John Blake, CNN’s Belief Blog editor, wrote a piece this weekend on evangelical’s minority status. Is evangelicalism a minority? Is it being treated intolerantly? Is it being persecuted? (CNN) – When Peter Sprigg speaks publicly about his opposition to homosexuality, something odd often happens. During his speeches, people raise their hands to challenge his assertions that the Bible condemns homosexuality, but no Christians speak out to defend him. “But after it is over, they will come over to talk to me... Read more

I received the kind invitation from Bishop James Stanton in Dallas at St Matthew’s Cathedral to give the 2013 James Stanton lectures Friday and Saturday. I always well up with gratitude, as many of you know, to be invited to be among those in the Anglican Communion. I consider The Book of Common Prayer, which after the Bible forms the worship and spiritual formation of Anglicans, to be one of God’s great gifts to the church. Because of a life lived... Read more

This sermon is by Jason Micheli at Aldersgate UMC in Alexandra, VA: Learning the Gospel from My Children This week I did something I never do. I reread all the old sermons I’ve written on today’s text. If the files on my floppy disks and USB drives are correct, then this is the fourth time I’ve had to preach on these parables from Luke 15. The first time was in Charlottesville, at a small Methodist church behind the Downtown Mall.... Read more

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Read more

Philosophers, a survey: “The Davids distributed their questionnaire to 1,972 philosophers at 99 of the world’s “leading departments of philosophy” (in this case, their target group comprised predominantly Ph.D.-granting departments in English speaking countries, giving rise to an acknowledged bias toward analytic or Anglocentric philosophy). The questionnaire consisted of a background survey, 30 multiple choice questions, and a metasurvey that asked philosphers to predict how their colleagues would weigh in. A little under half of the target faculty group completed... Read more

One cool tree house: Helen Lee pushes Christian employers to consider the way of TJ’s: “As much as I love my local Trader Joe’s, and as much as I appreciate that they clearly value their crew members, a part of me wishes I could see Christian organizations making the news for their extraordinary people practices and for being the trendsetters in this area. As Cavanaugh asks, shouldn’t Christian companies set the example as places where employees are treated well? I believe so, absolutely. Trader Joe’s... Read more

From Slate by Russell Foster: The biology of human sleep timing, like that of other mammals, changes as we age. This has been shown in many studies. As puberty begins, bedtimes and waking times get later. This trend continues until 19.5 years in women and 21 in men. Then it reverses. At 55 we wake at about the time we woke prior to puberty. On average this is two hours earlier than adolescents. This means that for a teenager, a... Read more

From Evangelicals and the Nicene Faith, ed. Timothy George, a Baker Academic book: Elizabeth Newman provides some clues as to how a Nicene faith might be lived out, and David Nelson shows how it should shape worship among Evangelicals, for ‘reading the Bible is simply too dangerous to do without the liturgical community’ (page 149). It may, as well, provide an antidote to the current obsession with music, that has crowded out prayer, the reading of Scripture, confession of sin and much beside,... Read more

This post, by John Frye, is on the soterian gospel dilemma. Having our sins forgiven and being accounted righteous, all through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, are tremendous transformative realities. What is troubling is the cavalier manner which these weighty truths are culled out and presented in the soterian scheme. Has God used the soterian gospel to save some? Undeniably God has, yet this does not mean the soterian gospel should escape serious assessment. Years ago I read about... Read more