Thirty day tour of Christian history

On his blog, Timothy Paul Jones is doing a
"thirty-day tour" through the history of Christianity. It sounds like it would be interesting. The first two topics have been on why history matters and about ancient historians mentioning Jesus.

Can faith inform our views on law and politics?

Likely Vice-President Joe Biden is being widely applauded this morning (in certain circles) for his broad liberality. In the debate last night in Danville, Kentucky, he made it clear that he would not impose his religious beliefs on others. Now that sounds right, doesn't it? On the surface, perhaps, but let's consider what the Vice-President actually said, and the implications of it.

Noting both debaters/candidates were Catholic, moderator Martha Raddatz asked “what role your religion has played in your own personal views on abortion.” Congressman Paul Ryan went first, explaining that faith and reason both played a part in his belief system. When his turn came, Vice-President Biden stated “With regard to abortion, I accept my church’s position on abortion as a, what we call de fide* doctrine. Life begins at conception. That’s the church’s judgment. I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christian and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others...”

First, whether the Vice-President actually abides by his church's doctrine is questionable. The Pope not only says life begins at conception, but also concerning abortion law it is “never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it.” But that is another subject. Vice-President Biden clearly and without equivocation said that life begins at conception and that he believes that. Where he did equivocate, though, is that it only applies to his "personal life" and does not inform his beliefs about national policy or laws. In contrast, Congressman Ryan had previously wondered aloud, “I don’t see how a person can separate their private life from their public life or their faith.” Yes, how can we?

Curiously, in the case of Joe Biden, we have a man who believes that an unborn child is alive and yet we cannot protect it from murder! Why? Because "I just refuse to impose that on others." Would he kowtow so easily concerning a life that is one day old, one year old, 20 years old, 80 years old? Would he refuse to impose his belief about not murdering these on others? Why not? How can he so casually dismiss life rather than protect it just because 'life begins at conception' is a religious belief? Life is life.

I am glad that our forefathers didn't allow murder or theft simply because prohibiting it would be based on their religion. I don't believe murder is wrong because some old dead guys thought so or because it is either a personal or societal benefit -- even though both are true. I believe murder is wrong "because the Bible tells me so." Does that exclude me from sitting at the table of ideas and influence? Most certainly not! It may keep some from believing or accepting my ideas, but it doesn't exclude me from sitting down at the table.

Allowing others to have their faith and make their peace with God (or not) is a hallmark of Baptist religion. We do not impose our faith and practice on others. Yet in the moral development of a society, someone's beliefs will be imposed upon that society through public policy, laws, regulations, and community standards -- whether those beliefs are religious or secular.  Ultimately, many of us have many different reasons for believing what we believe and supporting the causes we support. In a democratic society no one is excluded from the marketplace of ideas because of their reason for believing. Whether their reasons will gain the support of the majority is another question altogether.

* In Roman Catholicism, a de fide doctrine is an essential part of faith and the denial of it is heresy.

Worthless theology?

If your theology (study of divine things or religious truth) does not affect your philosophy (system of principles for guidance) and your practice (what you do and how you act), then your theology is worthless to you.

Touch not the Lord's anointed

A number of so-called Baptist ministers insulate themselves from criticism and correction by demanding the flock "Touch not the Lord's anointed." Then turn around to boldly criticize, correct and abuse the Lord's anointed, his flock. Thomas Williamson wrote about this, concluding, "The command, "Touch not the Lord's Anointed" is for today. In 2 Corinthians 11:19-20, Paul warns against religious leaders who would take advantage of believers: "For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face."

Today, among some preachers, it is considered a mark of distinction that they are able to bring their followers into bondage, devour them, take of them, exalt themselves, and smite or abuse their followers. They brag about this sort of thing in their preacher's meetings, and conduct pastor's schools to teach others how to do it and get away with it. But notice what Paul calls such men - he calls them Fools! In the context, it is clear that he is not talking about laymen abusing preachers, although that is also wrong. Here he is talking about preachers who abuse and misuse laymen, and according to Paul, such preachers are fools."

Baptists and the Civil War

Interesting site that intersects Baptist and Civil War history:

Baptists and the American Civil War: In Their Own Words

Curious story of church music and a tucking comb

It was at this meetinghouse [of Hickman Creek Baptist Church, Smith County, TN], and under this preaching, when a small boy, I got my first ideas of divine worship, and of Jesus Christ as a Saviour for sinners. And this fact may account for some notions that cling to me at the present time. The first pastor I remember to have met and heard at Hickman Creek was a tall, gray-headed gentleman by the name of Durham. It was under the ministry of this aged servant of God I first witnessed the exhibition of instrumental church music. It was very simple and primitive in its order. The instrument was not an organ, nor melodeon, nor violin, nor flute, nor drum, nor horn. It was a cheap and portable concern, that the pastor carried in his pocket, which at the proper tune (time?) he played himself, thereby saving the expense of a salaried performer.

When the hymn was announced Father Durham drew from his pocket a lady’s tucking comb, to one side of which a piece of brown paper had been adjusted. While the congregation struck the air of the tune, he sung the same notes through the comb, which being reflected by the paper, and broken into diverging and crossing volumes by the intervening teeth, produced a monstrous jingle of sounds, that supplied the place of bass, treble, alto, and all the imaginary notes. Whether scientific or not, the primitive church instrument sent out a novel clatter of sounds, which to my uneducated ear seemed wonderfully melodious.

Little did I dream at that time of living to be a grown-up man; of being transported from those native hills and dropped down among cities; to tread the threshold of majestic Gothic temples, and see the tucking comb transferred from the preacher’s pocket to a spacious room in the gallery, and expanded into the beauty and grandeur of the church organ, with its thundering sounds.

I will not undertake to give an opinion as to the comparative merits of the various instruments of church music. Let those who believe in instruments do this, if they choose. After some years of experience I decidedly prefer congregational singing to all the instruments in the world. Some might attribute this to erroneous education, or the lack of education. Be this as it may, I would rather listen, especially on the Sabbath, to some forty or fifty clear toned human voices, such as may be heard in some of our African churches, where praises spring up from the very bottom of the heart, and pour out in solid sluices from wide mouths; where time is kept not by the rules of gamut, but by the spontaneous swinging of their bodies as they heave to and fro beneath the pulsations of spiritual emotion; I would rather listen to this than to the finest organ in America. What dying Christian in his dissolving hour would not prefer the vocal praises of one single kindred spirit, making melody from the heart, to all the heartless instruments in the world?

[Excerpt from reminiscences of Hickman Creek Baptist Church in Middle Tennessee by a contributor signed “R. J.”. Found in Samuel H. Ford’s Christian Repository, April 1860]

Readings of a political nature

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the posts linked.


Can a Christian Vote for a Non-Christian Candidate?
Can Christians vote for a Mormon?
How should Christian voters decide whom to support?
Majority of Pastors Disapprove of Pulpit Endorsements
No to Pulpit Freedom Sunday and Political Endorsements
Obama versus Jesus: Black Christians Must Decide
Should I vote for a Mormon?
The Great American Worldview Test — The 2012 Election
Still the truth
Who Should a Pastor Endorse?

Why art thou cast down?

Why art thou cast down?

Be still my heart! these anxious cares
To thee are burdens, thorns, and snares,
They cast dishonor on thy Lord,
And contradict his gracious word!

Brought safely by his hand thus far,
Why wilt thou now give place to fear?
How canst thou want if he provide,
Or lose thy way with such a guide?

When first before his mercy-seat,
Thou didst to him thy all commit;
He gave thee warrant, from that hour,
To trust his wisdom, love, and pow'r.

Did ever trouble yet befall,
And he refuse to hear thy call?
And has he not his promise past,
That thou shalt overcome at last?

Like David, thou may'st comfort draw,
Saved from the bear's and lion's paw;
Goliath's rage I may defy,
For God, my Savior, still is nigh.

He who has helped me hitherto,
Will help me all my journey through;
And give me daily cause to raise
New Ebenezers to his praise.

Though rough and thorny be the road,
It leads thee home, apace, to GOD;
Then count thy present trials small,
For heav'n will make amends for all.

John Newton (1725-1807)
Olney Hymns, 1779

Smyrna Church singing

The annual memorial Sacred Harp singing at Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church, Oak Flat Community, Texas will be on Saturday, October 6th, Lord willing. We start at 10:00 a.m. and  sing until about 3:00 p.m. We use the 2006 Sacred Harp, Revised Cooper Edition, at this singing. The church house is located on FM 2496, about 5 miles west of Mt. Enterprise, Texas. The closest motels are in Henderson, Texas, but Jacksonville and Nacogdoches are nearly as close.

Come join in, and help us to sing.

Readings, again

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the blogs linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the posts linked.

3 Reasons I’m Not a Fan of the “I Went to Heaven” Books
5 Reasons “I Declare” @JoelOsteen Deadly
Divorce Rate Among Christians
Most popular baby names, 2011 vs. 1911
Practical Holiness
The Church Historian as Spiritual Mentor
The Intolerance of Those Who Preach Tolerance

The Neighbourly Way

I usually think of the rural South as a place of genuine friendliness and neighborliness. I'm not so sure that is still true in a widespread way. Old neighbors die or move. New ones who move in that we hardly know. We often think of a neighbor as a person who lives nearby or next to another. Jesus taught us to think another way -- be a neighbor by showing sympathy, mercy and kindness (especially to those in distress). Even the world and the wicked love those that love them.

Luke 10:30-37 tells the story we usually call "The Good Samaritan". In it Jesus tells us of one who was robbed, beaten and left for dead. After the thieves left him, he was encountered by a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. In the encounter with the thieves and these three others, we learn 3 philosophies of dealing with our "neighbors".

1. What is yours is mine and I can have it. "A certain man...fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead." The philosophy of thieves is that anything that belongs to another is rightfully theirs (the thief's). They will take whatever they can, regardless of consequences, and not worry their conscience about it.

2. What is mine is mine and you can't have it. "[A] certain priest...when he saw him, he passed by on the other side" and "a Levite...came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side." The philosophy of the cheapskate and the tightwad, like the priest and Levite, is not one that necessarily takes from others. It is possessive of its own; it will not share. Maybe you don't have to worry about them stealing from you and leaving you with the consequences -- but they will not help. Will not give. Will not share.

3. What is mine is yours and you can have it. "[A] certain Samaritan...saw him...had compassion on him...and took care of him." The "Good Samaritan" was larger than life, with a heart as open as his pocketbook. He looked not to what he had and how he could it keep for himself, but looked for what must be done. He alone was neighbor to the man who fell among thieves.

"Go, and do thou likewise."

[Note: The "3 Philosophies" is not original to me. I heard and learned this from some unremembered soul years ago.]

More miscellaneous readings

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the blogs linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the posts linked.

First Look at Spielberg’s “Lincoln” Movie
Is Catholicism a Monotheistic Religion?
Should We Fear That We Are Deluded? Comments on Dawkins’ The God Delusion
Theology can be overrated
80% of Churchgoers Don't Read Bible Daily

Same-Sex Marriage Poised To Win Popular Vote

According to Denny Burk, same-sex marriage is poised to win the popular vote in several places. I think he is correct. We are losing the battle for "traditional marriage," culturally speaking. The proponents of traditional heterosexual marriage are much to blame. While defending the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, we divorce, cheat, fornicate, adulterate, "pornographize" and so on. How is that defending the sanctity of marriage? These things ought not to be. In the past "American Christian Conservatives" have really bragged on how homosexual marriage only wins by legislatures and judges exerting their will on the people -- and can't win the popular vote. That is true. But it is coming. Some day it will win by popular vote -- and then again and again, over and over. Then what will we brag about? American Christians have bought too much stock in this culture, and the stock is going to crash. We have spent too much time worrying about whether the United States is a "Christian nation" than on whether we are biblical Christians. We'd better make sure we are on the Lord's side and not culture.

Top 200 Church Blogs

For you interest and enjoyment:
Top 200 Church Blogs 

[I was shocked and amazed that "Ministry and Music" didn't make the list! ;-) ]

Jesus' wife?

At the top of today's religious and irreligious news is revelation of a papyrus fragment referring to Jesus' wife.

One interesting part of the dialogue is that the researchers claim it is not a forgery. I'd be interested in a clearer explanation of what they mean when they say that. Do they just mean this is really from the fourth-century and not something someone has tried to make look like that? Or something else? Some people will have their "faith" shaken because they will now think Jesus must have had a wife. But all this amounts to is someone writing in the fourth century after Christ who thinks He had a wife. No more and no less.

Resources for church history

Much of what I post related to history is about Baptists. But here are some links to non-Baptist related church history. These links are not endorsements of the men under consideration, neither do they imply agreement with the sources linked. But they can provide some interesting areas for reading, study and research.

Alexander Campbell/Restoration Movement Resources
Arminius/Arminian Resources
George Whitefield Resources
John Calvin Resources
John Knox (scroll to bottom for more reading links)
Martin Luther Resources
Saint Augustine's Library
Wesley Studies Resources

Nye, Ham, Science, Creation, Philosophy

I recently posted on Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Thought this might be an interesting follow-up:
Bill Nye the Humanist Guy vs. Ken Ham the Creationist Man

You might also find this interesting:
Philosophy v science: which can answer the big questions of life?

Or perhaps:
Creationism Is Evolving

A Present Help in Time of Trouble

1 Why sinks my weak desponding mind?
Why heaves my heart the anxious sigh?
Can sovereign goodness be unkind?
Am I not safe when God is nigh?
 
2 He holds all nature in his hand:
That gracious hand on which I live,
Does life, and time, and death command,
And has immortal joys to give.
 
3 'Tis he supports this fainting frame,
On him alone my hopes recline;
the wondrous glories of his name,
How side they spread, how bright they shine!
 
4 Infinite wisdom! boundless power!
Unchanging faithfulness and love!
Here let me trust, while I adore,
And from my refuge ne'er remove.
 
5 My God, if thou art mine indeed,
Then I have all my heart can crave;
A present help in times of need,
Still kind to hear and strong to save.
 
6 Forgive my doubts, o gracious Lord,
And ease the sorrows of my breast;
Speak to my heart the healing word,
That thou art mine--and I am blest.

By Anne Steele

Quotable quotes

(as they say in Reader's Digest)

“The Beatitudes of our Lord do not say, 'Blessed are the orthodox'.” -- Ray Ortlund

"There was nothing my father mistrusted more than 'childhood piety.' He insisted that children should never be taught or allowed to use the language of personal possession' in reference to God. To sing, for instance, "Rock of Ages, cleft for ME" or, "MY Jesus". Herein he was most logical. For by early influence and example you can train up a child to be . . .
a little patriot,
a little Catholic,
a little Calvinist, or
a little Bolshevist.
He took great care that we, his children, attended the means of grace, and never missed chapel or family prayers. But he never expected us to be anything but little heathen. We had, it is true, to be well behaved little heathen. If not, we got "the stick", or its equivalent. But no power on earth can make him a child of God. "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man—but of God." John 1:13" -- J.C. Philpot

"It was not so long ago, even in secular Western societies, that a man’s manhood was judged according to the way in which he protected and provided for the women in his life. Only a feminist ideologue surveying the wreckage of American society can really believe that the abandonment of this viewpoint has improved the lot of women and children." -- Robert Rayburn

"How often we have seen young members put off the important things “until I retire;” and when retired, too tired now to do anything but complain about the things they once should have put first while it “was day, for in the night, no man worketh.” I have observed this pattern now for over fifty years of my ministry." -- Stanley Phillips

Online readings

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the blogs linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the posts linked.


A Case for Cessationism: a Response to Dave Miller
Clement’s Prayer for Rulers
God Told Me that the Bible Does NOT Teach Cessationism
The 2nd Annual Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies Conference
The God Who Acts