From Esther to evolution – Who knows whether we have not come to this place in order to risk our reputations
Others think we must bow to evolution or bow out of [academia]…I don’t think that’s inevitable… For such a time as this we must learn to trust God to change hearts without our having to back away from the Bible. One of the Bible’s great statements about courage comes in chapter 5 of Esther. The... Continue Reading
Old Atheism
Friends, we live in a world and in a part of that world that is increasingly hostile to Christianity. We need to understand that as we make this decision to follow Jesus. The recent NEXT conference in Baltimore was outstanding. I had the privilege to sit in the front row for the whole thing and... Continue Reading
Southern Baptists’ budget vote shapes new evangelism approach
“Increasingly pastors see denominations as a tool rather than a goal. If the goal is the evangelization of the world, the denomination is a tool to achieve that.” A decade ago, Southern Baptists fought over the belief that Jesus is the only way to heaven and the inerrancy of the Bible. Today, they’re divided over... Continue Reading
Rabbis Urge Filibuster Against Homosexualization of the Military — As a Threat to Religious Liberty
How queer that Politically Correct ‘equality’ — fanatics in the military, who have already recognized the ‘religious rights’ of Wiccans, would single out traditional Bible-believers to be the object of their Zero-Tolerance policies. In the wake of the recent Congressional votes to repeal the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the US Armed Forces, Rabbi... Continue Reading
God is a Conservative
Man constantly seeks to compete and to get ahead. And he trips over others in the process. I got a lot of hate mail last week in response to my column about Joel Osteen. Much of the hate mail was from the usual sources. But much of it came from so-called conservative atheists. These conservative... Continue Reading
The Amazing Technicolor Multi-faith Theology School
Watch this development carefully. Claremont may be the first multifaith seminary, but it will almost surely not be the last. Protestantism is hardly news, but on occasion a development arises that serves as something of a parable of that trajectory. Such is the case this week with news from California that the Claremont School of... Continue Reading
Marvin Olasky’s America – Work ethic
Latimer said, “We can talk about grace but lead lives that are very judgmental and disparaging that push people away.” One of the Milwaukee ballgame conversations Saturday night concerned work. Lutheran pastor Don Thompson described a Midwestern work ethic: “If you say you’ll do it, you’ll do it. If you say you’ll be there, you’ll... Continue Reading
What are “Gospel Eco-systems?” On the PCA Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission. Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel. The PCA Strategic Plan includes a number of controversial proposals. However, the item that probably represents the greatest risk has gone almost... Continue Reading
The Lord Who Acts Like It – Where did we get the idea that the church should be a place that makes people feel comfortable?
The sovereignty of this Lord is announced in many ways in churches, in word and sacrament, to be sure. But it’s also proclaimed visually. It’s interesting when a teenage agnostic and a federal judge understand the nature of the church better than do some church staff. A plaintiff known as Doe 2 recently said that... Continue Reading
Intellectual and Spiritual Growth: A Life Long Process
O use me, Lord, use even me, Just as Thou wilt and when and where; Every once in a while I get a call from a fellow staff member that runs something like this. “Howard, I know it is not part of your job description, but I have a project with which I need your... Continue Reading