On Getting Appropriately Angry About Child Abuse

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* A guest post by Kristyn Komarnicki, editor of Prism Magazine from Evangelicals for Social Action.

I listened with horror but also with great interest to the voluminous responses to revelations about sexual abuse of boys on Penn State’s campus a few months back. Most encouraging is the widespread outrage. I even heard an NPR commentator say, “Mores change, but wrong is still wrong! … [This abuse] is clearly wrong!”

It’s unusual to hear that level of moral clarity these days, given that we live in a culture that tolerates such high levels of child abuse. We do this in a number of ways. One is the common acceptance of and respect granted the “work” of Alfred Kinsey, who was, in fact, a pedophile. Dr. Judith Reisman has researched Kinsey extensively. What she found will knock your socks sideways. I suggest you start with this interview with her. Reisman has been bravely shouting about the normalization of child sexual abuse in her exposes of Kinsey and of NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association) for several decades now. [Read more...]

Evolving Evangelicalism (part 11): Analysis and Implications of Genesis 1 and Adam

The following series is based on my senior paper for Seminary. You may remember a video where I invited people to contribute their stories to help make my case. For the next couple weeks, I’ve decided to share my findings with you all. There will be a “thesis/problem” section, a “biblical theology” section, and an “application” section. I hope you will read along and share this with others! You can read the rest of the series here.
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Evolving Evangelicalism: Inviting Church Leaders to Refine their Approach to Scripture and Origins (part 11)

Analysis and Implications of Genesis 1 and Adam and Eve

Now that we have looked at three viable theological options for interpreting Genesis 2-3 (and Paul) in light of the book of nature, our task is to reflect on the implications of both Genesis 1 and Adam. Genesis 1 emerged in the midst of exilic realities, as Israel sought to reclaim their self-definition as the special people of God. One need not believe that it was written after the exile (one could still hold to Mosaic authorship) in order to accept the broad theological perspective presented. [Read more...]

Micah Bournes – Thank God For Evolution (spoken word of slavery, genocide, and hope)

I thought this was a profound spoken word about slavery, genocide, and hope. Check out Micah Bournes.

 

Evolving Evangelicalism (part 10): Adam is Israel’s Loss of Wisdom and Exile

The following series is based on my senior paper for Seminary. You may remember a video where I invited people to contribute their stories to help make my case. For the next couple weeks, I’ve decided to share my findings with you all. There will be a “thesis/problem” section, a “biblical theology” section, and an “application” section. I hope you will read along and share this with others! You can read the rest of the series here.
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Option 3: Adam is Israel’s Loss of Wisdom and Exile

Peter Enns puts forward a third option for understanding Adam and Eve. Although I see all three perspectives as viable, I gravitate toward Enns’ approach. The following idea is essential: “The early chapters of Genesis are not a literal or scientific description of historical events but a theological statement in an ancient idiom, a statement about Israel’s God and Israel’s place in the world as God’s people.”[1]

As discussed earlier, Genesis 2-3 comes from the “J” source, which is older than Genesis 1. [Read more...]