Signature in the Cell 7 (RJS)

Last updated on: May 15, 2012 at 8:10 pm By RJS

Stephen C. Meyer has published a (very long, but readable) book, Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design, outlining his argument in favor of intelligent design. In Ch. 15 he summarized his argument for design. In Ch. 16 he summarizes Dembski’s argument based on complex specified information and pattern recognition. The hypothesis is again that the complex specified information in the DNA (or RNA or whatever) of the “first” self-replicating organism is evidence for design. Meyer... Read more

Lengthening our Memory 8

Last updated on: February 11, 2010 at 12:04 am By Scot McKnight

Chris Hall, in Worshiping With the Church Fathers , examines another topic — withdrawal into the desert — and it leads me to ask a question, one that I hope you give some thought and then weigh in: Why do you think most Protestants, and especially low church evangelicals, have no monastic tradition, no ascetical tradition, and no emphasis on retreats into the desert? And for those who do find such traditions, why do they have to dip into the fathers... Read more

Childhood Obesity

Last updated on: February 10, 2010 at 3:22 pm By Scot McKnight

Our First Lady has taken up a great cause, childhood obesity. Judith Gunlock, who writes for the National Review, likes the First Lady’s personal behaviors with her daughters but wonders if there’s a disconnect then with her proposals. Here are a few paragraphs, and I wonder how you would approach this issue: Is this a family, school, State or Federal issue? Perhaps this is a better approach: Where would you focus your attention? How? Michelle Obama has recently taken up... Read more

Acts and Mission 91

Last updated on: February 10, 2010 at 12:16 pm By Scot McKnight

Behind the scenes two things are at work: the enemies of Paul, who think he’s dangerous to Torah observance and therefore to the sanctity of Israel and the Temple, and the friends of Paul, including family members in Jerusalem. His sister’s son somehow hears of a plot to kill Paul through the local buzz, he informs Paul, Paul passes him on to the commanding officer, and the commanding office, probably realizing how serious this situation has become, decides to escort... Read more

Narrative Preaching 2

Last updated on: February 10, 2010 at 6:05 am By Scot McKnight

The level of eloquence in this book,Preaching from Memory to Hope , is only outmatched by the depth of insight we find in Tom Long. What a delightful chapter number two is: “No news is bad news.” It’s a chapter about the presence of God in living reality today and about witnessing to God’s presence — in the present tense — in preaching and living. It might work best just to quote the build-up in this chap: Luther, who... Read more

Seminary Re:mixed

Last updated on: February 10, 2010 at 12:07 am By Scot McKnight

Seminaries are today again up for review. The editors at Christian Century have a series of questions we can discuss and then they have a rather firm suggestion as well. How would you answer their questions? If church leaders had the chance to fashion a seminary from scratch, what would it look like? Would it have its own campus? Would it be tied to a denomination or be fully ecumenical? Would the classical academic subjects be taught and, if so,... Read more

Stephen Barr on Intelligent Design

Last updated on: February 9, 2010 at 3:15 pm By Scot McKnight

Coincidentally, Stephen M. Barr, professor of physics at the University of Delaware, posted an article on First Things published today entitled “The End of Intelligent Design.” The first paragraph is below, read the article and we can start a conversation here … agree or disagree (and why)? It is time to take stock: What has the intelligent design movement achieved? As science, nothing. The goal of science is to increase our understanding of the natural world, and there is not... Read more

Acts and Mission 90

Last updated on: February 9, 2010 at 12:04 pm By Scot McKnight

Now is the time for Paul to reveal even more, so he is brought before the Sanhedrin, before him Paul asserts his integrity and innocence, only to realize he then said something contrary to the Torah: 22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer wanted to know the true reason Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble. He then brought Paul down and had him stand before... Read more

Christian Worldview – Is There a Place? (RJS)

Last updated on: May 15, 2012 at 8:26 pm By RJS

I’ve given my point of view on this blog on many occasions. Today I would like to put a slightly different point of view up for consideration. I had an e-mail conversation with a friend last week about intelligent design and the place for the Christian worldview in the academy in general and science in particular. He supports intelligent design research and inquiry – but his faith does not hinge on evidence for design. He respects Francis Collins and his... Read more

Lengthening Our Memory 7

Last updated on: February 9, 2010 at 12:07 am By Scot McKnight

Chris Hall, in Worshiping With the Church Fathers , examines St Augustine’s letter to Proba about prayer, and in that letter, Augustine said this: “… pray to God in world at certain fixed hours and times, so that we may encourage ourselves…” (173). Hall observes that Catholics, the Orthodox and Anglicans have always had fixed hour prayer traditions, but he also notes that low church Protestants find such things at times legalistic. But he asks, “isn’t it true that the vast... Read more

Who was the first woman?