(A three-part series critiquing Brian McLaren's book, A New Kind of Christian) Brian McLaren relays a story of two individuals on a spiritual journey in an attempt to parallel his own experience as a pastor who has become disenchanted with Christianity. His own crisis of faith led him to two alternatives: either practice a version of Christianity that he had reservations … [Read more...]
Book Review: "The Myth of Religious Violence" by William Cavanaugh
William T. Cavanaugh's The Myth of Religious Violence (hereafter MRV) examines the oft-perpetuated notion that religion causes violence. Cavanaugh levels an attack against this notion that comes in two primary directions: 1) He argues that "ideologies and institutions labeled 'secular' can be just as violent as those labeled 'religious'"; 2) He argues that the "twin categories … [Read more...]
Love Wins Critique (Conclusion)
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 (I conclude my critique of Bell's book and also provide further resources) What Are The Implications of the Doctrine of Hell? First, what are the implications of Bell’s view? One issue is a modified view of God as his love has been redefined so that he is no longer holy. The view seems concerned with rescuing the … [Read more...]
Book review: The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, Robert Louis Wilken
From a famous skeptic of Christianity: “But we must examine this question whether anyone who really died ever rose again with the same body. […] While he was alive he did not help himself, but after death he rose again and showed the marks of his punishment and how his hands had been pierced. But who say this? A hysterical female, as you say, and perhaps some other one of … [Read more...]
Love Wins Critique (Part 6)
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 (in this part, I examine the importance the doctrine of hell and whether I've been "judgmental" of Rob Bell) Is Hell an Essential or Core Christian Doctrine? How are doctrines important? Additionally, where does the doctrine of hell fall when it comes to essential Christian doctrine? Paul warns us in Acts 20:27-31: For I have not … [Read more...]
Banquet At Delmonico's – How Darwinism Came to America
Banquet at Delmonico’s Great Minds, the Gilded Age, and the Triumph of Evolution in America by Barry Werth Reviewed by: Terrell Clemmons Post Civil War America was looking for a new belief system, says social historian Barry Werth. Across the Atlantic Charles Darwin had proposed a new theory of biology, but had left the popularization of it to others. In Banquet at … [Read more...]
Book Review: Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job by Dr. Hugh Ross
Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job is a book written by scientist, pastor, and astronomer Hugh Ross.[1] While it is, in some sense, a commentary on Job, it is also a considerably different treatment than I have run across before. Most people who analyze Job immediately jump into the suffering Job experienced, God’s sovereignty, or something along those lines. While these would … [Read more...]
Book Review: Imaginative Apologetics, ed. Andrew Davison
What would it mean for the Gospel if we were equipped with a full, rich, well-reasoned, and imaginative apologetics? The collection Imaginative Apologetics is a valuable contribution to the work of apologetics, offering a number of important insights and starting points for further work. … [Read more...]
Book Review: Cold Case Christianity
Introduction Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels (Paperback Kindle, Audiobook) is one of the latest books to examine the evidence for the reliability of the New Testament. Detective Jim Wallace was an atheist before he began putting Christianity to the same tests that he places witnesses and suspects to in his investigations of … [Read more...]
Love Wins Critique (Part 5)
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 (In this part I examine Bell's motivations and supporters for this book/view) What are Bell’s Motivations? This is a difficult question to answer as no one really knows the inner thoughts, desires and motivations of another individual (except God). I’ve also asked myself if Bell is intentionally trying to deceive the reader. Some of his … [Read more...]