March 29, 2007
Jim Hamilton in Twin Cities - April 4
Dr. Jim Hamilton, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will be speaking twice at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN on Wednesday, April 4. His visit is being sponsored by the Fidelis Foundation and the student complementarian group of Northwestern College. He will be speaking in the chapel service (10:30 - 11:00 AM) in Maranatha Hall and then from 7-9 PM in Riley Hall, Rm 2300. His talks will deal with how Christians think about gender, a subject on which he has previously published in the Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
Dr. Hamilton hosts a blog, and is the author of God's Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old And New Testaments (Nac Studies in Bible & Theology), which I previously introduced.
March 28, 2007
God's Indwelling Presence - by Jim Hamilton
God's Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old And New Testaments (Nac Studies in Bible & Theology) answers one of the most theologically provocative questions: Were individual believers under the old covenant continually indwelt by the Holy Spirit?
Jim Hamilton, the author, is an Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. This book is the fruit of his Ph.D. dissertation done at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary under the direction of Dr. Tom Schreiner.
I was introduced to God's Indwelling Presence by a recent interview aired by Reclaiming the Mind Ministries in which Dr. Hamilton addresses specific questions such as: How did the Holy Spirit relate to believers before the glorification of Christ? How does he relate to believers now? Were Old Testament believers born again (that is, did they experience regeneration)? And if so, does that mean they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Are there new ways in which the Holy Spirit works today in the lives of Christians?
I found Dr. Hamilton's answers clear and compelling. Briefly, Hamilton argues that Old Testament saints were born again, but that regeneration is not to be equated with the covenant presence of God with His people (i.e., indwelling). The Holy Spirit, today, enables us to believe and persevere (regeneration), but also mediates God's presence to us in covenant blessing (indwelling). So after the glorification of Christ, regeneration and continual indwelling occur simultaneously (or concurrently) for believers. But that was not the experience of regenerate Israelites in Old Testament days.
In light of the above, I believe God's Indwelling Presence offers a provocative thesis for those with either a dispensational or a covenantal background. I gladly commend it to you.
The blurbs:
"A question thoughtful Christians, along with biblical scholars and theologians, have long asked is whether believers under the old covenant had the indwelling presence of the Spirit as those in the new covenant are promised. Hamilton's work provides the most extensive treatment of this question currently available and makes a compelling case for the radical newness of the Spirit's indwelling. Here believers are led to understand more fully the powerful resources Christ has given His followers in sending to them the promised Holy Spirit."
--Bruce A. Ware
Senior Associate Dean, School of Theology
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"Through careful scholarship, Dr. Hamilton provides an innovative interpretation of the biblical evidence. His study contributes helpfully not only to the ongoing discussion regarding how the two Testaments are interconnected, but sheds new light on the important topic of the Holy Spirit's role in enabling believers from both Testaments to be reconciled to God. Students of Scripture will find much here that is both enlightening and information."
--T. Desmond Alexander
Union Theological College, Belfast
"Jim Hamilton engages the controversial topic of the Spirit's indwelling with a lively and vibrant style. He has done an outstanding job in assessing the evidence and argues well for his own proposal. Even those who do not agree with all of his conclusions will profit from this careful study of the biblical text."
--Thomas R. Schreiner
James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
March 26, 2007
Richard Hays in Twin Cities - April 12
George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament, Dr. Richard B. Hays, internationally recognized for his work on the letters of Paul and on New Testament ethics, will be coming to Minneapolis, MN on April 12 to give a lecture entitled Turning the World Upside Down: Israel's Scripture in Luke-Acts. It will be held on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Fraser Hall, at 7:00 PM, and is both free and open to the public.
Some of you will know that Dr. Hays is the author of many distinguished works, including The Faith of Jesus Christ: The Narrative Substructure of Galatians 3:1-4:11 (The Biblical Resource Series), which argues for a subjective genitive in the “faith of Christ” language. Denny Burk provides a brief review of this important book. [Note: I have not read The Faith of Jesus Christ, and -- for the sake of full disclosure -- find the objective genitive arguments more convincing.]
Update: I should have mentioned that this lecture is being sponsored by the MacLaurin Institute.
Book Review - America Alone - by Mark Steyn
My wife Marni provides this guest review of America Alone (2006, Regnery Publishing) by Mark Steyn:
It’s spicy, definitely not politically correct, often laugh-out-loud humorous, and hits you between the eyes with a 2x4. Like some of my other favorite books (which Steyn gleefully pokes fun at) – Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed and Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, New Edition
by Jared Diamond, and The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
by Thomas Friedman – America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
attempts to explain big picture trends we see in our world and what causes them. Steyn’s tone is perhaps less scholarly than these other works, but his extensive use of quotes, historical data, and demographic statistics enhance his credibility. A lengthy, helpful index substantiates the scholarship behind his claims. While it is tempting to dismiss his somewhat doom-and-gloom claims as conspiracy theory drivel, I simply couldn’t. His arguments are too compelling, too well-supported by data, and simply explain too well what we see in the world today. I kept seeing and thinking of more recent items in the news that support his thesis, and that, no doubt, he would have included if he were writing this book today.
Steyn makes the case that the Western world is vulnerable to Islam in several ways. He begins with a compelling discussion of demographics. Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Australia are all not having enough babies to replace their current population. Of the Western democracies, only the U.S. is maintaining its population level (and, might I add, Alex and I are expecting our 2nd child in September. Just doing our part.). Meanwhile, the Muslim community is reproducing quite rapidly through both childbirth and conversion. It is the fastest growing religion on the planet.
We are also vulnerable in terms of culture. Followers of Islam share a strong, comprehensive ideology to which most Muslims are proudly committed. Some would like to see the whole world live under Islamic (Sharia) law -- and this "some" are generally more vocal, and gain substantial followings. Conversely, a large percentage of Westerners feel guilty about their own culture and religion -- a guilt compounded by a sense that all cultures in the world are equally praiseworthy. A western, pluralistic bias to accept others (a good thing) can lead to an unhealthy sort of "tolerance" for even misogynistic and violent tendencies in Islam. When a bombing occurs, we wonder what we did wrong. Should we be giving more benefits and entitlements? Is our culture too intolerant? Should we change “The 3 Little Pigs” to “The 3 Little Puppies?”
In other words, we non-Muslim Westerners -- in contrast to many Muslims -- tend not to see the value of our own culture. Instead, we feel guilty about past and present oppression, racism, environmental damage, etc. (but oddly not about same-sex domestic partnerships or pornography). So we are willing to make accommodation after accommodation for our Muslim neighbors, thinking that if we don’t publish cartoons of Mohammad, surely they won’t bomb us. But Steyn (rightly) argues that Muslims aren’t looking for more concessions. In fact, many are looking to destroy our culture and impose Sharia law. Meanwhile, we don’t even realize our culture is worth saving. Our culture, which (though highly imperfect) values freedom, truth, rights, and pluralism, and has spawned some of the greatest improvements in education, health care, standards of living, and religious freedom.
Steyn shows that it’s not Britney Spears, Coke, and Big Macs which need to be exported to the world (our success herein notwithstanding), it’s our culture and our values (i.e., celebration of tolerance within moral boundaries, individual liberty, personal responsibility, and the accountability of government officials to the governed). When Saddam was deposed in Iraq, we should have been focusing on spreading the values of liberty, entrepreneurship (capitalism) and pluralism in the schools -- to both children and adults! We needed to tell them what was so great about liberty. I laughed reading this, since we don’t even confidently teach the benefits of our own culture in U.S. schools.
But wouldn’t it be cultural imperialism to teach our culture to the people of Iraq? Steyn answers that question with the example of suttee in colonial India. Suttee was the practice of burning a widow alive with her husband. The English colonial government abolished the practice. As General Napier said:
You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.
I cannot discern if Steyn is an evangelical Christian from reading this book, but many of his arguments are naturally appealing for those of us with a passion for seeing unreached Muslim peoples in the 10-40 window won for Christ (and learn to read, develop their economy, enjoy better health care, etc.). What was surprising is that it may be “easier” to share the gospel and establish churches in some of the more moderate portions of the 10-40 window than it may be now or soon in Europe or the U.S., where Muslim children are being trained in the more extreme sect of Wahhabism through schools funded by the money we pay to the Saudis for oil.
While I care deeply that we are good stewards of creation, I do not buy into much of the environmentalist movement’s claims today of global warming, etc. However, Steyn makes some excellent points about our needing to be careful in considering where oil dollars are going, and what they are funding. It is lamentable that many oil-rich countries are using their revenue not to diversify their economy, but rather to spread extreme, violent versions (Wahhabism or Salafi) of Islam throughout the world.
(Reading this book I did have some moments of real fear that my 1-year-old daughter, Karis, will someday be required to wear a burqa to go outside of her home in the U.S. But then I remembered I’ve been praying for her all along to be the kind of person willing to wear a burqa voluntarily, sacrificing many of her “rights”, to share with others that Christ died to set them free.)
In conclusion, America Alone makes a strong case that (in a sense) we have been far too "humble" about the blessings of American Culture. We should have been courageously teaching the Iraqis since 2003. How else could they know about the blessings of our culture? Britain, Europe, and even Americans are often so ashamed of our past, and our values, that we don't even teach them to kids here. So Western children grow up feeling guilty for destroying the environment, killing the Indians, etc. Therefore, we try to accommodate all other cultures (ironically, except ours?). Westerners (especially in Europe) may be moving toward Islamic laws (by default) due to a multicultural, politically correct ethic which is loathe to make any value judgements. Instead, we must present an alternative and confidently prove the benefits of a free press. We need to export American culture (liberty, freedom, pluralism, capitalism, etc.) and not just pop music and french fries.
Honest to God Radio Interview
It was an honor to chat with Josh Weidmann of Honest to God Radio last Fall. The show airs in 3-minute installments twice a week on WMBI, 90.1 FM, the radio ministry of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. Broadcast archives are available at no charge (scroll down to Episodes 66 & 67 for my interview with Josh).
March 22, 2007
Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture - Goldsworthy
The apprentices in the preaching class led by Pastor John Piper at The Bethlehem Institute were recently asked to write a book review of Preaching the Whole Bible As Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching by Graeme Goldsworthy. I thought it was an outstanding introducation to biblical theology with just a few minor weaknesses.
Published in 2000 by Eerdmans, this work preceded Goldswothy Trilogy: (Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, Gospel and Revelation), published by Paternoster in 2001. The next installment was According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible
(InterVarsity Press, 2002). And Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation
is hot off the press from InterVarsity (March 2007).
Getting back to my book review for Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, here is my executive summary:
Graeme Goldsworthy presents a convincing case that the entire Bible is about Jesus Christ and that, consequentially, preachers must move from an Old Testament text, to Christ crucified and resurrected, and then to the twenty-first century hearer. He traces an accessible outline of redemptive history, moving from Abraham to David to Christ. He offers a compelling explanation of typology, showing how the theme of the kingdom of God reaches a climax in David, but then declines through Israel and Judah’s apostasy, indicating that the true King, David’s greater Son, was yet to arrive. Goldsworthy also offers a cogent synopsis on the role of law, which revealed man’s sin and was fulfilled in the perfect life and death of the God-man, Jesus Christ. His insight into how the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ is helpful and relevant for today’s preachers and lay Bible readers.
And here is my eight-page book review (in PDF format, 42.6 kB).
March 20, 2007
Gentle Words from Curtis Allen
Our brother Curtis Allen offers some wise and gracious words about his dealing with criticism that resulted from his rapping at Bethlehem Baptist Church last fall. I was blessed to have met Curtis at a small breakfast gathering when he was here, and to have attended his concert with my wife. He struck me as a humble and godly man who sincerely seeks God's face on matters related to music, ministry, family, and much more. I would add that his lyrics are rich with theological truth. I hope the Lord continues to grow his influence, particularly among youth who are inclined to the hip-hop genre of music.
(HT: Between Two Worlds)
March 16, 2007
Albert Mohler on Homosexuality
Dr. Mohler responds to the firestorm in the media over his recent article on homosexuality.
In my opinion, Dr. Mohler is one of the foremost Christian thinkers in our day on the theological and pastoral implications of homosexuality. He compassionately and biblically addresses both practicing homosexuals and sincere Christians who struggle (for whatever reason) with same-sex attraction patterns. I commend his articles to all who are seeking to wrestle with this issue. For pastors seeking to counsel such individuals, Mohler's insights are a must-read.
(HT: Between Two Worlds)
March 15, 2007
Os Guinness - coming to the Twin Cities
When: April 27, 2007 at 7:00 PM
Occasion: 25th Anniversary of the MacLaurin Institute
Topic: Can Freedom Last Forever? The Cost of Forgetting the Framers’ Foundational Conviction
Location: Bethlehem Baptist Church—Mounds View Campus (5151 Program Avenue, Mounds View, MN 55112)
Also: Dr. Guinness will deliver a noon lecture the same day on A World Safe for Diversity: Living with Our Deepest Differences in an Age of Pluralism, in Room 275, Nicholson Hall (on the campus of the University of Minnesota).
Both talks are free and open to the public.
Involved Fathers Make a Difference
Dr. Albert Mohler reports about Robert Garcia, a quality engineer for Emulex Corp.,who is also the President of a group called DADS -- Dedicated, Assuring, Devoted Special -- a Jurupa-area group that promotes greater involvement by fathers in their children's lives. He works in Costa Mesa, California and lives in Glen Avon.
Garcia notes the (predictably) positive impact of involved, caring fathers in the lives of their children:
"Garcia and DADS members say the premise of the group is simple: fatherly involvement engenders personal fulfillment and pays big dividends for society as well.'My research shows that if fathers get involved with their kids, they (the children) score higher on tests and stay out of trouble,' he said."
The original story from the Inland News (out of Riverside, CA) is here. Noted sociologist Bradford Wilcox from the University of Virginia and author of Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands (Morality and Society Series) (which I've heard is outstanding) is also quoted.
March 14, 2007
Early Indications Suggest The Surge is Working
Earlier this week, Justin Taylor and Denny Burk pointed to an op-ed piece by Robert Kagan in the Washington Post which suggested that the surge was working:
"Leading journalists have been reporting for some time that the war was hopeless, a fiasco that could not be salvaged by more troops and a new counterinsurgency strategy. The conventional wisdom in December held that sending more troops was politically impossible after the antiwar tenor of the midterm elections. It was practically impossible because the extra troops didn't exist. Even if the troops did exist, they could not make a difference.Four months later, the once insurmountable political opposition has been surmounted. The nonexistent troops are flowing into Iraq. And though it is still early and horrible acts of violence continue, there is substantial evidence that the new counterinsurgency strategy, backed by the infusion of new forces, is having a significant effect."
Kagan's entire essay is a worthy read. He rightly notes that the mainstream media is beginning to pick up on the initial success. From a report today by CNN's Jennifer Deaton and Mohammed Tawfeeq:
"The numbers of deadly attacks, assassination attempts, bombings, mortar strikes and kidnappings have dropped since the mid-February launch of Operation Enforcing the Law, said Iraqi Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta.The number of civilians killed in Baghdad in the past four weeks was 265, compared with 1,440 killings from mid-January to mid-February, said Atta, a spokesman for the operation.
Atta also reported that 94 terrorists were killed in the February-March period, compared with 19 in the January-February time frame.
Other figures released by Atta included:
# 102 roadside bombings in the February-March period; 163 in the January-February period;
# 36 car bombs in February-March; 56 in January-February
# 109 mortar attacks in February-March; 204 in January-February
# 22 assassination incidents in February-March; 519 in January-February
# 10 kidnapping incidents in February-March; 98 in January-February"
The entire CNN report can be found here.
March 09, 2007
Jim Hamilton endorses With One Voice
I am grateful for these kind words from Dr. Jim Hamilton:
"If you're a parent thinking about how to guide your kids through the dating years or a single person navigating those waters, the one voice of this book speaks with sanity, clarity, and godliness."
-Dr. Jim Hamilton,
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Houston Park Place Campus
All the endorsements can be found here.
March 07, 2007
By Faith Alone
The issue of justification by faith alone is batted around a lot these days, given the influence of the New Perspective(s) on Paul exposed by folks like N.T. Wright, who develop their theology from scholars such as E.P. Sanders and James D.G. Dunn. But there's another movement that seems to dovetail with the New Perspective(s) on Paul (NPP), but receive less press. It is called the Federal Vision, and it can be found within the ranks of some Presbyterian churches. Speaking of which, Pastor Doug Wilson has been debating with Westminster Professor Scott Clark for sometime now over at the Heidelblog. The issue is the connection between covenant theology, justification, and pastoral ministry.
Which got me thinking about a new book edited by Gary Johnson and Guy Waters. Released by Crossway, By Faith Alone: Answering the Challenges to the Doctrine of Justification addresses the various ways the doctrine of justification has been interpreted in recent years, and then tackles the pastoral concerns presented by NPP and Federal Vision. Contributors include David Wells, Rick Phillips, David Gordon, Al Mohler and others. It sounds quite good. This is the first book of this sort that I've seen which specifically treats Federal Vision as a movement.
Here's a link to the Foreword and Introduction. Here are the blurbs:
“If you have been unsettled or impressed by the arguments of the New Perspectives or the Federal Vision—this book is for you. By Faith Alone is a serious and substantial rejoinder to the new viewpoints on justification, imputation, covenant theology, and more.”J. Ligon Duncan III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi; President, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals; Adjunct Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary
“The twin pillars of historic Protestantism—the authority of the Bible and justification by faith alone—have been under attack since the beginning of the Reformation. But the recent assault on justification by the New Perspective on Paul and by the Federal Vision is particularly pernicious, cloaked as it is in apparent scholarship and piety. This important book defends the historic Reformation doctrine with better scholarship and more profound piety.”W. Robert Godfrey, President and Professor of Church History, Westminster Seminary California
“In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther boldly declared that the doctrine of justification is the article by which the church stands or falls. In the twenty-first century, many churches have not stood their ground but have fallen prey to the voices of those who have offered new perspectives on an ancient, biblical doctrine. I am thankful the Lord has raised up faithful men to provide the people of God with a clear, biblical perspective on this most precious doctrine.”Burk Parsons, Editor, Tabletalk magazine; Minister of Congregational Life, Saint Andrew’s Chapel, Sanford, Florida
Theological/Pastoral Discussion - Piper/Dever
I've received several e-mails recently from men aspiring to go into the ministry. If you're in that situation, being a regular recipient of the Nine Marks newsletters is an absolute must. They only come out six times a year (every other month), but they are jam-packed full of outstanding literature that is both theologically rich and deeply practical/pastoral. Here is a link to the latest issue (which is also available in PDF format). It deals with the issue of elders, the work of the eldership, and the training of elders and deacons.
Speaking of Nine Marks, one of the many things that Mark Dever does so well is conduct interviews. This two-hour theological discussion between John Piper, Bruce Ware, Mark Dever is one of the best I've ever heard. They cover issues ranging from particular redemption (a.k.a., limited atonement), justification, N.T. Wright/New Perspective, being "missional", engaging culture, mega-churches vs one-service congregations, and more. Pastor John also gives a description of what The Bethlehem Institute (the theological/pastoral training program in which I am enrolled) is all about. Lastly, there is a Q&A session that includes some penetrating questions from my TBI brothers. I wish I could have been there. The discussion was apparently recorded in November 2006 when Pastor John and others were in Washington, DC for the Evangelical Theological Society meeting.
(HT: Between Two Worlds)
March 06, 2007
John Piper's Father is With Jesus
The fruitful and faithful life of evangelist William Solomon Hottle Piper ended early this morning. He was 88 years old. An excerpt from the obituary written by his son John:
"He edited the periodical The Rod of God, published books of sermons, led inspirational tours to Israel, created Bible study materials used around the world, and for two-and-a-half decades, served as founder and president of ROGMA, International, which has trained thousands of church leaders in Bible doctrine.He would want us to say, in the words of his hero, the apostle Paul, “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” We who knew him best loved him most. "
I imagine that a great company of saints was waiting for him in glory because of his life's work. May we likewise not waste our lives, but rather spread the aroma of Christ throughout our respective spheres. We may not all be ministers or gifted, influential evangelists, but we can all "look carefully how we walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (From Eph. 5:15-16) And we can all use our money to "make friends for ourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive us into the eternal dwellings." (From Luke 16:9) And we can all strive to be always ready, "to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us." (From I Peter 3:15) And we can all "knowing the fear of the Lord, persuade others." (II Cor. 5:11)
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." (II Cor. 5:14-15)
May the tribe of William Solomon Hottle Piper increase. And may II Cor. 5:14-15 be said of us too.
Bethlehem Baptist Church - New Website
Bethlehem Baptist Church has a new website.
March 04, 2007
The Faithful Preacher - Thabiti Anyabwile
Tim Challies reviews The Faithful Preacher - a biographical presentation by Thabiti Anyabwile of Lemuel Haynes, Daniel Payne and Francis Grimké, three African-American pastors from the 18th century who hailed from the Reformed, puritan school of theology and ministry.
This book sounds really good. (Note: Though Amazon lists it as not yet available, it should be stocked in just a few days.) Here are the blurbs:
“Do yourself a favor; read this book, and share it with others.”
Mark Dever, Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church
“Thabiti Anyabwile introduces us to past African-American voices calling pastors to faithfulness in life and doctrine. This is the kind of book we pastors need.”
C.J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries
“Reading The Faithful Preacher is like being introduced to three long-lost spiritual grandfathers and their legacy of pastoral fidelity.”
Ligon Duncan, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS; Adjunct Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary
“Stories of faithful men of God—puritans of the richest kind. This book is a splendid achievement.”
Derek W. H. Thomas, John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; Minister of Teaching, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS; Editorial Director, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
“As an African-American I welcome this book with great enthusiasm. It reminds the broad evangelical world of the provocative, deeply theological, missional, and culturally engaging tradition of African-American gospel preaching. A must read for all church traditions.”
Anthony Bradley, Assistant Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary
“With biblical and historical insight, Thabiti would have us admire and thank God for the labors and lives of three men—clear demonstrations of what the pastoral ministry should be, regardless of race, color, or nationality.”
Anthony Carter, Assistant Pastor of Southwest Christian Fellowship; author of On Being Black and Reformed
“At last a great book that taps the fresh water that flows from the heart of three great African-American preachers of the past! We have much to learn from them.”
Joseph M. Stowell, Teaching Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel; former President, Moody Bible Institute
You can also read the Forward (by John Piper), Introduction, and Chapter 1.
March 02, 2007
John Piper's Father May Be Dying
Posted today on the DG blog:
"John Piper just left town on an unscheduled trip to see his father who will probably be with the Lord soon. Please pray for him and his sister as they consider difficult end-of-life issues. His dad has lived a long and fruitful life walking with and working for Jesus. This flavors these painful days and decisions with hope. "
(HT: Between Two Worlds)
Update: He has passed away.
Beauty and the Business Woman
Lydia Brownback offers some sage, balanced words on Beauty and the Business Woman. Commenting on the context in which the Proverbs 31 wife and mother exercised her business skills, Brownback notes:
"She exercised these skills for the greater good of others, most especially for her family. Nowhere in this passage of Proverbs do we find anything about achieving personal goals, realizing potential, or seeking fulfillment. We learn from her that exercising business skills and maintaining biblical femininity can certainly go hand-in-hand. It all depends on our reasons for putting these skills to use."
Read the entire post.
Sorority Discriminates on Basis of Looks
With Tim Challies posting an excellent article on the extraordinatry value of women, I thought I should point to an interesting NY Times story I came across on a sorority (Delta Zeta) who recently choose to remove unattractive women from their chapter in DePauw University (located in Greencastle, Indiana).
"Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in membership that had left its Greek-columned house here half empty, Delta Zeta’s national officers interviewed 35 DePauw members in November, quizzing them about their dedication to recruitment. They judged 23 of the women insufficiently committed and later told them to vacate the sorority house.The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men — conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit."
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