The Bible and Culture

My Kiwi sources are keeping me informed on the progress of the filming of the two Hobbit movies.  Still mostly just B roll so far,  but the village of Hobbiton has been beautiful recreated again and here are two shots of the now svelt Peter Jackson at Bag End.    He no longer looks like a troll, and apparently his health is good again. … [Read more...]

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Note: See also Part 1 of this chapter-by-chapter review of "Love Wins." Chapter Two of Rob Bell’s new book is about Heaven, and it is a much longer chapter than chapter one (pp. 21-62).  And almost from the outset, we have a category mistake.  Rob is right that there is not a lot of discussion in the NT about ‘dying and going to heaven’.  It is a mistake however to equate heaven with everlasting life, which does indeed begin here and now.  It is important to say from the outset that I … [Read more...]

Whether you agree with Rob Bell or not on the subject of whether Love Wins in the end in every case,   it seems undeniable to me that "what the world needs now,  is love sweet love...."   as Dionne Warwick used to sing.    Here is a moving worldwide tribute to the Beatles' classic song. … [Read more...]

Those of you who have been paying attention to my blog for a while will know that I have liked a good deal of what I have heard, and read, and seen from Rob Bell.  Even my 60 something Sunday school class members loved his Nooma videos and their wonderful creativity.   Rob Bell is a poet and a pastor and a sometime musician, and his writing reflects this.  At times, he is also a keen analyst and presenter and preacher of some Biblical texts.  If you've never seen the scapegoat video, you … [Read more...]

As  some of you will already know, not only is there lots of money in the video game industry, there are lots of subsidiary industries that now depend on it--- one of which is the music industry.  Original compositions are being composed to accompany this video game or that video game,  and my alert  Xbox son  the computer  dude sent me the following sample of some of the music at the PAX convention in Boston this past week which he and his fiancee Emily attended.      I have to say--- … [Read more...]

As  most of you know,  my wife and I are writing a series of seven Christian thrillers,  and a new review of the second Art West adventure,  Roman Numerals  has just appeared, giving the book four stars.   Here is the review... Roman numerals is the second Art West adventure from Ben and Ann Witherington. Ben is a prolific and widely respected biblical scholar who has written widely in new testament history, exegesis and theology. Ann is his biology-professor wife. And together … [Read more...]

According to scientific studies, in an average day, a person will have no less than 3,000 thoughts.   Think of that for a moment.   One wonders in an age of short attention spans if this number is increasing.   3,000 thoughts.   If it is even partially true that as a person thinks, so they are,  we must be a lot of different things.    One also wonders how many of these 3,000 thoughts occur in dreams.    One of the things that happens to me, from time time,  is I will wake up in … [Read more...]

It is fair to say that Matthew McConaughhey has made his fair share of weak chick flicks.   This is definitely not one of them.  This movie is slick, involves a good courtroom drama, and has various twists and turns.  One could say that this is the best drama Matthew has ever done, and he is rightly getting some recognition for his acting in this film.   The film as well has an excellent supporting cast.   One could have wished for more of a part for the splendid Marisa Tomei.    William … [Read more...]

One of the things Rob Bell’s book Love Wins seems to suggest is that there may be a get out of jail free card for those who go to Hell (not necessarily in a handbasket).   He argues this case on the basis of the great love of God for all human beings,  but at the same time he argues that love woos, rather than makes an offer one can’t refuse.  In other words, there is some internal  incoherence to that kind of argument.   If you are going to say that love is freely given and freely … [Read more...]