Joseph Bottum just announced on the First Things blog that Richard John Neuhaus has passed away. There will be more to say on this later, but for now here’s Bottum’s post:
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Can’t Get Enough of Carl Trueman
I agree with Justin Taylor who feels a tad embarrassed that he posts everything Carl Trueman writes. Contrary to what you might think (given all the links I give to Dr. Trueman), I am not getting paid for this. I really do think Trueman’s stuff is just that good. His latest essay for Reformation21 is a must-read: “Why Are There Never Enough Parking Spaces at the Prostate Clinic?” It’s a wry look at evangelicals who are obsessed with cultural analysis and cultural relevance. His contention is that an obsession with culture can undermine a Christian commitment to universal truths. He writes:
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Billy Graham and Church Membership
Billy Graham never lived in Dallas, Texas, but his membership has been at the First Baptist Church in Dallas since 1953. The Dallas Morning News now reports that Rev. Graham has moved his membership to the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Here’s the full report below.
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The Incarnation
There is hardly anything more mysterious and wonderful to me than the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God became a man. Jesus Christ is at once fully God and fully man. God took on mortal human flesh and became subject to all the things that every other mortal is subject to. He sneezed. He coughed. He got headaches and an upset stomach. Every morning he got up, shook the dust out of His hair, and served His Father faithfully. Jesus Christ was not only subject to sickness, but also to death. The eternal Son of God was die-able. In fact, he did die. And three days later, what was mortal became…
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More on the Rick Warren Controversy
Albert Mohler has a short article on Rick Warren’s decision to pray at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. At the end, Mohler explains why he would not accept such an invitation: “Would I deliver the invocation at the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States? Well, I have not been asked, but I can imagine that it would be difficult to turn down this invitation. After all, the inaugural ceremony is a national event, not a personal ceremony. Yet, in the end, the context of this inaugural ceremony would not allow me to accept. President-elect Obama has pledged to sign legislation including the Freedom of Choice…
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Gay Activists Oppose Rick Warren at Inauguration
Barack Obama has invited Rick Warren to pray at the upcoming presidential inauguration, and the Politico is reporting on the reaction from gay rights activists: ‘Barack Obama’s choice of a prominent evangelical minister to perform the invocation at his inauguration is a conciliatory gesture toward social conservatives who opposed him in November, but it is drawing fierce challenges from a gay rights movement that – in the wake of a gay marriage ban in California – is looking for a fight.’
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Newsweek Comes Out for Gay ‘Marriage’
I would be remiss not to comment on Lisa Miller’s cover story in this week’s Newsweek magazine, “The Religious Case for Gay Marriage.” The title of the article says everything that you need to know about this piece. In essence, Miller argues that a right understanding of the Christian tradition would actually favor gay “marriage” rather than oppose it. She appeals to the Bible and to history to make her point. This piece is disappointing on a number of levels, and the subsequent critiques have been sharp and justified (e.g., Albert Mohler, Christianity Today, Mollie Hemingway). For the most thorough response, see Robert Gagnon’s 23-page essay (HT: Justin Taylor). I…
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Sojourn Advent Songs
My good friend Rob Plummer recommended to me a Christmas album that is available as a free download, and I want to pass along the holiday cheer to you. The album was produced by Sojourn Community Church here in Louisville, Kentucky and is available at NoiseTrade.com. You can listen to samples of the album on the widget below.
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Boyce College Student Nominated for Grammy
The Protestant Reformation has come to the Grammys! On Saturday, one of our students here at Boyce College was nominated for a Grammy award. His stage name is “Flame,” and I wrote about him here in October. He’s a hip-hop artist with a gospel message—one that is rooted deeply in the reformation tradition. According to the Grammy website, Flame’s “Our World Redeemed” has been nominated for “Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album.” CMSpin.com has the details of the story, and the Associated Press reports that the Grammy Awards will be broadcast on February 8 on CBS. You can be sure that we’ll be pulling for Flame. Here’s a link to…
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Did Pro-lifers Kill the GOP in 2008?
In yesterday’s New York Times, Ross Douthat takes on the conventional wisdom among pro-choice Republicans who blame the pro-life movement for losing the presidency in 2008 (HT: Russell Moore). Douthat notes how pro-choice GOP’ers such as Christie Todd Whitman and P. J. O’Rourke have charged uncompromising pro-lifers with alienating the American mainstream in 2008.