Would Jesus have supported universal healthcare? According to J. P. Moreland, Jesus would not have favored such a thing: “Two central features of Jesus’ ethical views imply that Jesus urged compassionate care for the poor but not by the state. In short, he would never have supported universal healthcare.” Moreland’s argument is based on a certain view of the separation of church and state. It’s a short little piece and worth your time to read the whole thing.
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Greg Boyd Responds to John Piper
Greg Boyd has responded to John Piper’s reflections on the collapsed bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After summarizing what Piper wrote (which was discussed extensively on this blog), Boyd writes this about Piper: “I respect this pastor as a man of God, but this teaching honestly concerns me.” It turns out that his “concern” is an understatement. Boyd contests the entire theological foundation of Piper’s essay.
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Karl Rove, the “Architect,†To Resign
President Bush called Karl Rove the “architect” of his electoral victory in 2004. Rove has been much more than that. He has also been a top advisor to President Bush in both of his administrations, and now he is resigning. Reports say that his departure is unrelated to congressional investigations concerning the firings of U.S. attorneys. “The Mark of Rove” – by Paul A. Gigot (Wall Street Journal) “Karl Rove, Adviser to President Bush, to Resign” – by Peter Baker and Debbi Wilgoren (Washington Post)
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Robert Jeffress Called as Pastor of FBC Dallas
In an earlier post, I mentioned that Dr. Robert Jeffress would be preaching in view of a call at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. I am a member of that church, and this morning we voted overwhelmingly to call Dr. Jeffress as our new pastor. After the vote, Dr. Jeffress came back into the sanctuary with his family and accepted the call.
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Chuck Colson on the Presidential Candidates
Chuck Colson will not endorse a candidate right now. But he has sized up the field of candidates running for President: “It is the most disappointing field of candidates, looking on both sides of the aisle, that I’ve seen in my lifetime. I don’t remember an election where less people have got me excited from either side.” I agree with that assessment. Well said.
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Candidate for Pastor at FBC Dallas
Though this post may be of interest to some people outside of Dallas, it’s really intended for members of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. It is widely known and reported (see here and here) that Dr. Robert Jeffress will be preaching in view of a call this Sunday morning at First Dallas. The membership of First Dallas will vote whether to call him as pastor after the service.
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God the “Narcissist”?
There has been something of a debate unfolding in the comments of my previous post, “John Piper on the Calamity in Minneapolis.” The lines of the debate are fairly neatly drawn between those who are determinists and those who are not. The determinists are arguing that God was in control of the collapse of the bridge, and the non-determinists attribute the tragedy to the activity of Satan or some other non-divine source.
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To Change It Would Make It Worse
There have been a lot of comments under my post about John Piper’s remarks concerning the collapse of the I-35 bridge. The controversy has centered on how God can be sovereign given that the world is filled with suffering. My best friend of 23 years has written on this topic, and you may want to check it out. It’s a personal reflection on his mother’s death that is worth considering. “To Change It Would Make It Worse” – by Barry Joslin (Baptist Press)Â
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John Piper Takes on Rabbi Harold Kushner
Pastor John Piper responds to Rabbi Harold Kushner’s misguided comments about God’s inability to prevent calamities (like the collapse of the I-35 bridge last week in Minneapolis). Here’s the conclusion: “No, Rabbi Kushner. Your soft words offer no hope in the end. The foundation is false. And the consolation does not satisfy the God-given passions for truth and meaning in the human heart. May the Lord open your eyes to the One who died for your sins and rose again, Jesus Christ, so that if you would trust him, you would be saved from the wrath of God that your blasphemy and my contaminated anger deserve.” Amen to that. You…
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Interview with Dr. Francis Beckwith
I wrote about Dr. Francis Beckwith’s return to the Roman Catholic Church several months ago. As you may remember, Dr. Beckwith’s return to Roman Catholicism led to his resigning the presidency of and his membership in the Evangelical Theological Society. Greg Koukl conducted a two-hour interview with Dr. Beckwith on “Stand To Reason,” and you will not want to miss this one. The interview is available for free on the “Stand To Reason” website. Here’s the link: Interview with Francis Beckwith.