November 29, 2007
Church of England Ordains More Women Than Men
According to the BBC, 213 women and 210 men were ordained as Anglican priests last year.
(HT: David Kotter)
November 25, 2007
Marvin Olasky on Freedom vs. Democracy
Olasky provocatively raises the issue of Pakistan--where both democracy and liberty are in short supply:
"Pro-American dictator or anti-American democracy? That's the choice in Pakistan now, where President (and top general) Pervez Musharraf has suspended his country's constitution, fired the country's chief justice, and shut down nongovernmental television stations. He said that had he not acted, Islamist extremists would have taken over the country."Olasky suggests that the U.S. finds itself in this position because it prioritized the advocacy of democracy over the advocacy of liberty. He explains that lack of liberty has had devastating effects for Muslim nations:
"Lack of liberty within Islam contributed to its centuries of decline in many ways. The Ottoman Empire banned printing presses for Muslims in 1485, which meant that many in Europe enjoyed a knowledge explosion and many Muslims did not. Ever since then Islam has been on a geopolitical losing streak. Now, the 57 majority-Muslim countries contain 1.4 billion people, but half of them are illiterate. Those countries contain 57 universities, compared to 5,000-plus in the United States. Western nations spend 5 percent of their GDP on producing knowledge, Muslim countries 0.2 percent."
And Pakistan is another casualty. Olasky argues that U.S. foreign policy must include the passionate promotion of religious and intellectual liberty, because mere democracy apart from genuine freedom will nevertheless breed economic stagnation and the exportation of hostility.
Read the whole thing. (You may need to have a World magazine subscription -- which is well worth it.)
Importance of Gratitude - A Thanksgiving Meditation
John Piper responds to prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens and (retired) Bishop John Shelby Spong of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark. Upshot:
You both seem to assume that the affection of gratitude is puerile and unsatisfying—something we need to grow out of if we would be deeply joyful and useful people. Presumably you feel that way because, in your experience, being self-sufficient and being thanked is more satisfying than feeling dependent and thankful. I have tasted this pleasure you seem to prefer. It is the pleasure of power—the pleasure of being above others so that they must give you thanks rather than the other way around.This is what Jesus warned against when he said, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors” (Luke 22:25). “Benefactors”—people who don’t want to say thank you to others, but like it when people say thank you to them. Your discomfort with gratitude—your sense that it is an unhappy and dissatisfying disposition—is not auspicious for your souls. It is very dangerous.
May I humbly invite you, and others you have influenced, into the lowly ranks of the dependent, thankful, happy, children of the living God on this Thanksgiving Day. There is great grace. Great forgiveness. All-supplying mercy. All-satisfying Beauty. Inexhaustible wisdom. It is all in Jesus Christ. And it lasts forever. May we say together, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable Gift.”
Read the whole thing.
Huckabee Commercial #2
This ad will air in Iowa starting tomorrow. Recent polls (immediately before Thanksgiving) showed Huckabee in a statistical dead heat with Gov. Romney for first place in Iowa, and tied for second place nationally among likely Republican primary voters.
Also: Randy Alcorn on why he supports Huckabee and why he wrote a letter to the NRLC protesting their decision to endorse Senator Thompson.
November 20, 2007
Vintage Francis Schaeffer
Francis Schaeffer argued that "at its core, the Reformation was the removing of the humanistic distortions which had entered the church." Schaeffer explains:
...The Christianity of the Reformation, therefore, stood in rich contrast to the basic weakness and final poverty of the humanism which existed in that day and the humanism which has existed since.From How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and CultureIt is important that the Bible sets forth true knowledge about mankind. The biblical teaching gives meaning to all particulars, but this is especially so in regard to that particular which is the most important to man, namely, the individual himself or herself. It gives a reason for the individual being great. The ironic fact here is that humanism, which began with Man's being central, eventually had no real meaning for people. On the other hand, if one begins with the Bible's position that a person is created by God and created in the image of God, there is a basis for that person's dignity. People, the Bible teaches, are made in the image of God -- they are nonprogrammed. Each is thus Man with dignity.
That Man is made in the image of God gives many important answers intellectually, but it also has had vast practical results, both in the Reformation days and in our own age. For example, in the time of the Reformation it meant that all the vocations of life came to have dignity. The vocation of honest merchant or housewife had as much dignity as king. This was strengthened further by the emphasis on the biblical teaching of the priesthood of all believers -- that is, that all Christians are priests. Thus, in a very real sense, all people are equal as persons. Moreover, the government of the church by lay elders created the potential for democratic emphasis.
The Bible, however, also says that man is fallen; he has revolted against God. At the historic space-time Fall, man refused to stand in the proper relationship with this infinite reference point which is the personal God. Therefore, people are now abnormal. The Reformation saw all people as equal in this way, too -- all are guilty before God. This is as true of the king and queen as the peasant. So, in contrast to the humanism of the Renaissance, which never gave an answer to explain that which is observable in people, the Bible enabled people to solve the dilemma facing them as they look at themselves: they could understand both their greatness and their cruelty.
, Chapter 4.
November 19, 2007
HuckChuckFacts
This video has almost 300,000 views in its first 24 hours of existence.
November 18, 2007
The Importance of Church Planting - Piper / GCA
Evangelicals are increasingly interested in church planting, and with good reason. John Piper offers seven considerations:
1. There are 195 million non-churched people in America, making America one of the top four largest “unchurched” nations in the world.2. In spite of the rise of mega-churches, no county in America has a greater church population than it did ten years ago.
3. During the last ten years, combined communicant membership of all Protestant denominations declined by 9.5 percent (4,498,242), while the national population increased by 11.4 percent (24,153,000).
4. Each year 3,500 to 4,000 churches close their doors forever; yet only as many as 1,500 new churches are started.
5. There are now nearly 60 percent fewer churches per 10,000 persons than in 1920.
* In 1920 27 churches existed for every 10,000 Americans.
* In 1950 17 churches existed for every 10,000 Americans.
* In 1996 11 churches existed for every 10,000 Americans.6. “Today, of the approximately 350,000 churches in America, four out of five are either plateaued or declining.”
7. One American denomination recently found that 80% of its converts came to Christ in churches less than two years old.
Last summer I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Childers, President of Global Church Advancement (GCA) and a professor of Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Among several other ministries, GCA hosts Church Planter Training Conferences throughout the world (including Japan and Africa). Their main U.S.A. training venue is January 28 - Feb 1 at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The long list of speakers includes Steve Childers, Randy Pope, and Ed Stetzer. A basic training track will be offered as well as eighteen advanced workshops. If you are in a church plant, or considering supporting church planters, this would be an excellent opportunity to get better equipped. They have posted a preliminary conference schedule and on-line registration is available.
Investigating Prosperity Ministries
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance, is investigating the ministries of Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer and Paula White. Grassley believes that he owes it to donors and taxpayers to determine whether the organizations have abused their tax-exempt status as churches to finance lavish personal lifestyles. Each of the ministries received formal letters from the Senator. Jamie Dean of World Magazine notes that "the letters asked organization leaders to provide detailed financial information, including audited financial statements, executive compensation packages, ministry credit card statements, a list of property and assets, and a detailed explanation of personal use of organization assets, such as jets and homes."
For example, Grassley asked David and Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries to explain the tax-exempt purpose of a $23,000 "commode with a marble top" and an $11,000 "French clock" purchased for the ministry's headquarters. Kenneth and Gloria Copeland were asked to explain the tax-exempt purpose of layovers the couple reportedly took in Maui, the Fiji Islands, and Honolulu using a ministry jet. Benny Hinn was asked to provide similar information regarding layovers at his ministry's expense.
Time magazine has now picked up on the story as well. Last year, Time did a cover story called "Does God Want You to be Rich?". Also, NBC's Dateline has previously investigated Benny Hinn.
November 17, 2007
Bible Story Books for Children
We had some friends over tonight and were discussing Bible story books for children. So I thought I'd mention our favorites, which Dr. Albert Mohler seems to also hold in high regard. We really like The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm and The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The former walks through the over-arching "meta-narrative" of the Bible: from creation, to fall, to redemption foreshadowed in the Old Testament to redemption accomplished in the New Testament. The Jesus Story Book Bible also walks through the biblical narrative chronologically, explicitly connecting every story it tells (e.g., David and Goliath) to the ultimate victory accomplished by Jesus. It also contains many more words than The Big Picture Story Bible, so it might be better for slightly older infants. Both books are excellent (both with respect to content and illustrations). They both also have nice chapter divisions; one chapter/night seems to be just right for our 19-month old.
For older children, Dr. Mohler recommends The Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos. Says Mohler:
The Child's Story Bible goes far beyond the picture book format and will appeal to school-age children. The book is older than virtually all of the parents who will be reading it to their children. The enduring popularity of the book is at least partly due to the fact that Vos did not write in a childish manner, but instead assumed that children will want to learn and that they can handle a substantial story from the Bible -- not just a story summary with pictures.
November 15, 2007
John Piper on Justification and the Work of Christ
The audio and manuscript of John Piper's Crossway Lecture at the 2007 Evangelical Theological Society has been made available. His lecture is an outstanding introduction to his most recent book, The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright.
Incidentally, I have also written a bit on law-gospel themes from Rom. 9:30-10:13 in a six-part series beginning with this post.
Author Steve Jeffery on Pierced for Our Transgressions
Steve Jeffery, one of three authors of Pierced for Our Transgressions, was kind enough to allow a brief interview.
QUESTION: Steve, I also studied Materials Science and Physics, so I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about how it was that you sensed God calling you to serve Him in full-time Christian ministry.
JEFFERY: I'd been thinking about how best I could serve the Lord for a few years, and as I came to the end of my postgraduate studies I began to wonder about the possibility of full-time ministry. I was quite nervous about the idea, and felt very ill-equipped for the task, but I was excited about the prospect and a couple of friends were encouraging me in that direction. I decided to take a junior job at a church for a couple of years, both to get some training and experience and also to allow some time to assess with the help of others whether I had the right gifts for the task. The elders and congregation encouraged me to continue in full-time ministry, my wife Nicole was also 100% supportive, and I felt increasingly sure that this would be a good way for me to serve Christ's church. So I went to Oak Hill Theological College to begin training in 2003.
QUESTION: What made you decide to go to Oak Hill for theological training?
JEFFERY: When I was looking for somewhere to train, Oak Hill stood out as by far the best theological college in the UK. After four years there my opinion hasn't changed - it's a fantastic place to study, the faculty are outstanding teachers and role models, the facilities are first class, and there is a wonderful unity among everyone there.
QUESTION: Walk us through your own journey on the issue of penal substitution. Was this doctrine clear in your mind throughout your Christian life, or is it something you came to believe over time?
JEFFERY: I was converted during my first couple of years as an undergraduate, and shortly afterwards read John Stott's wonderful book The Cross of Christ. This helped me to see right from the start of my Christian life the central place of the doctrine of penal substitution in the biblical picture of the atonement. As time passed, of course, I encountered challenges to this view from a variety of sources. But in truth, the critics always seemed either to misunderstand the doctrine or to misinterpret the Bible. It's been great to look again at this great truth in more detail during the last couple of years. Mike, Andrew and I have all found our confidence in penal substitution strengthened as we've looked again at the biblical witness.
QUESTION: Why did you decide to write Pierced For Our Transgressions?
JEFFERY: We decided to write Pierced For Our Transgressions because we saw the need to strengthen those who believe this vital doctrine, and to answer those who oppose it. Too often people have drifted from this vital truth without realizing the implications of doing so. Too often people have criticized this doctrine on the basis of a grotesque caricature of what it actually entails. Too often people have failed to see the breadth of biblical support for penal substitution, the richness of its historical pedigree, and the strength of its theological connections with other vital biblical truths. Too often faithful believers have been bludgeoned into submission by critics of penal substitution, many of whom are in positions of leadership in churches and theological colleges. We felt that the time had come to do something--to re-state the truth, to correct the caricatures, and to answer the objections head-on.
QUESTION: What effects is the lack of clarity on penal substitution having on the church in England?
JEFFERY: The rejection of penal substitutionary atonement by many English churches is part of a much wider set of issues.
The majority of churches in England don't accept the authority of the Bible. It's as simple as that. Once that error is in place, of course, a whole range of other issues are bound to follow. In recent decades we've witnessed denials of the uniqueness of Christ, skepticism about the bodily resurrection of Christ, the increasing acceptance and endorsement of sexual immorality, to name just a few examples. The denial of penal substitution is just another effect of this rejection of biblical authority, and has been commonplace in liberal theology for well over a century.
However, in the last twenty years or so, challenges to penal substitution have begun to be heard from church leaders and theologians who would call themselves evangelical. This is a new and very worrying development, and is part of an increasing 'dilution' of evangelical doctrinal distinctiveness in the UK and elsewhere.
Basically, much of the church - even some parts of the 'evangelical' church - are becoming increasingly conformed to the world. Churches that follow this course will, in the end, have nothing distinctive to say to the world at all. I think this means they'll probably decline eventually, because their mission to the world will have no real content. In the meantime, however, many thousands of ordinary Christian believers find themselves confused and misled by the doctrinal slackness of their leaders.
QUESTION: I think many of us on the western side of the pond see England (and Europe in general) as fairly apostate. Is that accurate? Or do you perhaps see a resurgence in biblical orthodoxy?
JEFFERY: Yes, that's accurate. Please pray for us.
However, at least in England (I know a lot less about the rest of Europe) there are an increasing number of encouraging signs. First, evangelical churches are growing very rapidly, both in size and in number. In particular, a number of churches are seeing the need and the opportunities for church planting, so our gospel witness is becoming more effective as we seek to reach out to new communities and in new ways.
Secondly, the resurgence of Oak Hill Theological College in the last decade, first under the leadership of David Peterson and now with Mike Ovey as the new Principal, has had an immeasurably positive effect on the church throughout the country. The training at Oak Hill is absolutely first-class in every way - it's academically rigorous, pastorally relevant, and offers a range of courses in pastoral ministry, children's and youth ministry, and mission. It's hard to overestimate the positive effect of Oak Hill on the UK evangelical scene.
QUESTION: What type of ministry are you involved in now that you've left Oak Hill?
JEFFERY: I'm now the Assistant Pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Lyonsdown, in North London. It's an exciting and rapidly-growing church, and the congregation includes people of all ages from every walk of life. At the moment my ministry includes everything you'd normally find in a growing church - a mixture of prayer, preaching, teaching, one-to-one Bible reading and pastoral ministry. I'm also responsible for writing the Bible study materials for our mid-week fellowship groups, and I teach an introductory course in Greek, biblical studies and doctrine to some of the other staff at the church.
The longer-term plan, God willing, is for me to lead a church plant in two years time. We're only in the planning stages at the moment, but it's an exciting prospect for the whole church as we seek to take the gospel of Christ to the city around us.
Randy Alcorn on Why Giuliani Should Be Opposed
Randy Alcorn delivers a devastating rebuke on the many "Anyone But Clinton" Giuliani-supporters:
I mean no disrespect, but actually, yes, there ARE worse things than Hillary being elected. In my opinion, having to stand before God to answer for compromising biblical convictions and acting as moral hypocrites by voting for an unprincipled man who will not defend the innocent and care for his own family is far worse. God will not judge me in light of whether I’ve followed conservativism or promoted Republicanism, but as to whether I have honored my Lord Jesus.
Alcorn is referring to the fact that Giuliani, in his third marriage, is all but estranged from his adult children (daughter, 18, and son, 21). These young adults report that in the last couple of years their father has not been a part of their lives. You may recall that several years ago Giuliani, still married, was going to public galas with his new girlfriend (his kids would have been teenagers then). Understandably, his children do not support his campaign.
Earlier, Alcorn notes:
So, how is it that followers of Jesus who stand for the cause of unborn children and family values are supposed to support a man who will not 1) defend the rights of the unborn, 2) define marriage as between a man and a woman; 3) keep his vows to his wife and 4) refrain from betraying and abandoning his own children?[Pat] Robertson promises Giuliani will lead the way against terrorism. But what would he do that most of the other Republican candidates, and perhaps one or more of the Democrats, wouldn’t do? And why is he unconcerned about the acts of terrorism committed against millions of unborn children across the country and in his own city? Why should we expect God to defend the cause of a nation that kills His children?
And one more:
Sacrifice children on the altar of Republicanism? I won’t do it. The children aren’t expendable. The Republican party is. The logic that we’ll really save lives because fewer will die under Rudy than Hillary doesn’t cut it. No, I’ll vote for someone who won’t sacrifice children on the altar of expedience, pragmatism, partisanship or economic philosophy. And I won’t consider it a wasted vote, because if the two options on a ballot so blatantly dishonor Christ and His values, then the real waste would be voting for one of them.
Read the whole thing.
Related: Alcorn endorses Huckabee
November 14, 2007
Piper on a Church-Based Hope For “Adultolescents”
On the heels of that 60 minutes report on the "Millennials", I was encouraged by John Piper's list of 15 ways the church should respond to the trend of extended adolescence (which I've written about elsewhere). Piper first summarizes six book reviews which Christian Smith (professor of sociology at Notre Dame) recently published in the respected periodical Books and Culture. Each book reviewed deals with the new phenomenon of “adultolescence” -- the postponement of adulthood into the thirties.
Smith defined "adultolescence" very similarly to the way I did in Chapter 1 of With One Voice
“Teenager” and “adolescence” as representing a distinct stage of life were very much 20th-century inventions, brought into being by changes in mass education, child labor laws, urbanization and suburbanization, mass consumerism, and the media. Similarly, a new, distinct, and important stage in life, situated between the teenage years and full-fledged adulthood, has emerged in our culture in recent decades—reshaping the meaning of self, youth, relationships, and life commitments as well as a variety of behaviors and dispositions among the young.What has emerged from this new situation has been variously labeled “extended adolescence,” “youthhood,” “adultolescence,” “young adulthood,” the “twenty-somethings,” and “emerging adulthood.”
Smith attributes the rise in this phenomenon to the following causes:
First is the growth of higher education. The GI Bill, changes in the American economy, and government subsidizing of community colleges and state universities led in the second half of the last century to a dramatic rise in the number of high school graduates going on to college and university. More recently, many feel pressured—in pursuit of the American dream—to add years of graduate school education on top of their bachelor’s degree. As a result, a huge proportion of American youth are no longer stopping school and beginning stable careers at age 18 but are extending their formal schooling well into their twenties. And those who are aiming to join America's professional and knowledge classes—those who most powerfully shape our culture and society—are continuing in graduate and professional school programs often up until their thirties.Again, I could not agree more. And Piper's fifteen admonitions for how the church should respond are spot-on. His conclusion:A second and related social change crucial to the rise of emerging adulthood is the delay of marriage by American youth over the last decades. Between 1950 and 2000, the median age of first marriage for women rose from 20 to 25 years old. For men during that same time the median age rose from 22 to 27 years old. The sharpest increase for both took place after 1970. Half a century ago, many young people were anxious to get out of high school, marry, settle down, have children, and start a long-term career. But many youth today, especially but not exclusively men, face almost a decade between high school graduation and marriage to spend exploring life's many options in unprecedented freedom.
A third major social transformation contributing to the rise of emerging adulthood as a distinct life phase concerns changes in the American and global economy that undermine stable, lifelong careers and replace them instead with careers of lower security, more frequent job changes, and an ongoing need for new training and education. Most young people today know they need to approach their careers with a variety of skills, maximal flexibility, and readiness to re tool as needed. That itself pushes youth toward extended schooling, delay of marriage, and, arguably, a general psychological orientation of maximizing options and postponing commitments.
Finally, and in part as a response to all of the above, parents of today’s youth, aware of the resources often required to succeed, seem increasingly willing to extend financial and other support to their children, well into their twenties and even into their early thirties.
In these ways, I pray that the Lord Jesus, through his church, will nurture a provocative and compelling cultural alternative among our “emerging adults.” This counter-cultural band will have more stability, clearer identity, deeper wisdom, Christ-dependent flexibility, an orientation on the good of others not just themselves, a readiness to bear responsibility and not just demand rights, an expectation that they will suffer without returning evil for evil, an awareness that life is short and after that comes judgment, and a bent to defer gratification till heaven if necessary so as to do maximum good and not forfeit final joy in God.
November 13, 2007
State Rep. Mark Martin Condemns NRTL Endorsement
Rep. Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove, penned an outstanding, sharp critique of the National Right To Life's unfortunate endorsement of Senator Fred Thompson for President:
I am proud to be a part of the political party that promoted and protected the Right to Liberty for slaves, the right to vote for Americans of African descent, and the Right to Vote for women. I am proud to be part of the political party that now seeks to protect the Right to Life for the most innocent and defenseless group ever to have their God given rights trampled.By endorsing a candidate who rejects a Constitutional amendment for the Right to Life, the “National Right to Life” organization betrays not only their principles, but also its very name.
While Sen. Thompson is moderately pro-life, there are three or four other candidates who stand head and shoulders above him on Pro-Life issues. Mr. Thompson’s position — which admits that life begins at conception, then turns his back protecting that life — is perhaps worse and certainly more illogical than those who deny life begins at conception. At least those people may be deceived or misinformed, but they are not cold blooded in their carelessness of ending what they believe to be life. It would have been better if the NRTL had not endorsed any candidate at all.
Read the whole thing. I previously bemoaned what I perceive as mutually-contradictory positions from Senator Thompson on the abortion issue.
Update: Last week (Nov. 8), Robert Novak took aim at Senator Thompson's interview on NBC's "Meet the Press". (I disagree only with Novak's final statement on Huckabee and McCain.) William Murray also weighs in.
November 12, 2007
Eugene Sledge - With The Old Breed - Reviewed
My wife and I learned of Eugene Sledge when we had the pleasure of viewing Ken Burns’ new documentary, The War, on PBS. A marine infantryman who fought in the Peleliu and Okinawa campaigns, Sledge was repeatedly quoted by Burns in the depiction of those battles. Apparently, Sledge kept an informal diary on loose sheets of paper that he would stick in the pages of his pocket New Testament. His sentences were vivid; each containing articulate, descriptive force, and the characteristic stark realism of marine life. For example, the night before the Peleliu invasion, having not yet experienced combat, Sledge notes:
"I concluded that it was impossible for me to be killed, because God loved me. Then I told myself that God loved us all and that many would die or be ruined physically or mentally or both by the next morning and in the days following." (50)I kept telling Marni, “This guy must have been a writer after the war.” He was actually a biology professor, but wrote a memoir called With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
in 1981 (reprinted again in 2007). What's amazing is that he survived the war at all. He was one of just twenty-six marines in his company to survive both campaigns unwounded.
Marni read his book in its entirety; I’m still on page 80 and finding it fascinating. She was kind enough to write a review for us, which I thought I’d post on Veterans Day. We'd like to take this opportunity--small though it may be--to express our appreciation for the men who gave their lives in WWII to protect the liberties we enjoy every day. Hitler had his eyes on America; Japan had already attacked. You answered the call and fought, as Ken Burns has said, "a necessary war on our behalf." Thank you for your courage, sacrifice, and example.
********************************************************************
Sledge enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 3, 1942 although he was a freshman at Marion Military Institute. He explains that he quit college because he was “prompted by a deep feeling of uneasiness that the war might end” before he could get overseas. But his parents wanted him to become a military officer, so he compromised by signing up for the V-12 new officer training program. That put him in a comfortable classroom in Georgia Tech--and with boring teachers, detached from the war. At the end of the first semester, Sledge was one of ninety men (half the detachment) to intentionally flunk out of school in order to be allowed to enter the Marine Corps as enlisted men.
With the Old Breed walks us through boot camp, Sledge’s training at Camp Elliot, further training at Pavuvu, and then into the battle of Peleliu. I was struck by Sledge’s maturity, bravery, and almost unqualified respect for those in his chain of command. How different from so many 18-19 year old men today! Sledge paints a vivid picture of the horrors of war, providing a clear context of the larger scale troop movements and progress while also dwelling on the relationships of the soldiers, the details of daily life (from wet socks, to enjoying scavenged Japanese rations of sea scallops, to "field sanitation"), and countless anecdotes of incidents showing the bravery of the men and their devotion to each other.
In no way does Sledge glorify the war. He describes it eloquently as "brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste." The stress the men endure and the atrocities they witness slowly (or quickly) dehumanized many of them, to the point that some are guilty of atrocious acts, like looting the gold teeth of a still-living Japanese soldier. Sledge does not spare readers (except he must have heavily edited the epithets uttered) the misery of their surroundings, the terror of being constantly under barrage by machine gun bullets and enemy shells, or the despair at the senseless loss of life.
As miserable and fearful as he was in battle, he never once expresses regret. There is a sense that despite all the misery and futility the war was still necessary. But what seemed to motivate Sledge was not the abstract principle of protecting the American way of life. It was the comradeship and commitment he shared with his fellow marines, the knowledge that they were going through this together as friends and that each of them would die to save the others. Still, on the last page of the book, he says: "If the country is good enough to live in, it's good enough to fight for. With privilege goes responsibility."
The book is a page-turner. Written in a calm, almost detached way, Sledge's memoirs are surprisingly engaging and even suspenseful. I read it very carefully, not wanting to miss a word, feeling as though I was experiencing the war along with Company K (though thankfully without the maggots, flooded foxholes, or constant threat to my life).
November 11, 2007
60 Minutes on The "Millennials"
Morley Safer looked at the "Millennials" this evening - the 80 million young adults, born between 1980 and 1995, who are now replacing the 60 million Baby Boomers in the American work force:
"They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds."Some companies are now hiring consultants to help them transition to these more demanding, more self-centered employees.
Just a few thoughts:
1. More people swap jobs today than ever before. This is not necessarily a bad thing; employers have also changed. Whereas many companies used to grant pension plans, they are mostly passe (except in some government or military institutions).
2. Work-life balance is not a bad thing. Americans today, on the whole, work as hard as any nation and obesity, stress, and correspondent sleeplessness are all major issues. Many of our health care problems are preventable with a more balanced lifestyle. Thus, a more health-conscious work force that doesn't sacrifice their own well-being for the bottom line is a welcome modification.
3. However, corporations exists to earn profits (for Christians, to the glory of God and in a God-pleasing manner), and that requires employees that understand that on-the-job performance is crucial. That will require them to make sacrifices and recognize that merely showing up doesn't win you a performance award. Ultimately, you get paid to do what they want you to do. And you need to earn the company more money than they pay you, otherwise you are a liability.
4. It seems like a fair inference that American economic competitiveness is at stake if our future work force is less productive (over individual lifetimes) because more time is spent growing up. (And remember: these "millenials" still hope to retire before the age of 65, increased lifespans notwithstanding.)
Read the whole thing.
R.C. Sproul on Imputation
This is a great clip of R.C. Sproul explaining the union with Christ that we enjoy as Christians, which includes the transfer of our sins to Christ and Christ's righteousness to us. It is an important reminder that justification is better than forgiveness. God not only counts us "not guilty" because of Christ, He actually reckons us righteous. This is no "legal fiction." Vintage Sproul!
(HT: Heart of Flesh via Lawn Gospel)
Related: John Piper on Justification
November 10, 2007
Dobson Denies Endorsement of Huckabee Imminent
Though the American Spectator has spawned a lot of buzz, the Associated Press reports a denial from Dr. James Dobson that a Huckabee endorsement is imminent.
"I know Mike Huckabee personally," Dobson said. "I like him. We talk on the phone. I don't mean to be disparaging to him at all."Huckabee released a statement saying his campaign was not the source of information about a Dobson announcement, and said he had spoken with Dobson about it.
Apparently, a radio program taped today and to be aired Monday will say that Dr. Dobson isn't close to endorsing a candidate and if he does it likely will come "later in the campaign."
I'm encouraged that the same AP release notes that "Dobson already has ruled out former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson for assorted reasons."
I agree it is pretty much down to Romney and Huckabee. The latter is highly preferable.
(HT: Denny Burk)
Update: I think it is highly likely that the American Spectator report is spurious, given the "adviser" in Colorado (presumably the "source") made this contribution:
"He is the leader of the evangelical and social conservative movement in America, and he's going to reassert that position and leave no doubt that he's in charge," says the adviser based in Colorado.
I simply cannot imagine anyone associated with FOTF/Dobson saying anything as arrogant as that. More likely, it seems, someone wants to embarrass Dobson by making him appear to be irrelevant to the race (which appearance is only bolstered in the eyes of some when he invariably denies that any endorsement is in the works).
Donald E. Wildmon Endorses Huckabee
Donald E. Wildmon, founder of the American Family Association, has endorsed Gov. Mike Huckabee for President. "I feel that Gov. Huckabee understands the needs of our country and has the ability to lead us in meeting those needs," Wildmon said.
Bella Coming To More Theatres
Buoyed by its success in an initial number of limited markets, Bella is now coming to theaters all over the USA. It sounds fantastic; my wife and I plan to see it this next Friday.
Previous links on Bella: Brief Intro, First Things and Eduardo Verástegui, and Alex and Brett Harris on Bella
(HT: The Rebelution)
November 08, 2007
Charles Spurgeon on Penal Substitution
From "The Blood of Sprinkling (part 1)":
"If ever there should come a wretched day when all our pulpits shall be full of modern thought, and the old doctrine of a substitutionary sacrifice shall be exploded, then will there remain no word of comfort for the guilty or hope for the despairing. Hushed will be for ever those silver notes which now console the living, and cheer the dying; a dumb spirit will possess this sullen world, and no voice of joy will break the blank silence of despair. The gospel speaks through the propitiation for sin, and if that be denied, it speaketh no more. Those who preach not the atonement exhibit a dumb and dummy gospel; a mouth it hath, but speaketh not; they that make it are like unto their idol . . .Quoted in Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution by Steve Jeffrey, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach, which is now available in the USA.Would you have me silence the doctrine of the blood of sprinkling? Would any one of you attempt so horrible a deed? Shall we be censured if we continually proclaim the heaven-sent message of the blood of Jesus? Shall we speak with bated breath because some affected person shudders at the sound of the word 'blood'? or some ‘cultured’ individual rebels at the old-fashioned thought of sacrifice? Nay, verily, we will sooner have our tongue cut out than cease to speak of the precious blood of Jesus Christ."
Update: The authors set up this website which contains all the endorsements, the Table of Contents, the Foreword (by John Piper) and much more.
The authors also encouraged me to extend a warm invitation to join their Facebook group, Pierced for our transgressions. (Not sure how to link directly to a Facebook group.)
November 07, 2007
Randy Alcorn Endorses Huckabee for President
Randy Alcorn, Director of Eternal Perspective Ministries, and a man I deeply admire, announces his support of Mike Huckabee for President. Alcorn begins by explaining that he has never been into politics, having met a few charlatans that understandably soured him a bit. He notes:
Today, I am less enthusiastic about political parties than I’ve ever been. I’m a Republican largely because I adamantly oppose abortion. But my concern for the poor, racial justice and the environment—all of which have a strong biblical basis—make me sometimes identify more with the concerns of Democrats (though I don’t always agree on their proposed solutions). But I could never be a Democrat as long as that party remains hostile toward the rights of unborn children. Yes, there are prolife Democrats, but they are a small minority.....six months ago if you’d asked if I’d be endorsing a presidential candidate I would probably have said “no way,” because I couldn’t envision a candidate I would actually trust. However, God has called us to be good stewards of our opportunities, and to be His representatives in every area. And, contrary to my expectations, there actually is a candidate that I, a political skeptic, believe to be a man of integrity, wisdom, winsomeness, faith and yes, even eternal perspective.
Alcorn goes on:
In my opinion, Huckabee doesn’t just know the words; he knows the music. You can see the authenticity in him. I heard him say, “I do not spell G-O-D G.O.P.” That means he’s a follower of Christ before he’s a follower of the Republican party. He’s not overbearing in his spiritual beliefs, but he never apologizes for them. He’s humble and self-effacing. He’s not in your face, yet he’s firm in conviction. I actually think this guy says what he believes and believes what he says. And I have to say, I don’t think that about most politicians.
And again:
I appreciate Huckabee’s wit, sincerity, intelligence and wisdom. In his interviews, I like that he’s self-deprecating. He’s not an angry conservative. He’s winsome. And I get the feeling he’s not conservative to be conservative. I think he doesn’t care how he looks as much as whether he’s right— how he stands before God first, and people second. And he doesn’t just mouth the words “I’m prolife,” then fail to take measures to defend the unborn from destruction, as many nominally prolife politicians do.
Read the whole thing. Alcorn plans to devote a post next week arguing that Huckabee is indeed electable. He'll also explain why he does not support any of the other candidates, Republican or Democrat. I echo Alcorn's frustration (particularly in light of Pat Robertson's foolish endorsement of Giuliani):
I confess I get impatient with Christian leaders who withhold support from the best candidates because other candidates, including prochoice ones, are supposedly more “electable.” If we’d just, on the basis of conscience, give support to people of God-honoring conviction instead of withholding it, some of them would become electable.
(HT: JT)
The Future of Justification - Now Available
John Piper's latest book, The Future of Justification, is finally here. The best price I've seen for it is $11.99. I previously introduced the book. Here's (in a nutshell) what I said:
Historically, Protestants have believed that the moment a person placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ (as the God-man who lived and died as a substitute for sinners), that individual received the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is "imputed" or transferred to their account. From then on, God looks upon the person as possessing the very righteousness of Jesus Christ. N.T. Wright has joined others in making light of this notion with quips such as “… it makes no sense that the judge [God] imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or gas that can be passed across the courtroom.” This book is Pastor Piper's response. What's at stake? The basis of our acceptance before God. Do the good works performed by believers through the aid of the Holy Spirit in some way contribute to (or secure) our right standing with God, or are they the evidence that we already have a right standing with God? Among other things, this has implications for a believer's assurance of salvation.
November 06, 2007
Albert Mohler on What's So Great About Christianity
Dr. Albert Mohler's conclusion:
Christians will find Dinesh D'Souza's latest book to be both interesting and helpful. His apologetic model is G. K. Chesterton, and he writes with a similar style and verve. I found his argument that Christians should embrace evolution while rejecting Darwinism to be unconvincing and unhelpful. The dominant model of evolutionary theory is just as atheistic and incompatible with Christianity as classical Darwinism.Read the whole thing.Nevertheless, the book is filled with interesting and helpful arguments offered by a Christian intellectual who is heavily engaged in the great battle of ideas. What's So Great About Christianity
is a helpful addition to our public debate.
November 05, 2007
Time Magazine on Divorce and Remarriage
Amazingly, Time Magazine weighs in on the recent debate over the Christianity Today article by Instone-Brewer and the ensuing controversy.
(HT: JT)
Greg Koukl Interviews Dinesh D'Souza
Greg Koukl interviews Dinesh D'Souza about his new book, What's So Great About Christianity
Churches Viewing People As Consumers
David Wells writes in Losing Our Virtue: Why the Church Must Recover Its Moral Vision:
Can churches really hide their identity without losing their religious character? Can the Church view people as consumers without inevitably forgetting that they are sinners? Can the Church promote the Gospel as a product and not forget that those who buy it must repent? Can the Church market itself and not forget that it does not belong to itself but to Christ? Can the Church pursue success in the marketplace and not lose its biblical faithfulness?
Quoted in reThink
Those of us who love teenagers and sense a clear call from God to serve in this critical area of life have heard the horror stories of the ineffectiveness of today's youth ministries. Some of the criticism is justified and some is not. In spite of the many wonderful youth ministries spanning our country/world, most research reveals that at least 50% of active evangelical teenagers leave church between 18-21 and few of those ever return. It is apparent that some adjusting and retooling of today's approaches to youth ministry are in order.reThink challenges those who are called to youth ministry to rethink not just practical youth ministry but the philosophy that drives why and how we do youth ministry. Having served in full time youth ministry for over 30 years and teaching youth ministry courses at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary since Fall of 2004, I have read a multitude of wonderful books on the subject. With all honesty and sincerity, reThink is the most valuable book on youth ministry that I have read up to this point in my career.
I have known Steve Wright as a personal friend for many years and have observed him in nearly every aspect of ministry. He writes as he lives. The philosophy and concepts discussed are what he has put into practice in his ministry and not mere ideas that have been tossed about in late night discussions. With every aspect of culture, media, and the educational system pulling at today's youth a critical book is needed for these critical times. reThink is that book.
Update: I have since posted a review of reThink
Senator Fred Thompson on Abortion
Senator Fred Thompson spoke with Tim Russert of Meet The Press this past Sunday. In the video clip above, Thompson explained his position on the "complex" issue of abortion:
1. He believes Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided.Am I the only one who smells political double-talk here? Thompson should be firmly rejected by the GOP. Among other considerations, he would not stand a chance against Senator Clinton.
2. He thinks states (rather than the Supreme Court) should decide the matter.
3. He would discourage states from making laws forbidding abortion.
4. He believes that life begins at conception, and is proud of his 100% pro-life voting record.
(HT: Steve Dumas)
Justice Clarence Thomas - Interviewed
Hillsdale College seniors Kaitlyn Buss, Daniel Burfiend, and Jillian Melchior interviewed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on September 19, 2007 about his recent memoir My Grandfather's Son
His life was marked by segregation, by no education, by having no father, by having his mother die when he was nine and going to live with his grandmother who was a freed slave.
Thomas attributes his work ethic, values, and judicial philosophy to his grandfather (whom he also regards as the greatest person he has ever known). On the greatest lesson he learned from his grandfather:
There may be a disconnect between my world and yours, because when my grandfather was raising me, people didn’t talk about their rights so much. They talked about civil rights, yes, but they didn’t simply talk about rights and freedom. They talked more about the responsibilities that came with freedom—about the fact that if you were to have freedom, you had to be responsible for it. What my grandfather believed was that people have their responsibilities, and that if they are left alone to fulfill their responsibilities, that is freedom. Honesty and responsibility, those are the things he taught.On affirmative action:It’s the same thing in civil society. We’re too focused on the benefits of a civil society and we think too little about the obligations we have—the obligations to be civil, to learn about our history and our government, to conduct ourselves in a disciplined way, to help others, to take care of our homes. Too many conversations today have to do with rights and wants. There is not enough talk about responsibilities and duties.
I often say, “I don’t hire women law clerks.” People are shocked. But I don’t hire women law clerks—I hire the best law clerks. And it turns out that 30 percent of them happen to be women. If a woman graduates from law school and I say I’m going to hire her because I need a woman, that seems to me dehumanizing, and the job would be tainted. That’s my attitude.On whether morality is relative:
Have you ever read Modern Times, by Paul Johnson? I read it back in the ’80s. It’s long, but it’s really worth the effort. One point it makes clearly is the connection between relativism, nihilism, and Naziism. The common idea that you can do whatever you want to do, because truth and morality are relative, leads to the idea that if you are powerful enough you can kill people because of their race or faith.
Read the whole thing.
November 04, 2007
Charles Mahtesian (WaPo) on Mike Huckabee
Charles Mahtesian writing for the Washington Post:
Huckabee is for real -- a man poised to go further on the national stage than any other candidate produced by the Christian conservative movement. Sure, some pundits still write him off, and back home, detractors insist that he's just angling for a plum Cabinet post. But you can spot an awfully convincing blueprint for how the candidate once tagged as "the hillbilly Ronald Reagan" could win the Republican nomination -- or end up as the inevitable vice presidential pick on a GOP ticket led by Rudy Giuliani. That's more than you can say for some of Huckabee's rivals.
I don't agree with Mahtesian that a Giuliani-Huckabee ticket makes sense; Huckabee would be wise to reject any such offer, since Giuliani cannot possibly beat Clinton. Nevertheless, Mahtesian makes some good points:
In South Carolina, the nerve center of the Christian right, Huckabee will have broad appeal, and all without the off-putting Bible-thumping baggage that could hurt him in the state's coastal Low Country. This will be where Huckabee sticks the dagger into Fred Thompson (assuming the slow-moving former senator is still around) and establishes himself as the conservative's conservative. Huckabee will move on to another good opportunity with Florida's contest 10 days later, then brace for the major primary payday on Feb. 5, when Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and several other heavily Southern Baptist states cast their votes. When the dust settles on Feb. 6, carrying the South would let Huckabee have a one-on-one duel, possibly with Giuliani, that enables him to showcase his greatest asset: his personality. Could that take him all the way? The abrasive Giuliani, or any other finalist, would rule that out at his peril.Read the whole thing.
John Piper Update on Women in Combat
Following-up on his essay on women in combat, John Piper concurs with the exhortation that we not minimize the sacrifice of the American women who have died in combat:
The exhortation is a good one that we not minimize the sacrifice of the American women who have died in combat, even if we think their presence on the front lines is a powerful commentary on the cowardice of our male military and political leaders. It is not a commentary on the cowardice of women. I do not commend women in combat. But I commend the sacrifices of love in a cause of truth and justice.
My whole position assumes that competencies and character are not the criteria for who fights the enemy. Women may be more courageous than men in any given situation. They may have nobler vision. They may be smarter. That is not the issue. What God has written on our hearts and designed for our survival and our joy is the issue. Manhood puts itself forward between the women and the enemy. That is part of what manhood means. That is who we are by God’s design. The courage of women will show itself in a hundred ways. But when a man is around, he will not exploit that courage to fight the battle where he belongs.
November 03, 2007
Paul Kregor on Dinesh D’Souza on Christianity
Paul Kregor interviews Dinesh D’Souza on his latest book, What's So Great About Christianity
We’re seeing a surge of atheist confidence and atheist belligerence. The best-selling atheist books like Hitchens’ God Is Not Great and Dawkins’ The God Delusion are one indication of this. Another is the militancy of atheism on many campuses today. In a way, the atheist attacks on God and religion are a bit odd. I don’t believe in unicorns, but I don’t go around writing books about them. I suspect what has given atheists a boost is the Islamic radicalism we’ve seen in the wake of 9/11. The atheists glibly equate Islamic fundamentalism and Christian fundamentalism, and then conclude that religion itself is the problem.My book What’s So Great About Christianity is consciously written in the C.S. Lewis tradition. Just as Lewis, writing after World War II, dealt with issues specific to his time, such as “How can a just God allow the Holocaust?” so too my book is a response to the intellectual and moral attack on Christianity launched by the new atheists. I take the atheist argument seriously, and meet it on its own ground, which is the ground of reason and skepticism. I want to show Christians and religious believers that theism makes vastly more sense of the world and of our lives than agnosticism or atheism. I also want to persuade genuine seekers that they should take Christianity seriously, and give it real consideration. I don’t expect to convince dogmatic atheists, but I do intend to expose and refute and embarrass them.
Alex & Brett Harris on Bella
Alex and Brett Harris, having hosted a pre-screening of the movie Bella, post a bunch of links about it:
Brett and I had the honor of hosting a pre-release screening of Bella at an event in Salt Lake City last month. The small-budget film shocked the film world by taking the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival last year. It is a powerful film on the true meaning of love, life, redemption, and family.Written, produced, directed, and starring some of the most talented and Christ-focused young men we have met, Bella is a film that will reach the heart of any person, regardless of their political or religious views. What makes us so excited about this film is its potential to change hearts and save lives.
November 02, 2007
The Response of Manhood to Women in Combat
Writing for the most recent issue of World Magazine, John Piper starts a brief essay with these riveting words:
If I were the last man on the planet to think so, I would want the honor of saying no woman should go before me into combat to defend my country. A man who endorses women in combat is not pro-woman; he’s a wimp. He should be ashamed. For most of history, in most cultures, he would have been utterly scorned as a coward to promote such an idea. Part of the meaning of manhood as God created us is the sense of responsibility for the safety and welfare of our women.
Piper also points to an interesting new book by Kingsley Browne, a law professor at Wayne State University in Michigan: Co-ed Combat: The New Evidence That Women Shouldn't Fight the Nation's Wars
If you leave God out, the perceived “hard-wiring” appears to be “evolutionary psychology.” If God is in the picture, it has other names. We call it “the work of the law written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15). We call it true manhood as God meant it to be.
While I find the biblical data to provide clear and compelling support for the complementarian view, I welcome broad support for complementarianism from scholars like Browne who, while blind to the wisdom from God's special revelation, nevertheless witness the inescapable evidence from God's general revelation. In the wisdom of God, men and women are "hard-wired" differently: equally glorious, divine image-bearers, but significantly different in a myriad of ways. God designed us this way so that His glory would shine all the brighter: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.....and it was very good." (Gen 1:27-31)
November 01, 2007
Christian Right Moving Toward Huckabee?
Rick Scarborough, President of Vision America, announces his support for Mike Huckabee:
"I have chosen to cast my support for Mike Huckabee, not because he is perfect, but because I believe him to be competent, and I have known him for more than 30 years. I have watched his life up close and from a distance for the entire time. We attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary together in Ft. Worth, 30-plus years ago. It was and still is the largest evangelical seminary in the world, and at the time there was significant liberalism on the campus.Among the students, there were three basic groups: 1) Those that sat in awe of the professors and drank the "Kool-Aid" of the latest liberal theological fad, 2) Those who were conservative but who chose to go about their business of getting their education quietly with as little conflict as possible, and 3) Those who were there on a mission to prepare to change the world and for whom Christ was their first love and winning souls their passion.
Mike and I gravitated to each other because we hung with students in the third category."
Commenting on the delay of many Christian leaders to come out in support of a particular candidate, Scarborough notes:
"Over and again I have been encouraged by men I admire to be patient. But I submit that our patience has moved beyond prudence, and we are increasingly being viewed as irrelevant. I would submit that our mistake has been that we have been looking for perfection in a candidate, which can only lead to frustration."
I totally agree. But Scarborough also tackles a gnawing issue that I too have been wondering about: Where was Pastor Huckabee during the "conservative resurgence" in the Southern Baptist Convention?
"During those early years, the 'conservative resurgence' in the Southern Baptist Convention was taking place. Always the warrior, I jumped in with both feet, doing all I could to expose theological liberalism in our denomination. In 1989, I ran for president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In the process, I ran an aggressive campaign, naming names of liberals in both churches and educational institutions. In the end, I was defeated by a significant margin. Mike took a different approach in Arkansas, which resulted in his being elected to the office of president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention.Some have tried to diminish his conservative credentials because they say he was a "no-show" for the theological wars of the Southern Baptist Convention. While that charge is not completely accurate, his gentler approach certainly proved prudent in God's wider agenda of providing a leader for the whole state of Arkansas. And after three doses of Bill and Hillary Clinton, people of both sides of the theological wars in the SBC, as well as people of many faiths in Arkansas, voted for and elected a Baptist pastor, Mike Huckabee, to state-wide office three times."
Read the whole thing. You may not agree with everything Scarborough says, but I think his endorsement is significant. So is the fact that Huckabee raised more money in October than in July, August, and September combined.
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