I’m a lawyer, and this short post makes a few points about how interpreting the Bible is like and unlike what lawyers do. *** Among the major similarities are these: Two major lawyer activities are interpreting texts and making arguments (including counterarguments) about what texts mean. The latter skills, significantly, require you to learn to … [Read more…]
The more complicated theological questions raised in the Bible are also less important — of an intricacy disproportionate to their interest. Professional theologians instinctively and understandably will not want to concede this. But, indeed, the really important question is, What does God want us to do? And the answer to that is not complicated or … [Read more…]
I checked out this book after reading a convincing recommendation of it by a young online pundit — and I’m glad I did. The whole book is online here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/8092/8092-h/8092-h.htm#link2H_4_0012 G.K. Chesterton is, of course, an important Christian writer and apologist, his writings influencing, among others, C.S. Lewis. Now, this particular book is simply a … [Read more…]
Most of my (non-family) attention is divided between politics and religion, and I’ve been thinking about the similarities and, especially, the differences between the evangelism in each. For Christians, of course, evangelism is an important and serious business, mandated by God Himself in His “Great Commission.” Political types also seek to make converts, but not … [Read more…]
Following up on the preceding blogpost (“God Showing Off”), if you want to see more of God showing off, then go to the zoo. Our granddaughter’s recent two-year birthday party was at a city-run quasi-farm, geared to kids and with lots of cows, donkeys, goats, pigs, turkeys, and chickens that you could see up close. … [Read more…]
My wife and I drove last weekend from one end of Virginia to the other on non-interstate highways, and the weather was beautiful and the scenery breathtaking. And it occurred to me that perhaps those works of God that trigger not only thanks but deep adoration — love, natural beauty, complexity, music, laughter — are … [Read more…]
The difference between immorality and immortality is the +.
With a nod to St. Paul (Romans 7:15), we can divide our sins into four categories: bad acts and bad thoughts, and failure to do good acts and failure to think good thoughts. Regarding that last category, Jesus told us that the two great commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as … [Read more…]
The Fellowship for Performing Arts is a favorite organization of mine, and you can read about here. Recently it sponsored a four-part seminar on evangelism — that is, how to evangelize — by Wheaton College professor Jerry Root. I watched it all and enjoyed it very much, and you too can view the four sessions … [Read more…]
C.S. Lewis wrote, “It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.” And if you’re looking for an old book, I just finished reading two that I’m happy to recommend. I hasten to add that neither of them would … [Read more…]