The TSA of the Reformed World

At least we are being sensible and not calling Wright a heretic, in my readings of Wright, he does seem squarely reformed: The TSA of the Reformed World:

What Cowan does is let us distinguish between these two questions: 'has Wright written heretically?' and 'has Wright written responsibly and accurately?' He clears him on the first question, and urges us to discuss the latter . . . responsibly.

Who Needs Marriage? TIME Asked the Question — Do You Have an Answer?

AlbertMohler.com – Who Needs Marriage? TIME Asked the Question — Do You Have an Answer?:

In the 1960s, two-thirds of all young adults in their twenties were married. Now, only 26 percent of twenty-somethings are married.

TIME reports that 40 percent of Americans believe that marriage is now obsolete, up from 28 percent in 1978. Cohabitation is now the norm for American adults — not just before marriage, but increasingly instead of marriage.

What N.T. Wright Really Said

A good read about NT Wright, I think I understand the issue better now: What N.T. Wright Really Said – Justin Taylor:

Did N. T. Wright adjust or change his view of justification at the 2010 meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society? The claim is now making its way around the internet that Wright indeed has reformed himself (to one degree or another) on this issue, and this claim is occasionally accompanied by the insinuation that he is being less than forthcoming about the degree to which he has changed.

A Three Pound Fruitcake

I don't really mind the message: A Three Pound Fruitcake:

If cliches were candied fruit, walnuts, and raisins, the Book of Psalms in The Message would be a three-pound fruitcake.

CBMW Responds to New NIV(2011)

Gender issues with the new NIV (why are they calling it the NIV, it is just too confusing now). It should be noted that these guys didn't like the TNIV and I think Wayne Grudem is on this council, who was one of the editors on the ESV. CBMW » CBMW Responds to New NIV(2011):

is still going to leave pastors and teachers with the rather onerous task of repeatedly advising the flock: “that is a singular ‘they’” or “that is a singular ‘them.’” And in many important verses, a reader will not be able to tell if “they” is meant as singular or plural from the new NIV(2011) English text alone (see John 14:23 for example).

Our initial analysis shows that the new NIV(2011) retains many of the problems that were present in the TNIV, on which it is based, especially with regard to the over 3,600 gender-related problems we previously identified. In spite of the many good changes made, our initial analysis reveals that a large percentage of our initial concerns still remain

The Hole in Our Holiness

A good article by DeYoung: The Hole in Our Holiness – Kevin DeYoung:

I have a growing concern that younger evangelicals do not take seriously the Bible’s call to personal holiness. We are too at peace with worldliness in our homes, too at ease with sin in our lives, too content with spiritual immaturity in our churches.

The fact of the matter is if you read through the New Testament epistles you will find very few explicit commands that tell us to evangelize and very few explicit commands that tell us to take care of the poor in our communities, but there are dozens and dozens of verses in the New Testament that enjoin us, in one way or another, to be holy as God is holy (e.g., 1 Peter 1:13-16).

Sex Doll Android Upgrades

I'm not sure I get the whole point to this, but there is an interesting point about what we might consider natural (and ignore the title, it is a bit of a grabber): Sex Doll Android Upgrades:

Whenever we use any term as a way of praising or blaming, the basic question is this: by what standard? The Bible does use natural and unnatural as terms of praise and blame, sure enough, but it does so in the course of saying that men should generally keep their hair shorter than women's, and that men should desire women, and not other men. Nothing about molasses intend of white sugar.

A Justification Debate Long Overdue

This would have been an interesting event to go to. I am not sure if the audio is online: A Justification Debate Long Overdue – The Gospel Coalition Blog:

It’s too early to tell whether this week’s ETS meeting will fundamentally change the debate over justification. Wright ceded little if any ground to his critics. But he offered clarification for at least one of their chief concerns. He continued to disparage the Reformers, particularly Luther, for asking the wrong questions and missing Paul’s point. But Schreiner agreed with Wright that Protestants should privilege no tradition above God’s Word. Schreiner expressed sincere appreciation for Wright’s work. And Wright gave evidence simply by showing up in Atlanta that he takes his critics seriously. For that he and ETS and should be commended. This face-to-face debate was long overdue.

The Reality of Death Bed Repentance

Ryle on death bed confessions (as I am pretty sure he saw many death beds in his time): The Reality of Death Bed Repentance « J.C. Ryle Quotes:

I will only remind such persons that all the experience of ministers is utterly against the theory. People generally die just as they have lived. True repentance is never too late, but repentance deferred to the last hours of life is seldom true.

Singleness with Purpose

A good into to the idea of singleness and marriage: Singleness with Purpose – The Gospel Coalition Blog:

How many times have you heard someone say, “He’s such a great guy, how is he still single?” Or, “She’s such a catch. When will she get married off?” The implication behind such questions is that great men and women get married, and those who are not great do not. For many, being single imprints upon them a meaning that touches their very identities: They are defective, second-rate, somehow less than others who marry. In response to this message, Scripture teaches that single Christians are not defined by their singleness, but by their union with Jesus Christ. Singleness, like marriage, is a God-given calling, not an identity.

The Bible is VERY Consistent

Another bible infograph, this time its links with other passages: The Bible is VERY Consistent | The Resurgence

A Little Something Called Context

I think I might start subscribing to Doug Willison, yet another article on contradictions in the bible, he looks at two examples of contradictions: A Little Something Called Context:

"I took a random sampling of just a couple of their contradictions, and addressed them below. I will perhaps be forgiven if I don't work through them all. You don't need to drink the whole bottle to tell that it's vinegar."

...Sam Harris thinks the Bible is unreliable because it tells Christian spouses to stay married to the non-Christian if the non-Christian wants to, and not to worry about it if they don't. Most of us would call this different counsel for different circumstances, but for Sam Harris, it is a contradiction.

God told the sons of Israel not to make images that they would bow down to or worship, and this is said to contradict the making of images that they did not bow down to or worship. Heh.

A Few Thoughts on the Fast Company Article, “What the Bible Got Wrong”

Another response to that infograph about contradictions in the bible from Project Reason: A Few Thoughts on the Fast Company Article, “What the Bible Got Wrong” : What's Best Next:

So, in conclusion, the assertion that the Bible contains contradictions matters a lot to me. As a result, I investigated it in great detail when I was first becoming more serious about my faith and, as a mere freshman in college, was able to see that no claim of contradiction ultimately holds.

Social Media and Digital Discernment

Macarthur does say social media can be good, but I found the following quotes interesting as he was putting them up on his own blog: Social Media and Digital Discernment:

But this is not just about wasting time at work. It’s about wasting time, period. By its very nature, social networking is a massive distraction. It detracts from disciplined study, thoughtful meditation, and concerted prayer.

Ironically, people can spend hours jumping from link to link without even realizing how much time they are wasting.

Don’t Call it a Comeback

Another book coming out that looks interesting: Don’t Call it a Comeback – Kevin DeYoung:

The book, which features chapters from Collin Hansen, Justin Taylor, Tim Challies, Darrin Patrick, Thabiti Anyabwile, Tullian Tchividjian, and many others will be released January 31, 2011.

Why Fast Company & Sam Harris need to do their homework

Why Fast Company & Sam Harris need to do their homework | The Resurgence:

The claim that the Bible is full of contradictions ignores the variety of genres of literature in the Bible. Fundamentalists interpret religious texts in only one way—the literal way—and so does Project Reason. You can make up lots of supposed contradictions by interpreting this way. Not interpreting a text with the awareness of the genre lacks the basic principles of reading and interpretation.

Panel Discussion: 25 Years of “Amusing Ourselves to Death”

Interesting: Panel Discussion: 25 Years of “Amusing Ourselves to Death” – Justin Taylor:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.

Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

...In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

On the Elusive Goal of Accuracy in Translation

A collection of thoughts on translation methods. You can click the names of the people to view their full response: On the Elusive Goal of Accuracy in Translation – The Gospel Coalition Blog:

Surely accuracy is the translator’s chief goal in rendering God’s inspired, inerrant Word for modern readers. But translators disagree about the best strategies for bringing the Bible out of the ancient world into today’s English vernacular

This is individual stewardship at Mars Hill

This post has a nice table comparing gratitude and greed: This is individual stewardship at Mars Hill. | The Mars Hill Blog:

Rather than gratitude for God’s grace we exhibit greed for our own gain. The difference between these two outlooks influences and directs every aspect of life

Faithful Presence Amid "Continuous Partial Attention"

I am aways jumping between things, and yet like the idea of extended concentration on one topic: Faithful Presence Amid "Continuous Partial Attention" - Desiring God:

So let’s pause now—really, right now—stop all multi-tasking: turn off your cell phone, don’t check e-mail, take a break from anything media related, and slowly work your way through this quotation from James Davison Hunter

The ESV Clip

I wonder if the ESV is worried about the new NIV that is on bible gateway now and set to come out in print next year. This clip has some big name pastors saying how much they like the ESV. Hopefully this won't become another "the KJV is the only correct translation" type debate... The ESV – Justin Taylor

Evangelistic Worship

Is church for the Christian or for the non-Christian? This links to a good article by Keller Evangelistic Worship | 9Marks:

On one hand you have pastors who are trying to reach non-believers on Sunday, on the other you have people assuming that they are speaking to Christians. If you think about it, it's really one of the first questions on the flow chart.

Don’t Use E-mail to Correct Others

There is good video at the bottom of this: Don’t Use E-mail to Correct Others – The Gospel Coalition Blog:

Why do certain Christians feel the need to review the pastor’s Sunday morning “performance”? This discouraging weekly experience is enough to dull whatever excitement you have to head into church in the morning.

The Passage That Opened Heaven to Luther

What does Romans 1:17 mean, here are four takes: The Passage That Opened Heaven to Luther – The Gospel Coalition Blog

The Trellis and the Vine Workshop

Desiring God has recapped their Trellis and Vine workshop: The Trellis and the Vine Workshop Recap - Desiring God

I think they did a better job than my recap of the workshop

Australia's Greatest Export?

Desiring God think it is Matthais Media: Australia's Greatest Export? - Desiring God:

But in terms of everyday kingdom expansion, perhaps Australia’s greatest export is Matthias Media

Don’t Waste Your Life

Free Audio book: Don’t Waste Your Life — free audiobook : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia:

The free audiobook for November 2010 from Christian Audio is John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life. Narrated by Lloyd James.