Why Zombies Matter
The zombie’s horror is that he is a slave forever. If death cannot free you, you can never be free.
Caribbean people could resonate with the horror of zombies because they knew what it was like to be enslaved by evil people, with no hope of escape. And maybe our culture pays attention to zombies because we know what it is like to be dead inside, but unable to find peace, unable to stop walking.... Continue Reading
Nature and Nature’s God
To ride out mighty storms we must come to terms with our limits and find the strength and the serenity to face what lies ahead
We can protect ourselves from a storm like Sandy by taking proper precautions; at the Mead manor we have candles, firewood and food stocked against the possibility that our power will go out. But one day a storm is coming which neither you nor we can survive. The strongest walls, the sturdiest retirement plans stuffed... Continue Reading
Dealing With This “Mormon Moment”: Cults, Truth, and Grace
Many are discussing what to call members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Is it a denomination, a cult, or another religion?
So what is my advice for being on mission during this “Mormon Moment” and beyond? When we are setting out to theologically define religions, we should call it what it is– a theological cult. But if you want to reach people (particularly Mormons) for Christ, then drop the cult language as your starting point. Mormonism... Continue Reading
Tracing the Logic of Liberalism
Liberals and conservatives alike differ less on fundamental principles than on who can better claim custody over the same principles liberalism
What separates liberals and conservaqtives is that each represents a different stage in the larger development of liberalism. Those who do not like what liberalism has become in recent decades have not repudiated it as such but have tried instead to hold onto it and return it to an earlier form—one thought to be purer... Continue Reading
The Vindication of Mark Regnerus
How many children were raised by two women staying together from the child’s first birthday to his or her eighteenth? Just two.
Regnerus conducted eminently defensible scientific research, making decisions about research design and analysis “within the ball park of what other credible and distinguished researchers have been doing within the past decade. We should conclude that where accusations of an ideological axe to grind are concerned, they should not be directed at Regnerus, but at his... Continue Reading
The Lowest Common Denominator
Political television ad shows what its creators really think of women
“Who’ll be the first reporter to ask President Obama how he’ll explain to his daughters why he approved a TV ad equating voting for him to having sex?” –Mollie Hemingway, Media Critic Forget the fact that a sitting president has his name on it. Forget the fact that the overall message lacks meaningful... Continue Reading
The History & Theology of Creeds
“Any religion that boasts of being creedless is either misrepresenting the facts or writing its own epitaph.”
One look at W. L. Lumpkin’s Baptist Confessions of Faith shows clearly how inept is the statement often heard nowadays: “Baptists are not a creedal people!” In fact they may well have produced more creeds than any other Christian denomination. Every person has a natural desire to express the major features of his... Continue Reading
Strangers In A Strange Land
This life is not our final destination
Ultimately our inheritance is Jesus and the riches in him. We’ll enjoy this inheritance forever and ever. The things of this world tarnish, fade, break and rot but God’s inheritance will be as delightful 10,000 years from now as it will be the day we receive it. On July 8, 1974, Chuck Colson went... Continue Reading
The Most Overlooked Doctrine
One of the most overlooked doctrines today is that of God as Creator
There’s a more fundamental and foundational life than the Christian life: that is, “creature life.” Before we are Christians, we are creatures; before God is our Savior, He is our Creator. And He’s not just made us, but in His Word (via sound interpretation) and in His world (via sound scientific research), He instructs us... Continue Reading
Reformation Heroes Today
It might be helpful to do a little reading about modern Reformation heroes.
We might have to wait until Heaven to learn of Reformation heroes from Columbia, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Japan, and India, but we can be sure that wherever God is growing His church, He is also raising up gifted men and women to proclaim the riches of God’s grace in Christ. It is helpful to look back on the European Reformation and thank God for it. Let’s make sure we don’t idealize it or think that it was a one-time occurrence–the same sorts of things are happening right now.