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Texas Issues Tim Cole, Who Died in Prison, Its First Posthumous Pardon – AOL News

Texas Issues Tim Cole, Who Died in Prison, Its First Posthumous Pardon – AOL News. Back in October of 2008, I blogged a series on the increasing failures of our national crime and prison policies. At that time I pointed out that states such as California were already spending 10% of their budget for prison costs with it expected to go higher. Since then, you have probably been hearing the news... [Read more]

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Christianity Today on grace

Thanks to another blog, I was linked to the following quote from an article in the online version of Christianity Today. Those steeped in the grace of God know there is no difference between freedom and obedience, and that the spiritual life is all about being compelled. Jeremiah says he cannot hold in the message God has given him (Jer. 20:9). Paul feels obligated to preach to Gentiles (Rom. 1:14).... [Read more]

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USO girls in WWII

The USO (United Service Organizations) was begun in 1941. The USO supplies social, recreational, welfare, and spiritual facilities to members of the armed services. It is congressionally chartered, but is not a government agency, and it subsists on private donations. During World War II, the USO became the G.I.’s “home away from home,” and began a tradition of entertaining the... [Read more]

Sometimes we just simply use bad logic

Recently I posted a comment on someone else’s blog and, in part, received the comment on my comment listed below: With all due respect, the Radical Reformers’ desire to do away with the liturgical aspects of worship probably had more to do with the fact that those using the liturgy were also persecuting the Anabaptists all over Europe during the Reformation. Both R.C. and Protestant persecuted... [Read more]

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Some random thoughts on Church

I recently received some questions, as I periodically do, and I thought I would publish part of my answer. Any personal references have been removed. The note is not meant to be theologically precise, but rather general. Every Church has its best side and its worst side. And so, for almost every major denomination of Christians I could say some fine things about them and some of what they believe.... [Read more]

About specialty Bibles

Recently I read an advertisement for a new Bible. It is published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., the same people who publish the Orthodox Study Bible. But, this one caught my attention. It is The American Patriot’s Bible. The blurb for it reads: THE ONE BIBLE THAT SHOWS HOW ‘A LIGHT FROM ABOVE’ SHAPED OUR NATION. Never has a version of the Bible targeted the spiritual needs of those who love... [Read more]

Orthodoxy and the Charismatic Movement

There was much discussion in Eastern Orthodoxy about the Charismatic Movement that began in the USA. Now, I must admit that the term Charismatic Movement is no longer accurate, but it was a once-used term. But, what about Eastern Orthodoxy and Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement? Well, the charismatic movement never had a big influence in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Part of the reason was... [Read more]

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Mamma Mia! And memories

So, I have now seen the Mamma Mia! movie for the third time. And, because I am the same age as Sophia’s parents and because I like the music of ABBA, it appeals to me. But, I found myself catching one line, when the three putative fathers and Sophie are out on the boat reminiscing over their past. The three men were remembering 21 years before, when they had spent a summer that had changed all... [Read more]

Of Bible, interpretation, and Supreme Court judges, part 07

Here is the bottom line of what I have been saying. In almost all scholarly fields, when questions of knowledge come up that are hard to solve, they are referred to a group that represents the community. The larger the “truth” that is being debated, the larger and more representative is the group to which the argument is referred. This is true whether the field is law, with its panels... [Read more]

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Of Bible, interpretation, and Supreme Court judges, part 06

So, what solutions have the law, science, and, yes, the Church come up with in order to minimize bias and misinterpretation? Yes, what do all three fields share in common as a way to overcome the inherent bias of humans? Interestingly enough, all three fields have “developed” the use of a panel of multiple people in order to try and minimize bias and misinterpretation. Please note that... [Read more]