Joel Osteen is a false teacher (see previous posts). I think he’s sincere about his beliefs, but that only makes his ministry all the more tragic and dangerous. Unfortunately, Osteen demonstrated again this weekend why his commitment to Christian orthodoxy is often questioned. In an interview with Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday,” the following exchange occurred. (Click the play button and read along with the transcript.) [audio:Osteen-FNS.mp3]
-
-
George Will Lowers the Hammer on Huckabee
George Will’s recent column about Mike Huckabee gives us some pertinent information as we size-up the race for the Republican nomination for president. Here’s a piece of George Will‘s broadside against Huckabee: “Huckabee’s campaign actually is . . . a comprehensive apostasy against core Republican beliefs.”
-
The Gospel according to Judas Debunked
Earlier this year I wrote about the so-called “Gospel according to Judas” that was being rolled out by the National Geographic Society (click here to read post). I pointed out then that this heretical document was being introduced to the public when it was for publicity reasons. The lead-up to Easter is attended annually by hucksters who like to exploit the holy season to peddle their religious (or in this case, irreligious) wares. What was surprising at the time was that the respected National Geographic Society and some noted scholars had gotten caught up in the hype.
-
Is Social Conservatism Dead?
Jeffrey Bell writes in The Weekly Standard that social conservatism is far from being dead. In fact, he argues, it remains a potent force in American politics. He writes: “Social conservatism continues to exist as a mass movement that cares very much about its core beliefs. Supporters of this movement may have some unusually tough decisions to make in the 2008 presidential cycle, but anyone analyzing American politics under the premise that social conservatism will soon disappear–or that these days it amounts to little more than an eccentric sideshow–is very likely to be proved wrong
-
Homosexuality and Plain Speaking in the Anglican Communion
The debate over the moral status of homosexuality within the Anglican Communion has been nothing sort of tragic. Not only has the American branch (the Episcopal Church USA) installed an open homosexual as one of its Bishops, but also Archbishop Rowan Williams has not always spoken plainly about the reason for the growing schism within the wider communion. To cite a case in point, note the Archbishop’s advent letter that was released last week. The letter is a long, complicated treatise that seems to me to be more confusing than clarifying. Buried deep within the verbal morass, the Archbishop writes the following sentence:
-
Are Republicans Committing ‘Huckacide’?
I might have titled this post “The Most Viable Candidate for President, Part 2” because it continues the theme of my earlier post about Mitt Romney. Pro-lifers must take very seriously the question of a candidate’s viability in a general election. It’s not enough to win the popularity contest among primary voters. The best candidate will be able to win the general election.
-
Who Was Lottie Moon?
Unless you’re a Southern Baptist, you probably don’t know who Lottie Moon is. She served faithfully and in much hardship as a missionary to China from 1873-1912. The testimony of her life and ministry is remarkable, and Southern Baptists remember her every year about this time because our annual international missions offering is named after her. This week I listened to a message that was preached by Danny Akin about the life of Lottie Moon. I cannot recommend this sermon to you highly enough. It was not only informative about her life’s story, it was also a stirring call for laborers to go into the harvest. The message was a…
-
The Most Viable Candidate for President
The editors of The National Review have decided to endorse Mitt Romney as their choice for the next president of the United States. They raise a number of issues in their editorial that I think all serious voters need to consider. But their stated criteria for endorsing a candidate is very clear: “Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate.”
-
Lechery and Its Fruits
The so-called sexual revolution has given to the culture more than it bargained for. At least that’s what I thought as I watched Paul Janka being interviewed on NBC’s “Today Show” on Monday (see video, Rated PG). Janka is a case-study in sexual libertinism gone to seed. He is a self-confessed “Cassanova” who claims over 100 “conquests,” and now he’s telling other guys how to do the same. Here’s how Janka says he approaches “dating”:
-
Bell Again
The conversation about Pastor Rob Bell is still going on under my previous post. So I thought readers might be interested in another story—this one from Time magazine. ‘Bell, 37, is guilty of none of the negatives. He is largely apolitical, thinks that only those with gay friends are positioned to judge homosexuality–and he tinkers marvelously. At 28, he founded a megachurch that threw out the conventional sermon-and-worship service and instantly drew thousands of attendees. . . “He could be one of the most important 21st century Christian leaders,” says Bible professor and evangelical blogger Ben Witherington.’ No comment. Just an FYI.