http://www.gregboyd.org/popular/the-35w-bridge-collapse-and-the-book-of-job-blog-post-from-8-29-07/
When I created this blog it was primarily for the purpose of discussing Theodicy, which is commonly known as the so-called "Problem of Evil." Actually, "theodicy" is a word derivved from two Greek words Theos and dikaios. Theodicy, therefore, is best translated righteousness of God, or God's justification. In Romans 1:16-17, Paul indicates that the gospel reveals God's righteousness. The Gospel reveals the answer to theodicy!
The above link is to Greg Boyd's response to the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis nearly two years ago. Boyd's response is to a pastor that said God caused the bridge to collapse to demonstrate his glory. What do you think?
Romans 1:16-17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, 'The one who is righteous will live by faith.'"
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Clergy Sex Abuse in Baptist Life
http://kerussocharis.blogspot.com/
http://www.tiffanycroft.blogspot.com/
http://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/
The above are links to blogs dealing with the topic of clergy sexual abuse Baptist Life. The first, is Wade Burleson's blog, which is covering the story of disgraced former SBC pastor Darrell Gilyard and his plea deal in a sexual abuse case. The others are the blogs of Tiffany Croft and Christa Brown, who were victims of clergy sexual abuse in their own churches as children and students. When they had the courage to report these acts, they were humiliated into forced "apologies" while their perpeptrators moved on to other churches, usually larger churches.
In the case of Darrell Gilyard, his sexual misconduct had a history of nearly 25 years. Only the late pastor E.K. Bailey dared to tell the truth about Gilyard's nature, and he was rediculed by other denominational officials for doing so.
The only way that clergy sexual abuse will end in any denomination, including Baptist life, is to tell the truth, stand for the innocent, and leave the results to God.
Matthew 18:5-10: "5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! 8 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire. 10 "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven."
http://www.tiffanycroft.blogspot.com/
http://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/
The above are links to blogs dealing with the topic of clergy sexual abuse Baptist Life. The first, is Wade Burleson's blog, which is covering the story of disgraced former SBC pastor Darrell Gilyard and his plea deal in a sexual abuse case. The others are the blogs of Tiffany Croft and Christa Brown, who were victims of clergy sexual abuse in their own churches as children and students. When they had the courage to report these acts, they were humiliated into forced "apologies" while their perpeptrators moved on to other churches, usually larger churches.
In the case of Darrell Gilyard, his sexual misconduct had a history of nearly 25 years. Only the late pastor E.K. Bailey dared to tell the truth about Gilyard's nature, and he was rediculed by other denominational officials for doing so.
The only way that clergy sexual abuse will end in any denomination, including Baptist life, is to tell the truth, stand for the innocent, and leave the results to God.
Matthew 18:5-10: "5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! 8 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire. 10 "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven."
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Human Trafficking...in North Carolina!
http://www.biblicalrecorder.com/post/Human-trafficking-a-growing-NC-problem.aspx
Micah 6:8: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Christians and Torture (again)
http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4052&Itemid=9
I have written before that I cannot believe that support for torture is greater among Christians than it is among those who are not active in church or who do not go at all. David Gushee's prayer is a masterful call to consider the contradiction between our faith and support for torture.
Dr. Gushee's prayer is incredible. I hope that you will take the time to read it, and, if you dare, to pray it. I appreciate what he said about torture, the corralation of support for torture and church attendance. It is interesting how through the history of the church, Christians have supported forms of torture and cruel punishment for their/our opponents.
However, the most important thing that Dr. Gushee noted is that we should not worry about churches being empty in the future. They already are. Our faith as a whole is empty. We do not have the Spritual or Moral Vision that a follower of Jesus Christ must possess in order to see injustices purported in the world. Our faith lacks consistency and substance.
I tend to be overly critical of the church, after being raised in Alabama and seeing first hand the effects of racism and hearing stories of how "Bible believers" responded, or failed to respond. I realize that when I point fingers, I have three pointing back. I merely want to ask, "Are you reading the same book that I read? Are you hearing the same Word that I am hearing? Are you praying to the same God that I pray to?
However, what are we missing that spurred on the disciples in the book of Acts? What are we missing that empowered the martyrs of the early church? What are we missing that fueled the writings of early church fathers like Augustine? What are we missing that motivated the Radical Reformers to abandon state supported religious institutions and reject their baptism, at the cost of their lives?
What are we missing that fuels the fire of Christians in Africa, Asia and South America?
Too me, we can no longer say that this empty religion is a symptom of "liberalism" or "fundamentalism." It is not something characteristic of only conservatives or moderates. It is not something symptomatic of denominations.
It is across the board. We are inconsistent in our applications of faith to real life. We are comfortable. We fail to think for ourselves. When we do, we are afraid to stand up for things that really matter. Furthermore, do we really believe it when Jesus says that for those who want to follow him, there will be a cross waiting for us, too?
I have written before that I cannot believe that support for torture is greater among Christians than it is among those who are not active in church or who do not go at all. David Gushee's prayer is a masterful call to consider the contradiction between our faith and support for torture.
Dr. Gushee's prayer is incredible. I hope that you will take the time to read it, and, if you dare, to pray it. I appreciate what he said about torture, the corralation of support for torture and church attendance. It is interesting how through the history of the church, Christians have supported forms of torture and cruel punishment for their/our opponents.
However, the most important thing that Dr. Gushee noted is that we should not worry about churches being empty in the future. They already are. Our faith as a whole is empty. We do not have the Spritual or Moral Vision that a follower of Jesus Christ must possess in order to see injustices purported in the world. Our faith lacks consistency and substance.
I tend to be overly critical of the church, after being raised in Alabama and seeing first hand the effects of racism and hearing stories of how "Bible believers" responded, or failed to respond. I realize that when I point fingers, I have three pointing back. I merely want to ask, "Are you reading the same book that I read? Are you hearing the same Word that I am hearing? Are you praying to the same God that I pray to?
However, what are we missing that spurred on the disciples in the book of Acts? What are we missing that empowered the martyrs of the early church? What are we missing that fueled the writings of early church fathers like Augustine? What are we missing that motivated the Radical Reformers to abandon state supported religious institutions and reject their baptism, at the cost of their lives?
What are we missing that fuels the fire of Christians in Africa, Asia and South America?
Too me, we can no longer say that this empty religion is a symptom of "liberalism" or "fundamentalism." It is not something characteristic of only conservatives or moderates. It is not something symptomatic of denominations.
It is across the board. We are inconsistent in our applications of faith to real life. We are comfortable. We fail to think for ourselves. When we do, we are afraid to stand up for things that really matter. Furthermore, do we really believe it when Jesus says that for those who want to follow him, there will be a cross waiting for us, too?
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