A call to a new Reformation in the teaching and life of Jesus' followers
I wanted to highlight a recent post by my mom over at Pioneers’ New Testament, because what she says is actually a useful foundation for some things I’m going to be writing soon. She has just posted a word study on the various Greek words that are sometimes translated as “Life” or “Soul” in the New Testament. I recommend the post, and will add more … Continue reading New Testament Word Study on Life
I know it’s probably odd for a mostly-theological blog to recommend an entirely-secular movie, but odd has never stopped me yet and I don’t think I’ll start now. . .I just saw the film “Avatar” with my brother and our sons yesterday, and I have a new addition to my top-ten all-time favorite movies. It’s really that good. Not because it’s a compelling sci-fi and … Continue reading Movie Recommendation – Avatar
A couple of friends have recently pointed me to The Manhattan Declaration with encouragement that I and other like-minded believers should sign on. I won’t be signing it, and I encourage my believing friends to think long and carefully about it too. The declaration purports to lay out three principals as particularly important for Christians to support, and to publicly advocate: the sanctity of human … Continue reading The Manhattan Declaration — I won’t be signing it
I just came across an interesting article by Greg Boyd at Christus Victor during my lunch break. In it, Greg outlines several points that he is finding helpful in an attempt to reconcile the peaceful, self-giving portrait of God painted in Jesus Christ, with the violent and even nationalistic God portrayed in the Old Testament. I was particularly struck with Greg’s first point, which I … Continue reading An interesting take on incarnation and God’s chacter
As longtime readers of this blog already know, a number of the issues I have addressed here come from my collisions with classic Evangelical statements of faith. One common element of such statements is a clause on the Trinity. Here’s a good example, cribbed from the website of a well-known Evangelical organization: We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, … Continue reading Re-examining the Trinity – Jesus
Not a judgment, but a job! Reflections from the dad of a nine-year-old boy with Down syndrome Daniel W. Martin, September, 2009 In January of 2000, our youngest son Gabe was born. Two days later, his pediatrician informed us that she believed he had Down syndrome, and that she had ordered a karyotype to confirm. I was stunned. I searched for other reasons for each … Continue reading A Personal Story – A Dad Confronts Down syndrome
After a post a few weeks ago that some might describe as cynical, I just had to share this tidbit (of which, by the way, I have no memory, nor do I choose to editorialize on it). My Mom sent me a copy of the following meditation, which was published in the November 2, 1965 issue of the Gospel Herald, a Mennonite newsletter: Out of … Continue reading Talking with God . . . ???
I will preface this post by saying that from a point of discipleship, what I’m about to say is meaningless. It’s also a place where I have no problem if people disagree with me, as long as they are actually considering the foundation of their disagreement. However, it’s a point I’ve encountered in the middle of a variety of discussions on predestination, free will, and … Continue reading Of God and Time
I just sat through yet another interminable “worship” session this morning, at which song after song repeated one form or another of the notion that “Jesus is all I need” or “Jesus is more than enough for me.” I suppose I’m going to raise serious doubts about my spiritual condition here (nothing new in that), but I’ve just got to say this: Jesus is NOT … Continue reading Jesus is all I need … NOT!
I know that many (most?) of the readers of this blog share at least some of my qualms with Christians serving in the military (for those who haven’t yet explored my blog, click on the “War and Peace” subject in the index at the top of this page). I have a question aimed primarily at those who do NOT fall in the no-Christians-in-military camp. I … Continue reading Where/when can Christians serve in the armed forces? Part 1