“Searching for answers to escape from this dilemma, Muslims have developed three major responses: secularism, reformism, and fundamentalism. Secularism holds that Muslims can only advance by emulating the West . . . Reformism, which offers a murky middle, is very popular. Whereas secularism forthrightly calls for learning from the West, reformism sneakily appropriates from it …
Who Knew?
“Reading promotes continuity, the gradual accumulation of knowledge, and sustained exploration of ideas. Television, on the other hand, fosters fragmentation, anti-intellectualism, and immediate gratification” (Gene Edward Veith, Reading Between the Lines, p. 21).
True Believers
“The Christian Church is called to disciple the nations over the course of centuries, not to be social engineers for the next three weeks, maybe four. Our message is the cross of Christ, not a systematic and doctrinal bundle of plastic explosives. Our approach must be patient, organic, biblical, and inductive, and never ideological, abstract, …
Denying or Affirming
“It is true that at no time and upon no occasion, though your life and all the lives in the world lay upon it, may you deny the least truth, but there may be a time when God does not require you to make profession of everything you believe to be a truth” (Burroughs, Irenicum, …
Uphill From Here
I thoroughly enjoyed the next chapter in Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry. This was the chapter by S.M. Baugh, and was entitled “The New Perspective, Mediation, and Justification.” In it he tackled the central confusion of E.P. Sanders, along with some of the resultant muddles, and does an effective job with it. One particular thing …
A Regular Gun Show
The next essay in Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry is by Bryan Estelle, and is entitled “The Covenant of Works in Moses and Paul.” Estelle is plainly acquainted with a vast amount of theological and biblical studies literature, and his close handling of that literature is obviously competent. If footnotes were biceps, this thing would …
Intimacy and Awe
How can intimacy and awe coexist? It is the work of God alone. The Holy Spirit enables us to cry out, “Abba, Father!” and the same Spirit is the one who teaches us to hallow God’s name as we pray to Him. The Holy Spirit is, after all, a holy Spirit. He could no more …
Worshiping in the Will of God
As faithful worshiping Christians, we all want to live our lives in the will of God. Unfortunately, this has led many Christians into the unbiblical practice of trying to find the will of God beforehand, in order to be able to go do it. This practice seems very pious, but it actually little more than …
Edifying Doggerel
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 111 “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Prov. 19:17). In many places and in many ways, the Bible teaches that generosity is not money …
Profound Frustration
“Muslim society has a hard time explaining what caused the loss of power and prominence . . . Whatever index one looks at, Muslims can be found clustering toward the bottom, whether in terms of military prowess, political stability, economic development, corruption, lack of human rights, health, longevity, or literacy” (Daniel Pipes, Militant Islam Reaches …