Category Archives: Theology
Colbert takes on Bart Ehrman… a second time
Once again, Colbert hands Bart Ehrman a rattle snake and tells him to chew on it! Just kidding, but please observe as Stephen Colbert uses standard Christian apologetic arguments against Dr. Ehrman’s claim. I especially love the final example about the elephant, even though his telling of the story isn’t quite as eloquent as I would present it. 🙂
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Bart Ehrman | ||||
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[HT: James Grant]
Osteen on Larry King Live
This is a very interesting interview. I encourage you to watch it and consider what the Osteens are saying. I think this interview goes to show that Joel Osteen is such a simple person and that he really does need to be trained better in the ways of God. I just do not understand why he will not take the time to learn more and to be more articulate about doctrinal and theological issues. I encourage all of you to pray for he and his wife. They have such a large influence. It would be amazing to see them change and begin influencing their own audience towards a more faithfully doctrinal Christianity.
The video below shows the Osteens addressing issue ranging from the Obama’s job performance and faith, to the topic of gay marriage, to talking about a new bible with their notes in it, to the topic of a post Christian world and a quote by Al Mohler, Jr.
Please let me know what you think.
Maundy Thursday: The Commandment
John 13:31-35: A New Commandment
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
N. T. Wright on the Resurrection
James Grant says,
Mark Driscoll provided something of an overview of N. T. Wright’s book The Resurrection of the Son of God. Here is Driscoll’s brief five-point summary of Wright’s argument:
- Resurrection and its cognates mean “life after ‘life after death.’”
- Ancient paganism strenuously denied the possibility of resurrection.
- A strong belief in the hope of future resurrection existed only within the bounds of certain sects of Judaism.
- The only possible reason why early Christianity began and took the shape it did is that the tomb really was empty and that people really did meet Jesus, alive again.
- Though admitting it involves accepting a challenge at the level of worldview itself, the best historical explanation for all these phenomena is that Jesus was indeed bodily raised from the dead.
[HT: James Grant]
Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?
Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?
Stan Guthrie moderates a Christian Book Expo panel with Lee Strobel, William Lane Craig, Douglas Wilson, Christopher Hitchens, and Jim Denison.
The New Atheists usually make two charges against Christianity: (1) that it is untrue and (2) that it is harmful. A panel of apologetics experts responds to an atheist critic with evidence from Scripture, science, and history about why the faith is both reasonable and good for the world. Christianity Today’s Stan Guthrie moderated this panel on March 21, 2009 for the Christian Book Expo in Dallas.
Go to the link above to watch the video recording of the event. Here is a link to download the audio in mp3. This is a really good discussion panel and everyone did a great job, even Christopher Hitchens. I can only pray and hope that one day God will save Christopher so that his name will finally be fulfilled.
Culture News: D.C.-Area Bishops To Enforce Communion Ban On Sebelius
Well, I cannot say that this is not relevant to our nations current historical setting. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is going to be a very important moment in the coming culture shift that grows stronger every day that newly appointed secularists and anti-Christs are confirmed into the Government’s leading ranks.
Here is the news story from The Bulletin:
Two Washington, D.C.-area Catholic bishops have instructed Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kan., President Barack Obama’s pick to Be Secretary Of Health and Human Services, to refrain from receiving Holy Communion on account of her stances on human-life issues such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research.
This comes as Ms. Sebelius undergoes Senate confirmation hearings before the Committee on on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
In May 2008, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kan. told Ms. Sebelius that she should not present herself to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. Last week, Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. and Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Va., both said that they would enforce Archbishop Naumann’s orders while Ms. Sebelius is in their respective dioceses.
Ms. Sebelius ran afoul of Catholic leaders for her strident support of abortion. She has been connected with late-term abortionist Geroge Tiller, who was found not guilty of violating Kansas’ late-term abortion laws at a trial earlier this week. Dr. Tiller still faces an investigation that could strip him of his medical license.
Ms. Sebelius was asked to refrain from the Eucharist in accordance with Canon 915 of the Catholic Code of Canon Law. According to that Canon, “those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
[HT: In Light of the Gospel]
Bart Ehrman on NPR
James White offers some good reflection on the agenda of Bart Ehrman and his latest book by reviewing an interview Dr. Ehrman had on NPR:
Peter Leithart: Keep the Fast, Keep the Feast
I just finished reading Peter Leithart’s article “Keep the Fast, Keep the Feast,” posted at First Things. This is quite an amazing piece of work. Leithart has some helpful points reflecting on both church history and Scriptures, and he provides some great examples of how to do biblical-theological interpretation. Leithart blogs here, and he pointed out that the article is already translated into German! Take a moment and read the whole thing (in English, of course!).
Also, read the following excerpt from the article at least:
Jesus is the Last Adam because He keeps the fast. He enters a world that is no longer a garden, but a howling waste, and in that wilderness Satan tempts Him to break the fast, to be an Adam: “You’re hungry; eat this now. You deserve the accolades of the crowds; you can have it now if you jump off the temple. You want all authority in heaven and on earth, but your Father won’t give that to you unless you suffer an excruciating, shameful death; you can have it all now, no cross or self-denial required. It’s yours, and you only need to do a bit of bowing. Life, glory, power, everything you want, everything you deserve—you can have it all now.”
Jesus refused, and refused, and then refused again, and in so doing broke the power of Adamic sin. Jesus kept the fast; he waited, labored, suffered, died, and then opened his hand to receive all the life, glory, honor, authority, and dominion that his Father had to give Him. He kept the fast and as a result was admitted to the fullness of the kingdom’s feast—because by that time both it and he were ready. And by resisting the devil, Jesus sets the pattern of true fasting and reveals a Lenten way of life.
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
In honor of the great missionary and pastor, commonly known as “St. Patrick”, I would like to encourage you all to take a moment sometime today and read about his life. Below are a few articles to choose from, but I highly recommend the one by Mark Driscoll called Vintage Saints: Saint Patrick. Here is an excerpt from that article:
Technically, Saint Patrick is not even a saint, as he was never canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, Patrick was not even Irish. Rather, he was an Englishman who was a Roman citizen that spoke Latin and a bit of Welsh.
Patrick was born around 390 A.D. When he was roughly 16 years of age he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland on a ship where he was sold into slavery. He spent the next six years alone in the wilderness as a shepherd for his masters’ cattle and sheep. [Continue Reading…]
Here are the other articles:
