It is widely known that Dr. R. Albert Mohler is a staunch proponent of complementarianism. What is not so widely known is that Dr. Mohler was at one time a staunch proponent of egalitarianism.On his “Conventional Thinking†weblog, Dr. Mohler recounts the story of a conversation with Dr. Carl F. H. Henry in the mid-1980’s that provoked his change of heart. Walking across the campus, Dr. Henry simply stopped me in my tracks and asked me how, as one who affirms the inerrancy of the Bible, I could possibly deny the clear teaching of Scripture on this question. I was hurt, embarrassed –and highly motivated to answer his question. I…
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Southwestern Prof. Comments on Rob Bell’s Tour
Perhaps you have read about Rob Bell, an emerging church pastor from Michigan who is traveling to major cities across the country this summer and preaching in non-traditional venues (e.g., bars, concert halls). The tour has received some significant media attention that includes articles in both the New York Times and the Houston Chronicle.My good friend Jim Hamilton, who is a professor of biblical studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, commented on Rob Bell’s national tour in the Houston Chronicle. Go check out Jim’s remarks in “Christianity Gets a Reality Check.â€
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Stop Test Driving Your Girlfriend
This one’s for the boys. As I write this, I have in mind you single guys who read this blog. When it comes to dating, too many guys are more influenced by the spirit of the age than by the Spirit of God. I hope that you will take a few minutes and give careful attention to “Stop Test Driving Your Girlfriend†by Michael Lawrence. Here’s a teaser: Too often in dating relationships we think and act like consumers rather than servants. And not very good consumers at that. After all, no one would ever go down to his local car dealership, take a car out for an extended test…
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The Inimitable Douglas Wilson on N. T. Wright
The inimitable Douglas Wilson on what evangelical Episcopalians should do in light of their denomination’s decision to ordain homosexuals as bishops: I am a Presbyterian American, and so it is not really my place to give unsolicited advice to my friends who really like the prayer book. But if they asked, and if I thought I could give input without giving offense, I would encourage them to get their white little Anglican rear-ends into submission to an orthodox African bishop somewhere (source). Wilson is not the only outsider who has considered offering such unsolicited advice. I felt like doing that very thing in my interview with one such pastor two…
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Liberal Christianity Is Paying for Its Sins
You absolutely must read Charlotte Allen’s opinion editorial from Sunday’s Los Angeles Times: “Liberal Christianity Is Paying for Its Sins.†Here are some highlights: You want to have gay sex? Be a female bishop? Change God’s name to Sophia? Go ahead. The just-elected Episcopal presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, is a one-woman combination of all these things, having voted for Robinson, blessed same-sex couples in her Nevada diocese, prayed to a female Jesus at the Columbus convention and invited former Newark, N.J., bishop John Shelby Spong, famous for denying Christ’s divinity, to address her priests. The Presbyterian Church USA . . . was turning itself into the laughingstock of the…
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TIME Magazine Takes a Whack at President Bush (and misses)
Well, I can say this much. The cover story of the latest issue of Time magazine is at least provocative: “The End of Cowboy Diplomacy: Why the Bush Doctrine no longer guides the foreign policy of the Bush Administration.†I wish I could say that the article is as insightful as its title is provocative. But it’s not. It is one of the sorriest pieces of analysis that I have read in a long time.In a nutshell, the article argues that the current litany of global crises have put to the lie “the Bush Doctrine†of foreign policy. In other words, an unpopular war in Iraq, a growing insurgency in…
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Podcast of Interview with Dan Wallace
For those who are interested in listening to the interview I did with Dan Wallace (see previous post), I will have a podcast available for download next week. The producer of the radio program usually gives me the mp3 of the program on the day after the show. But since today is Friday, the earliest I’ll get the mp3 will be on Monday.In the meantime, you can sign up for the podcast by searching for “Denny Burk†in the iTunes music store. Or you can add the podcast directly to iTunes using the following link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/DennyBurk-Podcast. Past shows in which I have participated include interviews with a wide variety of…
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Dan Wallace on Reinventing Jesus
I will be co-hosting the radio program “Jerry Johnson Live†today, and our guest on the show will be my old mentor Dr. Dan Wallace of Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Wallace has just published a book titled Reinventing Jesus, in which he takes on the likes of Bart Ehrman and his radical views on the Bible.As you may know, Bart Ehrman has been making the media rounds promoting his book Misquoting Jesus. In this book, Ehrman mounts a full-scale assault on the doctrine of inerrancy. Unlike his more scholarly tomes, Ehrman is reaching a popular audience with this particular book. The wide reach of Misquoting Jesus is attested by Ehrman’s…
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Barry Breaks-in to Blogosphere
My best friend of 22 years, Barry Joslin, has a new blog, on which he has posted a favorable review of a certain book (a book whose name I don’t want to mention seeing as how I don’t want to appear self-serving, though please don’t expect me to direct your attention to any negative reviews of said book ).Go check out Barry’s new site. As the kids say, it’s da bomb!
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Newsweek Promotes God’s Girls
In an article titled “God’s Girls,†Newsweek magazine reports that many major Christian Churches are behind the times in promoting women to the highest levels of denominational leadership. Women make up 61 percent of all Americans who attend religious congregations, but they still struggle for their place in some denominations. A national study led by researchers at Hartford Seminary found that only 12 percent of the clergy in the 15 largest Protestant denominations are women. And some 112 million Americans belong to denominations that don’t ordain women at all, including Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Southern Baptists, Mormons, Muslims and Orthodox Jews (source). Is Newsweek really suggesting that the high…