Note to Self
*Don’t participate in a discussion if you’re unwilling to answer questions you may be asked. You hate it when it happens to you, and it happens all the time.… (Read more)
Abortion and Infanticide
If it is permissible for a woman to choose and undergo abortion, why is it not likewise permissible for a man to choose and have infanticide performed? A baby, much like a ‘fetus’, cannot survive on its own, hence it has to impose. What distinguishes the two?… (Read more)
Writing, And Other Things
I wish I could spend more time writing, but the minute I sit down to start I realize all the grand thoughts I’ve been thinking translate to a sentence or two of text, at most. It’s like that feeling you get when you want to say something, and if given the chance, realize — a lot of the time, in my case — that you really didn’t have as much to say as you thought. That’s the power of the imagination — taking a line or two of text, and transforming it into the most profound speech written.
There is an odd type of pressure, if you could call it that, when writing ‘like this’. No matter how much I try to stick to my original intentions, to learn and to improve my writing ability, in the back of my mind I’m thinking “but someone is going to read this, … (Read more)
Modern Fascism
I just ran across the following (link below) review of Gene Edward Veith’s book Modern Fascism. I haven’t read the book (yet), being a meager 6 years old when it was first published. However, even though I’m linking to a book review (‘and partial paraphrase’), the topics discussed — such as the link between Fascism and the ideals being resurrected by postmodernism — are engaging, so much so that the book is, voila, on my reading list.
You can find the view here: http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue118.htm. Especially interesting if you’ve never heard of postmodernism being linked with fascism before.… (Read more)
Christian Identity as Missionaries
The following is a redacted version of a sermon I preached (or taught; if anything it was a ‘spreach’, a combination of a speech and a preach) recently on how all Christians, regardless of age, location, wealth, etc. are missionaries because they are Christians. How there is a great deal of harm in considering missionary work to be a specialized field of Christian ministry.
Acts 1:6–9: Christians Missionary Identity
Acts 1.6−9
6So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?“
7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
8but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and … (Read more)
Good use of theme!
Well, isn’t that a pleasant surprise. Between procrastination and work, I’ve noticed that Organic themes, makers of the theme I’m using (Verbage theme), has twittered about my utilization of their theme (a still ongoing process), saying: “Great usage of the Verbage Theme”. Maybe I should start fumbling around with the other changes I want to make. Anyway, a nice surprise on an otherwise dreary evening.
On that note, I do need to find a better picture…… (Read more)
Theology as Confessional?
School has once again begun (last week, actually), so for the next 34 weeks there is absolutely no reason for me to utter the words, “I’ve got nothing to do”. The fact is that I have much to do. And in having much to do, I’ve encountered a rather odd distinction — the distinction between ‘Religious thinking’ and ‘Christian theological thinking’. It is a distinction one of my professors explained to me (stating he was uncomfortable if there was too much Christian theology in my papers, and that I should think and write from a religious perspective, rather than from a Christian theological perspective) for one of my courses. I have to admit I don’t quite get it, and perhaps the issue is one of semantics more than anything. Naturally, I’ve spent some time thinking about what he wrote.
The reason for the distinction is because my professor views Christian theology … (Read more)
Why, Hello!
Welcome to ‘Contemplations Along the Way’, my experiment in blogging, which I began in the summer of 2009. I use this blog as an exercise in writing, as a way to practice (writing) as well as to better familiarize myself with the subjects of my writing. I tend to write on topics which are philosophical or religious in nature, such as such as: postmodernism, foundationalism, classical theology, the ‘New Atheists’ and objections to faith, etc., however, I am no expert. As I write about these things and learn more about them, I invite you to learn along with me; leave a comment, disagree, suggest new avenues or ways of thinking. For more information about who I am you can head over to my About me. Or if you’re interested in what I’ve written recently, you can go to my blog or check the middle column on the front page … (Read more)
Relevance, but What of the Message?
What worries me to a great extent is the drive with which future church leaders are trained to be relevant to culture, and in the process forgetting about the message they are supposed to be relevant with. The problem isn’t that the church is irrelevant, or that the presentation is irrelevant (necessarily). The problem is that the church has retreated from culture. An inability to think critically will do the church in…… (Read more)
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