What Happens When a Christian Student Goes to a Secular College?
As I indicated in last week’s post, I am starting a new 10-part video series on big questions related to the faith, and particularly the origins and reliability of the New Testament.
So, here’s the next installment in the series: “What Happens When a Christian Student Goes to a Secular College?”… Continue reading...
Is Biblical Literacy an Issue for the Average Christian?
Over the years, I have done an enormous amount of video interviews related to the origins and reliability of the Bible. I have been able to collect some of the more recent clips and form them into a 10-part video series on a number of important issues. So, this post marks the first in a series of videos I will post over the next couple months.
The first installment below pertains to biblical literacy among Christians. Even though Christians claim the Bible is the word of God, does the average Christian really read it? And if they don’t, what are some reasons we should pursue biblical literacy more urgently? Here … Continue reading...
The Loss of Intellectual Curiosity—and Why It’s Dividing the Church
In the 2020 Apple TV breakout hit, Ted Lasso, there’s a remarkable scene in the local London pub where Ted challenges the show’s nemesis, Rupert Mannion, to a game of darts. Confident that he can beat this silly American who knows nothing about British culture, Rupert quickly ups the stakes with an aggressive bet. Ted agrees and the game is on.
Rupert quickly discovers, however, that he has underestimated this bumbling “aw shucks” football coach. While Ted threw darts with his right hand in the warm-up session, it turns out he’s really left-handed. Rupert also learns something else he didn’t know: Ted grew up playing darts with his father. … Continue reading...
7 Things That Make the Gospel of John Unique
“One of these things is not like the others.” That was a classic segment on Sesame Street, as well as the title of a popular children’s book. It proves again that everything you need to know in life you probably learned in Kindergarten.
After all, when it comes to the four gospels, it has been long recognized that “one of these things is not like the others.” There are three Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—with very similar content, tone, and pacing. And then there’s the gospel of John.
From the very beginning, the church fathers even recognized that John was notably different than the others. In fact, Clement of Alexandria … Continue reading...
Were the Earliest Christians Illiterate?
In the 1979 film Rocky II, the newly famous Rocky Balboa, fresh off his split-decision loss to Apollo Creed, is hired to do a TV commercial. During the filming of the commercial it quickly becomes clear that he can’t read the cue cards. The director, frustrated by how long the filming is taking, ruthlessly mocks Rocky: “You cost us thousands of dollars because you can’t read!”
Rocky is humiliated and embarrassed. Why? Because in our modern, western society most people can read. Reading is the norm. Illiteracy is the exception. It doesn’t matter how famous you are, or how talented you are. If you can’t read, you feel like an … Continue reading...