given his audience and the occasional interweaving of his reflections on Buddhism. Keller is the author of The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism among a number of other books.
The "Faith and Global Engagement" group at the University of Hong Kong offers a number of past lectures and presentations online which I will want to explore in the near future.
Monday, 07 March 2016 in Audio and Video, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Tim Keller, World Religions Compared | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sandra Richter, Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, explains what the Bible has to say about the topic in just under 9 minutes.
Monday, 11 January 2016 in Bible, Bible - Old Testament, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Environmentalism | Permalink | Comments (0)
I found Eric Metaxas' short introduction helpful:
Text:
It’s been a rough few weeks. It seems virtually all of the news is bad. Whether it’s ISIS, Boko Haram, the refugee crisis, or, here at home, the troubling trends in American culture, depression, if not outright despair, seems like a reasonable response.
Thankfully, God has provided a remedy for this temptation, and it’s as close as your nearest Church calendar. I’m speaking of Advent, which begins this Sunday.
Relatively few Americans, including many Christians, understand what Advent is really about. Here’s a hint, it’s more than just a countdown to Christmas.
For nearly two millennia, Advent has been the season in which Christians reflect on the bookends of God’s redemptive acts in Christ: His Incarnation and His coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
These bookends are arguably best described in the hymns associated with Advent. They express the human longing for God to set everything aright, to wipe every tear from our eyes.
Take the hymn “Creator of the Stars of Night.” It was written, probably in England, sometime between 600 and 800 A.D., in the midst of what is commonly known as the “Dark Ages.” Life was unimaginably hard for those living back then: war was endemic, as was destitution, disease, and hunger.
This reality is reflected in the hymn’s opening stanza: “Creator of the stars of night, Thy people's everlasting light, Jesu, Redeemer, save us all, and hear Thy servants when they call.”
But it doesn’t stop there. The hymn then recalls the first bookend of God’s great redemptive act: “Thou, grieving that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe, hast found the medicine, full of grace, to save and heal a ruined race.”
It then looks forward to the second bookend: “O Thou whose coming is with dread, to judge and doom the quick and dead, preserve us, while we dwell below, from every insult of the foe.”
Now, talk of a dread coming and judging the quick and the dead no doubt sounds jarring to modern ears, but it’s a reminder that in Advent, we not only recall Jesus’ first coming, we look forward to Jesus’ second coming. And part of that looking forward is examining our lives.
That’s why Gospel passages like the parable of the wise and foolish virgins are associated with Advent. We’re called to be about our Lord’s business as we await His return.
But the word that best expresses the spirit of Advent is the refrain from the best-known Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”: Rejoice!
We are to rejoice even when all the news is bad because all the news that really matters is the “Good News.” God, in Christ, has decisively dealt with sin and evil. At his first coming, as Paul told the Philippians, he took on “human form, [and] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even on a cross.”
This resulted in his being given the “dread name” to whom “all knees must bend,” and “hearts must bow.”
To paraphrase Linus van Pelt, this is what Advent is all about, Charlie Brown. . .
Friday, 27 November 2015 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Christmas | Permalink | Comments (0)
World Magazine selected the following as their 2015 books of the year:
To be eligible for consideration for this year’s awards, books must have been published between May 1, 2014, and April 30, 2015.
[Note: I highly recommend visiting World Magazine's article for more extensive descriptions not only of the winners but also the "runners up," many of which I can easily envision beating the winners.]
Fiction WINNER: The Book of Strange New Things, by Michael Faber
These days, in books from secular publishers, we expect to see pastors depicted as hypocrites and missionaries as agents of exploitation. Instead we find empathy and splendid writing in this poignant work from Michael Faber.
Accessible Theology WINNER: enGendered: God’s Gift of Gender Difference in Relationship, by Sam Andreades
In this insightful work, Andreades skillfully and truthfully guides readers through at least three crucial cultural debates: Are men and women different? How should husbands and wives help each other? What about same-sex marriage?
Current Events/Public Affairs WINNER: America in Retreat, by Bret Stephens
Stephens shows how isolationist rhetoric is on the rise in America along with balance-of-power appeasement. The consequence may be more disorder than we bargained for, including world war and the avoidable sacrifice of countless lives. (Short audio talk)
History/Biography WINNER: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, by Erik Larson
Larson masterfully tells the story of those responsible for the sinking of the Lusitania and makes us empathize with the ordinary men, women, and children who were war’s collateral damage. The appeal to emotion as well as intellect makes Dead Wake our history/biography book of the year
Thursday, 18 June 2015 in American History, Books, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0)
These inspired words encapsulate the Gospel of Christ beautifully. They give identity, stability, hope, and meaning to our lives. William Barclay offers a fresh translation which communicates the message particularly well.
11 For the grace of God has broken into history for the salvation of all men. 12 It is training us to renounce the life in which God is banished from the scene, and in which the world's desires hold sway, and in this age to live a well-ordered, upright and godly life, 13 while all the time we are waiting for our blessed hope to be realized, when the splendour of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ bursts upon the world. 14 He gave himself for us, to liberate us from all wickedness and to make us a people purified to be his own, and eager to live a noble life.
Thursday, 21 May 2015 in Bible, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0)
Dallas Willard, professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, spoke at Stanford University in 2002 on the topic Nietzsche vs. Jesus. I found his talk intriguing. Willard treats Nietzsche respectfully, offering a helpful explanation of Nietzsche's historical context, and the way his perspective on "truth" now predominates in the culture of our day. Against Nietzsche Willard contrasts Jesus and Christ's way of discovering genuine truth and reality. The talk is nonpolemical and offers much to ponder. Go here.
Dallas Willard passed away in 2013 after teaching at USC from 1965 to 2013. He left behind an influential body of work. I have read several of his books and go back from time to time in order to better digest and internalize his thought. Willard offers fresh vocabulary. He replaces traditional terminology such as "disciples of Christ" with "apprentices to Christ." Some of his books include:
The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God
The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives
Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ
Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge,
Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with Christ.
A book published after his death is The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus.
Thursday, 30 April 2015 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Faith and Reason (Apologetics), Religion | Permalink | Comments (0)
Last night before putting my hands in the dish pit to tackle a pile of dirty dishes (we have human dishwashers at our home!), I went to get my tablet to see if I might profitably feed my mind while doing the dishes. I happened on an engaging dialog on the Bible featuring world famous New Testament scholar N.T. Wright and Harvard Professor of Philosophy Sean Kelly, a dialog moderated by Jay Harris, the Dean of Undergraduate Education and Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard. N.T. Wright joins encyclopedic knowledge to gracious and entertaining verbal dexterity. Professor Sean Kelly, for his part, displays disarming honesty and humility that I found quite winsome. The opportunity to view dialogs like this on the internet would astonish previous generations and make them drool!
My previous blogs on N.T. Wright:
N.T. Wright Interview on Life After Life After Death (27 minutes) (An interview occasioned by his book, "Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.")
N.T. Wright: "After You Believe" (A Review)
N.T. Wright -- Easter Ought to be an Eight-Day Celebration
See also:
N.T. Wright Page - an uofficial web page dedicated to the works of N.T. Wright
Monday, 02 March 2015 in Bible, Biblical studies, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0)
Eric Metaxas, bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and the acclaimed Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, today published his latest book: Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life. I checked Amazon and read the endorsements -- wow! Genuinely impressive:
“As a secular reader, I come to such books with a certain resistance. Metaxas won me over instantly by meeting me where I live. His intellectual honesty, coupled with an open-hearted wonder at the sheer breadth of human experience, is irresistible.”
—Christopher Noel, author, Impossible Visits
“If you’re a skeptic, read this book with an open mind and you might just discover that miracles are real. If you’re already a believer, be ready to be inspired.”
—Kirsten Powers, columnist for USA Today and The Daily Beast
“A dense, edgy and awe-inspiring report on the possibility of the impossible.”
—Dr. Markus Spieker, Reporter for German National Television and bestselling author of Hollywood Cinema in Nazi Germany
““No Christian thinker today combines reason and wit, argument and imagination, to greater effect.”
—Joseph Loconte, Associate Professor of History at the King's College, NYC and author, God, Locke, and Liberty: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the West.
"Metaxas has done it again....he presents hope for the tone deaf who cannot hear the splendor of the music of the spheres, and he brings in sunlight for modern cave dwellers who have become accustomed to only shadows on the wall of our increasingly windowless world."
—Os Guinness, author Long Journey Home
Metaxas produced a Breakpoint commentary today titled "Existence Itself Is a Miracle" which is well worth reading. He writes (or speaks, if you click the audio below):
NOW | DOWNLOAD
The universe as we know it requires such a careful calibration of variables as to render its mere existence—never mind the presence of intelligent life—a miracle in itself. The British astronomer and atheist Fred Hoyle, who coined the phrase “the Big Bang,” summed up the sheer improbability of existence by saying “The universe looks like a put-up job."
For instance, if the earth were slightly larger, it would of course have slightly more gravity. As a result, methane and ammonia gas, which have molecular weights of sixteen and seventeen respectively, would remain close to the surface of the earth. Since we can’t breathe methane or ammonia because of their toxicity, we would die.
If Earth were slightly smaller, water vapor would not stay close to the planet’s surface, but would instead dissipate into the atmosphere. Obviously, without water we couldn’t exist.
What’s true of Earth is true of the Universe as a whole. What physicists called the four fundamental forces—gravity, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces—are so finely-tuned that if any of them were in the slightest degree different, our universe would not exist.
What’s more, each of these crucially precise values was established once and for all within one millionth of a second after the Big Bang. In other words, immediately.
Tuesday, 28 October 2014 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Faith and Reason (Apologetics), Science and Faith | Permalink | Comments (0)
John Stonestreet reports "The Truth About Missionaries." He says: Download
For the last several generations, missionaries have gotten a lot of bad press. They’re called cultural imperialists or tools of colonial oppression, and in the pages of books such as “The Poisonwood Bible,” or, for an earlier generation, James Michener’s “Hawaii,” they’re presented as paternalistic, ignorant enemies of glorious indigenous cultures.
Even many supporters of so-called “native missionaries” in Asia, Africa, and Latin America suggest that Western missionaries should just “stay home” and “let the nationals do it.” But a funny thing happened on the way to missionary irrelevance: Ground-breaking, peer-reviewed research reveals that the presence of Protestant missionaries is the greatest predictor of whether a nation develops into a stable representative democracy with robust levels of literacy, political freedom, and women’s rights. [my emphases]
Yes, you heard that right, and you can read all about it in a fascinating and important cover story in the latest issue of Christianity Today. It describes the painstaking work of Robert Woodberry, whose work on the global spread of democracy has turned scholarship on its head.
Woodberry discovered that you can trace a direct link between the presence of 19th-century Protestant missionaries and a country’s economic and social development.
Why, for instance, does a seminary in the West African nation of Togo have almost no books for its students, while in neighboring Ghana the schools are full of reading material, including much that is written locally? As summarized by CT author Andrea Palpant Dilley, “British missionaries in Ghana had established a whole system of schools and printing presses. But France, the colonial power in Togo, severely restricted missionaries.”
Thursday, 06 February 2014 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Evangelicals, Evangelism, Missions | Permalink | Comments (0)
ht: Justin Taylor
Friday, 31 January 2014 in Bible, Biblical studies, Christian Mind, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0)
He speaks at BYU Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM (EST), and at the Mormon Tabernacle Saturday evening at 8:30 (EST). Both talks will be live-streamed. Details here.
Wednesday, 15 January 2014 in Audio and Video, Christian Mind, Evangelicals, Evangelism, World Religions Compared | Permalink | Comments (0)
Anything suggested by Metaxas is worth considering. Metaxas writes:
Have you wanted to give an unbelieving friend a book about the Christian faith, but afraid it might come across in the wrong way? I’ve got some great reads to recommend.
Recently, Christianity Today asked me to recommend five books that would help non-believers better understand, and hopefully embrace, the Christian faith.
This being the season of giving, I’d like to share the list with BreakPoint listeners and ask you to consider giving these books as gifts to the non-believers God has placed in your life. And all of these books are the best kind of apologetics: apologetics that don’t read like apologetics.
The first book is called “The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt” by Joe Loconte. In an earlier BreakPoint, I called this book a “kind of field guide” to the spiritual restlessness that pervades our culture.
As Loconte tells us, notwithstanding the increasing number of people who don’t identify with any religion, our society is filled with what he calls “God Seekers.” These people “don’t always look in the right places, [but] there’s no doubt that they are seeking.”
Continue reading "ERIC METAXAS SUGGESTS BOOKS FOR UNBELIEVERS" »
Sunday, 15 December 2013 in Books, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Evangelism, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (1)
No individual has had a more profound effect on my thinking than C.S. Lewis. In saying that, I realize I am but one of thousands of people who gladly say the same. Michael Gerson, former speech writer for George W. Bush, penned a good piece on Lewis today. It sparkles. I urge you to click through and read it. In the course of his article he links to Lewis's essay "The Poison of Subjectivism," a profound short essay which I have reread many times over the years. Gerson titles his piece, "C.S. Lewis, our guide to the good life."
- John Stonestreet of Breakpoint has penned several excellent pieces on Lewis and his writings this week. Check out "Narnia's Got it All: The World According to C.S. Lewis." For the audio: Listen Now | Download
- Stonestreet interviewed author and Lewis aficionado, Professor Joe Rigney, who explains "How to Live Like a Narnia." It's a 24 minute audio interview. Listen Now | Download Rigney wrote "Live Like A Narnian: Christian Discipleship in Lewis's Chronicles.
My own previous posts on Lewis can be found here: http://muddlingtowardmaturity.typepad.com/my_weblog/c_s_lewis/
Note: Breakpoint has been featuring C.S. Lewis all week:
Friday, 22 November 2013 in C. S. Lewis, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (0)
I appreciate Moreland's deep learning and wisdom and his ability to express himself clearly and succinctly. The following Q&A is a great treat.
Thursday, 29 August 2013 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0)
Articles published by Reasons to Believe written by psychiatrist James C. Petterson II (which include footnotes to studies):
- “Religion and Mental Health: Going to Church Is Good for You”
- “Live Long and Prosper: Going to Church Increases Lifespan”
- “God Makes You Glad: Positive Christian Attitude Linked to Happiness”
Thursday, 29 August 2013 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Psychology | Permalink | Comments (0)
Download it here. HT: Justin Taylor
As many of you are no doubt aware, John Stott's Basic Christianity is a classic book laying out the fundamentls of the Christian faith. This is a really wonderful gift made available by Christian Audio,
Sunday, 04 August 2013 in Audio and Video, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality | Permalink | Comments (0)
Justin Taylor spotlights a new book to be published next month that looks particularly good, Jerram Barrs' Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts, Taylor quotes Tim Keller's endorsement:
Echoes of Eden is the most accessible, readable, and yet theologically robust work on Christianity and the arts that you will be able to find. It is biblical, theologically sound, filled with examples, and edifying. It anticipates and answers well all the most common questions that evangelical people ask about the arts. I highly recommend it.
Here is the table of contents:
1 God and Humans as Creative Artists
2 Imitation, the Heart of the Christian’s Approach to Creativity
3 Building a Christian Understanding of the Artist’s Calling
4 How Do We Judge the Arts?
5 Echoes of Eden: God’s Testimony to the Truth
6 The Conversion of C. S. Lewis and Echoes of Eden in His Life
7 Echoes of Eden in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings
8 Harry Potter and the Triumph of Self-Sacrificing Love
9 Shakespeare and a Christian Worldview
10 Jane Austen, Novelist of the Human Heart
Me: I'm thinking this book will be pure delight.
Wednesday, 03 April 2013 in Art, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Literature | Permalink | Comments (0)
Saturday, 09 March 2013 in Christian Mind | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found here:
Luc Ferry, A Brief History of Thought | "If you only read one, read this one."
Steven Smith, The Disenchantment of Secular Discourse
Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind
Andrew Delbanco, The Real American Dream: A Meditation on Hope
John Gray, Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals
Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (approximately the first 65 pages)
Nicholas Wolterstorff, Justice: Rights and Wrongs (pp. 324-362) | "Probably the most difficult reading."
Michael Sandel, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
Miroslav Volf, Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation
Me: I have no particular comment on this list since the only book I've read is Lesslie Newbigin's The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. But that book, along with several others he wrote, has played an important role in shaping the contours of my mind. Because of Newbigin's experience living and serving in India, when he returned to the UK later in life, he brought a rich worldview perspective that challenged and nourished the Western Christian mind in important ways.
As for the first book on Keller's list, A Brief History of Thought, about which he wrote "If you only read one, read this one,"Justin Taylor quotes him further:
This book right now is a terrific, fast way to get a handle on western culture because:
It’s a great survey of western thought—very few are available, especially from a non-Christian who is sympathetic to Christianity. All other books you buy will be less comprehensive. Though his expression of Christian doctrine is often garbled, Ferry has deep appreciation for Christianity, and when he describes how Christianity swept Greco-Roman paganism away as a cultural force, it is a remarkable, eye-opening account. It shows a) how complex and difficult it is to change culture, but b) how indeed culture does get changed. The shifts away from Christianity are also extremely interesting.
Thursday, 06 December 2012 in Books, Christian Mind, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
TimChallies tells a moving story: (HT: Justin Taylor)
Doug Nichols is a friend of mine through the Internet. He is the Founder and Director of Action International Ministries and in that role he travels all over the world promoting missions and evangelism. He emails me often and from all parts of the world with words of encouragement. He closes almost every email by saying, “Let me encourage you with this” and then shares a Scripture passage. I love it.
It was a long time ago, in the summer of 1966, that Doug was working for Operation Mobilization and was stationed in London during their big annual conference. He was assigned to the clean-up crew. One night at around 12:30 AM he was sweeping the steps at the conference center when an older gentleman approached him and asked if this was where the conference was being held. Doug said that it was, but that just about everyone had already gone to bed. This man was dressed very simply and had just a small bag with him. He said that he was attending the conference. Doug replied he would try to find him a place to sleep and led him to a room where about 50 people were bunked down on the floor. The older gentleman had nothing to sleep on, so Doug laid down some padding and a blanket and offered a towel for a pillow. The man said that would be just fine and that he appreciated it very much.
Doug asked the man if he had been able to eat dinner. It turns out that he hadn’t eaten since he had been travelling all day. Doug took him to the dining room but it was locked. He soon jimmied the lock and found some cornflakes and milk and bread and jam. As the man ate, the two began to talk. The man said that he and his wife had been working in Switzerland for several years, where he had a small ministry that served hippies and travellers. He spoke about his work and spoke about some of the people he had seen turn to Christ. When he finished eating, both men turned in for the night.
Doug woke up the next
morning only to find out that he was in big trouble. The conference
leaders came to him and said, “Don’t you know who it was that you put on
the floor last night? That’s Francis Schaeffer! He’s the speaker for
this conference! We had a whole room set aside for him!”
Doug had no idea that he was sleeping on the floor next to a celebrity, that he had told a man to sleep on the floor who had a profoundly important ministry. He had no idea that this man had helped shape the Christian church of that day, and really, the church of our day. And Schaeffer never let on. In humility he had accepted his lot and been grateful for it.
That is just a tiny little glimpse into a man’s life. Francis Schaeffer lived for 72 years and this little story consumed less than half of one of the 26,000 days of his life. But it tells you a lot about the man. I think it tells you as much about the man as his public ministry does. A book may proclaim that he is brilliant, but a story like this proclaims that he is humble. A speech in front of thousands may proclaim that he is a great philosopher, but the story tells us that that he is godly. There is so much we can learn about a person from those little otherwise-forgotten moments. It’s not only the great things a person does that make the man, but the small things.
When Doug tells the story he offers an application that has helped him. Not many of us can have the intellect of Francis Schaeffer; not many of us will ever have his abilities or his wisdom. But what we can do is reach out to others and minister to them with godly humility.
Me: I love this story. Years ago I met Doug Nichols. He's authentic and humble, too. I know OM life, and can imagine the setting of this story. As for Francis Schaeffer, like so many others, I owe him a huge personal debt. Encountering his person and works dramatically enlarged and deepened my own understanding of the Gospel and it's relevance to all of life. Schaeffer started a spiritual and intellectual revolution that changed the face of evangelicalism.
Justin Taylor offers the following resources:
The year 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984). It is difficult to think of an evangelical figure in the 20th century who so seriously engaged the philosophies and ideologies of the secular world and set them over against the Christian worldview than Francis Schaeffer.
But Schaeffer was no ordinary evangelical. The man wore knickers and knee high socks when he lectured, sporting not only long hair but a goat’s-chin beard! Most importantly, Schaeffer did not fear man, but feared God. Not only did he engage secular worldviews, but he confronted his fellow evangelicals, even rebuking them for doctrinal concession and compromise.
As many have observed, it is not an overstatement to say that the Schaeffers transformed, reshaped, and in many ways reformed American evangelicalism. Those writing in this new issue of Credo Magazine are proof, each writer bearing testimony to how Francis Schaeffer has made a monumental impact on how we understand and articulate the Christian faith and life in the world of ideas. Contributors include Bruce Little, William Edgar, Bryan Follis, and Stephen Wellum, and many others.
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Wednesday, 05 December 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Wow. I'm astonished at the wealth of information available at the TGC National Women's Conference website. I heard only two talks online at the time of the conference last month, but now they are all available online either via Video or audio. Avail yourself (whether a man or a woman) of these outstanding speakers.
An added bonus is that some of the women speakers were asked what books had particularly influenced them. See the list of books here. Prepare to have a feast.
Saturday, 14 July 2012 in Audio and Video, Books, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Women | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Here's a wonderful listing of C.S. Lewis quotes, bibliographies, and articles about C.S. Lewis. How convenient and helpful! And speaking of C.S. Lewis, here's a site that gives us an audio recording of C.S. Lewis speaking over the BBC using the text that would later become part of Mere Christianity. The site also presents C.S. Lewis in his own voice reading the introduction to The Great Divorce.
Tilda Swinton played the White Witch in the latest movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In an interview she offers her perspective on how she sought to portray her character saying,
It's not always necessarily the most frightening thing for small children to be shouted at. Children shout and get hot themselves all the time, and in my experience it's actually a relief if you shout back at them. Whereas the thing that's really unfathomable for children is a kind of coldness and emotional detachment; that's the thing they don't do. So it occurred to me it would be more frightening to be faced with something really unaffectable. You can't affect the Witch; you can't appeal to her; she's incapable of any compassion. Someone who gets angry is emotional; I thought it would be fun to shake up that stereotype.
Note: I posted the above back on March 8, 2006. Jennifer, an alert reader, wrote me that the first link was broken. She supplied me with a link to the C.S. Lewis section of the Online University which I used as a replacement for the broken link. Anyone interested in C.S. Lewis will find an incredible wealth of material at the Online University website. Particularly astonishing to me is the availability of some of Lewis's full essays such as "Meditation in a Toolshed" (a must-read classic!!), "On the Reading of Old Books," "We Have No Right to Happiness" (posted on a Muslim Sunni website!), "De Descriptione Temporum," and a link to the additional following essays from God in the Dock: "Is Progress Possible? Willing Slaves of the Welfare State", "Man or Rabbit", "What are we to Make of Jesus Christ?" There are still many more essays available! Amazing!!
Saturday, 07 July 2012 in C. S. Lewis, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Theology | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
The full title of Stark's book is The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion (HarperOne). In presenting the book as World's Book of the Year, Marvin Olasky does an excellent job presenting sketches from the book.
[...] After Stark spends 200 pages on the triumph of Christianity, he turns to some defeats. The biggest ones came in the Middle East and across northern Africa, where Muslims murdered hundreds of thousands. Stark, quoting Muslim bragging about churches and lives destroyed, points out that "a great deal of nonsense has been written about Muslim tolerance." He calls the Crusades a "fundamentally defensive" counter-attack "precipitated by Islamic provocations, by many centuries of bloody attempts to colonize the West, and by sudden new attacks on Christian pilgrims and holy places."
Stark also criticizes other historians for being "as gullible as tourists, gaping at the monuments, palaces, and conspicuous consumption of Rome." He decries "the inability of intellectuals to value or even to notice the nuts and bolts of real life," and goes on to note medieval progress in windmills, crop rotation, chimneys, and a host of other practical matters.
He also calls "the Renaissance" a ridiculous myth: "Had there really been a return to classical knowledge, it would have created an era of cultural decline since Christian Europe had long since surpassed classical antiquity in nearly every way."
And yet, Stark mocks the idea of a medieval "Age of Faith," for "the masses of medieval Europeans not only were remarkably skeptical, but very lacking in all aspects of Christian commitment." Most people seldom if ever went to church, and some who did slept and snored, played cards while the pastor preached, or brought their dogs: "Most medieval Europeans were completely ignorant of the most basic Christian teachings," and many priests did not know the Lord's Prayer or other fundamentals. [more...]
Tuesday, 03 July 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Yesterday in conversation with a pastor friend from New York, we chatted about numerous topics, including the subject of Tim Keller, the justly well-known pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. I asked my friend if he knew that Tim Keller had spoken at Google headquarters in California on "The Reason for God." That surprised my friend. Keller's talk (below) is well-worth viewing. (Keller's book carries the same title, "The Reason for God," which I blogged about previously here).
I also mentioned to my friend that Tim had recently written a book, The Meaning of Marriage, and that Google had once again invited him to speak, but this time at their New York City headquarters. That talk can be viewed below.
More Tim Keller videos follow:
Monday, 02 July 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Faith and Reason (Apologetics), Marriage, Tim Keller | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The official title of the April, 2012 Wheaton Theology conference, was "Bonhoeffer, Christ, and Culture." Videos and mp3s of the presentations are available here.
A stunning Bonhoeffer quote I read years ago continues to challenge me:
“Nothing can be more cruel than the tenderness that consigns another to his sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe rebuke that calls a brother back from the path of sin.” - from Life Together
Tuesday, 26 June 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Here's a valuable 7 minute clip from Mark Dever, pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. on "Creating a culture of reading in your church" H/T Justin Taylor
I blogged about Mark Dever once before in a post titled, "The Best Sermon on Religion and Politics"
Saturday, 23 June 2012 in Christian Mind, Evangelism | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Chuck Colson resides up there with the top half-dozen or so men whom I respect most highly. I love the way his evangelistic passion was joined to a mind fully engaged with the streams of thought current in the world today. What a legacy he has left!
I value Emily Belz's tribute and her highlighting of Colson's accomplishments and thinking.
The Jewish columnist, Mona Charen, wrote:
"This is a deeply cynical country these days, and yes, there is much to be cynical about. But there are people who achieve moral greatness. And one just died today. RIP."
Justin Taylor writes:
Charles Wendell (“Chuck”) Colson went home to be with the Lord this afternoon (April 21, 2012). He was 80 years old.
The announcement is here. You can also read Sarah Pulliam Bailey’s obituary at CT.
Mr. Colson’s memoir Born Again was published in 1975. Earlier that year he had been released from a seven-month stint in federal prison after pleading guilty of obstructing justice in the Watergate investigation. He had converted to Christianity in 1973 after serving four years as Special Counsel for President Richard Nixon. C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity was pivotal in his spiritual repentance and awakening. The memoir was made into a 1978 film starring Dean Jones. In 2005 Jonathan Aitken—himself a former politician turned prison turned convert to Christianity turned author—penned an authorized biography, Charles W. Colson: A Life Redeemed (WaterBrook Press). On October 15, 2008, Mr. Colson gave his testimony at Columbia University during a Veritas Forum. It was entitled “How God Turned Around Nixon’s Hatchet Man,” and you can watch it below:
From Prison Fellowship "Remembering Chuck Colson":
Saturday, 21 April 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Heroes | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I was awakened this morning at 6:20 by my sister proclaiming with a shout: "Christ is risen!" I groggily replied, "He is risen indeed!" We had slept a bit late and had to hustle to get to the Easter morning sunrise service by 7:00 AM, but we made it! And with five minutes to spare! And what a glorious service it was! A young man, speaking from his wheel chair, spoke with power, conviction, and joy of the fact of Christ's resurrection and it's implications for us as individuals and the world. At the end he sang a solo, Stuart Townend's song, "See What a Morning!" I had not heard that song before, but love it, and feel confident it will become a classic. I've posted it below. Enjoy! And be encouraged! Let the message of Christ's resurrection ring out throughout the world!
Sunday, 08 April 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Easter & Holy Week, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Wintery Knight, whose blog I cite frequently, has listed "the lectures that made me who I am today." WK is a man with many interests, and Christian apologetics heads the list. If he recommends these lectures, I have no doubt they are well worth listening to (or viewing). He lists each man's educational achievements on his post.
Dr. J.P. Moreland
Dr. Walter L. Bradley
Dr. Philip E. Johnson
Dr. Douglas Geivett
Dr. William Lane Craig
Tuesday, 27 March 2012 in Christian Mind, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
I came upon David Brooks' article "When the Good Do Bad" via Charles Colson's Breakpoint article, "The Line Between Good and Evil." Both articles ponder the tragedy of Staff Sargent Robert Bales, the U.S. soldier who allegedly murdered 16 Afghan civilians, including women and children.
Both meditations are worth reading. In their own way, they make similar points. From Colson's article, I appreciated his recounting Alexandr Solzhenitsyn's profoundly true observation:
“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart.”
And,
“This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. Even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained; and even in the best of all hearts, there remains a small corner of evil.”
This is the extraordinary insight germane to the Christian understanding of reality and the human heart. David Brooks understands and accepts this perspective. He begins his article saying,
Continue reading "DAVID BROOKS - THE KILLER THAT IS INSIDE EACH OF US" »
Saturday, 24 March 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Sin, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
IMPORTANT: Anyone concerned about American cultural degeneracy will want to listen to Rabbi Lapin's insightful explanation of the "Baal force" that has exerted such a powerful negative thrust on the land in the past few decades. Baal influence is as strong today as ever in history. It is "enormously seductive" Lapin says. It involves yielding to our lower natures, to bodily appetites, to darkness and hopelessness.
I saw this program back in early February when Glenn Beck was still on TV and said to myself, "I need to put this material on my blog." I urge you to carve out time to watch the following video segments. It will put a lot of things into perspective.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Rabbi Lapin's conclusion was extraordinary, wasn't it? He said the only hope for defeating this destructive force is Evangelical Christianity (with other Judeo-Christian religious systems thrown in as well).
Update: Rabbi Lapin spoke in one of the segments above on the Baal emphasis on human waste. Gateway Pundit published a news report today on Wall Street protestors caught on tape dumping tubs of feces down a bank stairwell and in a bank lobby.
Thursday, 22 March 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Christian Worldview, Judaism | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Wintery Knight posted this helpful conversation about faith and reason with one of the world's foremost Christian apologists.
You can get an MP3 of the lecture here. (33 MB) For more information on William Lane Craig: http://reasonablefaith.org
Wintery Knight helpfully offers a helpful guide to the conversation:
Questions from the interviewer: (40 minutes)
There is also a long period of questions, many of them hostile, from the audience of students (55 minutes).
Wintery Knight has more to say, including the following:
If you are looking for a good basic book on apologetics, then I would choose “Is God Just a Human Invention?” by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. And you can even be part of a reading group that Brian Auten of Apologetics 315 just announced, that I will be participating in. We will all be reading the book together, chapter by chapter, and lots of people will be available to answer your questions.
Note: See my previous post, William Lane Craig's Remarkable Wife
See also my previous posts on "faith and reason" here.
Monday, 19 March 2012 in Christian Mind, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Ted Schroeder, in a devotional piece for Lent titled "The Tears of God," explores the profound mystery of God suffering on the cross, which reality sustains and inspires us in coming to terms with our own suffering. Schroeder writes:
During Lent I am going to reflect on portions of the four Psalms that Handel uses in Messiah. Psalm 22:7,8 is used to describe the religious leaders' ridicule of Jesus during his agony on the Cross as quoted in the Gospels.
"All they that see him laugh him to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying: 'He trusted in God that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he delights in him.'"
"Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.' In the same way the chief priests and teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 'He saved others,' they said, 'but he cannot save himself. He's the King of Israel. Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matt.27:39-44)
They saw suffering and God as incompatible. If Jesus were God he would not be suffering an ignominious death. His claims to be the divine Son are shown to be false by his crucifixion. Is this true? It provokes us to consider the relationship between Christian faith and suffering.
As a teenager Ted Turner was religious and decided he was going to become a missionary. His twelve year old sister contracted systemic lupus. Ted tried to comfort her and prayed for her recovery. After years of misery she succumbed to the disease. Ted lost his faith. "I was taught that God was love and God was powerful, and I couldn't understand how someone so innocent should be made or allowed to suffer so." (Ken Auletta, The New Yorker, 23 April, 2001)
Continue reading "TED SCHROEDER - GOD'S SUFFERING AND OURS " »
Saturday, 25 February 2012 in Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Suffering | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
If news reports are accurate (which I reported a short while ago), Iranian Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's captors are forcing him to read Muslim arguments against Christianity to try and persuade him to convert or else he will be hanged! (Nice, friendly people, these Muslims: "Renounce Christianity! Convert or die!")
Hopefully, Pastor Nadarkhani is well armed against the myriad falsehoods, misrepresentations, and ignorance that characterizes most Muslim argumentation. An example of a person who faced the question, "Islam or Christianity?" is Nabeel Qureshi. He recounts his story in "An Intellectual and Spiritual Journey from Islam to Christianity." He writes:
Continue reading "ISLAM'S CREDIBILITY PALES COMPARED TO CHRISTIANITY" »
Saturday, 05 November 2011 in Christian Mind, Faith and Reason (Apologetics), Islam, World Religions Compared | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Justion Taylor interviewed Dr Peter J. Williams, Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge, the premiere research library for biblical studies. Biblical scholarship doesn't usually rank high on the priority list of most lay persons, but its worth is utterly important. Williams points out:
Christians accept that it may take vast sums of money to train a soldier or a doctor, and yet sometimes we are unwilling to accept that, if we want Bible scholars as well trained as our medical specialists, it is also going to involve serious investment. Investing in Christian scholarship is a long-term strategy and will usually seem less appealing than more obvious and apparently pressing needs. However, if the church does not have robust scholarship then it will be highly vulnerable to false ideas.
Williams' suggestion for mature charitable giving makes sense:
Evangelicals need to divide up their giving in sensible proportions, giving some to urgent and immediate causes, but also making adequate provision for ministries that tend only to yield fruit in the longer term.
Friday, 15 July 2011 in Biblical studies, Christian Mind, Education | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
It's only been recently that I've become aware of the new scholarly fascination with tracing the neglected African roots of Western Christianity. Thomas Oden wrote in 2007 How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind and has a new book in press, The African Memory of Mark: Reassessing Early Church Tradition. Last fall Inter-Varsity Press conducted a fascinating interview with Oden. More information, he says, is available at www.earlyafricanchristianity.com
In his five-star review of How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind," Amazon reviewer C. Stephens wrote:
Thomas Oden writes, "Christianity would not have its present vitality in the Two-Thirds World without the intellectual understandings that developed in Africa between 50 and 500 C.E. The pretense of studying church history while ignoring African church history is implausible." (10) Yet, in his book "How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind," Oden purports that for centuries Western intellectuals have in fact ignored or downplayed the momentous contributions of African Christians to church history and theology. According to Oden, today's Christian mind has its roots in the writings and teachings of the early church leaders from Africa, in the struggles of the early church martyrs from Africa, in the lives of the desert Fathers of Africa, and in the early Christians who fled Africa taking their faith throughout the Mediterranean cities. Oden suggests that it is critical for contemporary African Christianity to learn of its prestigious heritage--to learn that Christianity is a vital, traditional African faith rather than a foreign imposition.
He writes, "The profound ways African teachers have shaped world Christianity have never been adequately studied or acknowledged, either in the Global North or South." (9) This is a story that Oden believes needs to be told throughout African villages and cities and must especially reach the African child. He believes it is a story best told fully by young African scholars. The story of African Christianity conveys extraordinary faith, courage, tenacity and intellect that must serve as inspiration and guides not only for African Christianity but for universal Christianity today.
Continue reading "AFRICA'S ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY" »
Saturday, 02 July 2011 in Africa, Christian Mind, Theology, World Christianity | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I have appreciated J.P. Moreland for a long time. Wintery Knight linked to this audio of Moreland's talk at Texas A & M on December 31, 1995. The Veritas Forum website describes his talk this way:
Dr. Moreland makes it plain that this talk is for Christians. Contending that the Church is now in one of the most anti-intellectual periods in history, Moreland draws a stark picture of how Christians' neglect of intellectual pursuits has hurt missions, Christian discipleship, and the very cause of the gospel. Moreland traces the historical path that has brought about this current problem, discusses its implications for today, and provides biblical injunctions and practical solutions for a way out of this serious problem for the Church.
Moreland's talk is timeless. See also his important book, "Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Mind." When I read the book several years ago, it had a profound effect on me.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011 in Christian Mind | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Before beginning his interview with Brian Auten, Lee Strobel introduces "Apologetics 315" by saying: (HT: Wintery Knight)
Apologetics 315 features a terrific compilation of material for Christians to equip themselves to better define and defend the faith. It’s full of links to resources dealing with every imaginable area of apologetics. As a regular reader of the site, I became curious what its creator, Brian Auten, thinks about the current state of apologetics around the world—and he was willing to share his insights by answering a few questions.
Strobel then asks Auten:
• Every year, the U.S. president gives a “State of the Union” address to Congress. What’s your assessment of the “State of Apologetics” today?
The “state of apologetics” today should encourage us. Not only has there been a large proliferation of publishing on both the academic and popular levels, there is a growing online presence of apologetics resources and ministries. Within the last five years the number of apologetics websites, blogs, and podcasts has increased dramatically. We have now reached the point where anyone with an Internet connect has access to more resources for defending the faith than any time in the past.
In addition, seminaries across the U.S. are offering more courses in apologetics, with some featuring Masters of Arts in Apologetics, such as Biola, Southern Evangelical, and Liberty University.
At this point I will pick and choose a few questions and answers but you really need to read the whole interview.
• What websites do you find helpful for apologetics?
For apologetics resources that are great for the layman, www.PleaseConvinceMe.com is a great place to go for material in the form of both articles and podcasts. Stand to Reason is another great resource. I also appreciate www.BeThinking.org for a lot of good audio resources, as well as articles. Finally, William Lane Craig’s website, www.ReasonableFaith.org, is a good place for scholarly work in the areas of philosophy and classical apologetics
• Who are your favorite contemporary apologists and why?
Apologists who have an attitude of Christlikeness in their tone and character—along with demonstrating wisdom and integrity—really earn respect from me and make me want to learn from them and emulate those characteristics. Although I could mention a large number who have had an impact on me, let me just share three who I find to be good examples.
William Lane Craig is among my favorites, not only for his intellectual clarity and brilliance, but also for his humility, tone, and consistency. On a scholarly level, he is certainly worthy of much respect, but I wouldn’t place that above his personal manner, carefulness in properly representing views, and being a faithful teacher in the local church.
Ken Samples is another favorite. One will immediately notice his love of learning coupled with a humble tone. He has a clear, careful, and charitable style. Ken is both extremely knowledgeable and a great communicator.
I would also point to pastors like Tim Keller (New York) or David Robertson (Scotland) as examples of pastors who are excellent apologists. They both have been engaged on the front lines with contemporary issues for quite some time, they have a broad knowledge base, and they communicate warmly and effectively with a wide variety of audiences.
I close with a final quote:
Certainly my favorite part of Apologetics 315 is the apologist interviews. These are a chance to interact and gain insights from some of the best Christian thinkers today. Past guests have included William Lane Craig, Gary Habermas, J.P. Moreland, Frank Turek, Paul Copan, Michael Licona, Greg Koukl, Sean McDowell, Craig Hazen, Douglas Groothuis, and many more.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I'm grateful to JustinTaylor for the post and the link:
R. Albert Mohler, Jr. Mark Driscoll, David Helm, Don Carson, and Ligon Duncan
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David Powlison
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Thabiti Anyabwile
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Nancy Guthrie
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Kathleen B. Nielson
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Jenny Salt
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Ray Ortlund Jr.
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Colin Smith
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Russell Moore and Voddie Baucham
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Tim Savage
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Eric Mason
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Bob Doll
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Craig Dyer and Alistair Begg
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ROUND 2
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Tim Keller, Crawford Loritts, and Mark Dever
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C. J. Mahaney
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Stephen Um and Julius Kim
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Juan Sanchez
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Josh Harris
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Sandy Willson
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Mary Kassian
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Kathleen B. Nielson
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Gary Inrig
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John Mahaffey
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K. Edward Copeland
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Keith and Kristyn Getty
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ROUND 3
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Mark Driscoll
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Tony Payne and Colin Marshall
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Scotty Smith
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Mary Kassian
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Paige Benton Brown
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Jenny Salt
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Stephen Um and Richard Lints
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Erwin Lutzer
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Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert
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Keith and Kristyn Getty
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Michael Oh
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Randy Newman
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Kent Hughes
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Tuesday, 17 May 2011 in Audio and Video, Biblical studies, Christian Mind, Christian Spirituality, Religion, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
* CONSIDER HIM *
Does persecution bite;
does fear consume your night?
Consider him.
Does tribulation strain;
does mocking sore inflame?
Consider him.
Consider him who crown of thorns did humbly wear; [Scripture: see end note 1]
Despised, rejected, spat on, was stripped bare; [2]
Unrecognised, object of scorn, Unfair! [3]
Consider him. (Hebrews 12:3)
Can those who hate you strike;
take jobs, possessions, life?
Consider him.
Can government forsake;
injustice overtake?
Consider him.
Consider him who bore the blows and took the lash; [4]
Falsely accused, betrayed, abused in purple sash; [5]
At Golgotha, nailed to a cross, with Satan clashed; [6]
Consider him. (Hebrews 12:3)
Does righteousness take fright;
does hope fade out of sight?
Consider him.
Does fear grip heart and head;
strike hands and knees like lead?
Consider him.
Consider him who with his gaze on heaven's home; (Hebrews 12:2)
Endured the cross, despised the shame for promised throne; (Hebrews 12:2)
Consumed with love, propelled by faith alone; (Hebrews 12:2)
Consider him. (Hebrews 12:3)
When evil seems supreme,
and rest seems like a dream;
Consider him.
When enemies grow bold,
when shrouds seem to enfold;
Consider him.
Consider him whose violent death bruised serpent's head; [7]
Who third day, shroud removed, rose from the dead; [8]
Arisen, King of Love victorious, as he said; [9]
Consider him! (Hebrews 12:3)
'. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to
Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of
the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility
against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.' (Hebrews
12:1c-3 ESV)
Scripture References:
1 Mark 15:16-20
2 Isaiah 53:3; Matt 27:28-30; Psalm 22:18
3 John 1:11; Luke 22:63-65; Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:9
4 Matt 26:67; 27:26
5 Matt 26:59-60; Luke 22:47-48; John 19:2,5
6 John 19:16-18; Matt 27:39-44; Heb 13:12
7 Gen 3:15; Col 2:13-15; Rev 5:6-14
8 John 20; Isaiah 25:7,8
9 Matt 12:40; 16:21; 17:22,23; John 2:18-22
Saturday, 23 April 2011 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview, Easter & Holy Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
So says Wintery Knight, whose judgment I respect.
Monday, 24 January 2011 in Christian Mind, Faith and Reason (Apologetics) | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Mohler does a good job laying out our calling as disciples of Christ and the integral relationship that exists between mind and heart. He writes: (my bolding)
. . . Christianity is a comprehensive worldview and way of life that grows out of Christian reflection on the Bible and the unfolding plan of God revealed in the unity of the Scriptures. . .
Christianity brings the world a distinctive understanding of time, history, and the meaning of life. The Christian worldview contributes an understanding of the universe and all it contains that points us far beyond mere materialism and frees us from the intellectual imprisonment of naturalism. Christians understand that the world-including the material world-is dignified by the very fact that God has created it. At the same time, we understand that we are to be stewards of this creation and are not to worship what God has made. We understand that every single human being is made in the image of God and that God is the Lord of life at every stage of human development. We honor the sanctity of human life because we worship the Creator. From the Bible, we draw the essential insight that God takes delight in the ethnic and racial diversity of his human creatures, and so must we.
Continue reading "ALBERT MOHLER - A FAILURE OF CHRISTIAN THINKING IS A FAILURE OF DISCIPLESHIP" »
Monday, 24 January 2011 in Christian Mind, Christian Worldview | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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