Evangelical Grassroots versus ‘Grasstops’
Why do evangelical leaders fail to excite the faithful about immigration reform and climate change?
Evangelical elites, when speaking politically for ecclesial bodies, should stick with issues to which Scripture and Christian tradition speak most directly. As representatives of mostly democratic polities, they should also strive to represent a consensus view within their churches. Otherwise they will create resentment among their members and are likely not to be taken seriously... Continue Reading
What Does it Mean to Abide in Christ?
Jesus makes clear that the exhortation to “abide” actually involves a number of concrete realities
In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles! Then, of course, as Christ’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we will begin... Continue Reading
Conflicting Courts
Disagreement among appellate courts on the religious rights of corporations could hasten a Supreme Court battle over the contraceptive mandate
“As the government and the [court] majority see it, religious rights are more limited than other kinds of First Amendment rights,” he wrote. “All groups can enjoy secular free expression and rights to assembly, but only ‘religious organizations’ have a right to religious liberty. … Our Constitution recognizes the free exercise of religion as something... Continue Reading
Ghanaian Anglican Bishop Slams Desmond Tutu Over Gay Comment
Archbishop Yinkah Sarfo has strongly condemned retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu over his comments that he preferred hell to an 'anti-gay' heaven
But speaking on Adom FM’s 6pm News, Archbishop Yinkah Sarfo said the comments by Bishop Tutu were his personal opinion but not the stand of the entire Anglican church. He noted all the Bishops and Archbishops of the Anglican Church met in Mauritius recently and unanimously condemned those comments and dissociated themselves from it. ... Continue Reading
For Gary Hall, Being Dean of the National Cathedral Started With Comedy
Under Hall’s leadership, the National Cathedral announced it will start performing same-sex marriages
“Jesus doesn’t use the word God very much,” he says. “He talks about his Father.” Hall explains: “Where I am now, how do I understand Jesus as a son of God that’s not magical? I’m trying to figure out Jesus as a son of God and a fully human being, if he has both fully... Continue Reading
Whatever Happened to the Wrath of God?
“And on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied…”
When Christians sing about the wrath of God, we are singing about ourselves. Our consciences point us to the truth that, left to ourselves, we are undone. We’re not smarter or more moral than anyone else. And God would be just to turn us over to the path we would want to go—a path that... Continue Reading
Roaring Lambs
Young adults join together to learn strategies for defending traditional marriage
The numerous red equal signs on Facebook mirror the reality that 70 percent of millennials support same-sex marriage. But these 41 students and young professionals traveled to San Diego, Calif., to learn how to defend one-woman, one-man marriage from scholars Jennifer Morse, Mark Regnerus, Robert Gagnon, and others. While the attendees eagerly discussed the necessity... Continue Reading
Presbytery Sanctioned by Civil Court in ‘Scheme’ over Church Property
South Louisiana Presbytery spent more than $500,000 opposing Carrollton’s sale of its property – valued at less than $1 million
Bates called the presbytery’s interpretation of Wolf “nonsensical,” and said that the presbytery erected a “‘Stalingrad-type’ defense intended to financially force capitulation or to make victory by the small, 20-member Carrollton church as costly as possible.” Sanctions have been imposed on a Presbyterian Church (USA) presbytery in the amount of $390,000 after the court “unavoidably”... Continue Reading
Where There Is No Vision Statement, the People Cast Off Restraint; But Happy Is He who Keeps the Vision Statement
Diagnosing the health of the church by business standards
If you run a business, using a business model is great and so is having a vision statement. A company that knows what they want to produce and how, is much better off than one that just sort of exists. However, the church is not a business. It is more of an organism. We are... Continue Reading
Bible Wars and the Origins of the Term “Inerrancy”
Gaining understanding from historical context
The problem with Briggs – and much of the inerrantist backlash against critics like him – is that he insisted on interpreting Scripture through a very narrow lens: the lens of the late nineteenth century scientific mindset. Thus, he wrote, “we are obliged to admit that there are scientific errors in the Bible, errors of... Continue Reading