"Cuba is a stagnant, low-income, egalitarian country with good social services. If the bottom billion emulated Cuba, would this solve their problems? I think that the vast majority of the people living in the bottom billion---and indeed in Cuba---would see it as continued failure. To my mind, development is about giving hope to ordinary people that their children will live in a society that has caught up with the rest of the world. Take that hope away and the smart people will use their energies not to develop their society but to escape from it---as have a million Cubans." Paul Collier, … [Read more...] about Paul Collier on Poverty and Growth
Archives for September 2007
ESV Literary Study Bible
The father and son team of Leland Ryken, the Clyde S. Kilby professor of English at Wheaton College, and Philip Graham Ryken, senior minister at the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, have teamed up to produce the ESV Literary Study Bible. This newly released resource explores the Bible’s story lines, complex characters, historical settings, literary genres, motifs, theological themes, imagery, and important terms. The commentary (which accompanies the ESV text) focuses on the literary features of the Bible, as distinct from historical, cultural, or linguistic features. It … [Read more...] about ESV Literary Study Bible
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Putting Jesus in His Place
Robert Bowman and Ed Komoszewski are to be commended for writing a highly accessible defense of the deity of Christ entitled Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. As stated in the book's Introduction, the authors' purpose is not just to present the New Testament evidence for the deity of Jesus, but to equip us to remember the biblical witness, so that we can grasp its relevance for our lives as well as ably present it to others. To that end, they've organized their newly released book into five sections, employing the acronym HANDS: Honors, Attributes, Names, Deeds, … [Read more...] about Putting Jesus in His Place
CBMW Unveils New Website
The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has unveiled an impressive new website, with many easy-to-locate features, including an introductory essay entitled Summaries of the Egalitarian and Complementarian Positions on the Role of Women in the Home and in Christian Ministry by Dr. Bruce Ware. The archives for every past issue of The Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (dating back to 1995) are all available. There is also a gender blog containing posts on contemporary developments such as Emerson University's troubling decision to make restrooms gender-neutral to accommodate … [Read more...] about CBMW Unveils New Website
Ben Witherington Critiques Piper on Bridge Collapse
Discussion on the sovereignty of God over natural disasters has erupted numerous times on the blogosphere since the I-35 Bridge collapse at the end of July. Respected scholar Dr. Ben Witherington enters the fray with an argument that Piper's view makes God the author of sin: "Who is it that really wants to wreak havoc in human lives? Who is it that really seeks to destroy and devour all that is good, and true and beautiful about human life? Does the Bible really lay these sorts of things at the doorstep of God or not? Why is it that Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it … [Read more...] about Ben Witherington Critiques Piper on Bridge Collapse