10.4.11
Question: There are multiple Biblical Mandate’s, from Moses onward through Hebrews, regarding a Christian’s responsibility to ‘obey’ the government, rulers, laws, authority, etc. of the State or Country in which the Christian resides. As an American who resides in the United States, the highest authority concerning civil liberties and the role of govt. is the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, however, many leaders, who vow to uphold the Constitution in their oath of office, … [Read More]
Q&A 4: Should Christians Obey the Government?
Journalists Downgrading Dominionism
In recent days, journalists have sounded the alarm against certain GOP presidential candidates who allegedly hold to Christian Reconstructionism (or Dominionism). The articles, written by Michelle Goldberg and Ryan Lizza, respectively, demonstrate a studied and perhaps politically motivated ignorance concerning the relationship between Dominion Theology, Francis Schaeffer, and contemporary evangelical-friendly politicians. The Goldberg and Lizza pieces have been rightly eviscerated by scholars who know better. For example, Douglas Baker has written a thoughtful critique for … [Read More]
Is the Gospel Worth $6,090,032?
Is it possible to determine the economic benefit a church brings to its local community? A recent First Things article reports that researchers led by a University of Pennsylvania professor attempted to make just such an assessment (First Things: April 2011, p. 67). They estimated the economic impact of 12 congregations in the greater Philadelphia area. Some financial benefits could be calculated in a straight-forward fashion: salaries for staff and workers, monies paid for facilities construction and repair, and … [Read More]
Does God Hate Haiti?
Sometimes Christians with a public platform say foolish and irresponsible things that gain international attention and bring significant embarrassment to the cause of Christ and His gospel. Such is the case again with Pat Robertson’s declaration that God judged Haiti with an earthquake for having swore a pact with the devil in the 18th century to escape French rule and oppression. Such an outrageous statement quickly made its way around the world. I am currently … [Read More]
Jesus and the Economic Recession
Robbie Sagers has written an excellent article titled “Jesus and the Economic Recession” for Evangel, an evangelical blog affiliated with First Things. An excerpt:
Financially, these are certainly not the best of times. The temptation comes to “save up” in times of hardship, with intentions of “giving more” when one is able. What’s needed in such a situation is what’s always needed in instances of delayed obedience—that is, swift repentance.
A poor economy provides believers with the … [Read More]
A City within a City: Church, Culture, & Counter-Culture
We at BtT invite you to join us for our February conference, “City within a City: Church, Culture, & Counter-Culture (Feb 5-6, 2010). The conference features five plenary sessions (Danny Akin, Matt Chandler, David Platt, JD Greear, and Clayton King) and 30 breakout sessions (Chandler, Platt, McKinion, Reid, Finn, Ashford, King, Greear, etc.).
This is our annual collegiate conference and is focused on college-aged students, but we welcome seminary students, young professionals, and mature high school students. We expect … [Read More]
The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience
Last Friday a document titled “The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience” was released to the public. According to the press release, “The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not – under any circumstance – abandon their Christian consciences” (emphasis in original). The declaration was drafted by Robert George, Timothy George, and Chuck Colson and signed by more than … [Read More]
Ideas Have Consequences: The Place of the Liberal Arts within a Theological Education, Part 2
This is the second article in a series of two defending the study of the history of ideas as a crucial component in a balanced undergraduate theological education. Our guest author for this article is Ed Gravely, who serves as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and the History of Ideas at Southeastern Seminary. His teaching responsibilities include courses in New Testament at both the graduate and undergraduate level and courses in the History of Ideas … [Read More]
Ideas Have Consequences: The Place of the Liberal Arts within a Theological Education, Part 1
Our guest author for this article is Ed Gravely, who serves as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and the History of Ideas at Southeastern Seminary. His teaching responsibilities include courses in New Testament at both the graduate and undergraduate level and courses in the History of Ideas for undergraduate students at The College at Southeastern. Though Ed is a text critic by training, but he is the quintessential “Renaissance Man” with interests in philosophy, intellectual … [Read More]
Richard Gamble on the American Patriot’s Bible
Richard Gamble has written a blistering review of The American Patriot’s Bible. Gamble is dead-on in his thoughts about evangelicals, civil religion, and the abuse of both the Bible and American history among so many politically conservative evangelicals, including not a few Southern Baptists. Almost every semester I have a student or two in my Baptist history classes who argue that America is a Christian nation, the notion of a free church in a free state … [Read More]
