Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Justus: (aka: Jesus) A 1^st Century Hebrew Christian at Rome, mentioned in Colossians 4:11.

Euzoius:  A 4^th Century deacon at Alexandria, Egypt.  St. Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, deposed and expelled him for his Arian views.   He served as the chief assistant to Arius in his exile.

John Warwick Montgomery: (b. 1931, New York) Lutheran.  Attorney, judge, university professor, librarian, theologian, writer, expert in Rosicrucianism and the occult.  Specializes in International Human Rights Law.  Montgomery is a descendent of William the Conqueror’s companion, Comte Roger de Montgomery.

Uchimura Kanzo: (b. 1861, Japan – 1930) Writer, evangelist, pacifist, magazine publisher, founder of the Nonchurch Movement.  He taught that the organized church was a hindrance to Christian faith and that the sacraments were  not essential to salvation.

Thomas Schirrmacher (b. 1960, Germany)  Christian moral philosopher, religious sociologist, writer, seminary professor.  Author and/or editor of 74 books.

Church of Body Modification

http://uscobm.com/ 
The Church of Body Modification is a legally recognized religious body in the United States.  They believe that modification of the body is essential to spirituality and to becoming truly healthy and complete because the mind, body, and soul are all inextricably interconnected.  They declare that they respect those who choose not to modify their bodies.

Body modification techniques include scarring, piercing, insertion of objects (such as needles and metal balls) under the skin and into body parts, splitting of the tongue and/or sexual organs, insertion of posts into the skull onto which objects can be attached, removal of teeth and replacement with prosthetic fangs, multiple versions of appearance changing contact lenses, hanging the body by removable hooks, etc.  Extreme body modifications include the surgical removal of healthy organs (tongues, external ears, eyes, etc) and appendages (such as fingers, fingernails, feet, arms, and legs).

Book Comment: After You Believe

"Keep getting old as long as you can."

Kris Kristofferson (b. 1936, Texas) 

Country music singer, songwriter, 

Golden Gloves boxer, Rhodes Scholar, 

U.S. Army captain

Kristoffer Kristian Kristofferson (yes, that's his real name) expresses the aim of most people for their lives.  Christians have a different perspective but we haven't always ourselves really understood it.  Many still don't.

In his book, After You Believe.  Why Christian Character Matters, N. T. Wright, the former Anglican Bishop of Durham, England, asks the question of what you do after you become a Christian.  Do you just wait to die and go to Heaven?  Does it matter once you are "saved?"  Isn't what we're really concerned with the "sweet by-and-by?"  Wright thinks it matters very much what we do in the "interim," and he clearly shows that Jesus and Paul thought so to.

Wright speaks of two approaches many Christians have adopted: 1. A Rules Mentality,  which in essence places the believer into legalism and ritualism, and 2. Spontaneity, going with what "feels right," since we are no longer under the Law.  This in essence places the believer into antinomianism.

Bishop Wright says neither of these approaches is correct.  Our duty is to develop Christian character and become who are intended to be in Christ.  The Kingdom of God is in the world now, and we are citizens of that Kingdom.  In the next life, in the Kingdom, we are to be kings and priests; since the Kingdom is here now, we are to begin being kings and priests now, fully revealing the image of God.  He call this the development of Christian virtue.

Wright is an Anglican and Anglicans say that they are "protestant, yet catholic."  I am very Protestant and I get a little squirmy when Wright explains things in more "catholic" ways, but what he's really talking about are sanctification and holiness and he is exactly correct.

Under the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are to experience what Paul calls "the renewing of your minds."
Classical pagan virtue found many of the Christian attitudes to be puzzling, especially those involving self-denial and self-sacrifice.  By practicing the Christian virtues (love, faith, hope, charity, self-giving, looking away from oneself, etc) under the leadership of the Holy Spirit (assuming the Mind of Christ) we gradually grow into them so that they become second nature.  Once they become second nature to us, we will not have to stop and decide how to act when the fecal material really hits the spinning blades.  We will know how to act.

New Feature on This Blog

For the convenience of my readers who may wish to purchase some of the books and films I discuss on this blog, there will now be Amazon links at the end of each blog post. I will not allow random Amazon products to show up here; every link will be specifically about the posted comment.

For full disclosure: I will receive a small percentage of the cost for any products purchased from Amazon through this blog. Any funds derived in this way will be used for this blog: book purchases, internet access payments, etc.
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"Your labor is not in vain"

In his 6 July 2010 post on The Schooley Files, Keith Schooley quotes 1Corinthians 15:55-58, "... your labor is not in vain" and makes an insightful observation: "... if we know that this present creation is going to be redeemed, then we need to live in it as though we were an agent of that transformation."

Schooley's comment came in a discussion of Bishop N. T. Wright's book, Surprised by Hope.  Bishop Wright strongly believes that many Christians think that once they are saved they can just be good and follow all the Rules, hoping not to "mess up."  They are waiting to die and go to Heaven, taking others with them if possible.  To them, it's all "in the Sweet By and By." One of Wright's recurring themes is that we are to realize that the Kingdom of God is here now.  We are to assume now the ways of thought and habits we will need to fulfill our duties in the next life.  The positive things we can do in this life can truly be seen as part of God's working out of his purposes in the world.

In his book, After You Believe, Bishop Wright writes specifically about this concept.  Tomorrow's post will be specifically about After You Believe.

Fields of the Wood

In 1945, The Church of God of Prophecy built Fields of the Wood in Murphy, North Carolina.  The main attraction of the facility is the World's Largest Ten Commandments, 300 feet wide, cut into a mountainside in five foot tall letters.  At the top of the Commandments hill sits a giant open Bible, The World's Largest Testament.

The Church of God of Prophecy is a Pentecostal Holiness organization founded in 1923 on the teachings of Bishop A(mbrose) J(essup) Tomlinson (1865-1943).

Several Random Indications That we Live in a Morally and Ethically Bankrupt World

1. A woman being offended that I dared to open a door for her.
2. A policeman turning on his blue lights and siren so he can pass through a red traffic light, then turning them off and resuming normal speed.
3. Able bodied persons taking handicapped parking spaces, using their handicapped aunt's parking sticker; some even using counterfeit stickers and placards.
4. Millions of persons download music illegally from the internet, and the business in pirated movie DVD's is a billion dollar affair.
5. Americans and Europeans consume billions of dollars worth of illegal drugs annually, ignoring the fact that the drug trade is built on smuggling, murder, theft, bribery, the use of children as "mules," and the fact that a large portion of the financing for international terrorism comes from the illegal drug trade.
6. Thinking that the hip-hop/rap music culture (based on the glorification of violence and mysogyny) is somehow "authentically  black."
7. 95% of US high school students admit to having cheated on their school work at least once.
8. As many as 22% of married men, and 14% of married women, have had at least one extramarital affair even though up to 90% of Americans say that marital infidelity is wrong.
9. Sexual abuse of children by schoolteachers, pastors, and priests is increasingly reported worldwide.
10. Abortions in the United States: 193,491 i 1970; 1,429,279 in 1990; 820,151 in 2005.

The list could go on and on.

Only in Alabama!

I overheard this sentence at work as two co-workers walked past me:

"You got your Bible?  I'll look it up for you."

As they passed by, I heard another co-worker mutter under her breath:

"Uggh!  Only in Alabama!"

Christians really are different from them and they really do not understand.

A Gravestone Inscription in Atlanta, Georgia

On a gravestone in Atlanta, Georgia: "Gone, but not forgiven."

Roll Tide in Jerusalem

Here in Birmingham we are often accused of making Alabama and Auburn football into a religion.  It's probably true. We love our football.  You rarely go a day without seeing someone wearing a sweatshirt from one of the two teams (and from other Southeastern Conference schools and numerous other less well known smaller colleges and universities). You'll often see a car with Alabama or Auburn insignia on the side panels or with school flags flapping in the wind.  My favorite is a tiger tail hanging out of a car trunk, as if someone has abducted Aubie, the mascot of Auburn University.

Ashley Makar is a divinity student at Yale University and a Birmingham native.  She is of Egyptian ancestry.  Her father is a cardiologist in Birmingham.  Recently, in Jerusalem, she ran upon a startling sight, the Alabama the Heart of Dixie souvenir shop.  Of course, she had to check this out.

The owner of the shop is Hani Imam, who lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama from 1984 to 1994.  At the shop he has Alabama items and decorations but sells Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Holy Land items to religious tourists.  Imam watches Alabama football games on his satellite television and is hoping for them to repeat as national champions.

As Makar left the shop, the Muslim manager, Dia Abdeen, smiled and said, "Roll Tide!"

Makar, Ashley, "Viewpoints: There's a Heart of Dixie and a Roll Tide in Jerusalem," al.com.  http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2010/09/viewpoints_theres_a_heart_of_d.html

Statistics as of Today, 21 September 2010

As of today this blog has had 1906 page views with visitors from 28 countries.  To see the list of countries, go to the Statistics page.

Another Light Bulb Joke

How many Thelemites does it take to change a light bulb?

One, but they do it whenever they decide to.

Bible Printer's Errors: The Judas Bible

Proofreading is very important.  Sometimes one word changes the entire meaning of a passage.  The following is an example to prove the point.  The Judas Bible (1611) has the wrong person talking. 

WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE SAID:  

“Then cometh Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.” Matthew 26:36

 WHAT IT SAID:

“Then cometh Judas with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.” Matthew 26:36

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog. 

Cecil M. Whitmire: (b. Tennessee –d. 2010, aged 74) Hardware business executive, theater organist.  With his wife, Linda, he is credited with organizing and heading the salvation and restoration pf the Alabama Theater, which was in danger of being demolished in 1987.  It is now a fully restored old-style movie and stage-show theater.  Methodist.

Herbert Evan Zeiger, Jr.: (b. 1949, Alabama – d. 2010) Neurosurgeon, spinal surgeon, aviator, Christian Medical Mission of Alabama. Baptist.  He and his wife perished in a small plane crash.

Necati Aydin: (Murdered 2007, aged 36) Martyr, actor, seminary graduate, pastor, Bible publisher.  He and two other men were attacked, tortured, and murdered in their Bible publishing house in Malatya, Turkey by several Muslim men.

Teshima Ikuro: (b. 1910, Japan – d. 1973; aka: Teshima Abraham Ikuro, Abraham Ikuro Teshima) Founder of the Makuya (Holy Tabernacle) Movement.  The Makuyas insist that they are a return to original Hebraic Christianity and are Zionists with an emphasis on encountering God in everyday life.  Their sacred symbol is the Menorah rather than the Cross.

Theognis of Nicea: (fl 4^th century) Bishop of Nicea.  Theognis was an Arian who reluctantly signed the Nicene Creed.  Three months after the Council, he was excommunicated and exiled for his lukewarm condemnation of Arius.

Religious Humor: Proverbs 26:14

"(As) the door turneth upon his hinges, so [doth] the slothful upon his bed." Proverbs 26:14

This is an example of hyperbole. Hyperbolic statements are intentional exaggerations (Greek = "throwing beyond") intended to make a point without being taken literally.  Turning back and forth on his bed, the lazy man is like a swinging door.  He moves around but gets nowhere.

Selling the Confessional on eBay

Roman Catholic Priest Otto Weber needed cash for his Hirschstetten Parish in Vienna-Donaustadt, Austria, and had few ways to get it.  Then he had an idea!  He could go on eBay and offer up one of his confessional boxes for sale.  He knew the box would be a hard item to sell so he offered up some ideas for alternate uses for the thing.  It could be converted into a one person sauna, a small bar, or a children's playhouse, among other things.

Over two hundred offers were made, the largest being by some joker for 666 euros.  For those who don't know, 666 is the biblical number of The Beast, the Antichrist.

Church authorities were not amused and told Weber that "it is not acceptable to sell objects used in administering a sacrament..."

If you're interested in reading more about this, go to Google or Bing (or your favorite search engine) and enter search parameters like "Austria & confessional & Vienna."  On Google Search, I got 179 hits using this search set.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian, Chapter 1, Part 4

If you are joining this book review series mid-stream , you can read the comments from the beginning by going to the LABELS section following the last post on this page and clicking on PHILIP GULLEY.


If the Church Were Christian. Chapter 1, Part 4; in a chapter by chapter series of posts in response to the book by Pastor Philip Gulley. Chapter One: Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship.


The reason Pastor Gulley and others of his persuasion question the divinity of Jesus is that their primary source for interpretation is not scripture, but human reason and the wisdom of Christ is folly to man.


To Pastor Gulley, most Christians spend so much time worshipping Jesus ("believers") that they forget to follow His example ("followers"). This is a valid criticism but the question has already been resolved. James and Paul went round and round about it, coming at it from different angles and arriving at essentially the same conclusion. Both were correct. We are saved by faith ("believers") and not by works; faith without works ("followers") is dead. One without the other is deficient.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian, Chapter 1, Part 3

If you are joining this book review series mid-stream , you can read the comments from the beginning by going to the LABELS section following the last post on this page and clicking on PHILIP GULLEY

If the Church Were Christian. Chapter 1, Part 3; in a chapter by chapter series of posts in response to the book by Pastor Philip Gulley. Chapter One: Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship.


Pastor Gulley declares that Jesus' "promotion to divine stature contradicts the Jewish faith of Jesus." It does ... unless He was God and knew it.


Mark 10:17-18 can be read in two ways.

"And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God." Mark 10:17-18

1. "Why are you calling me good? Only God is good. I'm not God!"
2. "Do you realize who you are talking to? Do you think that I am just a good teacher?"


Those who insist that Jesus didn't realize that He was God and never claimed to be, have to ignore or somehow discount what is clearly implied in Scripture: Matthew 26:6-13, John 6:35, 8:12, 10:9, 10:30, 12:8, 14:6, 14:10, 20:28.


Jesus, unlike all the other rabbis, didn't appeal to what earlier rabbis had said to make His points. What He said was "you have heard it said ... but I say..." He spoke from His own authority, as the Jews understood that only God could.


His listeners knew full well what he was doing and saying; that is why he elicited such violent and hateful opposition from the other rabbis who heard him. They understood Him so well that they wanted to stone Him to death on the spot. John 7:25, 8:52-58, 10:33.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian, Chapter 1, Part 2

If you are joining this book review series mid-stream , you can read the comments from the beginning by going to the LABELS section following the last post on this page and clicking on PHILIP GULLEY

If the Church Were Christian. Chapter 1, Part 2; in a chapter by chapter series of posts in response to the book by Pastor Philip Gulley. Chapter One: Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship.

Pastor Gulley insists that Jesus was a totally orthodox monotheistic Jew who never challenged any of the tenets of Judaism.  This is absolutely true, but Jesus exhibited no hesitation about redefining or "raising the bar" on the meaning of his faith.  "... you have heard it said ... but, I say ..."

Gulley makes the same mistake as many others who attempt to recover the "historical Jesus."  They are  correct to say that the organized church has often "Godized" Jesus to the point where He couldn't really be human (the heresy known as Docetism) and that, to properly understand Him, we must understand that He was a first century orthodox Jewish rabbi.  Saying that, they go on to make the mistake of thinking that He was only a first century orthodox rabbi.  To them, He was human; a brilliant teacher and religious leader; He may have even had a special spark or quality, what the Quakers call "that of God in all people;" but He couldn't have been God and didn't claim to be God.

More to follow later.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian, Chapter 1, Part 1

If you are joining this book review series mid-stream , you can read the comment from the beginning by going to the LABELS section following the last post on this page and clicking on PHILIP GULLEY

If the Church Were Christian. Chapter 1, Part 1; in a chapter by chapter series of posts in response to the book by Pastor Philip Gulley. Chapter One: Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship.

" ... the era of uncritical acceptance of Jesus stories is past ..."

There are numerous extant apocryphal Jesus stories and gospels, many about His childhood and early adulthood, before (and after) his three year public ministry. These are not the stories Pastor Gulley is questioning. The ones he doubts are in the Bible. He believes that we cannot "assume that the gospel versions of the Jesus story are historically accurate" and that some sayings biblically attributed to Jesus (ie. Matthew 16:18 and 18:17, for example) probably did not come from His mouth.

Gulley questions the rationality of a belief in the Virgin Birth and doesn't accept the divinity of Jesus. In fact, he thinks Jesus, as a monotheistic Jew, would have been offended to be thought divine. Jesus' miracles Gulley sees as "pre-Enlightenment affirmations of the transforming presence of Jesus."

Insisting that jesus wasn't about His own glorification (this is correct; see John 8:54) and that rather, He was about humility and modesty. Gulley says that making Jesus God is an excuse not to be like Him.

Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: John 8:54

Some perhaps would use Jesus' deity as an excuse not to be like Him, but actually, this is one of the paradoxes of the Christian faith. We can't be like Jesus but are expected to be like Jesus. We wouldn't be expected to be like Jesus if we couldn't do it in the power of the Holy Spirit. In his excellent book, After You Believe, N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop of Durham speaks of the development of Christian virtue, the process of sanctification.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 

There will be more to follow.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian

Gully, Philip, If the Church Were Christian. A chapter-by-chapter response.

The propositions put forth by Pastor Gulley are:

1. Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship.

2. Affirming our potential would be more important than condemning our brokenness.

3. Reconciliation would be valued over judgement.

4. Gracious behavior would be more important than right belief.

5. Inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers.

6. Encouraging personal exploration would be more important than communal uniformity.

7. Meeting needs would be more important than maintaining institutions.

8. Peace would be more important than power.

9. It would be more about love and less about sex.

10. This life would be more important than the afterlife.

This will take a while.  More to follow.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian

Gulley, Philip, If the Church Were Christian. A chapter-by chapter response.

Gulley's propositions:

 1. "Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship."

 2. "Affirming our potential would be more important than condemning our brokenness."

 3. "Reconciliation would be valued over judgement."

 4. "Gracious behavior would be more important than right belief."

 5. "Inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers."

 6. "Encouraging personal exploration would be more important than communal uniformity."

 7. "Meeting needs would be more important than maintaining institutions."

 8. "Peace would be more important than power."

 9. "It would care more about love and less about sex."

10. "This life would be more important than the afterlife."

All, or most, of these propositions have some truth to them and all of them have some error.  They are all based on the "progressive" or "emergent Christian" outlook which views traditional Christianity as outdated and in need of being made relevant.

"Progressive" Christians are dismissive of doctrinal orthodoxy, seeing it as old-fashioned and in need of re-interpretation for the modern world.  They are very likely to adopt "reasonable"modern attitudes and beliefs, some of which are completely at odds with scripture.

Many become sarcastically dismissive of anyone who disagrees with them.  Some of their more progressive ideas cross over a line which makes them a "different gospel," no longer Christian.  

More on this later.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian

Gully, Philip, If the Church were Christian.  Rediscovering the Values of Jesus (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010)

Philip Gulley is a Quaker minister, writer, and television host.  He was born and raised as a Roman Catholic and won Emmy Awards in 2007 and 2009 for his work on Across Indiana for WFYI Public Television.

He contends that “we should never delude ourselves into thinking that today’s church sprang directly from the mind and witness of Jesus.”  In fact, he believes that the modern church doesn’t seem to share the same values as Jesus.

Gulley states that, “We can’t know what Jesus intended the church to be …” and that we can’t assume that the four gospels’ recounting of the Jesus story are historically accurate.  He points out that the over 39,000 Christian denominations all think that they most  faithfully follow Jesus.

Pastor Gulley represents the views of a significant and growing portion of those who describe themselves as Christian.  These people believe that large portions of traditional orthodox Christianity are outdated and irrelevant to modern life.  Of course, they think that they have the correct modern and relevant Christianity all figured out.

The name of this movement is Emergent Christianity and it is in line with the political movement known as Progressivism.  It is a continuation and extension of the Social Gospel movement begun in the mid-Nineteenth Century.  It is what the secular media now refer to as “mainline Christianity” or “mainline Protestantism” and is the religious understanding of many modern theologians.

The inclination of Evangelical conservative Christians (including those who don’t align themselves with “fundamentalism”) is to reject this version of Christianity as not Christian.  I, myself, do not believe that it is Christian.

Even so, they do have some valid criticisms of Christianity as it has existed over the centuries and as it exists today.

In a series of posts on this book, I will be giving a chapter-by-chapter response to Gulley’s book.  This is not a personal attack on Pastor Philip Gulley.  I’m sure he’s a nice guy.  Nice is great, but this isn’t about nice.  This is about considering challenges to traditional understandings of Christianity; acknowledging and responding to those which have merit  and rejecting those which are based on something other than Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Your job is to read the posts, and hopefully the book, and then to make up your own mind.

To just avoid the controversy is to add weight to the argument that traditional Christianity is anti-intellectual, and, besides, Pastor Gulley makes it abundantly clear in his book that he won’t lose any sleep if you disagree with him.

This is part of a continuing chapter-by- chapter response to this book.  More to come. 

Religion and Matrimony

"In matters of religion and matrimony, I never give any advice, because I will not have anyone's torments in this world or the next laid to my charge."  Lord Chesterfield (Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, 1694-1773)

Feast of the Birth of Mary/Nativity of the Theotokos

The Orthodox, Anglican, and Roman Catholic Churches celebrate today as the day of the birthday of Mary, mother of Jesus.  She was declared in 431 by the Council of Ephesus to be the Theotokos, literally in Greek "the God-bearer" or "the God-birther."  Those of some other Christian traditions prefer to call Mary the "Mother of God" or the "Mother of Jesus" because they are bothered by the elevation of any human to what they see as a semi-divine state.  They believe that Mary was blessed to be Jesus' mother, but that she was not a divine or even semi-divine figure.  She was what Jesus called her, a woman (John 19:26). 

Dallas Christian Jazz Band

The Dallas Christian Jazz Band is a non-denominational group founded in 1994 with saxophones, trombones, trumpets, and a rhythm section.  They have released several compact discs of hymns, spirituals, and other Christian music.  Their website is http://dcjb.com/

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Sadhu Sundar Singh: (b. 1889, India – d. 1929?)  Indian Christian missionary. Raised as a Sikh, educated at a Christian school, Singh wore the turban and ochre robes of a Hindu sadhu (ascetic).  The small Christian communities which he served in India and Tibet as an itinerant missionary called him “the apostle with the bleeding feet.”  He rejected western clothing and Anglican formality.  He said there were at least 24,000 secret Christians across India.  He was last seen in 1929 heading into Tibet for another missionary visit.

Artemas: This First Century Christian man is mentioned in Titus 3:12.  He was with Paul at Nicopolis (in modern Greece) and possibly later became the Bishop of Lystra (in what is now modern Turkey).

Heinrich Emil Brunner (b. 1889, Swizerland – d. 1966) Protestant Reformed neo-orthodox theologian, lecturer, university professor. He rejected liberal theology and insisted that Jesus was God incarnate and essential to salvation.

Harold John Ockenga: (b. 1905, Illinois, USA – d.1985)  Neo-Evangelical theologian, Congregational minister, seminary president, writer, helped form the National Association of Evangelicals.

Nympha: A Gentile woman, mentioned in Colossians 4:15, who had a house church at Laodicea (in modern Turkey). 

Fundies Say the Darndest Things!

Fundies Say the Darndest Things! (a title stolen from Art Linkletters' television show, Kids Say the Darnedest Things!) is another one of the Christian-hater websites which seem to be all over the internet.
It claims to have the world's largest collection of what it calls "hilarious, bizarre, ignorant, bigoted, and terrifying" quotations from Christian blogs, forums, etc.  The problem is that the quotations are exactly what fstdt says that they are.  People!!!!!  Don't give them any ammunition!  They already think that you are idiots.  Christians should be in the intellectual forefront of discussions on every topic, not running around saying stupid things.


There is a saying that it is better to remain silent, and be thought stupid, than to open your mouth and prove it.  This has been attributed to numerous people: George Eliot, Confucius, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin, Socrates, etc.  Actually, it probably originates from a mangled mis-quotation of Proverbs 17:28.  " Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding."

Bible Printer's Errors: The Fools Bible

The 1763 King James version Bible is called "The Fool's Bible" because of one word substitution.  The printers were fined 3000 pounds and all copies of the edition were ordered to be destroyed.

What it said:

¹ "The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good." Psalm 14:1

What it should have said:

¹ "The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good." Psalm 14:1 

²

Kagawa Toyohiko Quotation

"I read in a book that a man called Christ went about doing good.  It is very disconcerting to me that I am so easily satisfied with just going about."  Kagawa Toyohiko (b. 1888, Japan - d. 1960)

Recurrent Segments in This Blog

From time to time I add new features to this blog.  I will always keep you updated as I do. Currently there are fifteen recurrent segments.  You can search for them on the Labels list at the bottom of the current page.  I welcome suggestions for new recurrent subjects.

Bible Printer's Errors: You have to proofread "vewwy vewwy cahrfuwwy" or you may say something you didn't intend.
Book Comments: Comments on books about Christianity, religion, philosophy, ethics, history, scholarship, Bible study, Christian writing, children's books, publishing, pastoring, etc.
Christian Heresies:  An ongoing listing of the historical heretical doctrines and a few modern ones.
Christians: Mini biographical listings of persons from any period of history who have, at some time in their lives, been identified as Christians. You may be surprised to see some of these people listed here.
Female Images of God: Obviously, if you think about it, God is not male or female. He is both and more. The gender identification of God was given to us so we would have a point of reference from which to understand Him as a Person (He is obviously not an "it.") It may surprise you that the Bible often presents God with female imagery.
Film Comments: Many films address issues of religious and/or philosophical import. Some may provide insights for Christians which were possibly not part of the original intent of the film's director.
Interesting Websites: Websites which present interesting or eccentric points of view; websites of Christian oriented groups; etc.
Lost Books of the Bible: There are books mentioned in the Bible which are otherwise unknown. Other books may be fragments of longer books.
Messianic Prophecies from the Bible: Christians believe that manyOld Testament (TANAKH) passages speak about the Messiah Jesus.
Names in the Bible: The names of the persons in the Bible are not just sounds.  Many have known meanings.
Poetry: Some from me, some from other folks.
Religious Humor: Contrary to what many people think, Christians are not without humor. Look up Rev, Grady Nutt.
Religious Place Names: The religious origins of some place names may not be immediately obvious.
Trivia: Obscure facts about Christianity, the Bible, religion, etc. Some really are trivial, some, not so much.
What Does It Mean?: Many passages in the Bible need a little explaining to make sense to modern readers because they must be understood in the historical and religious context in which they were written. Remember that they made perfect sense to their original readers/hearers.

Sweaty Football Player on a Bench

My wife was having surgery the other day (a total knee replacement!).  As I sat waiting to hear that her surgery was completed and that she was heading to her room, I saw a man walking down the hall.  He had on a red sweatshirt (crimson, actually. Roll Tide!).  On the front of the shirt was a picture of a lone football player sitting on a bench, his helmet by his feet, head bowed in fatigue, with sweat dripping. 

Hmmmm!???

On the back of the shirt was the slogan: "The true image of a champion is one of a man, sitting on a bench, dripping sweat, with no else around."

This is the attitude Christians need to take in their Bible study and prayer life.  We need to be champions.