New Testament scholar Ben Witherington appeared on CNN to talk about an ancient pre-Christian tablet that has recently caused some controversy among biblical scholars. Witherington’s brief remarks are good, and to them I would add a few of my own.
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Who is the prophet in this picture?
Openly gay US Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was preaching in London about how sad it was that the Anglican Communion was tearing itself apart over the issue of homosexuality. As he was speaking, a congregant stood up and began shouting “heretic” and “repent.” Many others in the congregation followed the outburst with claps. Watch it here. To be sure, some people will say that the outburst was just rude. But you tell me. Who is the prophet in this picture? Here are some lines from Bishop Robinson’s sermon:
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Abortion, Race, and the NAACP
Yesterday, Senator Barack Obama addressed the 99th annual conference for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). William McGurn of the Wall Street Journal notes why the meeting was important: “For one thing, the first African-American to head the presidential ticket of a major party was on hand. Yet there was another interesting appearance that went mostly unmentioned. This was a protest by African-American pro-lifers – many NAACP members – who can’t understand why America’s most venerated civil rights organization turns a blind eye to what they say is the abortion industry’s practice of targeting poor minority neighborhoods.”
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The Glories of Motherhood
I heard a fascinating interview last week with Heather Payne, a member of the award-winning Christian pop group “Point of Grace.” Recently, Payne announced that she was leaving the group so that she could focus on being a mom. You can read about her departure here, but I recommend listening to the interview below. [audio:http://www.sbts.edu/MP3/totl/2008/AMP_07_11_2008.mp3] I think what Payne has done is positively counter-cultural (in a good sense). May her tribe increase! Here’s a description of the show from “The Albert Mohler Program” website: “Can a Christian mom do everything the world tells them they can and should do? The perfect education, career, and family? Singer Heather Payne recently announced…
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Obama on Abortion: “I will never back down.â€
“I will never back down from making sure that women have their reproductive rights here in this country. That’s what’s at stake in this election.” He’s certainly right about the last part, but tragically wrong about the first. Read the rest here from Michael Foust.
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Hauerwas and Dever on Patriotism
Stanley Hauerwas and Mark Dever had a fascinating conversation about patriotism on July 3 with Russell Moore on “The Albert Mohler Program.” Moore asked both men for their opinions about the propriety of patriotic church services. [audio:http://www.sbts.edu/MP3/totl/2008/AMP_07_03_2008.mp3] Hauerwas said that such observances are idolatrous. He also compared the American military to that of the 3rd Reich in Nazi Germany. Moore’s rejoinder to this latter point in the third segment is insightful. “Should We Be Patriots In The Pew?” – The Albert Mohler Program
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Russell Moore Wallops Wright and the Right
When Russell Moore is on, he’s on. His article in the most recent issue of Touchstone magazine sounds a prophetic note that has a wallop for both liberals and conservatives. Here’s an excerpt, but you really should read the whole thing. ‘One does not have to be a political radical to bypass Jesus at church. White, upwardly mobile, pro-America preachers preach liberation theology all the time, with all the fervor of Jeremiah Wright, if not the anger.
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A New Ministry
Please forgive the personal note. But I thought I might mention a transition that I will be going through in the very near future. On August 1, I will begin as the new dean of Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky. Boyce College is the undergraduate arm of my alma mater, Southern Seminary.
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Wimbledon 2008: One for the Ages
If you missed the 2008 Wimbledon final, you missed one for the ages. Roger Federer came into this match as the Tiger Woods of tennis. Rafael Nadal came in as the number one contender—someone who’s been spoiling for this fight for a long time. The match went longer than any other final in the history of Wimbledon—4 hours and 48 minutes (it broke the record set by McEnroe Bjorn Borg in 1980). But that wasn’t the only record set. Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win Wimbledon and the French Open in the same season. Nadal won it 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7. My commentary…
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Grateful for a Smiling Providence
America is my home away from home. I am a sojourner here, just like everyone else, passing through on my way to eternity. “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). Nevertheless, I regard it as a smiling Providence to have been born here, and I give thanks today. About a year and a half ago was my last visit to Washington, D.C. One of the highlights of my trip was a visit to the Lincoln Memorial. My favorite political speech is inscribed on the wall inside the memorial. The speech is Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.