Alan Bloom’s classic (title above) was published in 1984. It could easily have been published this morning with every bit as much relevance as it carried almost 40 years ago. Bloom’s thesis is simple: Think deeply. Think critically. And don’t allow others to do your thinking for you. Refuse to be intellectually bullied. Saul Bellow’s … Continue reading The Closing of the American Mind
Author: Nick Watts
What if God Took the Bible Away?
What if God said, “You have no interest in what I have to say? Think you know better than I do? Have it your way. Let’s see how that works out for you.” That’s what happened in the days of the prophet, Amos. And it could well happen now. We’ve all won the lottery where … Continue reading What if God Took the Bible Away?
Advice from a Demon
I place C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, published in 1942, in my personal Top 5 Books list. My copy is well-worn. Recently in my class, as we talked about Paul's emphasis on our spiritual growth in Ephesians 4, and Satan's hope that we will remain "spiritual infants," I cited The Screwtape Letters. That excerpt I … Continue reading Advice from a Demon
“God, why do you hate me?”
Me: "God, why have your hurt me?" God: "Trust me." "So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace … Continue reading “God, why do you hate me?”
Ancient Cancel Culture….and Why It Failed.
I've been teaching weekly through Paul's Letters from Prison. Presently, we're in Paul's letter to the Ephesians believers. To give some context into what the believers in Ephesus were up against you need to read Acts 19 which recounts Paul's two-year stay in Ephesus. First, Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia … Continue reading Ancient Cancel Culture….and Why It Failed.
The Holidays and the Empty Chair
I returned to my office recently and found a magazine sitting on my desk opened to an article about a man who had lost his 20-year-old son. Our son was 19 when we lost him. There were a number of statements I highlighted. But, the man's closing words said this: "What we've found hardest are … Continue reading The Holidays and the Empty Chair
You are God’s Work of Art!
When we look in the mirror, most of us don't identify with Mac Davis' classic, "Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect way." 🙂 On the contrary, we see the "real" us. Full of flaws, defects, etc. Here's what the Bible says: you are God's masterpiece! Check out this out... I n the … Continue reading You are God’s Work of Art!
“Jesus is Not Enough”
"Jesus is not enough." That's what we're saying when we buy into the lie that salvation is not "by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone." (cf. Eph. 2:8-9; Romans 10:9; John 3:16; Galatians 3:1-14) Working our way to heaven... what a miserable life. Never knowing if we're "good enough", if we've "done enough." … Continue reading “Jesus is Not Enough”
The Hubris of Some Scientists
The hubris of some Scientists. Notice I did not say “the hubris of science”, but "scientists.” Also, note that I said, "some scientists." Because there are a host of scholars within the scientific disciplines who have professed their faith in Christ. (For one solid resource for finding scientists who have placed their faith in Christ, … Continue reading The Hubris of Some Scientists
Is the Christian faith compatible with Science?
Is the Christian faith compatible with Science? 100%. There is no conflict between faith & science. “It’s not science that squeezes God out of the equation. Rather, it’s philosophy that squeezes God out of the equation.” “‘There is no God’ is never a scientific claim, but rather a philosophical claim.” Never allow yourself to be … Continue reading Is the Christian faith compatible with Science?