At the Intersection of Theology, Nature, and the Arts
I have adapted the following from the Book of Common Prayer and personalized the words by changing the plurals to singulars that I might offer this confession as an individual. Perhaps you'll feel led to join me in lifting this. Almighty and most merciful Father, I have erred, and strayed from Your ways like a …
Review of Against Liberal Theology: Putting the Brakes on Progressive Christianity (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2022) In the introduction to Against Liberal Theology, author Roger E. Olson states that his goal in writing the book was to provide “a warning aimed mainly at those who think of themselves as progressive Christians,” a warning about “not sliding into true liberal …
Continue reading "Against Liberal Theology: Putting the Brakes on Progressive Christianity"
I recently learned that a church I formerly pastored has issued a new policy statement wherein the body said its unity was not based on an "adherence to a particular set of doctrinal beliefs." They've chosen, instead, to embrace "a broad diversity" of opinions on scriptural interpretation and have expunged their Statement of Beliefs from …
Continue reading "Falling Away from the Faith Once Received"
Delighted to wake this day to a request to review this book for the Africanus Journal. As must be clearly evident from many of my posts, Progressive Christianity is currently one of my greatest concerns; this topic is right up my alley as a former professor of apologetics!! How far can you wander from classic, …
Matthew 4:1-11 and 2 Timothy 4:1-5 When, at the end of 2021, I was nearing the end of a pastorate in New Hampshire, I wanted to prepare the congregation for the next chapter in their life together. On one Sunday, I stressed the need for the church to mobilize in ministries of compassion; the following …
As much of the world has been focused on Afghanistan in these days, I've found my thoughts much occupied with memories of Christy and Betty Wilson. These faithful servants of the Lord ministered as missionaries—for 22 years—in what had been, prior to their arrival, the unreached nation of Afghanistan. Christy was my first professor at …
Psalm 42; Philippians 4 Max Lucado, in the Anxious for Nothing Bible Study, offers two words that served as the inspiration for the following message. "Contingent Contentment" is the kind of thinking that starts with the "I'll be happy when...," "I'll be happy if..." I'll be content when I marry. I'll be happy when I …
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In today's entry in Streams in the Desert, I was reminded of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were thrown into an enormous fiery furnace when they refused to abandon their allegiance to the living God. Here was an apparent victory for the enemy. It looked as if God's people were going to suffer a terrible …
According to the US Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ. A report by Open Doors USA identified 2016 as the “worst year yet” (in the 25 years of its monitoring) for Christian persecution. Each month (an …
Continue reading "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church"
I'm linking here to a lament over what is true of all too many churches. It begins with the author’s recollection of a pastor who, in the course of his sermon, said he was discussing things he didn’t understand. Worse, he seemed to have made no attempt to get a grip on the Word and …
Continue reading "Linking to and Reflecting upon a Lament about Anti-Intellectualism in the Church"
DFG Hailson 