April 29, 2008
Modern Parables - Individual DVDs Available
Awhile back I reviewed Modern Parables - a modern rendition, via the medium of film, of six of Jesus' parables (Hidden Treasure, The Good Samaritan, The Shrewd Manager, The Persistent Widow, The Sower, and Prodigal Sons). Forgot the "cheesy Sunday School videos" stereotype, the cinematography of Modern Parables is as excellent as their theology. Two of the six videos are now available as individual DVDs, and the others will be available sometime between late May and mid-July. Check out a trailer:
See more trailers.
April 27, 2008
Interview withJustice Antonin Scalia
60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl conducts an interesting and entertaining interview of originalist Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. I appreciate Scalia's perspective on the differing roles of the judicial and legislative branches. Justices interpret the constitution and legislators create laws. In being an originalist, Scalia is pleading that we should seek to interpret the Constitution the way its authors originally intended, rather than as some sort of living (i.e., changing) document. This interaction seemed not unlike the discussion on many University campuses where postmodern professors seek to ascertain what a text means to them rather than what the author actually intended to convey.
I also appreciated Scalia's ability to attack ideas without bitterness or rancor to those with whom he disagrees. Apparently, Scalia and Justice Ginsberg are good friends. Scalia quipped: "I attack ideas. I don't attack people. And some very good people have some very bad ideas...And if you can't separate the two, you gotta get another day job. You don't want to be a judge. At least not a judge on a multi-member panel."
Interview with Justin Reimer
Tim Challies interviews Justin Reimer, founder of The Elisha Foundation. I did a two-part interview with Mr. Reimer awhile back: Here is Part 1 and Part 2.
April 24, 2008
In My Place Condemned He Stood
It is hard to deny that a proper understanding of the atonement is at the heart of the gospel. Christians can disagree over whether to baptize infants, over whether congregations should vote, or over end times, but as J.I. Packer notes, since one's belief about the atonement is bound up with one's belief about the very character of God, a faulty understanding can be indicative of a major problem. In our day, massive distortions exist on the significance of Christ's death. Some are bold enough to call it "divine child abuse," since they deny that God's righteous indignation toward sin implies retribution for wrongdoing (either to be experienced by Christ, or by us forever). Others merely sideline the centrality of Christ's dying work by emphasizing the idea of Jesus as teacher, an example/model of a godly man. Still others celebrate the cross as a victory over demonic forces on behalf of his people (Col. 2:15), or as a manifestation of God's deep love toward us (II Co. 5:14-15).
Of course, Jesus was a teacher and a good example. His death was a victory over spiritual forces of evil and a manifestation of God's intense love for humanity. But Jesus' death, primarily, was a sin-atoning sacrifice, the payment of our debt to bring us to God. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." (I Peter 3:18)
It is hard to improve upon P.P. Bliss (1838-1876):
Bearing shame and scoffing rudeThis new book by Packer and Dever is a response to the subtle and not-so-subtle attacks on the doctrine of penal substitution. Why penal? Because Jesus paid a legal penalty. Why substitution? Because He endured it on our behalf. Jesus experienced the condemnation and rejection that we deserved. This book can bless many different kinds of people. A creative exposition, it serves as devotional reflection on the heart of the Christian message. It can also serve to challenge a legalistic friend who sees Jesus mainly as a good teacher. I highly recommend it.
In my place condemned he stood
Sealed my pardon with his blood
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Read the Foreword, Preface, and Introduction.
Discussion on Thabiti's T4G Talk
The Nine Marks guys are having a good interaction on Thabiti Anyabwile's T4G message. Jonathan Leeman asks two good questions. Thabiti responds.
The Pennsylvania Democratic Primary
The oft-discussed demographic divide between Senators Clinton and Obama seems to have persisted in yesterday's Pennsylvania primary. In short, Clinton dominates among white women, the elderly, those without college degrees, union members, and (apparently) more religious voters. Alternatively, one could also argue that Obama is penetrating these voting blocs (Clinton's margins are decreasing, despite the highly publicized Jeremiah Wright and "bitter" controversies). This table by Jay Cost helpfully summaries the divergence in the Ohio and Pennsylvania primaries:
April 21, 2008
Christians and Alcohol
The entire most recent issue of the Criswell Theological Review is dedicated to Christians and alcohol. They published an article by Dr. Richard Land and Dr. Barrett Duke which argues that alcohol, while not inherently evil, ought not to be consumed by Christians at all. They also included an article by Dr. Kenneth Gentry which argues that a moderate use of alcohol is permissible for Christians. [Note: I have not yet read these articles, but it sounds like a good discussion.]
[HT: Denny Burk]
Let No One Despise You For Your Youth
John Piper kicked-off a five-part sermon series on a "vision for the rising generation of young people." When I was still at Bethlehem, I had the pleasure of hearing this vision in seed form, and participating in several productive meetings on this topic. Piper's introductory message was taken from I Timothy 4:11-16:
"Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."The sermon series will continue in the coming weeks with messages being brought by David Michael, Sam Crabtree, Kempton Turner, and Gregg Harris. Gregg is the father of Alex and Brett Harris, authors of the recent book Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. Piper begins his kick-off sermon with some comments on this new, provocative book. The entire series should be very profitable.
Along this same theme, I was honored to accept a gracious invitation by Steve Wright and Mike Hall to live-blog the ReThink conference on May 16 in Raleigh, NC. The conference is named after a great book
Jonathan Dodson on Engaging Culture
Discussing the opportunities (and dangers) associated with Christian cultural engagement, Dodson writes:
Our practice should flow from our position in Christ. Our actions ought to reveal our redeemed identity, not form our identity. Consider the danger of mistaking your newly formed habits for who you are. For instance, do you think of yourself now as an environmentalist or as a citizen of Zion with an environmental conscience? Do you draw significance from being a "pro-lifer" or from being new creation in Christ Jesus?Read the whole thing.Ask yourself, "Am I confusing my practice with my position?" or "Am I finding my significance in what I do instead of who I am in Christ?" Guard yourself from subtly allowing cultural convictions to take the place of your identity in Christ. Ground your identity in the gospel and your practice will be more redemptive and more honoring to the Lord.
April 20, 2008
Tim Keller at Westminster Theological Seminary
Complementing the other Tim Keller videos I've posted about his new book, The Reason For God, Tim Keller shares a panel with several faculty members from Westminster Theological Seminary, and discusses what gave rise to the book, the challenges of evangelism (and apologetics) today, and more. Pastor Keller was once a professor at Westminster.
(HT: Tullian Tchividjian)
Albert Mohler on Church-Based Pastoral Training
Dr. Mohler writes a brief history of pastoral training, arguing that seminaries must be accountable to churches, and that churches must also take pains to train those who seek ministerial employment:
The role of theological seminaries remains crucial for the education and training of Christian ministers. At its best, the seminary is an intentional gathering of Christian scholars who are dedicated to the preparation of ministers, committed to biblical truth, gifted in modeling and teaching the tasks of ministry, and passionate about the Gospel.Read the whole thing.No other educational institution exists to serve the needs of the churches in this way. In that sense, a theological seminary is as crucial to the training of ministers as the medical school is essential to the preparation of physicians.
Nevertheless, count me as one seminary president who believes that the local church is even more important to the education of the pastor. The local church should see theological education as its own responsibility before it partners with a theological seminary for concentrated studies. The seminary can provide a depth and breadth of formal studies -- all needed by the minister -- but it cannot replace the local church as the context where ministry is learned most directly.
Shout to The Lord on American Idol
Josh Harris offers some balanced thoughts on the recent singing of Shout to the Lord on American Idol:
Here's reality: we live in a secular, pluralistic society. We need to be good neighbors to agnostics and atheists and people of other religions. Christian faith and practice shouldn't be forced on others. And we shouldn't be overly surprised when "gospel" music that is very meaningful to believers is co-opted and used in secular settings by people who don't have personal faith in Jesus. How many times has Amazing Grace been sung and loved by people who don't really grasp its truth? Like it or not we live in a culture where many people view gospel music as merely a style that is part of a cultural tradition. That's all it means to them.Read the whole thing.Moments like this are reminders for me that the songs and trappings of Christian culture are not the hope of the world—Jesus is! We need to make him known. We need to love and seek to serve the world around us through prayer, through faithful evangelism, and through Christ-like service of those in need. Our goal is not building a more air-tight evangelical bubble. Neither should our goal be hoping that our subculture will burst out into the broader culture to great acclaim.
April 18, 2008
Peggy Noonan on the Presidential Candidates
The upshot: Clinton is finished, regardless of what happens in Pennsylvania next week. She's already been branded as dishonest and manipulative. Obama has won the day for now, but he will have to overcome the two-fold stigma of inexperience and elitism to beat McCain. Most provocatively, Noonan discusses the pros and cons of McCain publicly pursuing a one-term Presidency. The entire essay is clear, compelling, and engaging.
April 17, 2008
R.C. Sproul and Others on Pastoral Discouragement
(HT: Ligonier Ministries Blog)
Thabiti Anyabwile: Race and Unity with Adam and Christ
I'm enjoying an outstanding message that Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile preached earlier this week at the Together For The Gospel Conference. Entitled Bearing the Image: Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church, Thabiti provocatively argues that race is a figment of our imagination. We are all members of the human race (i.e., descendants of Adam). Therefore, race is neither a theological nor biological reality.
Race is to be distinguished from ethnicity. Genesis 10 speaks to the rise of ethnicities, not the rise of races. With all humanity, we share unity in Adam. With Christians, we possess (in addition) unity in Christ. Penultimately, we possess unity in the church. And ultimately, we will be united in glory. Article XVII of the T4G Statement "Affirmations and Denials":
We affirm that God calls his people to display his glory in the reconciliation of the nations within the Church, and that God’s pleasure in this reconciliation is evident in the gathering of believers from every tongue and tribe and people and nation. We acknowledge that the staggering magnitude of injustice against African-Americans in the name of the Gospel presents a special opportunity for displaying the repentance, forgiveness, and restoration promised in the Gospel. We further affirm that evangelical Christianity in America bears a unique responsibility to demonstrate this reconciliation with our African-American brothers and sisters.
Read more about the message. Listen to the message.
April 15, 2008
Mohler on Obama on Bitterness, Guns, and Religion
Dr. Albert Mohler reflects on Senator Obama's now famous statement from a San Francisco fund raiser. Obama was explaining how hard economic times encourage some people to lean upon religion, guns, and certain political convictions:
"It's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."Mohler notes that this is a great example of putting religion in a "functional" category--something politicians on both sides of the aisle have been known to do. Religion is valuable insofar as it fulfills some "function" (e.g. helping people cope with hard times):
"A functional view of belief assumes or "brackets" the question of whether the beliefs are true. One who holds to a purely functionalist view of religious conviction is not concerned with the truthfulness of these beliefs, but only with the effects the beliefs have on the believer, both privately and in social contexts."Read the whole thing.
Summer Availability of Townhouse in Riverside, CA
Please forgive the highly personal nature of this post. I accepted a summer teaching assignment at U.C. Berkeley, so Marni, the kids, and I will be heading back to my Alma mater. We're hoping to sublet our townhouse in Riverside, CA to trustworthy tenants: A family, mature students, missionaries, etc. All the info has been posted elsewhere, and there are also extra photos.
April 14, 2008
Marriage Rate at Record Low in England and Wales
The Guardian reports that the average age of first marriage in England is 36.4 for men and 33.7 for women (2006 figures). That represent a rise of 5 years for men and 4.5 years for women. Marriage rates in England and Wales have fallen to the lowest level on record. Looks like this 2005 prediction is coming to pass.
This is concerning on many levels: population replacement, national economic stability, and the glory of God though Christ-exalting marriages.
(HT: Courtney Tarter at CBMW)
The Recent Mike Huckabee Teleconference
Michael Foust writes about the April 11 teleconference call with Governor Mike Huckabee sponsored by Charisma Magazine. Huckabee pledged to vigorously support McCain, but mused over what might have been had conservative leaders given him more early support (financial and otherwise). While I think such reflection is entirely justified, I hope that Huckabee also considers what he could have done to appreciably widen his circle of support beyond religious conservatives. Some of his class warfare-sounding rhetoric was both unnecessary and unhelpful, IMHO. Huckabee did not rule out a 2012 run (unless a President McCain was running for re-election).
My take? I think he should run for Blanche Lincoln's Senate seat in 2010. Win, build/enhance a reputation as a Washington true conservative (especially on economic and immigration issues), then eye a Presidential run in either 2012 or 2016. Truth be told, maybe he should have run for Senator Mark Pryor's seat this year.
April 12, 2008
Do Hard Things - 37% off for 3 more days
This fantastic new book by Alex and Brett Harris officially releases on April 15. Amazon's regular price is 32% off the $16.99 list price. But until Tuesday (04/15) an extra 5% pre-order discount applies
"In a culture of low expectations, non-stop entertainment and short attention spans, teenagers Alex and Brett Harris provide a voice of reason and a stirring exhortation to productive action in the name of Christ. As a university professor, I am not unaware of the Gen Y propensity to demand more recognition for less effort and to associate self-esteem with mere being rather than for actual accomplishment. Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations is a clarion call to teenagers everywhere to put away childishness and the fruit of immaturity and channel the energy of youth, in small ways and big ways, into world-changing activity with eternal significance. I highly recommend it."At California Baptist University, we've already pre-ordered 55 copies for the inaugural class of engineering students. Personally, I think every high school and college student would benefit greatly by reading this book.
Do Hard Things is also available here (where you can view the Table of Contents and Chapter 4). And here's Chapter 1.
Biola President Emeritus Clyde Cook (1935-2008)
Dr. Clyde Cook, President of Biola University from 1982-2007, influenced countless lives for Jesus Christ during his almost 73 year pilgrimage. My wife and I had the privilege of speaking to him for about an hour last spring prior to his official retirement. We were impressed by his heart for Christian higher education and his balanced perspective on the value of both academic rigor and spiritual formation. May his tribe increase.
A Biola University statement reads:
Dr. Clyde Cook served as Biola University’s president for 25 years, from 1982 to 2007, with a unique background as an educator, administrator and fourth-generation missionary.Both his great-grandparents and grandparents were missionaries to China, and his mother followed in their footsteps. While traveling there by ship, she met her future husband, an officer on the ship, and a year later was married to this Christian sea captain from Scotland.
Born in Hong Kong, the fourth of six children, Clyde was faced with adversity at an early age when the Cook family was imprisoned in three different concentration camps during World War II. In 1942, by God’s grace they were reunited in South Africa.
After five years in South Africa, the Cooks came to the United States and settled in Laguna Beach, California, where Clyde was named California Interscholastic Federation basketball player of the year in 1953. He was offered athletic scholarships to thirteen different major universities.
Clyde received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Biola University (1957) and his Master of Divinity (1960) and Master of Theology (1962) from Talbot Theological Seminary. He earned his Doctor of Missiology (1974) at Fuller Theological Seminary.
After graduating from Biola, Clyde served as the school’s Athletic Director from 1957 to 1960. From 1963-1967 he and his wife, Anna Belle, were missionaries with O.C. Ministries (Overseas Crusades then) in Cebu City in the Philippines. During this time Clyde participated in pastors’ conferences, city-wide crusades, lay institute training, youth conferences and Bible school teaching. He traveled extensively, visiting more than 72 countries in athletic and drama evangelism and to represent Biola University. In 1971, he spent six months in the Philippines helping to set up theological extension education programs.
Returning to Biola in 1967 as an Assistant Professor of Missions, Clyde was then appointed Director of Intercultural Studies and Missions and helped to develop Biola’s nationally acclaimed program in cross-cultural education. Called to the presidency of O.C. Ministries in 1978, he ably guided the mission organization to an increased level of financial stability and multiplied foreign field effectiveness.
Clyde served on the Biola Board of Trustees from 1980 to 1982 when he was invited by a unanimous vote of the Board to assume the seventh presidency of Biola University on June 1, 1982 and became president emeritus on July 1, 2007.
Dr. Cook served for seven years on the Board of Directors of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and one year as its chair. He also served for six years on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and served as the president of that organization for two years. He served on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation task force as well as serving as a member of the steering committee for the Fellowship of Evangelical Seminary Presidents. He served for six years on the executive committee of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of California.
On Friday, April 11, 2008, Dr. Cook passed away at his home in Fullerton, California.
(HT: John Mark Reynolds)
April 10, 2008
Faith Comes By Hearing - Chris Morgan Interviewed
I previously introduced this new book (IVP Academic) edited by my colleague at California Baptist University, Dr. Christopher Morgan, and Robert Peterson (Professor of systematic theology at Covenant Theological Seminary and a teaching elder in the PCA). Dr. Morgan was kind enough to allow an interview about the book:
1. When did you first become interested in the topic of the fate of the unevangelized?
It is the outgrowth of my previous studies on hell. When I was working on my Ph.D., I noticed that a good portion of the rationale for evangelicals to minimize hell was linked to their understandings of God and sin. God was being defined primarily in terms of love, without a serious relationship to His holiness, justice, etc. This approach to God leads to a softening of a view of sin, which leads to a lighter view of hell. This same approach to God and sin also leads to many other errors in contemporary evangelical thought. One of those is inclusivism. When Robert Peterson and I completed Hell Under Fire (Zondervan, 2004), we longed to see something careful and substantial that critiqued inclusivism. We could not find it, so we decided to publish one.
2. Is there anything wrong with the stereotype of an "innocent native" who has never heard of Jesus?
Everything is wrong with the stereotype. Scripture paints a different portrait. The mistaken assumption is that such folks are innocent. This would assume that our condemnation is based on a rejection of the gospel. Scripture teaches that our condemnation is based on the fact that we are sinners, not because at some point in time we rejected the gospel. We are condemned in Adam’s sin. Paul asserts in Romans 5:18: “the result of one man’s trespass was condemnation for all men.” Other Scriptures do the same. Furthermore, God’s wrath is revealed against everyone who suppresses his truth revealed through creation, as Paul declares in Romans 1:18-25. God communicates clearly who he is in and through creation, but all—Jews and Gentiles alike—refuse him, are under sin, and therefore justly deserve his divine displeasure (Rom 3:9-23). Strictly speaking, the Bible denies that there are persons who have never heard of God. As Romans argues, and as the sermons in the book of Acts confirm, everyone knows of God’s existence, power, goodness, and patience (Rom 2:4; Acts 14:15-17; 17:30). In that sense, all know God. But they rebel against him; they refuse him and his claims on their lives. This rebellion is universal and is the basis of our guilt. Our condemnation is not based on hearing the gospel and refusing it, but on knowing God and refusing him. So, biblically speaking, when we ask, “What about people who have never heard of God, especially the Christian God?,” we are framing a faulty question.
3. Are there different levels of judgment for those that have different levels of exposure (or opportunity for exposure) to the truth of Christ?
In his chapter “Exclusivism: Unjust or Just?”, William Edgar helpfully concludes:
“All of us, then, are lost before a righteous God, stand guilty before him, and deserve his anger. It is fair for God to be angry with the world because we have transgressed his covenant and committed cosmic treason. Certainly we should not be judged based on something we never knew. But we do know, and according to Romans, we know a great deal. Now, it may be that some hear the gospel itself and refuse it. It seems their condemnation is greater. Perhaps also there is greater condemnation for those who live in countries with a long Christian history, and with access to the Bible, than for those in relatively unevangelized places.…But it is clear that to whom much has been given, much will be required (Lk 12:47-48). Human beings are judged in God’s sight for the response they make to whatever light they have—and no human being is without light.”4. In short, what do exclusivism and inclusivism agree upon?
Inclusivists and exclusivists agree on many things. For example, we both oppose pluralism, the idea that there are many paths of salvation. Though they deny that faith must be explicitly in Jesus and they deny that the gospel must be communicated, they do affirm that Jesus alone is the Savior.
5. What is the heart of their disagreement?
The disagreement lies in many areas: the justice and love of God, the nature of saving faith (what is its content?), the role of general revelation, the value of world religions, the purpose of missions, etc. Faith Comes by Hearing: A Response to Inclusivism introduces the issues, sets forth the major positions, evaluates the major arguments, and presents a positive case for the historic position.
Christ and Culture Revisited - D.A. Carson
D.A. Carson's latest book, Christ and Culture Revisited, will be released May 15. Tim Keller (an endorser) alluded to this book in a brief exchange awhile back. It should be very provocative and engaging. The publisher's description:
Called to live in the world, but not to be of it, Christians must maintain a balancing act that becomes more precarious the further our culture departs from its Judeo-Christian roots. How should members of the church interact with such a culture, especially as deeply enmeshed as most of us have become?I'm particularly intrigued by the thought of Carson bringing the categories of biblical theology to bear on Christian cultural engagement. I've heard him masterfully unpack the biblical story line several times (tracing major themes from Genesis to Revelation), so I'm really looking forward to this new work.D. A. Carson applies his masterful touch to this problem. He begins by exploring the classic typology of H. Richard Niebuhr and his five options for understanding culture. Carson proposes that these disparate options are in reality one still larger vision. Using the Bible's own story line and the categories of biblical theology, he attempts to work out what that unifying vision is. Carson acknowledges the helpfulness of Niebuhr's grid and other similar matrices but warns against giving them canonical force.
More than just theoretical, Christ and Culture Revisited is also designed practically to help Christians untangle current messy debates on living in the world. Carson emphasizes that the relation between Christ and culture is not limited to an either/or cultural paradigm— Christ against culture or Christ transforming culture. Instead Carson offers his own paradigm in which all the categories of biblical theology must be kept in mind simultaneously to inform the Christian worldview.
Though several other books on culture interact with Niebuhr, none of them takes anything like the biblical-theological approach adopted here. Ground-breaking and challenging, Christ and Culture Revisited is a tour de force.
A Tale of Two Conferences
Bob Kauflin writes about his preparing to help facilitate worship at Together for the Gospel (April 15-17) and New Attitude (May 24-27). The conferences will feature similar speakers, but different musical styles. He notes:
It struck me that these conferences demonstrate how we can celebrate the Gospel in different forms musically, but aim for the same goal - to magnify the greatness of God in Jesus Christ in people’s hearts, minds, and wills. By God’s grace, the T4G conference isn’t going to be “stodgy and stifling,” and the New Attitude conference isn’t going to be “wild and shallow.” I think folks from both events will leave more in love with the Savior, and better equipped to advance the Gospel in their communities.Kauflin is the author of Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, recently published by Crossway. The Foreword and Chapters 1-2 can be freely viewed.
A Muslim Charter School in Minnesota
Katherine Kersten writes in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a K-8 charter school in Inver Grove Heights, MN. Though charter schools are public schools and by law must not endorse or promote religion, a one-time substitute teacher informed Kersten that TIZA seems to requires daily prayer from students (led by a full-time TIZA employee) and an "Islamic Studies" class at the end of the day. TIZA received $65,260 in government funds last year.
World Magazine reports that the ACLU has apparently taken the right side on this one:
In a letter to principal Asan Zamad, the ACLU warned against violating the Establishment Clause: "At a minimum, the school must discontinue recruiting volunteers for Friday Prayers, and must not be involved in promoting or providing special treatment to groups providing religious instruction after school hours."
April 09, 2008
Theological Liberalism Weakens Seminaries
Dr. Albert Mohler insightfully comments on a NYT article which chronicles the financial and numerical turmoil of seminaries that embrace theological liberalism. Weak seminaries are the result of weak denominations and weak denominations are the inevitable fruit of theological liberalism (United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA, The Episcopal Church USA, etc.). The upshot is fascinating:
"The nation has 165 seminaries, but 39 percent of seminary students attend just 20 of them. The 20 large institutions, all but two evangelical Christian, raise substantial money, have big endowments or receive moderate to high denominational support -- or do all three."Just think about that: Within the United States, almost 40% of those attending seminary are doing so in only 12% of U.S. seminaries. And 90% of the largest seminaries are evangelical. Reporter Richard Higgins goes on to mention that non-sectarian theological and divinity schools that exist within university settings (e.g., Duke) also tend to be in good shape financially.
"But a majority of Protestant seminaries are smaller independents, and many, including Andover Newton, lack adequate endowments. The mainline churches that parented the older seminaries have sharply cut financial support.A result, said Daniel O. Aleshire, executive director of the National Association of Theological Schools, is that around 30 seminaries are in financial stress. In the future, Mr. Aleshire said, "There may be just two kinds of seminaries, those with substantial endowments or effective annual giving and the nonexistent."
Read the whole thing. Most of the article is about Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts, which was started by orthodox Calvinists who fled Harvard after it embraced Unitarianism. Later, the school developed ties to the United Church of Christ. Today, Andover Newton is in financial duress, with only 380 students (25% of whom are Unitarian Universalists).
April 07, 2008
Impact of Religion on Sexuality at College Campuses
Donna Freitas, author of forthcoming Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses
After conducting a national college survey of over 2,500 students, I found that among those who reported "hooking up" -- a range of sexually intimate acts, from kissing to intercourse, that occur outside a committed relationship -- at Catholic and nonreligious private and public colleges and universities, 41% are profoundly upset about their behavior. The 22% of respondents who chose to describe a hook-up experience (the question was optional) used words like "dirty," "used," "regretful," "empty," "miserable," "disgusted," "ashamed," "duped" and "abused" in their answers. An additional 23% expressed ambivalence about hooking up, and the remaining 36% were more or less "fine" with it. And 45% of students at Catholic and 36% at nonreligious private and public schools say that their peers are too casual about sex. Not a single person at these schools said that their peers valued saving sex for marriage, and only 7% said that they felt that their friends wanted to reserve sex for committed, loving relationships.Read the whole thing.
(HT: JT)
Faith Comes By Hearing
In a new IVP Academic book entitled Faith Comes by Hearing: A Response to Inclusivism
Exclusivism: Jesus is the only Savior of the world, and one must believe God's special revelation culminating in the gospel of Christ to be saved.In an early chapter, Morgan traces the origin and development of this classification system, followed by a discussion of its inadequacies. One problem with the traditional taxonomy is that "it is used to provide perspectives on two separate questions: the salvation of the unevangelized and world religions." It is one thing to say that someone can be saved by the means of general revelation. It is quite different to argue that a person can be saved through the practice of another world religion (because, allegedly, that religion contains some kernels of truth).
Inclusivism: Jesus is the only Savior of the world, but one does not have to believe the gospel to be saved.
Pluralism: All paths are valid and lead to God.
By making such distinctions, Morgan identifies nine distinguishable responses to the question "Is there any basis for hope that those who do not hear of Christ in this life will be saved?"
1. Church exclusivism: "No, outside the church there is no salvation." This is the traditional view of the (pre-Vatican II) Roman Catholic Church. It would not be right to lump Protestant exclusivists into this camp.
2. Gospel exclusivism: "No, they must hear the gospel and trust Christ to be saved." John Piper argued along this line in Let the Nations Be Glad!
3. Special revelation exclusivism: "No, they must hear the gospel and trust Christ to be saved, unless God chooses to send them special revelation in an extraordinary way--by a dream, vision, miracle or angelic message." Many who hold this view (William Shedd, Bruce Demarest, Timothy George) hasten to add that such special revelations (dreams, visions, etc.) are highly unusual and by no means normal. Hence, the church "should be reminded that in the plan of God the customary means by which sinners should come to know and love God is through the preaching of the cross." (Demarest, General Revelation: Historical Views and Contemporary Issues
4. Agnosticism: "We cannot know." Within this view, those who are more pessimistic (J.I. Packer, Millard Erickson, and Harold Netland) sound more like exclusivists. Meanwhile, John Stott is more optimistic, writing:
"I have never been able to conjure up (as some great Evangelical missionaries have) the appalling vision of the millions who are not only perishing but will inevitably perish. On the other hand.....I am not and cannot be a universalist. Between these extremes I cherish the hope that the majority of the human race will be saved."(David L. Edwards and John R.W. Stott, Evangelical Essentials: A Liberal Evangelical Dialogue
.)
5. General revelation inclusivism: "Yes, they can respond to God in saving faith through seeing Him in general revelation." This is the traditional inclusivist view (which I've sometimes heard under the label "wider mercy"), and would include men like Terrance Tiessen (author of Who Can Be Saved?: Reassessing Salvation in Christ and World Religions
6. World religions inclusivism: "Yes, they can savingly respond to God through general revelation or their religion, since their religion contains truth from general revelation and possibly remnants of special revelation." Unlike position #5, in this view world religions are also a sufficient means of God bringing people to saving faith. Morgan places Karl Rahner and Hans Kung in this camp.
7. Postmortem evangelism: "Yes, they will have an opportunity to trust Christ after death." J.P. Lange, Donald Bloesch, and Jerry Walls propose variations on this view.
8. Universalism: "Yes, everyone will ultimately be saved."
9. Pluralism: "Yes, those who never hear of Christ may experience "salvation" as they understand it because each embraces their version of it." Those who maintain a pluralistic view, however, see the question posed as itself erroneous because it assumes that Christianity represents ultimate truth. Whereas universalism maintains the uniqueness and finality of Christianity, pluralism views all world religions as equally valid.
I hope to have an interview with Christopher Morgan in a future post.
April 06, 2008
Gender Imbalance in Higher Education
Nancy Gibbs writes a short, provocative essay in Time Magazine on a troubling topic that many are reluctant to discuss: female college students are generally both more numerous and of a higher quality than their male counterparts. This leads to a widespread imbalance:
Roughly 58% of undergraduates nationally are female, and the girl-boy ratio will probably tip past 60-40 in a few years. The divide is even worse for black males, who are outnumbered on campus by black females 2 to 1.The response? Lower standards for male applicants is not uncommon.
U.S. News & World Report found that the admissions rate of men at the College of William and Mary, for example, was an average of 12 percentage points higher than that of women--because, as the admissions director memorably told the magazine, "even women who enroll ... expect to see men on campus. It's not the College of Mary and Mary; it's the College of William and Mary."Read the whole thing.
The Boundless Show
The Boundless Show is a weekly podcast that has now run its tenth program. Host Lisa Anderson leads a 45 minute (or so) discussion that consists of engaging segments relevant to young adults interspersed with catchy music. From a March 31 press release:
The Young Adults team at Focus on the Family recently launched “The Boundless Show,” the audio companion to the already popular Boundless webzine and Boundless Line blog for singles and young adults. The first ten episodes are now available online.“The Boundless Show” is a magazine-format weekly podcast that releases a new episode each Friday afternoon. Its goal is to build a sense of community among young adults that is engaging and fun while simultaneously tackling important issues such as relationships, culture, worldview and faith. Hosted by Focus on the Family’s Lisa Anderson and featuring the unique perspectives of Boundless staffers Steve and Candice Watters, Motte Brown and Ted Slater plus a wide range of guests, “The Boundless Show” brings a much-needed voice to the interests and concerns of today's twenty- and thirtysomethings.
“We're always looking for ways to leverage new media to extend our outreach to young adults,” said Motte Brown, young adults manager and executive producer of “The Boundless Show.” “Online audio just seemed like a natural fit given Focus on Family's history of excellence in broadcasting. And we think we've landed on a format that is meaningful, entertaining and quite frankly ‘different’ from other Focus programming. So far, the feedback to the show has been overwhelmingly positive.”
“The Boundless Show” is consistently appearing among the top Christian podcasts on iTunes, and has been featured in its “New and Notable” section. The podcast may be accessed via iTunes, or by going to www.boundless.org and clicking on “The Boundless Show.”
Since 1998, Boundless has built a reputation for some of the highest quality online writing in the Christian community. With the addition of “The Boundless Show,” Focus on the Family anticipates growing its young adult audience exponentially while setting the standard for relevant, fun and life-changing content.
April 03, 2008
The Bible: One Meaning, Various Applications
Michael Patton initiates a discussion on the meaning(s?) of biblical texts by observing the dangers of subjective interpretation approaches:
What does it mean to you? This, I believe, is the most destructive question that one can ask of the Scriptures. The implication is that the Scriptures can mean something to one person that it does not to another. “To me, it means that God is going to protect my children,” says one person. “Well, to me it means that God is going to help me get that new car,” says another. “Wonderful!” is the response to both. And so goes the conversation around the circle of well-meaning Bible studiers.
Patton contrasts reader-response hermeneutics (where the reader subjectively shapes the meaning of a text) with authorial-intent hermeneutics (which seeks the objective meaning an author intended to convey to his original audience). Patton includes this nifty graph on the exegetical process:
Exegesis refers to the process of getting the meaning out of (exe-) a text. Read the whole thing.
(HT: Jeff Mooney)
April 01, 2008
Interview with Shelby Steele
I just posted a two-part review of Shelby Steele's latest book, A Bound Man
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