Study Guide Edition of Total Truth Hits Bookstores (09/24/05 - 0 Comments)
I received the following news from Nancy Pearcey. I have had opportunity to browse through the Study Guide Edition of Total Truth and it looks great. I will have a thorough review of it next month.
World Journalism Institute is happy to announce that the study guide edition of Total Truth:Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity is now in bookstores. Total Truth is an award-winning book on Christian worldview by Nancy Pearcey, WJI's Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar.
Sunday Ramblings (01/09/05 - 0 Comments)
So much to talk about and so little time. First off, if you have not yet entered the draw for a free, autographed, hardcover copy of Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, you really ought to do it. She wrote me yesterday to say that the books have been signed and sent to me. The contest will be wrapping up on the 15th of January with two prizes being awarded based on a random drawing. You can read the complete rules and smallish print here (, including how you can increase your chances of winning). I am nearly finished reading this book and I believe it will be, for many people, a life-changing (or at the least a life-altering) book. It has challenged me time and time again. And incidentally, I have arranged a great prize for the next draw, so be sure to check back after the 15th to learn about that one.
The Evangelical Outpost is having a First Quarterly Symposium with the topic being Is Americanism the Successor of Puritanism? He is accepting articles until Tuesday with three prizes being awarded. As one might expect, I have something to say about this issue and intend to write an article about it tomorrow. I think as a Canadian whose family has emigrated to the United States, I will have an interesting perspective on Americanism and anti-Americanism.
Headlines (December 24) (12/24/04 - 0 Comments)
I thought for today, just to be different, I would grab headlines only from other blogs.
Canada's Homosexual Marriage Ruling - My friend Leslie, who is a lawyer, decided to tackle the Canadian Supreme Court's "opinion" on homosexual marriage. With her legal mind she can read out of the document things that most of us probably missed altogether. Part one of her analysis is here with part two coming later.
The Apologist's Verse - Every apologist knows 1 Peter 3:15 which reads (in the NASB), "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always [being] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;"...
Headlines (December 23) (12/23/04 - 0 Comments)
The Tiniest Baby - No baby as tiny as 8.6 ounces had ever survived before Rumaisa Rahman was born Sept. 19. Rumaisa was delivered by Caesarean section, along with her twin sister, at just 26 weeks. Remarkably, she was free of collapsed lungs, pneumonia and other complications usually associated with such an extremely premature birth. If she survives, and at this point it is likely that she will, she will be the smallest baby in history who has done so. Rumaisa is expected to go home to Hanover Park during the first week of January. Her fraternal sister, Hiba, is scheduled to go home next week. You can read the story here.
Snow Day - We are in the midst of a major snowstorm here. I took a peek outside and it seems we have already had a good 10 or 15 centimeters of snow and are expecting at least that amount again by this afternoon.
Headlines (December 22) (12/22/04 - 0 Comments)
'Tis The Season To Be Surveyed - A national survey of 1100 physicians conducted by HCD Research and the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies of The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City has found that 74% of doctors believe that miracles have occured in the past and 73% believe they can still occur today. Physicians surveyed crossed all religious and denominational boundaries. "The picture that emerges is one where doctors, although presumably more highly educated than their average patient, are not necessarily more secular or radically different in religious outlook than the public, stated Dr. Alan Mittleman, Director of The Finkelstein Institute." They survey also found that over half regulary attend worship surveys and nearly half believe that prayer is very important to their lives. I have to wonder if these statistics are too vastly different from any cross-section of the American population. You can find more about it here.
What Makes Google Tick? - Every time we need to do a search we just know that Google will be there, waiting patienty to comb the Internet on our behalf. But of course behind that simple, plain little page is some of the most incredible technology known to man...
Headlines (December 21) (12/21/04 - 0 Comments)
News Trends of 2004 - James Jewell, author of the Rooftop Blog has compiled a list of what he considers to be the top news trends among Christians of this past year. It begins with and obvious and most-contentious one - The Passion of the Christ - and closes with another that has generated its share of controversy this year - the faith of George W Bush. Here is his complete list:
- The Passion of the Christ: The Movie
- Islam’s War on Christianity
- Evangelical Political Muscle
- Same-Sex Marriage Set-backs
- Crisis in Catholicism
- Mainstreaming of Christian Books
- New Media Sources for Conservative Christians
- DeChristmasizing of America
- The Ideological Alignment of the Church
- The Personal Faith and Integrity of President Bush
You can read about how he came up with this list as well as an explanation of each headline by reading the article.
Basilica Bar - St Peter's Basilica now has its own rooftop coffee bar. Though it opened several months ago, its existence has only just become public. "Located on the terrace at the base of the cupola designed by Michelangelo, it commands a breathtaking view of St Peter's Square all the way to the Tiber River and beyond.
Headlines (December 20) (12/20/04 - 0 Comments)
47 Years For Reading The Bible - That is the very unlikely worst-case scenario for some protestors at a gay pride event in Philadelphia. Four people were arrested for reading the Bible out loud at the event, focusing, of course, on passages that condemn homosexuality. After homosexual activists became irate, city officials told the protestors to move. "City officials told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the video did not show the start of the confrontation, when they said Marcavage tried to interrupt an onstage performance with his preaching and then disobeyed a police order to move to the perimeter of the "block party" to avoid the potential for violence..."They were not prohibited from preaching," said Karen Brancheau, a lawyer for the district attorney's office. "A reasonable request was made to prevent a situation from becoming dangerous to their own safety, as well as the safety of the participants."" The four protestors face several charges - criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation and riot and five misdemeanor charges. It's hard to know how to react to this. The protestors should have obeyed the officials who told them to move. Then again, it is a scary thought that they could face serious charges based on reading the Scriptures. You can get the story here.
Low Carb Craze Over? - It seems that the low-carb craze as popularized by Robert Atkins may be coming to an end. Thankfully. In February of 2004 9.1 percent of Americans were on a low-carb diet, but by November that number is down to 4.9 percent...
Headlines (December 18) (12/18/04 - 0 Comments)
Shootout At The Crystal Corral - On Thursday an employee of the Crystal Cathedral, home of heretic Robert Schuller, opened fire inside the Cathedral before barricading himself in a bathroom. Police officials attempting to talk him into surrendering, but he eventually shot himself, ending the holdout. There were no other casualties. The man was apparently known for exhibiting self-destructive behavior. "The 78-year-old Schuller, who was at home when the shooting occurred, came to the command post police set up near the cathedral and taped a personal message for the man, with whom he is acquainted. Police did not have the chance to play the message from Schuller or another message from the man's wife, but they did play him a message from a friend who had successfully intervened in past cases where the man had become despondent, Prince said." You can read more here.
Mother Murdered, Baby Stolen - Here is one from the sicko files. Some depraived individual murdered a pregnant woman, cut the baby from her stomach and kidnapped the child. A few hours later police found a child they believe is the one who was kidnapped and they are awaiting DNA identification.
Headlines (December 17) (12/17/04 - 0 Comments)
Historical Revisionism - There seems to be a movement out there that is trying to prove that just about every major historical figure was homosexual. The latest target, as you may know, is none other than Abraham Lincoln. C.A. Tripp, an associate professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York and a man who worked closely with Alfred Kinsey, is releasing a book next month entitled The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln in which he portrays Lincoln as being gay...as in homosexual. He has apparently gathered all sorts of data, ranging from the fact that Lincoln and his friend shared a bed for several years since both were quite poor, to the statement of his stepmother who said "he never took much interest in the girls." "I think that his homosexuality was not noticed by either his wife, or many of his friends, which is one reason why we are only finding out about it today," Baker said. Of course the more likely story is that never in history has anyone felt the need to defend other people's aberrant behavior by showing that "he did it too!" I hope there are people out there capable and willing enough defend such a great man as Lincoln.
Morgentaler: The Movie - Henry Morgentaler is Canada's foremost abortionist. Isn't that a title you would like to carry with you when you depart the earth and go to meet your Maker?
Headlines (December 16) (12/16/04 - 0 Comments)
Words of Wisdom - "What Is needed to-day is a Scriptural setting forth of the character of God-His absolute sovereignty, His ineffable holiness, His Inflexible justice, His unchanging veracity. What Is needed to-day Is a Scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man-his total depravity, his spiritual insensibility, his inveterate hostility to God, the fact that he is "condemned already" and that the wrath of a sin-hating God is even now abiding upon him. What is needed to-day is a Scriptural setting forth of the alarming danger in which sinners are-the Indescribably awful doom which awaits them, the fact that if they follow only a little further their present course they shall most certainly suffer the due reward of their iniquities. What is needed to-day is a Scriptural setting forth of the nature of that punishment which awaits the lost-the awfulness of it, the hopelessness of it, the unendurableness of it, the endlessness of it. It is because of these convictions that by pen as well as by voice we are seeking to raise the alarm." (A.W. PINK)
Free MP3's - Eb+Flo music is offering some of their MP3's free on their web site. They include songs by Phil Keaggy, Sandra McCracken & Derek Webb, Kenny Meeks and Steven Delopoulos.
Headlines (December 15) (12/15/04 - 0 Comments)
Sailor Refuses To Doff Hat - How's that for a headline? The Canadian military has decided that it cannot force atheists to remove their hats in ceremonies that honor God. Lieutenant (this is Canada and for some reason in the Canadian military it is pronounced LEF-tenant rather than LOO-tenant) Darryl Scott, an atheist, refused to remove his hat while his unit's chaplain recited a prayer at a military parade. While "Obedience to lawful orders is essential to maintaining necessary discipline in the military," the court ruled that in this case there was no clear military purpose in forcing the solider to remove his hat. I assume that what most people find most shocking about this article is that Canada does, indeed, have a military. You can read more here.
Can't Buy Happiness - Weird Al once penned the words "if money can't buy happiness, then I guess I'll have to rent it." I'm not so sure either one is a viable option. Two years ago Jack Whittaker won the largest undivided jackpot in American history, an astounding $314.9 million, though he elected to take his winnings in one $113 million lump sum payment (after taxes).
Headlines (December 14) (12/14/04 - 0 Comments)
Peterson Gets Death - Scott Peterson, having already been found guilty of the murder of his wife and unborn child, has now been sentenced to die. "...To hear the jurors tell it, Peterson's apparent lack of emotion, from the day his wife disappeared through the last day of testimony two years later, was the final piece that doomed him." The man tried to force some fake tears every now and then, but clearly this was not a grieving husband and father, but a man who had taken the lives of his own wife and child. While the defense tried to cast doubt on the evidence, in the end it was only too clear that Peterson was guilty as charged. Like many, I rejoice to see justice being done, though because of appeals it will probably be 15 or 20 years before he is finally given that lethal injection. May God have mercy on him between now and then, that he may know his sin and come to know the Savior.
The Vanishing Word - I know nothing about the author of the book by that title, but the description sounds most interesting. "Is image everything? For many people in our culture, image and images are everything...
Headlines (December 13) (12/13/04 - 0 Comments)
Biographies - I have been updating my Amazon wishlist (link will take you to my Reading List site, not Amazon) and am looking for some suggestions on good biographies of great Christians. In particular I would like a biography of Calvin and one of Luther since I really don't know about those men the way I feel I should. I have books listed on Wesley, Spurgeon, Edwards and Lloyd-Jones (all written by Iain Murray) but would like some other suggestions. So please pass along suggestions of biographies or any other books I really need to read and I'll add them to the list.
The Two Mannings - While Peyton Manning was inching closer to one of the most coveted records in football, the single season passing touchdown record, his little brother was having a career game. Career-worst game, that is. Eli's season is almost enough to make one believe in karma. After refusing to play for the team that drafted him, all the while sulking like a little child, he got the chance to start for the Giants...
Headlines (December 11) (12/11/04 - 0 Comments)
The Beginning of the End - With the emergence of Personal Video Recorders and other similar devices, we may be at the beginning of the end of the commercials we see on television. So many people simply skip over commercials now that many companies are beginning to re-evaluate how they advertise on television. Product placements are becoming a standard part of almost every show these days, especially on "reality" shows. The latest idea is to...
Headlines (December 10) (12/10/04 - 0 Comments)
Gay Marriage Update - Last night Canadians were indundated with pictures of gay men hugging and kissing and celebrating as they heard the news that the Supreme Court, as expected, had allowed a law move forward that will legalize gay marriage across the country. "The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday that Ottawa has sole authority to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, but that religious officials can't be forced to perform weddings against their...
Headlines (December 9) (12/09/04 - 0 Comments)
A Bit Late - I'm running a bit late this morning. I went to a Switchfoot concert last night and didn't get back until pretty late (late for me, anyways). It was another great show, probably better than the first two times I saw them this year. There are some bands that play and put on an enjoyable shows while there are others that just take over the stage and really take over the entire auditorium. Switchfoot falls squarely into the latter category. They put on a great show and are a lot of fun to watch and listen to. They played a couple of new tracks from their upcoming album and both songs were exceptionally good, so I'm holding out high hopes for the new album, which I believe is due in May of 2005.
Headlines (December 8) (12/08/04 - 0 Comments)
More About Newsweek - The Newsweek article about the Christian origins of Christmas is creating a lot of buzz among believers. James White has promised to discuss some of it in detail in upcoming Dividing Line broadcasts. Jason Engwer of New Testament Research Ministries has a good response which is worth reading. As James White says, you'd better get the information you need to defend the biblical view before your old uncle Tim nails you on it over Christmas dinner.
Headlines (December 7) (12/07/04 - 0 Comments)
The Birth of Jesus - The current issue of Newsweek has a lengthy article about Jesus, subtitled From Mary to the manger, how the Gospels mix faith and history to tell the Christmas story and make the case for Christ. Among the interested tidbits in the article is this statement. "A NEWSWEEK Poll found that 84 percent of American adults consider themselves Christians, and 82 percent see Jesus as God or the son of God....
Headlines (December 6) (12/06/04 - 0 Comments)
'Defending the Faith' Conference - Answers in Genesis (AIG) is sponsoring the "Defending the Faith" winter conference at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference will be held from January 31 to February 2. Some of the speakers include Dr. D. James Kennedy, Joseph Pipa, R.C. Sproul Jr, and Ken Ham. Though something of a lost or dying discipline, apologetics is as important today as at any time in the history of...
Headlines (December 5) (12/05/04 - 0 Comments)
Lesbian Minister Defrocked - Like most Christians, I was happy to see the United Methodist Church enforce their rules about practicing homosexuals in ministry by Beth Stroud. Of course part of me wonders how much it really matters when that same denomination allows so many other violations of God's clear laws, but at least it seems to be a step in the right direction. The vote was close, with 7 people voting to defrock her...
