The Word-less “Church”
We need the word of Christ to dwell in us richly today more than ever
Churches seem to have lost a love for and confidence in the Word of God. They still carry Bibles and declare the authority of the Scriptures. They still have sermons based on Bible verses and still have Bible study classes. But not much of the Bible is actually read in their services….Congregations where the Bible... Continue Reading
Why Do You Call Me “Homophobic” Because I Disagree With “Gay Marriage”?
"Homophobic" paints a person as unthinking, bigoted, and scared of something he or she doesn't agree with; I contest such a label
The label homophobic doesn’t really mean what it says. By calling me homophobic I am being accused of ignorantly or hatefully opposing homosexuality. The label is applied in pejorative way to paint me as having an illogical or irrational disagreement with homosexual practice. Of course, I do disagree with homosexual practice (or any pre/extra marital sexual practice), but I... Continue Reading
Does Leviticus Only Condemn Idolatrous Homosexual Practice? – An Open Letter from Robert Gagnon
Does the Bible condemn homosexual relations in general or only a particular kind of gay sex?
So unjustifiable is the claim that Lev 18:22 and 20:13 reject only idolatrous forms of homosexual practice that even a Bible scholar who is strongly supportive of homosexual relationships and who has written more on the issue of sexuality in ancient Judaism and Christianity than any other scholar acknowledges that the Levitical prohibitions are absolute.... Continue Reading
The Revolt of Intelligence Against “Marriage Equality”
It is on behalf of intelligence, “not allowing our passions to become blind,” that I reject the notion of “marriage equality.”
Instead marriage should be respected in terms parallel to the concept of freedom and unalienable human rights endowed by the Creator. Marriage is thereby recognized as an unalienable societal structure embedded by the Creator into the architecture of creation and into the essence of human nature. People who smash marriage end up smashing themselves as... Continue Reading
The Quest for The Next Big Thing
In an innovative, youth-oriented culture, the temptation for the church is to prize innovation and youth above all things.
The major problem for the church is not technical but moral: human sinfulness. People do not refuse to believe because the minister has not mastered a particular demographic study or because he has failed to understand how “people today” think (this, and its synonyms, are typically code for people between 18 and 35, and thus... Continue Reading
Politicizing Easter at Church of the Presidents
Pastor of St. John's Episcopal Church in D.C. gave a political sermon Easter Sunday
Every president since James Monroe has attended St. John’s, and the clergy there across almost 200 years have usually done well not to align with one political party against another. Leon has been there since 1995, with Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama worshipping there. And he has delivered prayers at inaugurations for both Bush and... Continue Reading
Bracketing Morality — The Marginalization of Moral Argument in the Same-Sex Marriage Debate
Why are so many on both sides of the debate careful to excise the moral argument?
This is not to say that those who now defend the natural and venerable definition of marriage deny the existence of a moral argument, nor to imply that they are anything less than fully in agreement with the historic and scriptural assessment of the Christian church that homosexual acts and relationships are sinful. We must,... Continue Reading
The Death of Despair
Followers of Jesus Christ, of all people, have reason not to despair.
No wonder, then, that the message entrusted to the church is called gospel—literally, good news. The church has been given the good news that liberates men and women from despair . . . providing daily freeom and eternal hope, no matter the fear du jour. It is a joyful task, but it can be a... Continue Reading
If God Doesn’t Need Anything, Then Why Does He Command Us To Serve Him?
He doesn’t need our worship, our work, or our money.
When God tells us to sing and raise our hands to him, it’s not because he needs our praise to feel good about himself. It’s for our pleasure in him. When we express our appreciation of God it enhances our enjoyment of him. Like when we express appreciation for a great painting, or a great... Continue Reading
4 Ways to Respond to the Gay Community
Christians have a responsibility to represent Christ to a fallen world
Homosexuality has embraced our culture and our culture has embraced homosexuality. It’s part of the fallen nature of things, and fallen man has always been an expert at creating ingenuous ways to celebrate his brokenness. Homosexuality is one of those topics that draws vibrant reactions. Complex issues of the heart usually do. Christians are in... Continue Reading
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