I must first say that this movie is a joy to watch. It’s very well done. Even the flashbacks are not off-putting. And the two main actors in the story are truly excellent, as is the supporting cast. Nicholas Holt as J.R.R. in his high school and college and war years, and beyond, is excellent, as is Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, his true love. Further, Professor Wright the philologist at Oxford, with whom Tolkien studied, is beautifully played by... Read more

Went to see Chicago at the EKU Arts Center in Richmond Ky. It was a terrific show including a terrific light show (see below). Went with the Tune Dude Jeff James, and my wife Ann and her colleague Marvin Ruffner. They played from 7.30 until just after 10 with a 20 minute break. They played tons of their hits from the first lp all the way up to the 21rst century. They’ve been together since 1967— 52 years!! There are... Read more

Here’s a fascinating article about the divisive nature of the digs at the City of David in Jerusalem. See what you think. BW3 https://nyti.ms/2CMYifB Read more

Q. Towards the end of the book you touch on one of the major problems in the church— the failure to affirm the goodness of being single for the sake of the Lord and his kingdom, and the failure to embrace and be friend such folks. In fact, one church I was once in had a Sunday school class for older adults called ‘Pairs and Spares’! As if a single person was like a spare tire— just atrocious thinking! I... Read more

Q. On p. 254 you say you think it is wrong minded for Christians to try and change the law of the land on particular topics they are passionate about. This view I think is problematic. Were that the correct approach John Wesley would have been wrong to urge William Wilberforce to work hard in Parliament to change the law of the land which allowed slavery to be legal. I believe we are to have a prophetic witness to our... Read more

Q. In your discussion of why Jesus doesn’t mention same sex intercourse, you say he refers to it indirectly in Mk. 7 when he says what comes out of a person that is prohibited includes adultery and sexual sins of other sorts. Surprisingly, to me, you do not discuss Mt. 19 where Jesus tells his disciples that there only alternative to heterosexual monogamy is celibacy in singleness— being a eunuch for the kingdom. Why not discussion of that text? A.... Read more

Q. In your discussion of the Levitical case law where same-sex sexual activity is prohibited, you link that with the ten commandments and specifically the prohibition of adultery. Can you explain the connection? Are you say that all forms of sexual activity except within heterosexual marriage are forms of adultery? How so? I would have thought that adultery is something only already married persons can commit. A. The ten commandments are general ethical principles that are then applied to specific... Read more

Q. In your last main chapter, you focus on the fact that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is not in the main about homosexuality but rather about violations of hospitality. And yet Jude surely suggests that sexual perversion was at least part of the issue. Right? A. Yes, he does and I think I mention Jude briefly (or should have!). But then the question is what is the nature of the perversion. After all there is a whole list... Read more

Q. Klaus Koch in his two volumes on the Prophets talks about God’s redemptive-judgment (he judges Pharaoh and by the same act redeems or frees the Hebrews). Following Steck, he also points out the prophetic pattern that the redemption of God’s people comes after the judgment on their sins— redemption after judgment (and perhaps after repentance for sin). I am wondering what you think of these lines of reasoning vis a vis the issue of how and in what what... Read more

Q. I agree with you that the NT does insist that Gospel should not be advanced by violence (it does not justify Crusades for example). The question is why? Why was God in his Son prepared to suffer violence on the cross rather than to accomplish his purposes using violence when it comes to the new covenant? Why should an apparent difference with the means by which God accomplishes his purposes in the OT? I would put some of this... Read more