Hi folks. For those 2 or 3 dozen of you who are actually following this, I was just notified by Brazos Press that The Evolution of Adam will be sent to bloggers/reviewers January 4 or 5, and that Amazon should have it “in stock” around January 23. I received my copy last week and read it cover to cover for the first time since I sent in the manuscript a few months ago. I think it’s a really good book... Read more
Here is a link to the December 2011 issue of the online journal, Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed Thought. It contains a review by me of C. John Collins’s Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? Who They are and Why You Should Care (Crossway, 2011). Collins and I spoke at the same event in October (gathering of pastors in NYC). Collins is thoughtful, well-spoken, and articulate, but we certainly saw matters very differently. Those differences are laid out more clearly here in... Read more
Dear Self, Here are things you can’t control: God other people Here is something you can control: yourself There’s more, but this should be enough to keep you occupied in 2012. Sincerely, Self Read more
I don’t normally get emotional at the Dollar Tree. I mean, the prices are great, but I usually don’t get choked up about it. I was getting into my car, and parked beside me–crooked–was a white Civic. A elderly woman got out. She walked around the car slowly. She was carrying an oxygen tank with those damn tubes coming out of her nose–the ones that tell everyone “doctors are keeping me alive.” She was about 5’4″, white haired, hunched over,... Read more
Have you seen the 2011 Barna survey on American Christianity? Below are the six primary reasons why young adults leave the church. With Christmas upon us, I may have to hold off on making some comments (though I have highlighted some things that struck me). All of these reasons resonate with me on some level as I have interacted with college students over the years. The question is, how should these issues be addressed? I have written a fair amount on... Read more
If you’ve ever tried to be still, just still, you know how hard this is. We long for noise, distractions–anything to spare us from admitting to ourselves that things are not as they should be: TV, books, music, other people, complaining, that non-stop, self-serving, chatterbox we call our “thoughts.” Why is it so hard to be alone? Perhaps because we feel awkward in unfamiliar company. “Isn’t it true of human beings that no matter what we may do, the best... Read more
I recently read Listen to the Desert: Secrets of Spiritual Maturity from the Desert Fathers and Mothers by Gregory Mayers. I know it can appear stylish to read these ancient eremites (“Hey look at me. I’m not bound by evangelical sub-culture.”) But that’s not me. I’ve been driven to look more closely at models of Christian maturity that have been missing in my life. When I read of what these ancient followers of Jesus thought and did, I am struck by... Read more
Evidence for and against evolution is open to all and can be assessed by anyone. The sciences are technical and complex, and so require years of training to grasp. Since evolutionary theory is the product of scientific investigation, it follows that those best suited to evaluate the scientific data and arguments are those at the very least trained in the relevant sciences—or better those who are practicing scientists and therefore are keeping up with developments. A loose analogy can be... Read more
I am here in San Francisco at the Society of Biblical Literature annual Sea of Tweed and Bowtie Geekfest. This is where biblical scholars from all over the world gather once a year to impress each other and buy books at half price. Yes I am cynical. I am wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and my Birkenstocks with socks in protest to “stick it to the man.” I’m sure if Jesus were here he’d be doing the same thing–although, maybe he’d be... Read more
Since Adam is necessary for the Christian faith, we know evolution can’t be true. Evolution causes theological problems for Christianity. There is no question of that. We cannot simply graft evolution onto evangelical theology and claim that we have reconciled Christianity and evolution. The theological and philosophical problems for the Christian faith that evolution brings to the table are hardly superficial. They require much thought and a multi-disciplinary effort to work through. For example: Is death a natural part life... Read more
Peter Enns
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