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Cool, hip extremism is extremism just the same: 'snake handling vs 'seeing things' by Peter Lumpkins

Below are two videos. Both are nutty. Both are extreme. Both miserably represent the Christian faith. Both display Scripture abuse. Both claim biblical authority. Both reveal perversion. Both have representatives in evangelicalism. There is at least one difference. One is rejected as extreme nuttiness by virtually every sector of the Christian church. The other is accepted by a large portion of evangelicalism--including many Southern Baptists--as hip, cool, and doing a great work for God. Guess who is hip and cool and who are considered nuts  >>>

Jerry Falwell, Jr assures Massachusetts residents Liberty University students won't bother the locals by Peter Lumpkins

A story in the Boston Globe reports that Liberty University is among the top candidates in purchasing the old Northfield Mount Hermon School campus, Northfield, MA, a campus purchased in 2009 by Oklahoma tycoons, The David Green Family (think Hobby Lobby)  >>>

William Birch on Gerald Harris: Calvinists are here and have been: a response (part I) by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: tragically and sadly, William Birch's blog has been removed from the internet. One may find the obvious reason here.

On Thursday, February 9, The Christian Index, denominational paper for Georgia Southern Baptists, published an editorial opinion by its chief editor, J. Gerald Harris. Entitled, “The Calvinists are here” SBC Tomorrow had sought permission to post the editorial as a guest contribution to our site and permission was granted. One stipulation was, SBC Tomorrow could not post the editorial essay until it was posted online. Agreed. Our posting would be a day later than The Index’s  >>>

The latest theological journal issue from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary deals with Calvinist, Arminian, and Baptist perspectives on salvation by Peter Lumpkins

The spring issue of The Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry deals with three perspectives on soteriological models: Calvinistic, Arminian, and Baptist. Authors include Steve Lemke, J. Matthew Pinson, and Kenneth Stewart among others  >>>

Real Marriage: Is Mark Driscoll fudging in the Footnotes? (Part II) by Peter Lumpkins

Below is Part II in answering the question toward Mark Driscoll's latest book, Real Marriage, is he fudging in some of his footnotes? We concluded in Part I he most probably botched his source on Solomon's Song (2:3) from a 1977 book by Joseph C. Dillow. I offered no less than a baker's dozen resources which suggests the quote was, shall we say, half-done. Let's consider Driscoll's quotation from an evangelical scholar >>>

Real Marriage: Is Mark Driscoll fudging in the footnotes? (Part I) by Peter Lumpkins

Earlier, I mentioned two preliminaries concerning Driscoll's newest book, Real Marriage, preliminaries which I felt needed initial attention before I posted a general review of Driscoll's book. The first one dealt with Driscoll's obvious absence of adequately thinking through moral issues within the marital relationship. Contrarily, many suggest Driscoll is a model preacher, clearly presenting the gospel to the lost (one Driscoll supporter offers an honest appraisal, recording both "pros" and "cons" he feels Driscoll brings to the table, with the "pros," however, winning out over the "cons"). I would only add that however great Driscoll is in presenting the gospel, he woefully lacks, from what I've read, in giving consistently sound biblical counsel toward couples who desire a healthy marriage (a.k.a. Real Marriage)  >>>

Real Marriage: Mark Driscoll's absence of moral reasoning by Peter Lumpkins

Over the past few days, I've been considering Mark and Grace Driscoll's latest book, Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together. Earlier I noted some curious endorsements of this monograph including Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary president, Danny Akin. Of interest is Akin's own contributions to the biblical theme of human sexuality including his book, God on Sex: The Creator's Ideas about Love, Intimacy, and Marriage, a popular but reliable look into human sexuality from a decidedly biblical perspective--particularly sexuality as expressed in the context of holy matrimony  >>>

Mark A. Rathel on the Calvinist-Arminian divide in the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Mark Rathel is Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida. Rathel is a graduate of William Carey (B.A.), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div, Ph.D), and Biola University (M.A.)  >>>

Peter Berger's sociological interpretation of New Calvinism's effect on Southern Baptists by Peter Lumpkins

Sociologist Peter Berger stands tall among American intellectuals. Berger presently serves as Professor Emeritus of Religion, Sociology and Theology and Director, Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at the prestigious Boston University. Among many influential titles to his credit are The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion (1967), The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics  (1999), and more recently Questions of Faith: A Skeptical Affirmation of Christianity (2003). Professor Berger also regularly contributes to The American Interest, an online magazine dealing with American culture and global interests   >>>

William Lane Craig on Matthew 27:52-53

Below is a clip from a debate between William Lane Craig and James Crossley. In the course of Craig's presentation, he referenced the resurrected saints in Matthew 27. At the Q/A time in the closing segment, a questioner appealed to Craig to explain his understanding of the resurrected saints about which Matthew mentions. Craig's answer is enlightening:

"Calminian" Good, "Biblicist" Better by Peter Lumpkins

Arminian theologian, Roger Olson, insists there is no such animal as a "Calminian". In fact, he unequiovocally states the "Impossibility of Calminianism."  He writes >>>

Justin Taylor on Critiquing Someone’s Theology by Peter Lumpkins

Critique—done well—is a gift to the one being criticized. We should welcome the opportunity to have our thinking corrected and clarified. We see through a glass dimly, and God has gifted the church with teachers who often see things more clearly than we do at present. In God’s providence and through the gift of common grace he may also use unbelievers to critique our views, showing our logical mistakes or lack of clarity.

via thegospelcoalition.org

Where are the Watchmen for Southern Baptists? By Peter Lumpkins

  God likens His prophets to watchmen on the wall (Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17; 33:2, 6, 7; Isaiah 52:8). Accordingly, it is their duty to see far and carefully detect threats which may prove pernicious to God's people. Ezekiel says, "And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me (3:16-17). Just as the watchmen were strategically stationed on the city-wall watchtower to blow the shōphâr when the sword came upon the land, so God's prophets were strategically placed in Israel to give warning concerning spiritual invaders likely to barbarize the flock    >>>

The SBC Today Blog: Off to a Great Jump-Start by Peter Lumpkins

After lying dormant for perhaps a year or more, SBC Today is up and running strongly again. And, while Dr. Steve Lemke, Provost and Professor of Philosophy and Ethics at The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (proudly my own alma mater) seems to be the predominant writer on the blog, there exists a wide range of contributors--both academic and cleric--who offer solid commentary on a plethora of issues relevant to Southern Baptists >>>

Top Ten Theological Truths for New Generation Christians by Peter Lumpkins

Theologian, Malcolm Yarnell, offers a great piece to consider for new generation believers. Entitled "Top Ten Theological Truths Every Young Christian Should Know," Dr. Yarnell's piece is a condensed version of a summary of doctrine created for the Youth Ministry Lab at its 2011 meeting.  He includes succinct but helpful theological statements on The Trinity, The Holy Spirit, and Humanity and Sin, and Creation and Providence among others. For example, Yarnell writes of Creation and Providence:

"On the basis of His love, the triune God created all things, visible and invisible, out of nothing, sustains all things providentially, and will bring all things to their proper end for His glory"

Benefit from Dr. Yarnell's clear and worthy presentation by reading his entire piece.

With that, I am...

Peter