Seven Memes for Keeping Christians in their Place

Wilson response to seven accusations against Atheists use against Christians. Some responses are quite good. Seven Memes for Keeping Christians in their Place:

After each meme, I have included the briefest of replies to each, all while expressing the desire that somebody would write a book on all these.

The Date of Jesus' Crucifixion

This probably more informed than Harold Camping's view of it happening on the 1st April 33AD: The Date of Jesus' Crucifixion - ESVSB Resources - ESV Online:

Scholars continue to debate the year and date of Jesus' crucifixion. Several pieces of evidence, both inside and outside the Bible, help historians to calculate and determine this date, and are described below.

“Jesus lost control of bodily functions” and other unhelpful statements

Offensive/graphic for the sake of being offensive/graphic. I've heard Driscoll say this type of thing. Do we need to go into great graphic detail about the act of crucifixion? “Jesus lost control of bodily functions” and other unhelpful statements « Expository Thoughts:

Whatever the reasons there is something troubling about these sort of statements when interjected into a sermon. They have no support in Scripture! Could this have happened? Well, sure, a lot could have happened but the Spirit of God decided that it was not necessary to know such details. Furthermore, such details add nothing to the meaning of the text nor do they clarify any background information to the scene. How we think about such things says a lot about our hermeneutic and whether we believe the meaning of the text is rooted in authorial intent or in our cleverness. Does stating that Jesus lost control of His bodily functions make Him appear more human? His cross more shocking? His death more real? If not, then how is this helpful?

Rob Bell’s Unbelief in His own Words

John MacArthur looks at Bell's view of sin and punishment, without even quoting Love Wins: Rob Bell’s Unbelief in His own Words:

Rob Bell’s denial of eternal punishment goes hand in hand with a warped view of the gospel. No wonder. Each error fuels and exacerbates the other. Eliminate every hint of punishment for sin; ignore the wrath of an offended deity; dismiss the demands of divine justice, and you abolish any need for the gospel.

The “Who,” “What,” and “Where” of Holy Week: A Visualization – Justin Taylor

Two interesting links worth checking out about the events around Holy Week: The “Who,” “What,” and “Where” of Holy Week: A Visualization – Justin Taylor

Where Nominal Christians Come From

Where Nominal Christians Come From:

'The real origin of nominalism is to be found in all churches that refuse to discipline in terms of their baptism, whatever their practice of baptism may be' (To a Thousand Generations, p. 7).

2011 National Conference free audio

All main sessions are up for downloading. I have listened to the first five session and they have been quite good: 2011 National Conference - The Gospel Coalition

How Easter Killed My Faith in Atheism

Lee Strobel on the resurrection: How Easter Killed My Faith in Atheism - Speakeasy - WSJ:

One by one, my objections evaporated. I read books by skeptics, but their counter-arguments crumbled under the weight of the historical data. No wonder atheists so often come up short in scholarly debates over the resurrection.

Theological Theology: Congregationalism - real, radical, or imaginary?

A response to a book that is yet to come out...Theological Theology: Congregationalism - real, radical, or imaginary?:

...the question remains, has Sydney Anglicanism morphed into radical congregationalism? It’s a reasonable enough question. But what does it mean?

ANTHEM: Strategies for Fighting Lust

ANTHEM: Strategies for Fighting Lust - Desiring God:

When I say 'lust' I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.

Preaching Carefully on Palm Sunday

The crowds were different: Preaching Carefully on Palm Sunday – Kevin DeYoung:

There is no warrant here for the preacher’s favourite comment on the fickleness of a crowd which could shout ‘Hosanna’ one day and ‘Crucify him’ a few days later. They are not the same crowd. The Galilean pilgrims shouted ‘Hosanna’ as they approached the city, the Jerusalem crowd shouted, ‘Crucify him.’

On Hiding “Spring Spheres”

Renaming Easter Eggs to Spring Spheres doesn't really work (and wouldn't in Australia, they will have to be Autumn Spheres), as they don't remove the holiday in the first place, which is the reason for the giving of chocolate... On Hiding “Spring Spheres” | Jesus Creed:

The elephant in the room is Easter and the PC crowd acts as if they rename things, no one will notice.

Academicians: Avoid Being a Mere Quartermaster

Carson to academics: Academicians: Avoid Being a Mere Quartermaster – Justin Taylor:

Yet it is possible to write learned tomes on apologetics without actually defending the gospel in the current world; it is possible to write commentaries without constantly remembering that God makes himself present, he discloses himself afresh, to his people, through the Word.

Jesus’ Tomb is Empty!

Four theories against the resurrection: Jesus’ Tomb is Empty! | The Resurgence:

Just because the tomb of Christ was empty does not necessarily mean the resurrection happened. Indeed, there have been four alternative hypotheses to resurrection that have been advanced over the years.

Top 200 Church Blogs

Interesting. A few good reformed ones in the top 30. (My 15 Google reader subscribers didn't really get me on the list): Top 200 Church Blogs | churchrelevance.com:

I have compiled a list of the world’s top church blogs.