The blogworld got pretty serious about my post on the death penalty, and we saw some areas of disagreement. The poll (to your right) surprised me, but then again I’m not always sure of the demographics of my readers. I did think that doing the bars in blue and red was clever, but I wish there could have been a purple. |inline Read more
Friendship, that is the one needful thing for this conversation. What I mean mostly is that no matter where we stand, when we are done discussing something, we still should be friends. We remain friends because we love one another, not because we are convenient for one another or support one another or agree with one another. We remain friends because we are committed to the same Person and the same Vision (Kingdom) and root our identity in the same... Read more
For Simeon, Christmas meant “salvation (Luke 1:30). What does “salvation” mean for Simeon? This could be answered by asking how Luke uses this term, which is a big, big term for him and which refers to the fullness of God’s redemptive gospel, but it is better (I think) to see just what it might mean for Simeon. |inline Read more
This post summarizes Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, pp. 108-118. I’m hoping a short section, focused as it is on only one issue (Sabbath), might draw more into the conversation. Peterson contends to “play with Christ” in creation we need to cultivate Sabbath and Wonder (next post). |inline Read more
Tookie Williams was executed last night, at the stroke of midnight. I do not know enough of the facts to judge whether or not California was just, nor do I want to comment on the Tookie Williams case. My view is that the death penalty is just, especially in American jurisprudence, but Christians should oppose the death penalty. Here is my line of thinking and I’d like to know where some of you stand on this one. Oh, and don’t... Read more
For Simeon, Christmas meant death (Luke 2:27-32). Simeon was told that he would not “see” death before he “saw” the Messiah, and when he “saw” the Messiah he was also “seeing” the end of his own life. The aged Simeon cups in his arms an infant boy — old and young testifying to the work of God’s redemption. |inline Read more
Charlie Wear has posted my thoughts about the gospel at Next-Wave. And very, very nice graphics along the way. Read more
This week of posts on Advent will look at Simeon and Anna, two charming seniors who gathered at the Temple to pray and long for God’s justice and Kingdom because they knew Israel’s condition was not what God planned. No Christmas song I’ve heard is as good as Michael Card’s “Now That I’ve Held Him in My Arms.” I like Simeon so much I asked Eerdmans to put the famous Rembrandt, Song of Simeon, on the cover of A New... Read more
Here we go. Here’s an example of my previous posts about learning how to talk with one another, and I’m not so sure it is happening as it ought. Emergent leaders Brian McLaren and Tony Jones are quoted in an article you can read here about a joint venture of working together with some Jewish leaders on a variety of projects: the issue is that Christians and Jews are working together and some Christians are protesting that Emergent has compromised... Read more
My post, Seven Habits of Successful Emerging Discussions, generated enough suggestions that I thought it would be good to post today on how Emerging Movement folk (EMers) might better converse with evangelicals. Just as I don’t assume to speak for all EMers, neither do I speak for all evangelicals. I apologize for the length, but I deemed it important enough to warrant what I say. And, as always, I’m happy to hear what you say. But I think the following... Read more
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