Pete Enns critiques John Piper’s recent remarks about the Jewish conquest of Canaan in the Old Testament. Piper argues that God’s judgments are just and shouldn’t be questioned. Enns objects and argues that the biblical accounts are historically inaccurate and at odds with Jesus’ ethic in the New Testament. In other words, Enns response presumes that the Bible has mistakes in it. Enns questions whether or not the conquest even happened. He writes:
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An Opportunity To Support a Missionary
Philemon Yong was born and raised in the Kom tribe of Cameroon, Africa. You may remember him from the message he delivered at Desiring God’s 2003 conference for pastors. Philemon is now a missionary with the group “Training Leaders International” (TLI), an agency whose mission is to bring theological education to pastors all over the world (their advisory board includes John Piper and D. A. Carson).
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Alan Chambers, Exodus International, and Lordship Salvation
Alan Chambers has just published an opinion piece for Christianity Today that confirms what I wrote a couple of weeks ago. The recent controversy surrounding his tenure as President of Exodus International has less to do with his views on homosexuality than it does with his views on salvation. Chambers still affirms a biblical sexual ethic. He simply argues that Christians can ignore that ethic and still be considered Christians. As I noted two weeks ago, Chambers seems to be advocating the non-lordship view of salvation that was made popular by Zane Hodges back in the 1980’s. This so-called “free grace” view teaches that an ungodly lifestyle need not trouble…
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The Little Boy Who Wanted To Be a Girl
I witnessed one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen last week. It was a report on NBC’s “Dateline” about an 11-year old child named Josie Romero. Josie looks like a normal little prepubescent girl. Only it turns out, that Josie was not born as Josie but as Joey. Josie was born biologically as a boy. Yet somewhere along the way, he decided that he liked behaving and dressing like a girl.
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Ross Douthat on Liberalism and the Episcopalian Malaise
In the wake of the Episcopal Church’s approval of same-sex relationships, Ross Douthat says that theological liberalism is a dead-end for the church: The Episcopal Church…is flexible to the point of indifference on dogma, friendly to sexual liberation in almost every form, willing to blend Christianity with other faiths, and eager to downplay theology entirely in favor of secular political causes.
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Bizarre Clown Ministry
The video above is some kind of training video for a clown “ministry.” I have no doubt that these folks mean well, but this looks really awful to me. If I am ever in a nursing home, please don’t send a clown to visit me or any other kind of actor. Please send a real person with real words and real love and a real Bible. That will do. (HT: @drmoore)
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The Witch-Hunt for Mark Regnerus
Last month I noted Mark Regnerus’ recent study on children who are raised by gay parents. Regnerus’ work has since proven to be very controversial because it does not paint a positive picture of children of gay parents. Even though it’s based on scientific methodology, it suggests conclusions that cut against the prevailing gay rights narrative. As a result, folks on the left have been calling for Regnerus’ head on a platter. Yesterday, The Austin American-Statestman reported that the witch hunt is officially on. A gay blogger lodged a complaint with the President of the University of Texas, alleging that Regnerus had engaged in “scientific misconduct.” Other faculty from UT…
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John Piper Talks about Sanctification and Aging
This video is released in connection with Desiring God’s upcoming National conference this September. John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, Jarvis Williams, Russell Moore, and Ed Welch will be the plenary speakers. Visit the event page to learn more and register.
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U. S. Senate Resolution on the Election of Fred Luter
On June 29, Senator Mary Landrieu submitted a resolution in the United States Senate that congratulates the Southern Baptist Convention for electing Rev. Fred Luter as its first African American president. The resolution has been referred to the judiciary committee and awaits disposition. You can download a PDF of the resolution here, or you can read it below. Senate Resolution 518 Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention formed in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, in opposition to the abolition of slavery;
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Presbyterians Denounce Corporal Punishment
When the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) met last week, it passed a recommendation calling on its members to adopt discipline methods that do not include corporal punishment. It not only calls on schools and orphanages to abandon spanking, but it also calls on parents to abandon it as well. The PCUSA issued a series of rationales for this decision. Here is Rationale #1: