Jon Shields, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Colorado, writes an excellent review of Arthur Brooks' Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth about Compassionate Conservatism in the latest issue of Books & Culture. I read parts of this book last year and found it very intriguing. The upshot of the book is that despite the stereotypes of "uncaring, tight-wad conservatives" and "bleeding-heart liberals" it is actually conservatives who are significantly more generous with both their time and money. Interestingly, those who advocate wealth distribution on the part … [Read more...] about A Scandal of the Secular Conscience?
Newsweek Profiles Tim Keller
Calling him "The Smart Shepherd," Lisa Miller profiles Pastor Tim Keller, whose recent book The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism hits bookstores everywhere this week. Excerpt: Keller started Redeemer 17 years ago in a small rented church on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Now he preaches five times on Sundays, shuttling between three different rented venues and reaching more than 5,000 people each week (5,000 also download his sermon online). A recent sermon is taken from the Book of Job, and its message is unrelentingly grim. There's no pat "I'm OK, you're OK" theology here. … [Read more...] about Newsweek Profiles Tim Keller
John Piper’s Roots: What He Learned From His Dad
Every year at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors, John Piper does a biographical message on a great saint. This year, with the theme of the Conference being The Pastor as Father & Son, John Piper preached on his own father, Bill Piper. The message is a great vista into John's heart for preaching, the glory of God, joy in God, salvation, and so much more. The text of John's message includes some great video clips of his Dad preaching, and the comparison between Father and Son is most remarkable. Snippets of Bill Piper's sermon texts also reveal the same sort of poetic richness that … [Read more...] about John Piper’s Roots: What He Learned From His Dad
Unborn Twins Save Mother From Cervical Cancer
A heart warming story: Michelle Stepney, 35, said her twins Alice and Harriet, now age 13 months, were a lively pair in the womb. At the time, however, she had no idea that constant kicking she felt actually dislodged a tumor that had formed on her cervix and, according to doctors, saved her life. Shortly after becoming pregnant, Stepney of Cheam in South-West London was taken to the hospital after suffering what was believed to be a miscarriage. Soon doctors realized she was still pregnant, but had developed life-threatening cervical cancer. Stepney declined to have an abortion and doctors … [Read more...] about Unborn Twins Save Mother From Cervical Cancer
Together for the Gospel (T4G) – Videos from 2006
Not sure if you should go to T4G 2008? Ligonier is currently hosting the videos from the 2006 Together for the Gospel Conference, and they can be viewed at no charge (scroll down and click video). … [Read more...] about Together for the Gospel (T4G) – Videos from 2006
Reflections on Dobson (re: McCain and Huckabee)
I have reservations about a McCain presidency (immigration reform, traditional marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, campaign finance reform). However, I questioned the wisdom of Dobson's scathing diatribe against McCain earlier this week for several reasons. For one, it seemed a bit late (though this was not the first time Dobson had blasted McCain). But a larger concern was this: Instead of blast McCain on Tuesday, why not endorse Huckabee on Monday? What has changed about Huckabee in the last 72 hours? If Dobson had endorsed Huckabee on Monday (or last Friday!), that might have … [Read more...] about Reflections on Dobson (re: McCain and Huckabee)