As we come to a robust celebration of Christmas, we want to maintain the biblical antithesis. This cannot be done on the basis of genial Unitarian platitudes, egg nog, gentle snow fall, or anything else like these things. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, …
Heavenly Prayer Requests
This is the beginning of an answer to Kurt’s question about Mary. And, as is the case with many doctrinal issues, the real issue is found at the level of the presuppositions. The question really is not whether the Roman church has a nuanced position on Mary that acknowledges that Christ is a “unique” mediator. …
His Name Shall Be Called . . .
Isaiah is very concerned with the importance of names; he named his two sons with the future of Israel in mind, and they were both types of Immanuel. And Matthew tells that the Messiah was named Jesus because He was named Immanuel. And now we come to a glorious pinnacle of naming. For unto us …
Dreadlocks at Taco Bell
“But one hardly has to go to a poetry reading to see the countercultural idea acted out. Its frenzied ecstasies have long since become an official aesthetic of consumer society, a monotheme of mass as well as adversarial culture. Turn on the TV and there it is instantly: the unending drama of consumer unbound and …
Different Temple, Same Moneychangers
“In the same way, the critic of Jesus junk stores is assumed to be a critic of Jesus. But of course, scriptural satire assumes that the foremost critic of Jesus junk stores would be Jesus Himself. If Christ were to go to the Christian Booksellers convention (CBA) and see all the crap being hawked with …
Why Do We Park in Driveways and Drive on Parkways?
“This brings us to the relation of logic and reason to the business of human language. The relativist wants to say that there is no relation, and the precisionist wants to say there is a precise and settle relation. But neither fits the situation. The logic of words is not the same as the detached, …
A Picture Can Be A Thousand Times As Logocentric
For those who eschew definitions and logocentrism, but who still want to know what emergent is.
Objectivity and Emergence
Frank Turk raised a question about the objectivity of the covenant and emergence, but at least had the presence of mind to realize it was a baptist question. This is not a detailed answer to the question, but it provides the initial outline of an answer. I believe emergent errors need to be identified and …
The High Praises of God
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! All you people, praise the Lord! Sing a new song to the Lord, Record His praise in the holy congregation. Let Israel rejoice in her Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful, Joyful in their king. Let them praise His name …
Christmas and Sentimentalism
This is the second Lord’s Day of Advent, the year of our Lord, 2005. We must never forget that an essential part of the Christmas story is the stark reality of sin. We have already noted that our culture’s instinct of marking this holiday by giving gifts, giving lots of stuff, is an instinct that …