Here are the top ten posts on DennyBurk.com for 2011. Unlike the last post, this list is scientific. It’s based on page view statistics from Google Analytics. I am very grateful for all of you who read the blog, and I am honored that you take the time to keep up with the conversation here. Blessings to you, and happy new year!
10. Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011)
– I was a big fan of Christopher Hitchens, and I would like to think that his atheism did not win out in the end.
9. The SBC Resolution on the NIV
– In its annual meeting last June, the Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly for a resolution opposing the new edition of the NIV translation of the Bible.
8. The Girl Who Lost Her Faith Listening to CCM
– Meghan O’Gieblyn’s disillusionment with Christian music became emblematic of her disillusionment with Christianity altogether. A lesson to us all that you cannot market the gospel like you market a Big Mac.
7. Shannon Stone: Husband, Father, Hero, RIP
– Shannon Stone lost his life at a Texas Rangers baseball game last July while his six-year old son Cooper looked on. It turns out that Shannon was a fireman and a local hero. This was a heart-rending story, but the Rangers rallied around the family. Cooper Stone would later throw out the first pitch in the Rangers first home playoff game.
6. Why Tebow Is Hated So Much – Tim Tebow’s improbable string of victories with the Denver Broncos is the sports story of the year in my view. He has at least as many haters as he has fans, and the haters have been downright nasty. This post addresses those who were pulling for Tebow to fail as a Christian man.
5. Update on Said Musa – Said Musa was sentenced to death in Kabul, Afghanistan for converting to Christianity. Number 8 in this list is the update on his case. My original post about Musa’s situation was here. Intense scrutiny in the international media appears to have played a role in his eventual release.
4. I Spank My Kids
– It is a sign of the times that this topic has become so controversial, even among evangelicals.
3. Some Thoughts on the Death of Bin Laden
– After Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces, we witnessed celebrations in the street in front of the White House. This provoked many Christians to contemplate the proper response to the death of the wicked. This was my brief contribution to the discussion.
2. Was the Apostle Paul Married?
– I made the case that the Apostle Paul was not a lifelong bachelor. I am unconvinced by arguments from Bill Mounce, and I still believe the evidence shows that Paul was a widower.
1. Rob Bell Outs Himself – The release of Rob Bell’s book Love Wins was a watershed moment within North American evangelicalism. I think it was a line in the sand, and it underlined the theological drift of many who claim the label “evangelical.” It is no surprise that this particular post was far and away the biggest article on the blog this year. No other blog post even came in close for second. When you add in all the other posts on this topic, it is by far the most discussion that this blog has ever generated on a single topic. Some of the other Love Wins posts were top ten posts as well, but I’ve decided to put all of them together under number one. Here are the other highest ranking posts on Love Wins:
Martin Bashir Takes on Rob Bell
Zondervan’s Break with Rob Bell
Revising Hell into the Heterodox Mainstream
Lisa Miller Interviews Rob Bell
Rob Bell on “Good Morning America”
Martin Bashir Talks about Bell Interview
Rob Bell Resigns from Mars Hill
One Comment
Dan Phillips
Caption: “I’m crushing your head! Starting like this!”