Dear Readers, I want to apologize for taking a couple of days to post your comments. I was not being rude; I simply was not aware that you had posted a comment awaiting my moderation. Normally, I am informed via an automatic e-mail. It didn't happen for the last two days since I posted an Open Letter to Dr. Kostenberger (which he has graciously replied to in a comment). Thankfully, it now appears to be working again. Thank you for your patience. Just a reminder, let's try to demonstrate civility even when we disagree. That way, we can all be edified by dialogue over thorny … [Read more...] about Recent comments on this blog
Theology
Christian Rap and Curtis “Voice” Allen
I would agree with those who believe in the moral neutrality of musical genres. God or the devil can be glorified by classical music, depending on whether it is produced and enjoyed by hearts that prize God or hearts that prize human achievement or self-reliance. And although much of the rap music culture is filled with sex and violence, the musical style itself does not necessarily engender such sinful expression. I once read an outstanding article on this subject by Dr. Harold Best, Dean of the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music. It described how a man ran out of a church service … [Read more...] about Christian Rap and Curtis “Voice” Allen
SBC and church membership
Pastor, author, and blogger Mark Dever writes about a serious mistake made at the most recent Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) meeting. (HT: Justin Taylor) One corollary question might be: what (if anything) should be done about regular attenders who, lacking a biblically defensible explanation, are unwilling to become members of a particular church after a significant period of evaluation? … [Read more...] about SBC and church membership
Evangelical Feminism and Liberalism
On this weblog, I have posted several times on my concern that the evangelical church, on a whole, seems to be losing its moorings on central issues such as God's design for men and women. Some churches move towards egalitarian positions on matters such as women in leadership in the name of cultural progress, following arguments such as those developed by William J. Webb. Others, such as City Church in San Francisco, CA, are moved more by more traditional evangelical feminist arguments. An example of an articulate scholar of this persuasion is Dr. Ben Witherington. Wayne Grudem, whom … [Read more...] about Evangelical Feminism and Liberalism
Jerry Walls Interview – Modern Reformation
Dr. Jerry Walls will be interviewed this Fall in the periodical Modern Reformation. I had the privilege of reading the interview in advance of its publication. An outstanding spokesman for classical Arminianism (a position I do not hold), Walls really tries to understand Calvinism and avoid its caricatures. I found his book Why I am not a Calvinist (co-authored with Dr. Joe Dongell, InterVarsity Press, 2004) to be an clear and fair presentation of Arminianism. Dr. Walls provides a strong argument for a libertarian view of human freedom as opposed to compatibilism (the view that God's … [Read more...] about Jerry Walls Interview – Modern Reformation
Talking to people rather than about them
A good word from Pastor John Piper on why talking to people, rather than about them, is often more difficult yet more loving. Excerpt: But Jesus does not call us to make safe choices. He calls us to make loving choices. In the short run, love is often more painful than self-protecting conflict-avoidance. But in the long run, our consciences condemn us for this easy path and we do little good for others. So let’s be more like Jesus in this case and not talk about people, but talk to them, both with words of encouragement, because of the evidences of grace we see in their lives, and with words … [Read more...] about Talking to people rather than about them