Ross Douthat has an insightful word in today’s New York Times about the brain-stultifying effects of hyper-partisanship. He writes: “Up to a point, American politics reflects abiding philosophical divisions. But people who follow politics closely — whether voters, activists or pundits — are often partisans first and ideologues second. Instead of assessing every policy on the merits, we tend to reverse-engineer the arguments required to justify whatever our own side happens to be doing. Our ideological convictions may be real enough, but our deepest conviction is often that the other guys can’t be trusted.” Douthat argues that the controversy over TSA searches would have gone differently had a Republican been…
-
-
Yoga Redux
Last month, I posted a brief note about an article by Albert Mohler arguing that the practice of Yoga is incompatible with the Christian faith. The Associated Press covered Mohler’s article and subsequently set-off a tempest of controversy with Yoga practitioners across the country. Many Christian Yoga devotees objected to Mohler’s piece and contended that their practice of Yoga had no religious dimension to it at all. For them, Yoga offered no contradiction at all to their Christian convictions. Mohler’s response to that argument was simple. If there’s no religious dimension to your Yoga, then it’s not Yoga. It’s just stretching. According to today’s New York Times, a group of…
-
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s the Psalm that we read in family worship last night. Happy Thanksgiving!
-
When Husbands and Wives Disagree
The latest issue of JBMW was released yesterday, and I am going to highlight some of the articles in it over the next week or so. The first essay that I want to bring to your attention is by Heath Lambert, professor of biblical counseling at Boyce College. The article is titled “Breaking the Marital Impasse: How Authority and Submission Work When Spouses Disagree.” This article is one of the most practical articles I’ve ever read on how headship works when husband and wife disagree. He opens the piece by describing a real life counseling situation that he faced on this very issue. He writes,
-
Alistair Begg in SBTS Chapel
Alistair Begg is doing the Mullins Lectures at Southern Seminary. Here is his first message from Tuesday morning. Watch above, listen below, or download here. [audio:http://www.sbts.edu/media/audio/fall2010/20101116begg.mp3]
-
Great News from Matt Chandler
This is wonderful news from Matt Chandler about the results of his MRI yesterday. He reports: “The scan came back 100% clean… For the first time throughout this whole thing, the doctors were… visibly excited by the scan, as if they think we beat this thing.” Praise the Lord for that news!
-
Did he really say that?
I’m reading President George W. Bush’s memoir, Decision Points, and I’m finding it difficult to put it down. I’m puzzled by one anecdote near the beginning of the book that I thought deserved some comment. The story is about a Bush family gathering in Kennebunkport in the mid-80’s, and the Reverend Billy Graham was their special guest. At a discussion session after dinner one night, President George H. W. Bush asks Reverend Graham a question, and here’s how the younger President Bush recounts what happened:
-
I Hated My Mother
Dr. Heath Lambert is a professor of biblical counseling at Boyce College, and last night he shared his testimony with our students. He and his twin brother suffered horrific abuse as children at the hands of their own mother. He begins his story with this statement: “Paullette Jamison was my mother… She died a couple of months ago… I hated her. I hated her.” [audio:http://www.sbts.edu/media/audio/BoycePodcast/20101108-boyce-podcast-lambert.mp3] Dr. Lambert goes on to explain how God transformed anger and violence into a gospel triumph. Last night was really special, and I want to share it with you. Please take some time to hear this one. It is wonderful. Listen above or download here.
-
Struggling as a Homosexual and a Christian
I really appreciate Tim Challies’ review of Wesley Hill’s book Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality (Zondervan, 2010). Wesley Hill is a Christian who has a homosexual orientation, and he has been that way for as long as he can remember. Here’s a snippet from Challies’ review: ‘Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality is his attempt to answer some of the most difficult questions, and to answer them not in an abstract sense, but from the perspective of someone who has labored over them and shed many tears along the way. What does it mean for gay Christians to be faithful to God while…
-
The Implosion of First Baptist Dallas
The video above shows the implosion earlier today of four downtown buildings that belong to the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. The buildings were demolished to make way for its new worship center, education facilities, parking garage, glass concourse, and sky bridge. The three men who detonated the explosives are Pastor Robert Jeffress, Mayor Tom Leppert, and Planning & Development Committee Chairman Mark Lovvorn. [Historical note: The high-rise in the background of the church’s steeple in the final scene is Lincoln Plaza, where Dick Cheney worked for Haliburton before becoming vice-president of the United States.] What came down this morning was massive. What will go up in its place…