Yesterday, Ron and I went to see Sherlock Holmes . (yes! it was another really good movie!) We got there a little early when the adds were still on. There was one for New Church . It was a very clean ad with words along the lines of A New Church? In the Bible Belt? Really. And then just gave the url. So I went and found: The New Church is a new Christianity Oh really? Wondering what a *new* Christianity is. Of course I've got some suspicions all people who live good lives, regardless of their religion, are welcomed into heaven. Ahhh, didn't take too long to find it. This is an old church and based on the *theological* writings of the scientist Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 to 1772). Lots of items to read in a search of his name. Add the word cult to his and well, there's just too much to dig through. What I find interesting is that Jesus clearly said,  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." And still, people who base their...

When Parents Ask the Wrong Questions « scientia et sapientia . This is an excellent post by Marc Cortez. I reposted it on Facebook while we were traveling this week, but wanted it to get out to any larger audience possible.

This is very good. Regardless which side of this fence each of us falls on, it would be so much more effective to say exactly what we believe and not just give the simplistic label that someone may or may not understand. Saying What You Believe Is Clearer Than Saying “Calvinist” - Desiring God .

via Views: No Christianity Please, We’re Academics - Inside Higher Ed . Very observant piece by Wheaton Prof, Timothy Larsen. He first discusses a potential grad student coming from a secular institution. Young man received an F on a paper in which he used the Bible as support of his opinion of traditional marriage. I want to be cautious here. I haven't seen the paper. There are two thoughts that come to mind though: 1) I cannot leave who I am as a Christian at home. It permeates who I am. I have to be as consistent as possible with that philosophy, lifestyle, world view. 2) However, in an academic setting, sources abound. In a secular degree, care should be taken to exhibit a wide variety of sources. I did not get the impression this was done with this young man.  Larsen concedes the paper was weak, but not F weak. In another case with this student: When he asked for a reason why yet another grade was so poor he was told that it was inappropriate to quote C. S. Lewis in work for a...

Don't you love it when you find you've been completely ignorant on a topic! Well, that happened to me this morning. El Bryan Libre posted about consumerism. Now it is possible that I have been ignorant because I don't fall into the consumerism category (at least not completely). We have been trying to disengage from materialistic values for years now. Downsizing, cleaning out possessions that aren't necessary. And so I, in my narrow knowledge set, attached consumerism to materialism. I was glad to know that wasn't a complete misinterpretation. Here it is defined from Answers.com : n. The movement seeking to protect and inform consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and advertising, product guarantees, and improved safety standards. The theory that a progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial. Attachment to materialistic values or possessions:  deplored the rampant consumerism of contemporary society. consumerist  c...