On:
In: Church History, Culture, Reviews

History scholar Kristin Kobes Du Mez rehearses the ingredients of a distinctly American evangelical culture. Like it or not, these ingredients promote or facilitate nationalism, racism, sexism, white maleness, authority, and political power. She argues (convincingly) that a “militant white evangelicalism thrives on a sense of embattlement” (p xviii). ForRead More

On:
In: Church, Church History, Culture, Mutualist • Egalitarian, Reviews

Thomas Kuhn’s now classic The Structure of Scientific Revolutions opened my eyes to the importance of having my eyes open. It helped me appreciate that before science can advance or be changed for the better, the same data must be viewed from a different perspective. Tracing the history of science, KuhnRead More

On:
In: Apologetics, Culture

One of the subscriptions I pay attention to from my inbox is The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter. The offerings are always thoughtful and stimulate me to see my faith from new and important angles as I seek to engage my world. The following article by Angus J. L. Menuge quickly gainedRead More

On:
In: Culture, Environment, Ethics, Reviews, Theology

Sandra Richter’s book is difficult. Not intellectually, mind you. Far worse. It’s ethically demanding because it’s an eye-opening portrayal of God’s call for environmental responsibility. It addresses issues only the courageous will consider, but all are called on to engage. The concerns of creation care are not just critical, political, structural; they are ubiquitous. On every page this book is a biblical, practical, and down-to-earth call to action. Readers are not only informed about Scripture’s clear message of environmental stewardship, but challenged to make a difference. Richter’s purpose for writing Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters is to provide a “biblical theology of environmental stewardship.” It is not overly technical and is especially …Read More

On:
In: Bible, Culture, Hermeneutics, Reviews

To say Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley is large would be an understatement. No less than 10 days after its initial release (September 1, 2020) the publisher’s site notifies customers that shipments will be delayed due to high demand. The author has appeared on countless virtual interviews and is aRead More

On:
In: Apologetics, Culture, Evangelism, Reviews

Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age is an imaginative and creative approach to Christian apologetics. Chatraw calls for identifying and affirming those touch points that are common in human experience, such as longing for identity and relationship; a yearning for significance, meaning, andRead More

On:
In: Culture, Reviews

For too long too many have taken too much for granted in the heated discussion around guns and violence. God and Guns in America by Mike Austin is a vital read that is sure to lower the volume on this subject, open minds, and close the gap that polarizes aRead More

On:
In: Apologetics, Culture

Why can’t thoughtful, intelligent, highly-educated men and women whose commitment to Scripture and Christian truth is unquestionable see things for the way they really are? Why must believers talk past one another without hearing one another? To be sure there are countless disparities and contradictions in the historical records ofRead More

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In: Apologetics, Culture, Reviews, Worldview

Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality is a robust and compelling cultural apologetics text. The scope is large dealing with a range of highly controversial subjects such as abortion and infanticide (chapter 2), euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research, animal rights, genetic engineering, transhumanism (chapter 3),Read More

On:
In: Culture, Philosophy, Theology

Make It a Double! podcast is hosted by my good friend, Mike Stojic. He asked me to join him one afternoon for some discussion around alcohol and the Bible. Can religion and alcohol mix? What does the Bible say? Was Jesus really a drunkard? Give it a listen (discussion beginsRead More

On:
In: Culture, Evangelicalism

Russell D. Moore has outdone himself here. Though the title may be off-putting to some (most?), his “Can the Religious Right be Saved?” Erasmus Lecture given on October 27, 2016, is well worth your time. Do yourself a favor and set aside your prejudices about terms and expressions like “religious”Read More