Kevin Bauder on Anti-Intellectualism
Years ago, Kevin Bauder’s address “A Fundamentalism Worth Saving” was helpful and influential for me. Recently, I found my mind going back to some of the points in a Nick of Time article he just put out. I have a feeling these thoughts will stick with me, too: Admittedly, high culture—and especially academic culture—can provide an occasion for arrogance. People who invest years of their lives perfecting their mastery of an art or a learned discipline tend to become a bit testy when critiqued...
Tips and Links for Studying Jewish Documents
David Instone-Brewer of Tyndale House offers some resources for studying Jewish documents. I have found it frustrating a few times to locate and translate Jewish documents relevant to NT study. Looks like this page will be a help. Be sure to submit your e-mail address at the bottom of the page—or subscribe to the blog, or both. Instone-Brewer’s posts are always worth being aware of.
May 21, 2011
It's not clear to me exactly what Harold Camping is predicting, but it is very, very sad. And wrong—though I wish he were right. Mark 13 admonishes readers against attempts at constructing timetables and deciphering signs of the Parousia. Disciples are admonished to be alert and watchful (vv. 5, 9, 23, 33, 35, 37), reminded that they do not know the time of the end (vv. 33, 35), and warned not to be led astray by even the most obvious signs (vv. 5, 6, 21, 22), for the end is not yet (vv. 7,...
Save the Date: May 5, 2012—PhD Graduation
As I announced previously, I successfully defended my dissertation for a PhD in New Testament on May 2. I have some corrections to make, but I'm basically done. I'm a doctor—though not the kind that anyone really cares about! Finishing five days before the 2011 commencement, however, means 1) it was too late for me to participate in the ceremony and 2) I confused a lot of people! So I'm announcing a save-the-date now: I plan to walk in the May 5, 2012, commencement. Both of you are, of course,...
Why I Think the New Age is the Truly Hot Issue for the Christian Church, Or, Keeping Up with the Carsons
The crop of new theological books for 2011 is huge. The problem is that the cool people seem to read each one while I've only caught up to 1987 (Emergent what?—the New Age is the most pressing issue facing the Christian Church!). The cool people also seem to read all the old books I still haven’t gotten around to—Augustine, Calvin, Aquinas, Baxter, Ryle. I feel woefully behind. And that woe of mine sometimes keeps me from fully enjoying and profiting from what I'm reading. There's a nagging...