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As I attempted to catch up on the last week’s posts by my favoite bloggers, I came across this surprising one in which John Mark Reynolds attempts to defend the (nearly) indefensible. The (nearly) indefensible, in this case, is the sacrilege offered by scientist/religious skeptic P.Z. Myers:

I have an idea. Can anyone out there score me some consecrated communion wafers? There’s no way I can personally get them — my local churches have stakes prepared for me, I’m sure — but if any of you would be willing to do what it takes to get me some, or even one, and mail it to me, I’ll show you sacrilege, gladly, and with much fanfare. . .

These remarks (and others) have produced much angry response. Reynolds, first of all explains why some are rightfully upset about Myers’ words. After this, however, Reynolds offers some great counsel concerning what a Christian’s response to such “blasphemy” should be.

First, he advises, one should not confuse the actions of one skeptic with that of most skeptics. Not all, in fact, not many, skeptics share his views, or would condone his actions.

Second,…

if P.Z. Myers does blaspheme, then it will be a sad act of theatrical atheism doing more harm to his own cause than to Christianity. Such antics embarrass the vast majority of nonbelievers who are good neighbors in our pluralistic, but majority Christian society.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Reynolds reminds us that Christians should examine their own attitudes and actions:

Surely it is no better, and perhaps worse, when we piously kneel to receive Christ’s body only to slander our neighbor over the after church coffee? Myers blasphemes a God he does not know, but we fail in our duty to a God we do know.
Thereby, the tortured body of Christ suffers…

Professor Myers harms what he does not understand, but many of us have harmed ourselves and others, and thus Jesus Christ, while knowing what we are doing. Sadly, it will not likely be Professor Myers who causes the suffering Son of God the most pain this year.

Lastly, he stresses that one should be allowed to express his private opinions without fearing for his job at as a teacher at a public university. In Reynolds’ words:

Myers is invincibly ignorant of sophisticated philosophy or theology, but is evidently a fine scientist and teacher…

We may protest, argue, and defend our ideas. But history shows that our ideas will prosper best and that our churches are most safe in a society where Professor Myers can say what he wishes.

One of the most memorable moments in my sports-watching history (which is quite extensive) occured on Monday night as I sat before the screen watching Josh Hamilton blast ball after ball over the Yankee Stadium wall and into the anticipating hands of fan. I’ve never seen such a prodigious display of power in my years of watching baseball. By the time the first round was over, Hamilton had hit 28 home runs, an all-time record, far outdistancing the closest competitor who had 8 home runs. This feat in itself is astounding, but adding to the spectacle is the story of Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton was the number one overall draft pick in the 1999 baseball draft. He was drafted out of high school by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2001, injuries led to a downward spiral in which he wasted much of his $4,000,000 signing bonus on drugs and alcohol. He was officially out of baseball. Here’s what happened a few years later according to Josh in this ESPN piece:

Within my first week of sobriety in October 2005 — after I showed up at my grandmother’s house in Raleigh in the middle of the night, coming off a crack binge — I had the most haunting dream. I was fighting the devil, an awful-looking thing. I had a stick or a bat or something, and every time I hit the devil, he’d fall and get back up. Over and over I hit him, until I was exhausted and he was still standing.

I woke up in a sweat, as if I’d been truly fighting, and the terror that gripped me makes that dream feel real to this day. I’d been alone for so long, alone with the fears and emotions I worked so hard to kill. I’m not embarrassed to admit that after I woke up that night, I walked down the hall to my grandmother’s room and crawled under the covers with her. The devil stayed out of my dreams for seven months after that. I stayed clean and worked hard and tried to put my marriage and my life back together. I got word in June 2006 that I’d been reinstated by Major League Baseball, and a few weeks afterward, the devil reappeared.

It was the same dream, with an important difference. I would hit him and he would bounce back up, the ugliest and most hideous creature you could imagine. This devil seemed unbeatable; I couldn’t knock him out. But just when I felt like giving up, I felt a presence by my side. I turned my head and saw Jesus, battling alongside me. We kept fighting, and I was filled with strength. The devil didn’t stand a chance.

Congratulations to Josh Hamilton for his success in the home run derby, but more importantly, in the contest of life. He has given his life to Christ, and it is to Christ that he gives all the credit for where he is today. His story inspires many others who struggle with addictions.

This NY Times article discusses a controversial ancient tablet that was found approximately 10 years ago, but is now attracting lots of attention. This stone, which some call Gabriel’s Revelation (Since it contains an apocalypse given by the Angel Gabriel), was found in the Dead Sea area and is possible a Dead Sea Scroll on a 3 foot high piece of Stone. It is felt to date from the first century B.C.

The controversy arises from a small section of the text in which many words are missing and is very hard to make out what the text is saying. Some believe that the tablet contains a reference to a Jewish messiah figure who dies and is then resurrected three days later. The significance of this, according to one scholar, Israel Knohl:

“This should shake our basic view of Christianity,” he said as he sat in his office of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem where he is a senior fellow in addition to being the Yehezkel Kaufman Professor of Biblical Studies at Hebrew University. “Resurrection after three days becomes a motif developed before Jesus, which runs contrary to nearly all scholarship. What happens in the New Testament was adopted by Jesus and his followers based on an earlier messiah story.”

New Testament scholar Ben Witherington has a brief commentary on the significance of this tablet at his website and Amy Hall, of Stand to Reason, comments on the finding here.

The bottom line is this:

1. Ben thinks the tablet is probably authentic given the guys who have examined it and have weighed in on its authenticity and dating.

2. The section which is said to contain the reference to the death and resurrection of a messiah figure three days later is not at all clear and there may be some reading into the text what one wishes the text to say.

3. Let’s assume the tablet is authentic and the text does contain the reference which some claim that it does. What follows? Nothing which “shakes our basic view of Christianity. As Amy points out, it seems that the outcome is rigged against the basic truth of the Christian message. For a long time, critics have claimed that the resurrection story cannot be true because the Jews of that time had no concept of such a messiah. This story, therefore, must have been subsequently added back in to the Gospels to make them support later Christian teaching. Now that we have possible found a 1st century B.C. Jewish source which does contain the concept of a resurrected messiah, the Gospel message is obviously not true since it just copied from an earlier Jewish source.

4. It is not surprising that there might be 1st century B.C. references to such a messiah given certain O.T. texts, such as Isaiah 53.

5. The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth should be evaluated on its own evidence (which is substantial), whether or not there was such a concept in the Jewish thought of that time.

Ben Witherington concludes:

This stone certainly does not demonstrate that the Gospel passion stories are created on the basis of this stone text, which appears to be a Dead Sea text. For one thing the text is hard to read at crucial junctures, and it is not absolutely clear it is talking about a risen messiah. BUT what it does do is make plausible that Jesus could have said some of the things credited to him in Mk. 8.31, 9,31, and 10.33-34.

Addendum: (Al Mohler also addresses the topic here.)

Following are quotes from the last wills and testaments of several of our country’s founders.

Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence:

Principally and first of all, I recommend my soul to that Almighty Being who gave it and my body I commit to the dust, relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.

John Dickinson, signer of the Consitituion:

Rendering thanks to my Creator for my existence and station among His works, for my birth in a country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying freedom, and for all His other kindnesses, to Him I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity.

Patrick Henry:

This is all the inheritance I can give to my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one which will make them rich indeed.

George Mason, Father of the Bill of Rights:

My soul I resign into the hands of my Almighty Creator, whose tender mercies are all over His works, who hateth nothing that He hath made, and to the justice and wisdom of whose dispensations I willingly and cheerfully submit, humbly hoping from His unbounded mercy and benevolence, through the merits of my blessed Savior, a remission of my sins.

John Jay, Original Chief Justice U.S. Supreme Court:

Unto Him who is the author and giver of all good, I render sincere and humble thanks for His manifold and unmerited blessings, and especially for our redemption and salvation by His beloved Son… Blessed be His holy name.

Happy 4th of July! May God Bless America!!

It is a sad day for Georgia Bulldog fans as UGA VI, the winningest mascot of the Georgia Bulldog football team has passed away from congestive heart failure. I am an Atlanta, GA native and have been a lifelong Georgia fan. Here, UGA is keeping cool while participating in blackout day.

Glenn Beck has an excellent commentary in which he ruminates over the candidate for which he will vote this November. I found myself in agreement with much of what he said. One of his main purposes was to, first of all, differentiate a conservative from a republican (or for that matter a democrat). Secondly, he wanted to define just what is a conservative. I classify myself as conservative and found that his list of what a conservative believes was essentially right on. I reproduce it the core values of a conservative here:

A conservative believes that our inalienable rights do not include housing, healthcare or Hummers.

A conservative believes that our inalienable rights DO include the pursuit of happiness. That means it is guaranteed to no one.

A conservative believes that those who pursue happiness and find it have a right to not be penalized for that success.

A conservative believes that there are no protections against the hardship and heartache of failure. We believe that the right to fail is just as important as the chance to succeed and that those who do fail learn essential lessons that will help them the next time around.

A conservative believes in personal responsibility and accepts the consequences for his or her words and actions.

A conservative believes that real compassion can’t be found in any government program.

A conservative believes that each of us has a duty to take care of our neighbors. It was private individuals, companies and congregations that sent water, blankets and supplies to New Orleans far before the government ever set foot there.

A conservative believes that family is the cornerstone of our society and that people have a right to manage their family any way they see fit, so long as it’s not criminal. We are far more attuned to our family’s needs than some faceless, soulless government program.

A conservative believes that people have a right to worship the God of their understanding. We also believe that people do not have the right to jam their version of God (or no God) down anybody else’s throat.

A conservative believes that people go to the movies to be entertained and to church to be preached to, not the other way around.

A conservative believes that debt creates unhealthy relationships. Everyone, from the government on down, should live within their means and strive for financial independence.

A conservative believes that a child’s education is the responsibility of the parents, not the government.

A conservative believes that every human being has a right to life, from conception to death.

A conservative believes in the smallest government you can get without anarchy. We know our history: The larger a government gets, the harder it will fall.

This is a subject that has been on my mind for some time. I have not, as of yet, felt comfortable commenting on the meetings which have been ongoing in Lakeland, Florida for the past several weeks. I have been a resident of Lakeland for 5 years now. I work at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center as an emergency physician and have met in the emergency department a number of those who have travelled from across the U.S. and around the world to be a part of the “Lakeland Revival.”

I am probably as qualified as any to speak on the subject. First, I trusted Christ as a teenager in a Pentecostal church and served as a Pentecostal pastor for 14 years. Second, I live in Lakeland. Third, I have a number of friends and acquaintances from around the country who have come to Lakeland for the meetings. I’ve talked with them and some have stayed in my home. Finally, I’ve attended the meetings myself.

I’m actually quite troubled by the “Lakeland Revival,” as it has come to be known around the world. This “move of the Spirit” has been compared to past “revivals” such as the Toronto Blessing and the Brownsville Revival. First, I’ll state where I think some critics of the “revival” have erred.

1. Todd Bentley, of Fresh Fire Ministries, the leader of the revival is not your stereotypical preacher. He exhibits large amounts of tattoos and piercings, dresses like a biker and has a troubled background. None of that in itself discredits what is taking placed in Lakeland. These things might make one approach with a little more skepticism, but has no direct bearing on whether these meetings are of God or not.

2. I do not think that Bentley’s antics are demonically motivated. He is not under the power of Satan. Furthermore, the people that attend these meetings (at least the one’s I know) are sincere Christians who love God with all their heart and are truly hungry for God’s active presence in their lives and ministries. They are not subject to demonic influences, as some have suggested.

So, what’s wrong with the “Lakeland Revival?”

1. The Revival is extremely focused on the experiential and seems mostly unconcerned with the fundamentals of the Christian faith. There is not an emphasis on doctrinal correctness. The night I attended, the first thing I heard when I walked in the doors, was the worship leader mis(quoting) scripture: “The Scripture says that God dances in heaven over one sinner who repents!” While the main point of that statement is true (God is happy when one repents), the quote immediately made me question the commitment to doctrinal accuracy. Now, I’m not against enjoying the presence of God. I enjoyed the extended time of singing and praise. The problem is that “spirit” seems emphasized to the detriment of “truth.”

2. The tactics of Bentley are unscriptural and plain weird. For some examples of what goes on, see this youtube video. On that video he boasts of following God’s leading to kick people in the face, to punch them in the stomach (knocking their teeth out) and body slamming them in order to produce healing. The night I attended I watched him (under God’s direction) approach a gentleman and knee him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. These antics do not in any way resemble anything I see in the ministry of Jesus or in the Acts of the Apostles. Does this mean all this is demonic? No. There is a third category - human lunacy and goofiness.

Perhaps, my greatest grievance with all of this is its impact on non-Christians. As one who is interested in the Christian apologetic enterprise, I am concerned that this complicates the task. The already signficant barriers to some accepting the faith have been multiplied by such foolishness. While Bentley prophesies of the coming worldwide move of God, “revivals” such as this in Lakeland, present a caricature of true Christianity easily dismissed by unbelievers. Much damage is ultimately done to the cause of the Gospel. The Gospel is offensive enough to many. We need not add additional offense unnecessarily.

The supposed large number of healings also concerns me. I’ve been in hundreds of services where the sick have been prayed for and in a number of dedicated “healing services.” Most of the healings are of the kind that are unconfirmable (except upon the testimony of the “healed”). I have yet to see a physically crippled individual with obvious physical deformities (or mental) healed despite the large number of healings which purportedly takes place. Let me clearly state: I am not a cessationist. I see no reason to believe that God has stopped working miracles in our day. On the other hand, I see nothing which makes me think such meetings as the Lakeland Revival are similar to that which took place in the New Testament. I must also state that it is possible, even probable, that some are healed in such meetings. That does not place God’s stamp of approval on the meetings themselves, however. It might be that God heals some folks in spite of, and not because of, the antics of those involved. I am quite concerned that non-Christians see through this facade of “healing” and are turned off to the Gospel of Christ. This becomes a hindrance to true revival and evangelism, rather than promoting it.

Additionally, the time and expenses that are invested (I won’t quite say “wasted”) by those who fly in from all over the world could be much better spent elsewhere. A great deal of time was spent prophesying about the coming revival all over the world (and how God told Bentley he was a big part in it) in the meeting I attended. As a former Pentecostal, I’ve heard these prophecies since my first week as a Christian. We need to spend less time looking for a new move of the Spirit and more time preaching, teaching, and doing what we already know from the Bible.

I have gone on longer than usual and there is much more I could say. I thought I should say something since I am close to action and have personally attended the meeting. Stand to Reason has recently posted several blog posts (here, here, and here) on their website regarding this “revival.” They are insightful and helpful, offering more legitimate criticism of the Lakeland Revival. Greg Koukl also spent time discussing this issue on his most recent radio show. Koukl also has an article adressing the Toronto Blessing called New Movement of the Spirit - So What?, which is applicable and offers wisdom when considering such meetings as the Lakeland Revival.

So, what is Tony Blair up to since leaving his position as Prime Minister of Great Britain? A recent article in Time, Tony Blair’s Leap of Faith, provides some details. It appears he has dedicated the rest of his life to promoting the importance of religious belief in society and encouraging those of different faiths to work together to achieve common goals. The article explains:

“Faith is part of our future,” Blair says, “and faith and the values it brings with it are an essential part of making globalization work.” For Blair, the goal is to rescue faith from the twin challenges of irrelevance—the idea that religion is no more than an interesting aspect of history—and extremism. Blair and those working with him think religion is key to the global agenda. “You can’t hope to understand what’s happening in the world if you don’t know that religion is a very important force in people’s lives,” says Ruth Turner, 37, formerly a top aide to Blair in 10 Downing Street, who will head the foundation. “You can’t make the world work properly unless you understand that, while not everyone will believe in God or have a spiritual life, a lot of people will.” Blair, she says, has been thinking about these issues “for decades and decades and decades.” Over time, says Blair of the foundation’s work, “this is how I want to spend the rest of my life.”

Michael Elliott’s article treats Blair’s Christian faith with respect and reveals just how deep his commitment to that faith is. (Blair converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism seveal months ago.) He has recently launched the Tony Blair Faith Foundation in order:

… to promote respect and understanding between the major religions;
… to make the case for faith as a force for good;
… and to encourage inter-faith initiatives to tackle global poverty and conflict.

In his speech given to launch the foundation he explained that his efforts will extend to the six leading faiths (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish) to, among other things, mobilize against such world problems as Malaria.

Time goes on in explaining Blair’s faith, which he rediscovered as Oxford as a student in the 1970’s:

Blair is deeply religious—the most openly devout political leader of Britain since William Ewart Gladstone more than 100 years ago. He handles questions about religion deftly. He doesn’t back down. His longtime press secretary and consigliere, Alastair Campbell, remembers Blair in 1996 at a school in Scotland where a gunman had killed 16 children and a teacher. In a bloodstained classroom, Campbell asked Blair, “What does your God make of this?” Blair, says Campbell, stopped and replied, “Just because man is bad, it does not mean that God is not good.” There was, says Campbell, a force, a sense of conviction in Blair.

There is much good in the article, and I’ll close with one last quote about Blair:

He is convinced, he told me, that in the rich world, “without spiritual values, there is an emptiness that cannot be filled by material goods and wealth.” He understands that faith is what gives meaning to the lives of billions, and he passionately believes that the world would be a better place if people of faith harnessed their talents together in aid of the common good.

The Gallup’s 2008 Values and Beliefs survey has recently ranked the attitudes of modern Americans on the moral acceptability of 16 ethical issues. The most morally acceptable issue: Divorce, with 70% of those interviewed saying that it is morally acceptable. This represents an all-time high.

Before I comment on this number, let me note that this lofty (or lowly) ranking for divorce in terms of moral acceptability might not be entirely accurate. Divorce is not quite so cut and dried for evangelicals in that the Bible does provide moral grounds for divorce in certain situations. So, many evangelicals might feel that divorce is always a bad, unfortunate occurrence, but might not be immoral in itself. This would not be the case for other ethical issues evaluated (such as premarital sex). So, the number of evangelicals who think divorce is morally acceptable in this survey may be inflated. By the way, 55% of respondents for whom religion was very important felt divorce was morally acceptable (65% of Protestants and 75% of Roman Catholics).

Nonetheless, evangelicals have been often quick to point out the immorality of homosexual behavior and pre-marital sexual relations, but perhaps have failed to effectively assert the immorality of divorce. Certainly, the high number of divorces in contemporary American has created all sorts of private and public ills.

Perhaps, that 70% view divorce as morally acceptable is directly related to the fact that 91% view extramarital affairs as immoral. In fact, the New Testament indicatea that adultery is a morally acceptable ground for divorce.

The most concerning information to come from this survey is the trend in those who find divorce is morally acceptable. Since 2001, that number has gradually increased from 59% to the now record high of 70%. Those for whom religion is very important the increase has been from 47% to 55%; for Protestants 53-65%; for Roman Catholics 60-75%. This trend cannot be easily explained away by the fact that some of these feel there are morally acceptable bibical grounds for divorce.

So, while Christians must care for and support those who are injured by divorce (perhaps, the children most of all), we must do a better job of explaining the moral unacceptability of divorce.

The Defending the Faith Lecture Series will kick-off on Tuesday, May 27, at 7:30 pm at Biola University. The Case for Christ DVD by Lee Stobel, based on his best-selling book, will be launched that evening. All who attend get a free copy of the DVD. If you’re in the area, plan on attending. Register here.