2008-12-16

Challies gives his opinion on the top eight albums (that he's listened to) in 2008. My Top 8 Albums of 2008

Phillips has a good roundup of Christmas links. One in particular that is quite relevant is his article that debunks the notion that Christmas is a pagan holiday. Classic BibChr Christmas links

Here's a comment on Twilight from the LA Times, which basically argues that it is not a good idea for pre-pubescent children, on account of its sexual elements. [all well and good, and I don't know the author, but where does the LA Times think they can get off publishing something about moral restraint? You can only make moral claims if there is a transcendent morality.] http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-caw-wordplay14-2008dec14,1,1292474.story

Patton offers a set of arguments that he thinks are strongest in favour of continuationism: 1. Acts chapter 2 seems to suggest that the gifts of the Spirit (particularly prophecy) would be normative for the church. 2. The entire book of Acts seems to show that the supernatural gifts are common within the Church. 3. All of Scripture supports the idea that it is God’s nature to work in supernatural ways. 4. The New Testament never explicitly states that the supernatural sign gifts would cease. At this point, Patton gives a brief argument from 1 Cor. 12 for continuationism. 5. Personal Experience. Why I am Not Charismatic (Part 2)

Phil Johnson gives a discussion related to the idea of "all means ALL." The interlocutor actually says that if you use 'all' in any less than a strict literal particular sense, you're lying. "Like it or not, using the word figuratively like that is a form of lying, and we know that our God and His Prophets are/were not liars." [naturally, that would mean that the Scriptures lie...] All Always Means ALL. Right-

Mohler on Lisa Miller (author of the Newsweek article on biblical support for homosexuality): "She believes the Bible contains "universal themes" that should be preserved, but no binding rules that are to be obeyed. That does clarify the issue. Her understanding of biblical authority (if you can even call it that) allows her to deny the truth status of passages she prefers to disregard." http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2945

Andrew Barry of the Solapanel points out that we must simultaneously hold the truths that we are to be good stewards of creation and fight decay, and do so remembering and knowing that the world is going to be destroyed. Sort of like how doctors fight death, even though everyone dies. Environmentalism and the destruction of the world

In response to the question: “What exactly does the Lord’s moving feel like?” a girl replies, "You completely exposed me on that snippet of God-talk! What I meant by “I haven’t felt the Lord moving me to send it” is simply that I have doubts as to 1) whether this is a viable vocational pursuit, 2) whether training of this nature is really necessary and, if so, how much, and 3) whether I’m really gifted enough to spend the bulk of my time in this manner. So, I should say, “I am not convinced in my mind that this is a wise course, and I’m hoping that something extraneous will inflame my emotions so that I can confidently act-one way or another-without doing the difficult work of untangling these questions.”" How do You Feel-

Apparently Adrian Warnock suspects Dever of being an apostle? http://adrianwarnock.com/2006/02/is-mark-dever-apostle.htm\

Genderblog on the Newsweek article: "Miller's central tenet seems to be in the following excerpt: "While the Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, [it] neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman."" The article exhibits a deeply flawed hermeneutic. Miller argues that the Bible is "a living document, powerful for more than 2000 years because its truths speak to us even as we change through history... The article employs disturbingly flawed logic.  Miller's argument is a non sequitur, is self-refuting and twists logic to a breaking point... The article venerates Bible scholars over the Bible itself. Miller argues that we can't really know what the Bible means unless we turn to modern liberal scholars such as Walter Brueggemann. Newseek's 'Biblical Defense' of Gay Marriage- Twisting Scripture and Logic, Part I

Darrell Bock offers his comments on the Newsweek article. "It is this kind of flat engagement with the text and the dismissive way of engaging the issues from the other side that mars Newsweek’s attempt to have a meaningful discussion about the questions tied to gay marriage. Here was the apparent strategy. Begin by trying to neuter the Bible’s value to speak to the issue. Do so by ignoring the context of what the Bible presents. Leave the impression it has nothing to say or is woefully outdated, and all the modern world has to say on the topic is far more valuable and profound. Then the way is clear to go in the direction you advocate. Call it all reporting—or at least leave that impression. Such dismissive handling of issues tied to  an important topic is not worthy of a national news magazine." http://blog.bible.org/bock/node/440

James MacDonald: "This of course confirms what I have taught so many times from God’s word . . . the effects of sin visit themselves randomly upon the creation in varying degrees and at various times (John 9:1-3). God promises only that His grace will be sufficient as His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and that He has a purpose in the life of His child that will advance our good if we submit to what He has lovingly allowed (Hebrews 12:5-13)." "I have cancer and I can diagnose the theology as well as any oncologist can diagnose the pathology." James MacDonald- I Have Cancer. Read his comment here: I Have Cancer

Here's one perspective on the relation of the Mosaic Law to Christian life now. "Thus my contribution to the conundrum named above is that rather than attempting to delineate the law of Moses based on categories foreign to that law itself ("moral/ethical" and "civil/ritual") perhaps we should address the question through a lens that is more native to both Old and New Testaments--Jesus' redefinition of certain major institutions of the Mosaic covenant. And for all the Mosaic law, be it superseded or not, we need to recognize that we can (and must) still learn a great deal about the character of God through these laws, even if we can no longer directly apply them to ourselves in this new covenant." The Role of the Law of Moses in the Life of the Christian

Umm... thieves stole a church. Literally. A Sad Metaphor - Church Stolen But No One Noticed