You want to see a fundamentalist get red in the face? Ask him his opinion about evolution. Worse yet, tell him you don't the conflict between the Bible and modern science, you think they should peacefully co-exist. Then get ready for some fireworks!
What is it about the issue of creation and evolution that brings out such emotional combativeness? Is it righteous anger? Passion? Insecurity? Fear? Doubt?
The Nicene Creed begins "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible." In my view, the belief that God is the creator of all things is essential Christian doctrine. It is one of the core affirmations of our faith.
However, within Christian circles the debate is not so much about whether God created all things but how. The three prevailing opinions are as follows:
1) Young Earth Creationism: the belief that earth was created in 6 literal days about 5,000-10,000 years ago. Many who hold this view regard it as the only legitimate Christian view because all other views distort the plain truth of scripture.
2) Old Earth Creationism: the belief that the 6 days either stand for 6 eras, or are figurative. So then the earth was created billions of years ago as scientists suggest. However, the basic outline and means of Genesis 1-2 are true.
3) Theistic Evolution: the belief that God used evolutionary processes to create. Genesis 1-2 then are taken as literary polemics or poems answering questions more applicable to Moses and the Israelites than to modern science.
Many hold variations of these views, but these are the basic categories.
I believe that so long as we maintain that the Lord is truly creator of all things, we can hold any one of these views.
What do you think?
Which is your view? Do you think there is room for all of these views or not?
What issues are most important to you as you think about this debate?
10.26.2009
10.19.2009
H, E, Double Hockey Sticks
HELL, that is.
Hell is a disturbing concept. Eternal punishment, where pain never ceases, no one ever dies, and there is no hope of improvement...forever. When I really pause and think about it, hell is downright terrifying. But then again, I guess that is the point. Preachers have been scaring people with hell for generations. "Turn or Burn," they say. I wonder how many people find their way to heaven out of the fear of hell.
In recent years, the concept of hell has come under fire. Two main objections are frequently raised: 1) the unbalanced scale of finite sin vs. infinite punishment, and 2) an all loving God would not do that to people. Objections like this have many to believe that instead of eternal punishment, unbelievers will simply cease to exist (a position called annihilationism). They argue that instead of eternal punishment, "hell" is missing out on an eternal paradise with the Lord. Others object that this takes the teeth out of the gospel. Concepts like the wrath and justice of God become rather mundane and docile.
What do you think? Is it ok for a Christian not to believe in hell?
What is gained by eliminating hell? What is lost?
Hell is a disturbing concept. Eternal punishment, where pain never ceases, no one ever dies, and there is no hope of improvement...forever. When I really pause and think about it, hell is downright terrifying. But then again, I guess that is the point. Preachers have been scaring people with hell for generations. "Turn or Burn," they say. I wonder how many people find their way to heaven out of the fear of hell.
In recent years, the concept of hell has come under fire. Two main objections are frequently raised: 1) the unbalanced scale of finite sin vs. infinite punishment, and 2) an all loving God would not do that to people. Objections like this have many to believe that instead of eternal punishment, unbelievers will simply cease to exist (a position called annihilationism). They argue that instead of eternal punishment, "hell" is missing out on an eternal paradise with the Lord. Others object that this takes the teeth out of the gospel. Concepts like the wrath and justice of God become rather mundane and docile.
What do you think? Is it ok for a Christian not to believe in hell?
What is gained by eliminating hell? What is lost?
10.12.2009
Holy-Ween, Fall Festival, Trunk-or-Treat, or Just Halloween?
Every year around the end of October children everywhere dress up as ghosts, witches, skeletons, soldiers, and a million other things. They band together and go knocking on the doors of total strangers. What are they seeking? CANDY! Candy of all kinds: Tootsie Rolls and Snickers, Gummi Bears and Suckers, Milky Ways and Airheads, Butterfingers and Reese's.
Around this same time Christian children everywhere don their Apostle Paul or Heavenly Angel costumes and head for the church parking lot! There they will find carnival games and open trunks. What are they seeking? The same CANDY, of course!
I have had the opportunity to celebrate Halloween in several different ways. When I was young, I went trick-or-treating, both in my neighborhood and in others. I distinctly remember one year when I was a soldier, I had a toy grenade that banged loudly if you threw it on the ground. I thought it would be funny to throw it at the feet of the people who opened the their doors to pass out candy. Not so much. While serving at a small church in Houston, I put on a church parking lot carnival. Of course, the games only started after my sermon on the evils of Halloween and subsequent gospel presentation. While in Dallas, my wife and I had the opportunity to take dozens of children to the biggest baddest fall festival I have ever seen. This thing would rival some state fairs. A wealthy church in north Dallas shuttled all of our kids up for the evening. It was a blast!
Because of its history, many Christians feel that celebrating Halloween is tantamount to participation in pagan religion.(Here is a quick look at the history of Halloween.) Others see no problem with it. Still others think it is fine to celebrate, but that it should be done in the safe confines of the church grounds.
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Or should we celebrate Halloween, but call it something else? Or should we celebrate All Saints Day? Or should we let the end of October pass without acknowledging anything?
Around this same time Christian children everywhere don their Apostle Paul or Heavenly Angel costumes and head for the church parking lot! There they will find carnival games and open trunks. What are they seeking? The same CANDY, of course!
I have had the opportunity to celebrate Halloween in several different ways. When I was young, I went trick-or-treating, both in my neighborhood and in others. I distinctly remember one year when I was a soldier, I had a toy grenade that banged loudly if you threw it on the ground. I thought it would be funny to throw it at the feet of the people who opened the their doors to pass out candy. Not so much. While serving at a small church in Houston, I put on a church parking lot carnival. Of course, the games only started after my sermon on the evils of Halloween and subsequent gospel presentation. While in Dallas, my wife and I had the opportunity to take dozens of children to the biggest baddest fall festival I have ever seen. This thing would rival some state fairs. A wealthy church in north Dallas shuttled all of our kids up for the evening. It was a blast!
Because of its history, many Christians feel that celebrating Halloween is tantamount to participation in pagan religion.(Here is a quick look at the history of Halloween.) Others see no problem with it. Still others think it is fine to celebrate, but that it should be done in the safe confines of the church grounds.
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Or should we celebrate Halloween, but call it something else? Or should we celebrate All Saints Day? Or should we let the end of October pass without acknowledging anything?
10.05.2009
My Dream Bible...
Over the past few months, I have become a fan of The Bible Design and Binding blog. The blog is not so much about the content of the Bible as it is the physical aspects of the Bibles we purchase. The author posts reviews of various Bibles in his quest to find his perfect Bible.
If I lived in an alternate universe, where publisher allowed people to design their own perfect Bible (instead of mass producing them in cookie-cutter fashion) here are some things I would request in my perfect Bible:
NRSV translation (my fav, yes we will discuss translation in a later post).
It would have a soft, flexible, but durable black leather cover with the words Holy Bible stamped on the spine, and no other words anywhere.
The dimensions would be roughly 5x7x1.5, small enough to carry, but big enough to read.
When you open the Bible there would be a real leather lining inside the cover.
It would have nice thick paper so you cannot see the words on the next page.
The text would be single column like a novel, black letter, and paragraphed but without section headings.
It would have a nice classic font at a readable 9pts.
The end of the Bible would contain the NET Bible maps (holy cow those are cool), and a handy concordance.
It would all be topped off with three thick dark red ribbons.
Perfect.
I actually had an NRSV Bible rebound by Leonard's Book Restortation. I attempted to incorporate many of the my 'dream' features. Here are a couple of pictures.
What would your dream Bible look like? If you have a Bible you love, what do you love about it?
Do you think the physical aspects of a Bible are worth discussing? Or do you think this is a frivolous discussion?
If I lived in an alternate universe, where publisher allowed people to design their own perfect Bible (instead of mass producing them in cookie-cutter fashion) here are some things I would request in my perfect Bible:
NRSV translation (my fav, yes we will discuss translation in a later post).
It would have a soft, flexible, but durable black leather cover with the words Holy Bible stamped on the spine, and no other words anywhere.
The dimensions would be roughly 5x7x1.5, small enough to carry, but big enough to read.
When you open the Bible there would be a real leather lining inside the cover.
It would have nice thick paper so you cannot see the words on the next page.
The text would be single column like a novel, black letter, and paragraphed but without section headings.
It would have a nice classic font at a readable 9pts.
The end of the Bible would contain the NET Bible maps (holy cow those are cool), and a handy concordance.
It would all be topped off with three thick dark red ribbons.
Perfect.
I actually had an NRSV Bible rebound by Leonard's Book Restortation. I attempted to incorporate many of the my 'dream' features. Here are a couple of pictures.
What would your dream Bible look like? If you have a Bible you love, what do you love about it?
Do you think the physical aspects of a Bible are worth discussing? Or do you think this is a frivolous discussion?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
