The Baptist Press reports that my good friend Dr. T. J. Bettswitnessed a Hezbollah rocket attack while he was on an archeological dig in Israel last week. T. J. heard the explosion and saw the smoke billowing up after the rocket detonated about a mile from where he was working. My favorite part of the report is T. J.’s understated reaction to the attack: “Wow, look at that.†I’m happy to learn that T. J. and his team are now evacuated and back in the U. S. You can read the rest of T. J.’s story here: “Prof witnesses rocket attack at Israeli archaeological site.â€
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The Procussions Take the World by Storm
I like to listen to hip-hop. Okay, surprise, surprise. But it’s true. What can I say? I like the beat.However, I am often not listening to hip-hop because frankly so much of it is too foul to tolerate (see Philippians 4:8). I am happy to find that this is not the case with “The Procussions†latest single “The Storm,†which is iTunes’ free download of the week. Go download the song. If you are any kind of hip-hop fan at all, you’ll really like this one. Here are some of the lyrics from the single “The Stormâ€: Yo I was born in a violent storm In an endless fight between…
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Southwestern Prof. Comments on Rob Bell’s Tour
Perhaps you have read about Rob Bell, an emerging church pastor from Michigan who is traveling to major cities across the country this summer and preaching in non-traditional venues (e.g., bars, concert halls). The tour has received some significant media attention that includes articles in both the New York Times and the Houston Chronicle.My good friend Jim Hamilton, who is a professor of biblical studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, commented on Rob Bell’s national tour in the Houston Chronicle. Go check out Jim’s remarks in “Christianity Gets a Reality Check.â€
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Media Bias? Yeah, so what?
E. J. Dionne’s Washington Post op-ed really surprised me in its candor about media bias. Dionne articulates a strategy for Democrats and the media as they try to undermine Republican foreign policy. But Democrats (and, yes, the media) risk playing into Republican hands if they fail to force a discussion of the administration’s larger failures or let the debate focus narrowly on exactly what date we should set for getting out of Iraq (source). So there you have it. According to Dionne, Democrats and the media are united in their opposition to Republican ideals. If that’s not a clear admission of media bias, I don’t know what is.
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Stop Test Driving Your Girlfriend
This one’s for the boys. As I write this, I have in mind you single guys who read this blog. When it comes to dating, too many guys are more influenced by the spirit of the age than by the Spirit of God. I hope that you will take a few minutes and give careful attention to “Stop Test Driving Your Girlfriend†by Michael Lawrence. Here’s a teaser: Too often in dating relationships we think and act like consumers rather than servants. And not very good consumers at that. After all, no one would ever go down to his local car dealership, take a car out for an extended test…
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Liberal Christianity Is Paying for Its Sins
You absolutely must read Charlotte Allen’s opinion editorial from Sunday’s Los Angeles Times: “Liberal Christianity Is Paying for Its Sins.†Here are some highlights: You want to have gay sex? Be a female bishop? Change God’s name to Sophia? Go ahead. The just-elected Episcopal presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, is a one-woman combination of all these things, having voted for Robinson, blessed same-sex couples in her Nevada diocese, prayed to a female Jesus at the Columbus convention and invited former Newark, N.J., bishop John Shelby Spong, famous for denying Christ’s divinity, to address her priests. The Presbyterian Church USA . . . was turning itself into the laughingstock of the…
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Podcast of Interview with Dan Wallace
For those who are interested in listening to the interview I did with Dan Wallace (see previous post), I will have a podcast available for download next week. The producer of the radio program usually gives me the mp3 of the program on the day after the show. But since today is Friday, the earliest I’ll get the mp3 will be on Monday.In the meantime, you can sign up for the podcast by searching for “Denny Burk†in the iTunes music store. Or you can add the podcast directly to iTunes using the following link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/DennyBurk-Podcast. Past shows in which I have participated include interviews with a wide variety of…
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Ken Lay, R.I.P.
In May, I wrote about what I thought was the political significance of the Enron convictions and of the Ken Lay saga. It turns out that the end of the story happened this morning when Ken Lay died of a massive heart attack. R.I.P.“Enron Founder Ken Lay Dead of Heart Attack†– Washington Post
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Newsweek Promotes God’s Girls
In an article titled “God’s Girls,†Newsweek magazine reports that many major Christian Churches are behind the times in promoting women to the highest levels of denominational leadership. Women make up 61 percent of all Americans who attend religious congregations, but they still struggle for their place in some denominations. A national study led by researchers at Hartford Seminary found that only 12 percent of the clergy in the 15 largest Protestant denominations are women. And some 112 million Americans belong to denominations that don’t ordain women at all, including Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Southern Baptists, Mormons, Muslims and Orthodox Jews (source). Is Newsweek really suggesting that the high…
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July 4th and Jimmy Stewart Populism
Well, I guess I’m still a Populist. At least I felt like one as my family and I spent our July 4th evening watching Jimmy Stewart stick it to the man in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. There’s nothing like a little Jimmy Stewart to get you fired up about July 4th. Take a listen to a snippet from this speech from Mr. Smith. It’s almost as good as when Jimmy Stewart told off Mr. Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life.Enjoy and happy 4th!