June 2005 Archive
Pope Benedict XVI on Sola Scriptura (06/30/05 - 0 Comments)
I recently found the following lengthy excerpt from the book Pilgrim Fellowship Of Faith: The Church As Communion by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (aka Pope Benedict XVI). There are a few typos in the text, but since I do not own this particular book I am unable to correct them. This represents the current pope's stance on Sola Scriptura, so while it takes a few minutes to read, it is important to digest.
From here until further notice you're reading the words of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.
Mid-Week Meanderings (06/29/05 - 0 Comments)
Adrian Warnock, who is one of the reviewers for the Diet of Bookworms book review program wants to begin reviewing commentaries. I told him that I in my opinion there would not be enough interest among readers of blogs. After all, the book review program only makes sense to publishers if the people reading the reviews are interested in the book. I thought a 352 page linguistic, literary, and theological commentary on the first four chapters of Genesis would not have popular appeal. He disagreed, so we decided to take it to a poll. You can vote at Adrian's site.
Let Me Ask You 'bout The Birds and the Bees... (06/29/05 - 0 Comments)
Today I come looking for answers. I trust that some of you lurking out there have some experience in this matter that you will be willing and able to share.
As you know, I lead a home church (small group Bible study) through my church. Not too long ago our discussion turned to our children and the proper time and place to address the birds and the bees with them. The children in our group range from nearly-teens to infants. None of us have yet had to see our children through their teenage years, though a couple of the families are getting very close.
Becoming Compassionate Truth-Tellers (06/28/05 - 0 Comments)
Canada is poised to become one of the most progressive countries in the world. Following in the footsteps of such avant-garde nations as Holland and Belgium, the Canadian government will, in all likelihood, legitimize homosexual marriage this evening. It will still take some time for the law to pass through the necessary channels, but Bill C-38, titled Law on Civil Marriage, is expected to clear the House of Parliament tonight. After that it awaits only the mere formality of passing through the Senate and being passed into law.
Challenges to the Church - Open Theism (06/27/05 - 0 Comments)
This is the first in a series of articles that will examine various doctrinal and societal challenges the evangelical church must face early in the 21st Century. Today we will look at the doctrine of open theism. Future articles will examine the Emerging Church, ecumenism, postmodernism, and a variety of other topics.
Open theism is a relatively new doctrine that has only gained popular prominence since 1994 with the release of the book The Openness of God which was written by five evangelical scholars and edited by Clark Pinnock. What began on the fringes of scholarship has quickly gained a popular following, in part because of the publication of entry-level titles such as Gregory Boyd's God of the Possible and in part because of the acceptance of the doctrine by various popular authors.
DVD Review - Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution 1 (06/26/05 - 0 Comments)
"[W]hat can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." So says the apostle Paul in the first chapter of his letter to the Romans. For the Christian, we see God's eternality and divinity displayed in all that He has made. We look at the world around us and know that design presupposes a Designer. But this is not clear to those who, by their worldview and their hatred of God, deny Him.
DVD Review - The Search for the Real Mt. Sinai (06/26/05 - 0 Comments)
Many years ago Ron Wyatt, an intrepid explorer, claimed to have found the real Mount Sinai, becoming one of many men to have made this claim. But this was only one of his many claims. He also claimed to have found Noah's Ark, chariot wheels from the Red Sea, The Ark of the Covenant, the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and even the hole into which Jesus' cross was placed. While Wyatt has largely been exposed as a fraud, some people continue to believe that he did find clues leading to the location of the mountain on which God gave His Law to Moses.
The End of Blogspotting? (06/25/05 - 0 Comments)
From Phil Johnson's blog (still flavor of the day (or month) in the blogosphere): "Another of those infamous BlogSpotting posts is on its way tomorrow. Could be the last one ever. Watch for details to come." And there was great rejoicing.
Now if we can get James White to stop trolling Catholic forums and posting lengthy responses to every ignorant schmuck that chooses to digitally voice his uninformed opinion, the Internet will be a significantly better place.
Book Review - Adventures in Holy Matrimony (06/25/05 - 0 Comments)
I am not a big fan of Relevant Magazine. In my mind it represents a flavor of Christianity that seeks to appeal to the world by being cool and hip. It's Christianity with frosted hair and all the right labels of clothing. So when I am asked to read a book published by Relevant I am a little bit apprehensive, which I will admit is probably not fair of me. Adventures in Holy Matrimony by Julie Anne Fidler asks the questions, "When happens when the storybook wedding is over? What happens when the white picket fence you dreamed of turns out to be not-so-white and just a little dangerous?" In other words, what happens when real life so rudely interrupts a storybook romance?
Who Gets Married at 2:30 on a Weekday? (06/24/05 - 0 Comments)
To answer that rhetorical question, my friend Francis and his soon-to-be-wife do. We will be heading off shortly to witness it. Francis is a good friend whom I have known since I was just a young lad. He and my brother have long been good friends as well. And as if getting married wasn't good enough, he also recently graduated from Westminster Seminary and will soon be seeking a call in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
Book Review - Praying Backwards (Don't Skip This Review) (06/24/05 - 0 Comments)
Not too long ago I began to pray that God would teach me to pray. A bit of an odd request, is it not? Obviously I already knew something about prayer if I was praying about it in the first place, but my concern was that despite my prayer habits, which are sometimes good and sometimes bad, I have often felt that I just don't really understand what prayer is all about. When I pray I've often wondered just what the point is. I've often wished that I was better at praying and that maybe God would answer a few more of my prayers if I just learned to pray like a Spurgeon or another great preacher of days gone by whose words to God can still stir hearts even today.
The Ultimate Review Site (06/23/05 - 0 Comments)
I would like you to help me out. I don't ask for much from the people who read this site, but you can help me out now by replying to this thread. If you think about the subject matter for a bit before replying it would be even more helpful!
As you may know from previous threads, I am working on a new site, tentatively (though this is less-tentative than before) called Christian Media Review.
The Christian Blogosphere Awards of Demerit (06/23/05 - 0 Comments)
Earlier this year, Eric over at Evangelical Underground presented the 1st Annual Evangelical Blog Awards. He gave recognition to some of the leading sites in the Christian blogosphere. Sadly, he did not recognize those bloggers who deserve demerit. That is what I intend to do today through the 1st Annual Christian Blogosphere Awards of Demerit. You can find the list of awards and winners right here, right now.
Challenges to the Church of the 21st Century (06/22/05 - 0 Comments)
I am considering writing a series of articles that will discuss some of the challenges facing the church in the 21st century. While I have written about many of these issues in past articles, I thought it might be interesting to address them in a more organized, coherent format. Generally I'd like to use a format similar to:
Challenge - Overview of the challenge to the church. Proponents - Where relevant, this would list the people who champion a doctrine that presents a challenge to the church.
Praying in the Spirit (06/22/05 - 0 Comments)
Have you ever stopped to consider just how strange prayer is? Have you considered the implications of the fact that we, through our prayers, have the ability to interact with the God who is sovereign over all of the universe? It is a profound thought that God even changes the future (so to speak) based on our prayers.
Of course God does not need our prayers to accomplish His will, does He? He could rule this universe perfectly well without any input from the beings He created to inhabit it.
Update on My Neighbour (06/22/05 - 0 Comments)
Last week I told you about my neighbour, who came to our door asking me to take him to the hospital, before collapsing and falling unconscious. Through the last week we have received occasional updates from his daughter. This morning there was a knock at the door and he stood there with a card and a box of chocolates. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and then he retreated indoors to spend time on the couch....
Book Review - Perimeters of Light: Biblical Boundaries for the Emerging Church (06/21/05 - 0 Comments)
Every person knows the difference between pure light and pure darkness. But what is harder to discern is where the light ends and the darkness begins. Where is the point where the light has ended and dark has overtaken? To take this question to a spiritual realm, when has a Christian left the edge of the light of truth and entered the darkness of error? It is this daunting question that Ed Stetzer and Elmer Towns seek to explore in Perimeters of Light: Biblical Boundaries for the Emerging Church.
An Eight-Part Music Test (06/20/05 - 0 Comments)
I received an interesting book from Moody last week. Entitled Perimeters of Light, the authors take on a daunting task. They seek to define some boundaries for the emerging church. Notice the lower-case "e" in "emerging," as they are not referring to the Emergent church but to what evangelical churches are becoming in the early 21st Century. The authors, Elmer Towns and Ed Stetzer are both Southern Baptists and both have ministry experience (though at this time Towns is dean of a school of religion and Stetzer directions the North American Mission Board Church Planting Center).
Fathers Day Miscellania (Updated) (06/19/05 - 0 Comments)
I had intended to post links to all of the great Father's Day posts in the blogosphere. Unfortunately there didn't seem to be as many as I had expected. So instead I want to post links leading to a few different articles.
UPDATE - JD Wetterling was kind enough to send me the link to his Father's Day tribute to his dad. It's just a wonderful piece of prose and pays homage to a man of God. Give it a read! You won't be sorry.
Book Review - City on a Hill (06/18/05 - 0 Comments)
I wonder if it has always been true that when people write about the church they write with sadness, lamenting what the church has become or is becoming. In our day we have the church growth advocates bemoaning the fact that not enough churches engage in full-scale marketing of their churches; we have the Emergent Church leaders lamenting the church's refusal to adapt to and engage with the changing culture; and we have conservatives calling us to return to the pillars of faith the church once held dear.
DVD Review - The Forbidden Book (06/18/05 - 0 Comments)
The Forbidden Book is a DVD presentation examining the history of the Word of God in English. It is hosted by Dr. Craig Lampe, a Bible historian and International Director of the World Bible Society. Dr. Lampe owns the Rare Bible Showroom in Arizona and holds a virtual monopoly over rare and antique Bibles. His collection even includes a 1410 Wycliffe Manuscript valued at just under $3 million. It is one of the rarest Bibles in the world. He has a Coverdale Bible, Great Bibles, sells leaves of the Geneva Bible, and, amazingly enough, leaves from the Gutenberg Bible - the first book ever published. If you happen to have one of these complete Bibles sitting in your attic, you should have it insured for about $100 million.
Book Review - Blink (06/17/05 - 0 Comments)
If I am going to continue to read Christian fiction (and it seems that I can't escape reading at least some of it) I am going to have to learn how to properly review the genre. How do I say enough about the book to provide the flavor without giving away the integral parts of the plot? And of more concern, how important is it that fiction be doctrinally strong? Do we want to learn from a novel, or do we view it merely as escapism - a few hours of amusement in which we are removed from the real world and are transported into the world of characters whose lives are far more interesting than ours? I'll work through those issues in due time, I suppose. In the meantime, let me tell you about Blink.
Book Review - Single Servings (06/17/05 - 0 Comments)
One thing that keeps book reviewing an interesting task is the sheer variety of the books I am privileged to read. In the past month I've read biographies, theology and devotionals. I've read about marketing the church, reclaiming the church and new ways of doing church. And now I've read about singlehood, admittedly a topic I know little about. Because my wife and I began dating when I was eighteen and we married when I was twenty-one, I have difficulty relating to the situations of men and women who find themselves single or single again in their late twenties, early thirties and beyond. Because of this I assumed that Single Servings would have little to offer me. But it turns out that I was wrong.
Postmodern Morality, Authority and Accountability (06/17/05 - 0 Comments)
In recent weeks I have read several books addressing Christian perspectives on our North American society. Postmodern culture is, as you well know, difficult to define and understand. In fact, postmodernism almost defies definition, as one of the basic tenets of the postmodern mindset is a removal of absolute standards, even when it comes to the meaning of words. Bear with me as I try to organize my thoughts on a particular issue.
Name That Site! (06/16/05 - 0 Comments)
I am plotting out a new web site that will deal with reviews of all types of Christian material - books (fiction and non-fiction, kids and adults), music, DVDs and just about anything else the Christian companies push out these days. It will be a little bit like the Diet of Bookworms but each product will have only one review instead of multiple reviews. I will be seeking out people to write reviews for it. I guess it will be a bit like a magazine or other publication in that regard.
Book Review - Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God (06/16/05 - 0 Comments)
My mother is one of several people I know who eschews all of the Christian Living type of books that dominate the Christian publishing industry. Apart from her Bible (the most beat-up, ink-covered, personalized Bible you'll ever see) and a few commentaries, she reads only biographies. She feels that by reading about the lives of great Christians of the past, she will learn far more than what most of the Christian Living books can teach her. She may just be right.
Francis Schaeffer: A Student's Appreciation of a Distinct Voice (06/15/05 - 0 Comments)
My friend Rick Pearcey asked if I would consider posting this article, which is an appreciation of the ministry of Francis Schaeffer, known primarily through the work of L'Abri Fellowship, begun this month 50 years ago. As you may know, both Rick and Nancy Pearcey were profoundly impacted by the Schaeffer's ministry. What you may not know is that Rick is formerly managing editor of the Capitol Hill weekly Human Events and that he served as primary editor of David Limbaugh's book Persecution. My parents, who have long been friends with the Pearceys, were likewise influenced by the Schaeffers, and spent almost a year studying at two of the L'Abri locations (Switzerland and England) when they were young and newly-married. So it is from a profound respect for the influence of Francis Schaeffer on those who have influenced me that it is my honor to post this article here, an article written to celebrate the 50th anniversary of L'Abri. From here on out you reading words written by Rick Pearcey.
It Would Have Been A Lot Different... (06/15/05 - 0 Comments)
An hour ago, just seconds after posting the article called "Arrows in the Hand of God" I heard the dog begin a frenzy of barking, which usually means there is someone at the door (the doorbell rings upstairs, I work downstairs and can't hear it). I assumed it was the FedEx guy bringing me the package I missed out on yesterday when I nipped out of the house at an inopportune moment. Opening the door I found my next-door neighbour standing there - an elderly man who lives with his daughter but is home alone during the day. He was clutching a couple of bottles of medication and holding a cloth over his mouth. He croaked in a voice that was only barely audible, "Take me...to...hospital." I called Aileen and turned to grab my wallet and keys. He began to sway on his feet and I could hear him wheezing and coughing. Aileen took one look at him and ran upstairs to call 911.
Arrows in the Hand of God (06/15/05 - 0 Comments)
"Rebel soldiers were starting at one end of a large room, taking women away one by one and bringing them back after they were finished with them. Helen's first impulse was to hide and not have to bear this humiliation again. Then she thought of Jesus. He put himself forward as a substitute for us. The fellowship of his sufferings - she moved to the front, to try to protect some of the other women from undergoing a new trauma they might possibly have escaped so far.
Diet of Bookworms is "Hiring" (06/15/05 - 0 Comments)
I put hiring in quotation marks because in this case, "hiring" carries only part of its standard meaning. While I do intend to bring someone aboard, I will not be able to pay that person (with money). The reason, of course, is that the site does not generate much cashflow at this time (nor do I ever foresee it doing so as that is not its purpose). However, the person will get all sorts of free books, which for some people is payment enough.
Homosexuality and the "Yuck Factor" (06/14/05 - 0 Comments)
In the forthcoming Sex and the Supremacy of Christ (read my review here), Al Mohler has written a chapter entitled "Homosexual Marriage as a Challenge to the Church: Biblical and Cultural Reflections." He provides seven principles that can serve as a framework for a Christian response to the issue of homosexual marriage. They are:
Book Review - Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church (06/14/05 - 0 Comments)
While much has been written about the Emerging Church (henceforth known as EC), D.A. Carson is, as far as I know, the first person to write a book-length treatment evaluating and leveling critiques at the movement. At any rate he is certainly the most widely-respected. And yes, I know the EC leaders prefer to call it a "conversation," but since Carson does not shy from calling it a movement, nor will I. In Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, subtitled "Understanding a Movement and its Implications," Carson seeks to introduce the movement, assess it, and address several of the most glaring weaknesses. There are few men who are better suited to this task. Carson is a scholar and is known for his conservative, biblical theology as much as for his sound research and presentation skills. All of those admirable attributes are displayed throughout this book.
Book Review - Sex and the Supremacy of Christ (06/13/05 - 0 Comments)
It is always big news when a new book is released under John Piper's name. Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, while listing Piper as a co-editor, contains only a few pages of Piper's writing, with the rest being written by eleven other authors. The book is divided into five parts and eleven chapters. Allow me to provide a brief overview of each of these.
The first part is entitled "God and Sex." The first two chapters comprise John Piper's contribution to the book. Piper asserts two weighty points.
June CD and Book Giveaway (06/13/05 - 0 Comments)
It is time once more for a giveaway. This month we're trying something new - we're giving away CDs along with a book. The CDs are from the Indelible Grace series, which feature such Christian Music stars as Derek Webb and Dan Haseltine (of Jars of Clay). The book is Twentysomeone written by Craig Dunham & Doug Serven.
As usual, I am indebted to my friend John at Monergismbooks for co-sponsoring this giveaway.
Sunday Ramblings (06/12/05 - 0 Comments)
Dan Edelen, because of his burning anger stemming from the article I wrote about Pyromarketing, has launched into a series about The Christian and the Business World. He is four or five articles into the series and so far so good.
I was only kidding about the burning anger. The truth is, he mentioned that he had written a lengthy response to the article but had waited long enough to post it that he felt it was no longer relevant. So I encouraged him to try again, and that is where this series has come from.
Book Review - Selling Out The Church (06/11/05 - 0 Comments)
Much has been written in recent years about marketing the church. Of all the books I've read, both for and against marketing the church, few have been as helpful or as biblical as Selling Out the Church. The authors set out to answer the question of whether the market-drive church can remain Christ's church. While many proponents of church marketing consider this debate to be over, the authors of this book consider it wide open. "We hope to enable a more robust debate about the wisdom of employing church marketing by articulating as clearly as we can what we take to be its dangers" (page 16). They ask the reader to consider this book "a contribution to what we hope is a churchwide conversation about the identity, character, and mission of the church, and more specifically about the wisdom of employing marketing thinking and practices in the service of that church" (page 17).
The Good Ol' Hockey Game (Wherein Tim Tries His Hand at Fiction) (06/10/05 - 0 Comments)
My apologies in advance for this awful display of fiction. It has been a long time since I wrote a story. I woke up at 4something this morning and wrote most of this before the sun came up. That's my excuse.
"Hey, Drew! What's happening?" That's Darryl talking. He's the guy who does second-level technical support in the office. If his lackeys can't get the job done, they call on him. He's the big gun. But he's known around the office primarily for being a hockey fan, and not just a guy who dabbles in the game either. This guy is hardcore. He has had season tickets for as long as he can remember, and those things aren't cheap in Toronto. He spends thousands of dollars every year and goes to every home game. If the Leafs are on the road, he's in his living room, watching the game. Sometimes he even travels to Buffalo or Ottawa to cheer on the team. Every year he buys a new team jersey. Not the imitations, mind you, but the genuine jersey endorsed by the team - the one with the draw strings and the little vents under the armpits. The ones that cost $350.
You Know You're A Newbie Blogger When... (06/10/05 - 0 Comments)
I'm jumping on a bandwagon. I've read a few of the "You Might Be A..." lists lately and have gotten a chuckle from them. Or some of them anyways. Jollyblogger tells us how to know you're a Presbyterian, Semper Reformada tells us 10 Reasons Why She's a Calvinist and Tim Irvin tells us that you may just be a BMAA Baptist if....
Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries (06/09/05 - 0 Comments)
Human Events, the conservative news magazine, asked a panel of fifteen conservative scholars and public policy leaders to compile a list of the ten most harmful books of the 19th and 20th centuries. "Each panelist nominated a number of titles and then voted on a ballot including all books nominated." A title received a score of 10 points for being listed No. 1 by one of the panelists, 9 points for being listed No. 2, and so on.
Here is the list:
Support A Monergisitic Brother (06/08/05 - 0 Comments)
John Hendryx, proprieter of that fine theological establishment, Monergism.com (and the associated bookstore, Monergismbooks.com has posted a plea for help. His employer has decided to outsource his job, which provides John the opportunity to make Monergism a full-time gig. But because the store is not yet paying the bills, he is asking for some financial assistance. He says, "It is our desire to make Monergism.com even better by focusing our vocation here, and feel the call of God to do so - this way we would have no need to go out to find an additional full time job. With your financial help this can become a reality. Therefore, I would ask that you prayerfully consider a monthly contribution to Mongergism.com. All material on Monergism.com is free, and your support can continue to make it possible for this site to remain a free resource to all."
