• Christianity

    Skip Ryan Testimony

    Three years ago, Dr. Skip Ryan stepped down from being senior pastor of Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. On Sunday, a friend alerted me to a testimony that Dr. Ryan shared last summer at the 37th General Assembly of the PCA in Orlando, Florida. Testimony of Skip Ryan- 37th General Assembly of the PCA [audio:http://covenantersipc.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/skip-ryan.mp3][mp3 download] I’m most encouraged to hear that Dr. Ryan remains an active member of the church he once led. That in itself is a testimony of grace. Currently Dr. Ryan serves as Chancellor and Professor of Practical Theology at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas. I think this is worth a listen. Dr. Skip Ryan…

  • Culture,  Entertainment,  Theology/Bible

    “Twilight” Is a Mormon Love Story?

    I just read a fascinating article in Touchstone magazine about the meaning of the Twilight vampire series. In his article “Mormon Vampires in the Garden of Eden,” John Granger argues that the Twilight story is actually a metaphor for Mormonism. “Twilight is essentially an allegory of one gentile seeker’s coming to the fullness of Latter-day Saint faith and life.” If this sounds far-fetched to you, then you need to read the article. Granger bears out his thesis by connecting the events and characters of the Twilight books to the history and theology of Mormonism. Given that author Stephenie Meyer is an observant Mormon, Granger makes an interesting case. The reader…

  • Politics

    Ross Douthat on Obama’s Speech

    In a nutshell, Douthat thinks Bush was better: “I think it’s worth comparing tonight’s speech, unfavorably, to George W. Bush’s address announcing the Iraqi surge. . . Obama was more comprehensive; Bush was much, much better. And now we have to hope that the President’s strategy is more successful than his speech.”

  • Christianity,  Culture

    WaPo on Manhattan Declaration

    Richard Cohen’s Op-Ed for The Washington Post this morning takes issue with The Manhattan Declaration. In particular, he rails against the Declaration’s stance on same-sex “marriage.” The bottom line of Cohen’s argument in favor of same-sex “marriage” is his own personal experience. He writes, “I know of children raised by same-sex partners and they seem no worse for the experience.” He also writes that “Some of the declaration is couched in religious terms, and with that I cannot argue. But it is its appeal to common sense that I find so appalling.” In other words, he argues that “common sense” and his own personal experience trump the religious basis for…

  • Culture

    True Love Pays

    It will cost you $87,403 to make your ‘true love’ happy this Christmas—that is, if you use “The 12 Days of Christmas” for your gift list. According to the annual “Christmas Price Index” compiled by PNC Wealth Management, the $87,403 figure is slightly up from last year. Here’s the entire list.

  • Christianity,  Culture

    Girls Gone Mild

    Nightline ran a story last week called “Girls Gone Mild” about a program called “Pure Fashion” that encourages young girls to dress modestly. This story registers high on the counter-cultural meter, so I thought it would be worth passing along to you. You can watch the video here or read the text version here.