Explaining Christian Doctrine to Muslim Friends #2: Old-Earth Creationism

Video By January 15, 2018 Tags: , , No Comments

Here’s another video clip from my trip to Istanbul last summer. I’m being interviewed by an Islamic television crew. They were wonderful hosts. The question asked was: “There are a couple of versions for the explanation of the creation of the earth in Christian theology. As far as we know, you support the “old-earth creation” version. Can you please state…

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Explaining Christian Doctrine to Muslim Friends: Creation

Video By January 4, 2018 Tags: , 4 Comments

Last Summer I was invited to Istanbul by A9 TV to speak about the Christian understanding of creation and evolution. Though A9 an Islamic organization, they encouraged me to present my views as an evangelical Christian. We made a number of brief video clips where I answered their theological questions. Here’s an example: “Question: We are aware that evangelicals like yourself…

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“Killing Spree” Killers: There Is No Fear Of God Before Their Eyes

Commentary By October 2, 2017 Tags: , No Comments

This morning, you and I awoke to the same heartbreaking news: The worst mass shooting in modern US history. At the time of this writing, news reports indicate that Stephen Paddock, acting alone, shot and killed more than 50 people in Las Vegas, wounding some 200 others. Paddock then killed himself as the SWAT teams were arriving to arrest him. Killing…

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Spurgeon’s Advice about the Study of God

Commentary By August 9, 2016 Tags: , , , No Comments

In his Knowing God, J. I. Packer begins with a quote from the great Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon: “It has been said by someone that ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian…

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John Frame Describes the Nature of Revelation

Book Review By August 3, 2016 Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

In his The Doctrine of the Word of God, John Frame presents what he calls a “thought experiment.” “Imagine God speaking to you right now, as realistically as you can imagine, perhaps standing at the foot of your bed at night. He speaks to you like your best friend, your parents, or your spouse. In the Bible, God often spoke…

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The Distanciation of Ernest Christian

Book Review By July 7, 2016 Tags: , , , 1 Comment

In his Exegetical Fallacies, D. A. Carson presents the parable of Ernest Christian. Ernest, who represents the typical new seminary student, experiences the unpleasant phenomena of “distanciation.” Distanciation refers to the act of distancing oneself from a matter for the purpose of looking at it more objectively. For many students this is a new–and disturbing–way to approach the Bible. Carson…

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Hiroo’s Dilemma and the Problem of Belief

Book Review By May 10, 2016 Tags: , No Comments

“On March 9, 1974, Japanese Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda walked out of the jungle of on a remote island in the Philippines, finally convinced that World War II was over–29 years after it had ended. Trained as an intelligence officer in guerrilla warfare, he was told to survive at all cost. No matter what happened, his superiors would come for him….

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And Can I Get a Hot Tub?

Commentary By February 26, 2016 Tags: No Comments

I overheard an interesting discussion recently. A group of students were talking about music, and as the conversation progressed – no matter what point one of them made – one fellow would wade in to deliver the authoritative opinion. The most amusing moment occurred when one student dared to disagree with this pontiff. “Well,” he sniffed, “I happen to be…

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Thumbs Up for “Risen”–Way, Way Up

Movie Review By February 23, 2016 Tags: , , No Comments

Most people know Joseph Fiennes for playing William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love. Lately he has been playing significant religious characters. In 2003, Fiennes portrayed Martin Luther in Luther, and he will play Eric Liddell in The Last Race, which is scheduled for release later in 2016. The Last Race is a sequel of sorts to Chariots of Fire, and…

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Should We Pray for ISIS to Be Converted or Defeated?

Commentary By December 1, 2015 Tags: , No Comments

“We sometimes forget that we are called to be a people of both justice and justification, and that these two are not contradictory.” Recently Russ Moore wrote an excellent article discussing the proper Christian attitude towards ISIS. Like many other American Christians, at times I feel conflicted. ISIS is a malignant, evil organization, yet it is made of men (and…

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