“…. The bishop gathered what he could. Beside the River Swift, he lit a pile of wood and tossed the bones on one at a time, cursing the heretic from limb to limb. Afterwards, they shoveled ash into the water and no one even thought the word martyr.” – Poet Thom Satterlee, “Burning Wyclif” * * * In the summer of 1519, nearly 15 years after a thunderbolt had knocked him into the monastery and nearly two years after he publicly criticized the pope in his 95 … [Read more...]
Awash in God’s grace
You can tell a lot about people by the way they do their laundry. I have friends who have certain days they designate as “laundry days.” I confess, I’m probably much more impressed by that than any grown woman should be. My laundry days? They usually happen on whatever days I realize I have to make a choice: I have to wash a load, or I have to be one of those people who goes to Wal-Mart in pajama pants. I’m further impressed by my friends who go the extra mile, laundry-wise. They...are … [Read more...]
Hemingway, Sinatra & the Christian
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) – Ever since I can remember, I have been influenced and mesmerized by the arts. That said, I find it sad when creators such as musicians, writers or filmmakers fail to acknowledge the Creator. It pleased God to grant certain men and women extraordinary artistic ability, even knowing many would use their talents to glorify themselves rather than Him who formed the heavens and the earth. Despite this fact, I have often appreciated the gifts of those who don't seemingly … [Read more...]
Did Jesus descend into hell?
This is the first in a two-part series on the whereabouts of Jesus between His death and resurrection. One of the more puzzling questions about the redemptive work of Christ is where His soul went between death and resurrection. The Gospel writers confirm that Jesus’ body was placed in a tomb after His death, and remained there until His resurrection. But what about the immaterial part of Jesus – namely His soul and / or spirit? One view is stated in the Apostles’ Creed: “He [Jesus] … [Read more...]
Telling the truth in a world of utter distrustfulness
Journalists, and particularly Christian journalists, must tell the truth. If one does not tell the truth, one loses credibility. No credibility, no readers. No readers, out of business. However, telling the truth is not enough. Twelve times, the Bible reminds us to not only tell the truth, but to guard the truth and it does so many times and in many ways (Ex. 23:1, Lev. 19:11-16, Lev. 19:35-36; Ps. 82:2-3, Prov. 23:10, Prov. 31:8-9, Rom. 12:9-10, 2 Cor. 12:20, Eph. 4:25, 2 Tim. 3:3, Jas. … [Read more...]
Learning gratitude
There is a sense in which our basic human flesh rebels against gratefulness. Yet gratefulness is one of the most important character traits for an individual, family, church or culture to learn. Let’s begin with a definition. There is the common definition: “warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received.” The Encyclopedia of Ethics defines gratefulness as “the heart’s internal indicator on which the tally of gifts outweighs exchanges.” Some of us were taught that … [Read more...]
‘Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther’
On October 31, 1517 a monk named Martin Luther posted a paper to a church’s door, and transformed the world. Of course, like many world-transforming events, no one at the time could have known this would happen, including Luther himself. He posted his ninety-five theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany to start a theological debate, challenging the power of the pope to forgive sins and essentially sell salvation. Yet God used this man and this moment to spark a … [Read more...]
New book examines Protestant, Catholic dividing lines
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – With the approaching 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, the need for clarity on the commonalities and differences between Catholics and Protestants grows ever more urgent, according to the authors of “The Unfinished Reformation.” Gregg R. Allison, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Chris Castaldo, lead pastor of New Covenant Church, Naperville, Ill., provide a thorough and careful examination of the issues at … [Read more...]
Leading kids to Christ
My greatest stewardship in life is not training a generation of students as a seminary president. It is training my five young children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I feel the weight – and glory – of this stewardship daily and find immeasurable fulfillment and joy as I see my children taking steps toward Christ. I am sure many Christian parents feel the same way -- awestruck by the opportunity and responsibility that is ours. My wife Karen and I are often asked about building a … [Read more...]
‘The end of the world was long ago …’
“For the end of the world was long ago, When ends of the world waxed free ….” – G.K. Chesterton, “The Ballad of the White Horse” * * * “On a sultry day in July of the year 1505 a lonely traveler was trudging over a parched road on the outskirts of the Saxon village of Stotternheim. He was a young man, short but sturdy, and wore the dress of a university student. As he approached the village, the sky became overcast. Suddenly there was a shower, then a crashing storm. A … [Read more...]
Wait for God, see His power
My toaster is totally messing with my head. It takes forever. I keep pushing the pop-up button only to find … bread. I wait and pop it up again. Still bread. Wait. Pop. Nope — still not toast. Then, what do I get in the split second between that pop-up and the next one? Cajun. It’s like a giant black crouton. It reminds me of waiting for a real person when you’re calling your Internet provider. There’s the tiniest moment between waiting so long you feel like a total chump and hanging up … [Read more...]
Movie Review: ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ shows triumph of conscience
I have never been in the military. In fact, the most I can say is that I am a veteran of many a war movie. But Hacksaw Ridge, just like the Pacific campaign in World War II, is a whole ‘nother (movie) theater of war. What makes it different is that its real-life hero, Desmond Doss, is a conscientious objector (“I like to think of myself as more of a conscientious cooperator,” he tells his commanding officer) and feels bound by God never to touch a weapon. Doss is a patriot who takes the … [Read more...]
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