• Christianity,  Theology/Bible

    Tom Schreiner on the Dangers of Specialization

    Sometimes biblical scholars can be…well…a little snobbish when it comes to systematic theology. And I’m saying this as somebody who is one. Nevertheless, I have observed that many biblical scholars view their work as primarily historical and cooly detached from the theological implications of their work. The irony is that even some Christians regard this detachment as praiseworthy and good. That is why Tom Schreiner’s words in the video above need a wide hearing in our guild. We are far too Gablerian. If you are a biblical scholar, it is no virtue to ignore theology as if our work is purely descriptive. If we would be faithful to our calling…

  • Christianity

    Dan Savage launches “Not All Like That”

    You may remember Dan Savage as the founder of the “It Gets Better Project”—a website dedicated to telling gay children that homosexual behavior is okay and that their lives will get better as they get older. Today Savage launched a new website called “Not All Like That.” It works the same way as the “It Gets Better” site, except that the message this time is aimed at redefining Christianity.

  • Christianity,  Politics

    Christian baker closes shop under pressure from gay activists

    Earlier this year, I wrote about Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of a bakery called “Sweet Cakes by Melissa” in Greshem, Oregon. They’ve been in the news since January after they refused to provide a cake for a gay wedding of two lesbians. Since then, the story has gone viral, and the Klein’s business has been under siege from protesters and gay activists. Aaron Klein says that gay rights activists have been using “militant, mafia-style tactics” to shut the business down.

  • Christianity,  Culture

    Okay to change a child’s sex but not his gender?

    James Kushiner asks an insightful question that exposes the moral confusion of our day. In essence he asks why it should be legal to change a child’s sex but not his gender. The question is provoked by the recent bill signed into law by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. The law prohibits any attempt to change a child’s “gender expression.” That means that if a parent has a young boy who likes to put on dresses and wear make-up, New Jersey law prohibits licensed counselors from helping that boy. Counselors must approve and support whatever gender that child chooses regardless of the child’s sex. This law reveals the rising social…

  • Christianity

    Gagging on “the yuck factor”: Some thoughts on a recent controversy

    Thabiti Anyabwile ruffled feathers last week with an essay arguing that homosexual behavior ought to induce “moral outrage” (a “gag reflex”). Among other things, he argues that our culture has lost its “moral outrage” concerning homosexuality because people have lost sight of what this conversation is all about—perverted sexual behavior. He argues, therefore, that we need to drop expressions like “gay” and “homosexual” and to use explicit terms that are not cloaked in euphemism. He then gives an object lesson on how we ought to speak, giving a brief but explicit description of what gay sexual behavior actually is. As you can imagine, Thabiti’s post has caused no little controversy…