Cultural Pandering No Boon for Shriveling United Church of Christ
The UCC’s accommodating to secular culture not proving ‘the hope of surviving in an America that is increasingly intolerant of moral boundaries’
So how has such pandering worked out for the UCC?….the UCC stands poised to finally dip below the benchmark of one million members…half the size it had when it was founded in 1962….the denomination has shed a whopping 37 percent of its congregations since that year, and just in the first decade of the new... Continue Reading
Why Not Change the Name to Texas Whatever You Believe or Not Believe University?
TCU student seeks official recognition for a group she formed called “Freethinking Frogs.”
TCU’s mission is “to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community,” and its vision is to be a “a world-class, values-centered university.” The language seems carefully crafted to downplay its Christian origins (the university is affiliated but not governed by the Disciples of Christ) and welcome... Continue Reading
Scott Redd to be Inaugurated as First President of RTS Washington on April 20
The inauguration will be held at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Md
“I believe that the Washington area provides tremendous exposure to the local, national, and international Christian movement,” said Redd. “We aim to build and nurture a seminary community that serves a variety of constituencies in church, para-church, and lay ministries around the region. I am thrilled to join the RTS/Washington team as well as local... Continue Reading
Dr. Bryan Chapell Joins the Faculty at Knox Theological Seminary
Dr. Chapell will teach an integral part of the Knox core curriculum
Dr. Chapell’s responsibilities will include teaching the introductory homiletics courses to master’s level students and also contributing to the biblical preaching and teaching track in the Doctor of Ministry program. He will help set the tone not only for how preaching is taught, but also for how Knox envisions Christian worship, holiness by grace, and... Continue Reading
The God Argument: The Case Against Religion and for Humanism
A Review of A.C. Grayling's anti-God book
As he rightly says: ‘One mark of intelligence is an ability to live with as yet unanswered questions.’ True, but one way of avoiding having to do this is to pretend that questions have been answered, when they have not been. While wholly satisfied with his own supposed proofs that God is not necessary for... Continue Reading
What’s Wrong with Living Together Unmarried?
A pastoral answer to a common question
That sounds a touch harsh, and it will need to be said in the context of a pastor who loves and cares; but it does need to be said to any professing Christian couple who really think it is moral to live together unmarried. For although they think they love one another, actually they do... Continue Reading
The parallel universe of home-schooled students
A reporter discovers that home-schoolers don't fit the stereotypes
According to Murphy, home-schooled children do well academically. They enter higher education in proportions similar to those who attended public or private schools and score as well or better on college entrance exams. Yes, but what about the social-backwardness of the home-schooled students? According to Murphy, home-schooled students are not socially backward. Most, he says,... Continue Reading
How Can I Explain the Trinity to a Child?
Without moralistic illustrations or logical arguments that go over their heads
At the Ligonier conference, Sinclair Ferguson spoke of the need to add catechism instruction to consecutive Bible exposition. He said that catechism teaching is like Velcro strips that the Bible’s teaching sticks to. So, add the shorter catechism to your Bible reading: “There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the... Continue Reading
Allegorical Preaching: What Would Calvin Say?
The real issue is that we avoid arbitrary and completely subjective readings of the text
On the one hand, Calvin thought it was frivolous and often unnecessary or unfruitful to look for allegories. He stressed the simple sense of Scripture, which allegories could too easily distort. He felt that allegories had often been used as a shortcut to Christ that didn’t take the original message seriously enough. Yet on the... Continue Reading
Back to the Bible
Economics and new technology rekindle Hollywood's interest in Old Testament epics
Everything about the set of Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming biblical epic, Noah, cries big budget. From the ark (a towering, multi-level construction built to Genesis’ specifications); to the A-list cast (Russell Crowe and Anthony Hopkins); to the large, meandering crews of teamsters (whose strict lunch and break rules are pushing shooting hours off schedule),... Continue Reading