Philosophy and Christianity

About the Authors Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
American Catholic (Book Review) First Things, November 1997: George McKenna reviews Charles Morris's "American Catholic: The Saints and Sinners Who built America's Most Powerful Church." This book traces the development of two different trends of Catholicism within America since the mid-ninteenth century.
The Angel Quiz Lou Whitworth: An overview, in quiz format, of the origin and background of angels and demons, angels in the New Testament and Old Testament, and the future state of angels and demons.
Answering the Big Questions of Life Sue Bohlin: The three major world views--theism, naturalism, and pantheism--have vastly different answers to some of life?s biggest questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? How do you explain human nature? What happens to a person at death? How do you determine right and wrong? How do you know that you know?
Arguments Against Abortion Kerby Anderson: Biblical, medical, legal and philosophical arguments against abortion are offered.
Atrocities Not Fit to Print First Things, November 1997: The persecution of Christians around the world has been given little attention in many major media outlets. Despite this fact, awareness of this issue continues to grow.
Augustine and the Limits of Politics First Things, November 1996: "Augustine and the limits of Politics" by Jean Bethke is reviewed in this article by Mary Ann Glendon. The author asserts that St. Augustine is a saint for our times. In an age that offers a political solution for every pain, the former bishop of Hippo
Baby Boomerangs Kerby Anderson: Examines baby boomers and their spiritual commitment, especially church attendance.
Begetting and Cloning First Things, June/July 1997: The author, a Protestant theologian, considers the question of human cloning. He seeks to understand and explain the issue in a distinctly Christian context. This task involves looking back to the biblical account of God's plan for family life.
Being Right: Conservative Catholics in America First Things, June/July 1996: "Being Right: Conservative Catholics in America" is edited by Mary Jo Weaver and Scott Appleby. It is reviewed here by Paul Baumann. Several conservative Catholic contributors state their goals in this aptly titled volume. Much of the debate about con
The Bible Code Rich Milne: How should thinking Christians respond to purported information embedded in the Bible?s original language? There is more to "The Bible Code" than first meets the eye.
A Bible Fit for Children First Things, May 1997: Do children represent idealized innocence or the self-gratifying, sinful state of humanity? The author considers both possibilities as he traces the development of thought on this matter.
Bible Literacy Quiz Sue Bohlin: A 104-question quiz (with answers included!) covering the basics of what it takes to be biblically literate. This is not a Bible-trivia quiz, but rather covers the major facts that compose the foundation of Christian belief.
BioMedical Ethics: In this Monograph Paul Cox will do three things: (1) place biomedical ethics within the more general discipline of ethics; (2) give the reader an idea of how biomedical ethics developed as a separate discipline under the rubric of ethics and; (3) survey some of the current concerns of biomedical ethics and within that survey explicate the central issues involved in each of those concerns.
The Biological Basis for Gender-Specific Behavior (Chapter 16) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Boston Church Russ Wise: The Boston Church movement has all the marks of a dangerous, controlling cult. It departed from its roots to become legalistic and abusive.
Bridging the Sacred and the Secular First Things, August/September 1996: "Bridging the Sacred and the Secular: Selected Writings of John Courtney Murry, S.J." is edited by J. Leon Hooper. It is reviewed by Joseph Komonchak. This book reprints twenty-eight of Murray's essays on subjects such as atheism, ecumenism and civil l
Calvin and the Christian Calling First Things, June/July 1999: McGrath introduces the words and deeds of John Calvin and upholds his example as a model of engagement with and transformation of the culture.
Campus Christianity Dr. Ray Bohlin: A practical guide for the Christian student to prosper in the faith at college with four principles to last a lifetime.
Can We Stem The Tide? John H. Stoll, Ph.D.: The world appears to be reeling from one catastrophe after another. Each evening on the news there seems to be upheaval in one part of our country or another, and if not here then somewhere in the world. The news is constantly filled with problems and despair. What is going on, and can we stem the tide? Will 1995 be better or worse than 1994?
"Catholic Gobbledygook" First Things, October 1997: The author considers the Catholic annulment process in America. The issue of annulments raises several interesting questions: the nature of marriage, the laxity of American Catholics and the difficult problems in broken relationships.
Catholics and the 1996 Election First Things, February 1997: How did Roman Catholic voters play a role in the 1996 election? What did the overwhelming support of Bill Clinton by Catholic voters mean?
Catholics in Exile First Things, May 1997: What issues separate orthodox Lutherans form the rest of their denomination on the one hand and from Roman Catholicism on the other? This reflective essay, written by a Lutheran pastor, attempts to sort out these differences.
Century of Cruelty: Making Sense or Our Era Nancy Pearcey: For making sense of any of the modern ideologies, nothing works better than identifying its view of creation. One's view of ultimate origins shapes the rest of one's thinking, as Nancy Pearcey shows in this catalog of worldviews, published in Boundless (December 1999 ) and based on her new book "How Now Shall We Live?" (coauthored by Chuck Colson).
Charity, Clarity, and Hope: The Controversy and the Cause of Christ (Chapter 26) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Christ in a New Age Russ Wise: This essay examines some of the alarming developments in New Age thought from a biblical perspective.
Christian Environmentalism Dr. Ray Bohlin: While the severity of the environmental crisis is open to debate, there is nonetheless a problem that needs to be addressed. Some have falsely accused Christianity for our environmental problems. But pantheism and naturalism provide only pragmantic, short-term, nd self-defeating alternatives. Christianity still provides the only rational framework for thinking about the environment.
A Christian View of Politics, Government, and Social Action Kerby Anderson: Provides a Christian view of government, political theory, and law. Also gives a practical look at how Christians can be involved in social action.
Christian Views of Science and Earth History Rich Milne and Dr. Ray Bohlin: Rich Milne and Dr. Ray Bohlin examine the major answers to the age of the earth question as given by Christians, with a call to mark our common enemy.
The Church as Family: Why Male Leadership in the Family Requires Male Leadership in the Church (Chapter 13) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Civil Disobedience Kerby Anderson: Discusses biblical arguments for civil disobedience and presents the position of Operation Rescue and its opponents.
A Clash of Orthodoxies First Things, August/September 1999: George advances an argument that Christian morality is rationally defensible and can be proven superior to secular morality.
A Classic Debate on the Existence of God: Dr. William Lane Craig and Dr. Michael Tooley Introduction: In November of 1994 Dr. Michael Tooley and Dr. William Lane Craig debated on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder. These scholars discussed the evidence for and against the existence of God, presenting some of the most current thinking on the issues. The speakers followed a diverse range of materials, from the most recent scientific findings and theories to the most ancient philosophical arguments to some of the most novel insights imaginable. This is the transcript of that debate.
The Cloister Walk First Things, December 1996: Molly Finn reviews "The Coister Walk" by Kathleen Norris. The author recounts her years as a lector in a Benedictine monastary. Through the description of her daily mundane activities she provides genuine spiritual insight.
College Right-to-Life Handbook Andrew A. Sicree: This handbook is intended to serve as a resource for college students working to bring the right-to-life movement to their campuses. It is meant to be a practical, working manual - with a smattering of pro-life theory for good measure.
Contrition in the Age of Spin Control First Things, November 1997: If the Catholic Church admits past errors over particular incidents, does it in effect undermine its own authority? Should not the Pope publicly confess the Church's historical errors of judgement and action?
The Craft of Acting, the Art of Acting and Their Relationship to the World of the Work Jeff Taylor: The 41 page paper explores the essence of acting and its relationship to God, Satan, communication, and dramatic art. The relationships which are discussed provide some general principles which are freeing for the Christian who is an dramatic artist, while providing a basis on which the artist can grow in discernment and accountability.
Creation, Providence, and Miracle William Lane Craig: In treating divine action in the world, we must distinguish between creation, providence, and miracle. Creation has typically been taken to involve God's originating the world (creatio originans) and His sustaining the world in being (creatio continuans). A careful analysis of these two notions serves to differentiate creation from conservation. Providence is God's control of the world, either through secondary causes (providentia ordinaria) or supernaturally (providentia extraordinaria). A doctrine of divine middle knowledge supplies the key to understanding God's providence over the world mediated through secondary causes. Miracles are extraordinary acts of providence which should not be conceived, properly speaking, as violations of the laws of nature, but as the production of events which are beyond the causal powers of the natural entities existing at the relevant time and place.
DNA: The Message in the Message First Things, June/July 1996: How might one, creationist Christian or not, explain the origin of the complex message structure in DNA? The author briefly reviews recent literature on the subject. Current researchers basically attempt to explain the genetic code phenomena strictly in
The Danvers Statement (Appendix 2) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Death of Satan First Things, May 1996: Secularists look neither to God nor any other transcendent moral standard as a unifying force for society. But without any such force, how might moral chaos be avoided? This issue is addressed in a book entitled "The Death of Satan: How Americans Have
Defeating Darwinism Rick Wade: Phillip Johnson?s important book, Defeating Darwinism, explains how evolution gained dominance as a theory of origins, and exposes its UNscientific foundations.
Defending the Faith Christian Apologetics in a Non-Christian World: A report on the 1995 Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting compiled by Probe Staff. Included are "Defending the Faith Philosophically" by Dr. J. P. Moreland, Talbot Seminary; "Defending the Faith Historically" by Dr. Gary Habermas, Liberty University; "Defending the Faith Scientifically" by Dr. Charles Thaxton Charles University, Prague, The Czech Republic; "Defending the Faith Theologically" by Dr. Thomas C. Oden, Drew University Theological School; and summary by Dr. Ray Bohlin.
The Deity of Christ Don Closson: The belief that Jesus was and is God has always been a non-negotiable for Christianity. This belief is based on Jesus? own words as well as the teachings of the early church.
Discerning and Defining the Essentials of Postmodernism The Real Issue, March 1998: Stan Wallace has done original research on the essential properties of the postmodern way of thinking.
Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks First Things, December 1996: "Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks" was authored by Nicholus Wolterstorff and reviewed in this article by Mark Talbot. This book presents a theoretical reflection about how God communicates to human beings. The a
Documentation: Christianity and Democracy First Things, October 1996: The classic question of Christianity's place in the political realm is restated by the author in a twentieth century context. The issue does not simply boil down to a right vs. left framework. Nor may one merely trumpet the victory of democracy over tot
The Empty Self: Christian philosopher Dr. J.P. Moreland claims that Christians are not experiencing spiritual maturity because they are victims of something he calls the Empty-Self Syndrome. This article examines his analysis and offers ways for Christians to avoid its influence.
The Epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. The author examines what's really happening with STDs and offers a solution.
Episopalians: The Leftward Center First Things, November 1997: In this article, the author considers the current state of the Episcopalian Church. As in other denominations, the questions of the ordination of women and the legitimacy of homosexuality, have split the Church into liberal and traditional factions.
The Essence of Femininity: A Personal Perspective (Chapter 25) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Eternal Present and Stump-Kretzmann Eternity William Lane Craig: A classic difficulty of the conception of divine eternity as timelessness is that it seems impossible for an atemporal deity to be causally active in the world. Stump and Kretzmann, in their seminal article "Eternity," claimed to be able to resolve this problem by formulating a new species of simultaneity, viz., eternal-temporal simultaneity. Although their proposal has received extensive criticism, little has been said concerning the notion of the "eternal present" which underlies their analysis. It is argued that apart from construing divine eternity as a sort of embedding hyper-time, it does not seem possible to make sense of Stump and Kretzmann's description of the eternal present.
Ethics: Pick or Choose? Ray Cotton: A look at the ethics flowing out of humanistic existentialism which states that morality is rooted in human choice. This perspective seeks to show how rejection of Biblical truth in the realm of ethics and morals ultimately leads to despair.
Evangelicals and Catholics Together The Christian Mission In The Third Millennium: A menu of information concerning the Evangelicals and Catholics Together documents and related issues.
Evolution and the Pope Rich Milne: A look at Pope John Paul II's pronouncement on evolution and how Stephen Gould misunderstood it as reflected in his article in Natural History magazine.
Evolution, Genes and Morality Raymond Bohlin, Ph.D.: Sociobiology claims to explain the origin and meaning of all human and animal social behavior in terms of genetics and natural selection. This view is inadequate to explain the complexities of human nature but curiously agrees with theism that man?s basic behavior is ultimately selfish.
The Family and the Church: How Should Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Work Out in Practice? (Chapter 20) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Farmers, Founders, and Fratricide: The Story of Cain and Abel First Things, April 1996: Liberals blame external sources (poverty, prejudice) for man's social problems, wheras conservatives accuse man's inner life (vanity, jealousy) for the same difficulties. Both liberals and conservatives look to the same traditions, including the Bible, t
Feminism Is Not the Story of My Life First Things, March 1996: Although most American women sympathize with many of feminism's goals, they refuse to refer to themselves as feminists. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese's book "Feminism is Not the Story of My Life" criticizes feminism as a movement that does not represent the ne
Finding Your Constant in the New Millenium Every Student's Choice: No matter what happens in the world or in our own individual lives, is there a place to turn for stability? Can we look toward the future with hope, regardless of life's and the world's circumstances?
Foreword: For Single Men and Women (and the Rest of Us) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Forgiveness John Studebaker: Forgiveness is an important element in handling conflict. This essay addresses our need for God's forgiveness, understanding His forgiveness, forgiving others, and forgiving ourselves.
The Fragmented Faith of American Jews First Things, February 1997: The journal "Commentary" recently sponsored a sympoium entitled "What Do American Jews Believe?" The participants were Jews of the more conservative temperament.
Freemasonry and the Christian Church Russ Wise: Many staunch Christians are Masons, and see no conflict between the two organizations. This essay takes a look at the roots and beliefs of Freemansonry from a Biblical perspective, offering historical evidence of the occultic influence in high-level Masonry.
Girard Among the Girardians First Things, March 1996: Rene Girard wrote several books about social violence through the eyes of several disciplines, particularly literary criticism. Once friendly to him due to his studies in victimization and scapegoating, academic circles eventually turned against Girard a
Head Coverings, Prophecies and the Trinity: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (Chapter 5) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The High Calling of Wife and Mother in Biblical Perspective (Chapter 22) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
His Holiness: John Paul II and the Hidden History of Our Time First Things, January 1997: Book review of "His Holiness: John Paul II and the Hidden History of Our Time" by Carl Bernstein and Marco Politi. Reviewer George Weigel examines this book which asserts the Pope built a "Holy Alliance" with Ronald Reagan to overturn European communism
How Does Your Worldview Fit? John H. Stoll, Ph.D.: With all the rapidly changing events that are happening in today's world, is your worldview able to assimilate them, without disrupting your life?
How Partisan Are the Bishops? First Things, October 1996: Just before the 1992 elections, the United States Catholic Conference released a statement of "political responsibility". Critics charged that, except for the abortion issue, the Catholic bishops had closely aligned themselves with the policies of the D
How to Think About Secularism First Things, June/July 1996: What effects does the secularization of society have on Christians? Does it not tend to make them doubt the validity of their faith? The author gives an overview of the intellectual history of secularism and summarizes the challenges that it presents to
Humanism After Tillich First Things, April 1997: Paul Tillich explored the relation of religion to culture. His writing expressed concern about the balance of this relationship in the face of radical ideology. Could a strain of Protestantism have paved the way for totalitarianism?
Husbands and Wives as Analogues of Christ and the Church: Eph. 5:21-33 and Col. 3:18-19 (Chapter 8) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
I Do? First Things, November 1997: Many couples today write their own marriage vows. Sometimes the question of the permanence of the marriage bond is often left unasked. One may wonder whether such new pratices at weddings have any impact on the resulting marriage relationships.
The Idea of Moral Progress First Things, August/September 1999: Neuhaus revisits the question of whether progress--especially moral progress--is occurring and whether it will.
In Defense of the Kalam Cosmological Argument William Lane Craig: Graham Oppy's attempt to show that the critiques of the kalam cosmological argument offered by Grunbaum, Davies, and Hawking are successful is predicated upon a misunderstanding of the nature of defeaters in rational belief. Neither Grunbaum nor Oppy succeed in showing an incoherence in the Christian doctrine of creation. Oppy's attempts to rehabilitate Davies's critique founders on spurious counter-examples and unsubstantiated claims. Oppy's defense of Hawking's critique fails to allay suspicions about the reality of imaginary time and finally results in the denial of tense and temporal becoming.
In Good Company First Things, October 1996: In his book "In Good Company: The Church as Polis," Stanley Hauerwas makes several cogent observations regarding the state of Christianity in the modern world. These observations are made within the context of the theological traditions of the West. Th
The Indispensability of Theological Meta-Ethical Foundations for Morality William Lane Craig: Theism and naturalism are contrasted with respect to furnishing an adequate foundation for the moral life. It is shown that on a theistic worldview an adequate foundation exists for the affirmation of objective moral values, moral duties, and moral accountability. By contrast, naturalism fails in all three respects. Insofar as we believe that moral values and duties do exist, we therefore have good grounds for believing that God exists. Moreover, a practical argument for believing in God is offered on the basis of moral accountability.
The Inevitability of Failure: The Assumptions and Implementations of Modern Feminism (Chapter 18) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Integrity First Things, May 1996: "Intregrity" is a book by Stephen L. Carter. It is reviewed here by Gilbert Meilaender. This book examines the components of human integrity. A key question, raised by the reviewer, is whether or not the discernment of right from wrong is one of these
Is Being Touched By An Angel Enough? Don Closson: An evaluation of what's good about the TV show "Touched By An Angel" and areas where it lack substance from a biblical perspective.
Is Christmas Necessary? Jerry Solomon: Christians have had to respond to the customs of the surrounding culture since the beginning of the church. In the end, though, Christmas is necessary only in terms of its historical and theological content.
Is It Legal for Religious Organizations to Make Distinctions on the Basis of Sex? (Chapter 19) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Jesus' Claims to be God Sue Bohlin: This essay was written in response to a friend's request: "Can you tell me where in the Bible Jesus claimed to be God?" Although not an exhaustive list of Christ's claims to be God, this article does cover the major ones. I suggest you read this with a Bible open, as I have not posted all the scriptures listed.
The Journal On Human Sexuality: No abstract available for this article
Judaism or Jewishness First Things, June/July 1997: The author traces the series of historical efforts by which Jews sought to gain equality in America. Did this effort culminate in an effort to secularize American institutions?
Justice, Mercy, and Economics Paul A. Cleveland: No abstract available for this article
Last Testament First Things, August/September 1996: In May of 1996, a band of Islamic terrorists killed seven French Trappist monks after holding them hostage for two months. Prior to their captivity, the monastary superior, Father Christian de Cherge, had left this testament with his family, "to be opene
Looking at the Liturgy First Things, May 1997: Aidan Nichols explores liturgical reform in the Catholic Church in his book "Looking at the Liturgy: A Critical View of Its Contemporary Form." Reviewd by Jeremy Driscoll.
Love and Saint Augustine First Things, April 1997: A political theorist's dissertation about St. Augustine's theories on love is the subject of the aptly titled book "Love and St. Augustine" by Hannah Arendt, edited by Joanna Vecchiarelli Scott and Judith Chelius Stark. Reviewed by George McKenna.
Love, Hate, and Jewish Identity First Things, November 1997: The author traces Jewish identity through modernity. He considers many historical and social factors as he concludes that the Jews have moved away from their religious heritage, the very thing that made them unique, in favor of secular principles.
Male-Female Equality and Male Headship: Genesis 1-3 (Chapter 3) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Meaning of Authority in the Local Church (Chapter 14) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Meaning of Kephale ("Head"): A Response to Recent Studies (Appendix 1 Part A) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Meaning of Kephale ("Head"): A Response to Recent Studies (Appendix 1 Part B) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Meaning of Kephale ("Head"): A Response to Recent Studies (Appendix 1 Part C) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Measuring Morality: A Comparison of Ethical Systems Erwin Lutzer: What makes an action right or wrong? The answer to this question, when asked of various ethical systems, helps sort through the maze of beliefs that muddy the ethical waters. A condensation of Erwin Lutzer's book "Measuring Morality: A Comparison of Ethical Systems."
Men and Women in the Image of God (Chapter 12) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Minds, Bodies, and Persons Douglas R. Groothuis: Interactionist dualism has fallen out of philosophical fashion, despite some noteworthy exceptions. Even some theistic philosophers argue that the soul is neither biblically sanctioned nor philosophically required for an intelligible discussion of resurrection claims about personal identity.
Modern Myths: In spite of its insistence upon cold, hard facts to support any belief, our society is still influenced by myths. Here are three myths which serve to exalt secularism and denigrate Christianity.
Morality Apart From God Ray Cotton: Is God necessary for ethical systems? Some modern philosophers argue He isn?t, but Ray Cotton insists that there is no point to morality without God.
The New Absolutes Rick Wade: A review of Bill Watkins' book The New Absolutes, which says that Americans are not relativists, we're actually absolutists. Rather than abandoning absolutes, we're adopting new ones to take the place of the old.
Nietzsche: The Ethics of an Immoralist First Things, February 1996: The strongest defenses of Nietzsche at one time came from the right. Now relativists and skeptics of all persuasions admire his ways of not knowing. In his book "Nietzsche: The Ethics of an Immoralist," Peter Berkowitz provides a fresh look at this (n
Not So Christian America First Things, October 1996: Should America be considered a religious or secular society? Polls indicate that many Americans claim to believe in bibllical truths and yet think human choices should be made apart from those beliefs. Is religion in America simply another convenience?
The Ordinary Transformed First Things, March 1996: "The Ordinary Transformed: An Inquiry into the Christian Vision of Transcendence" is a book by R. R. Reno. It is reviewed here by Robert W. Jenson. The author addresses what he considers a major struggle of modernity: the clash between otherworldliness
An Overview of Central Concerns: Questions and Answers (Chapter 2) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Pastoral Concerns First Things, November 1997: In responding to the complexities of modern life, some clergy have exchanged spiritual concern over their congregation for involvement in political matters. Such attempts to make themselves more relevant have contributed to their own marginalization.
Patenting Life: No First Things, May 1996: This essay addresses the specific problems of patenting human genetic material. Such a practice, the author contends, violates the sanctity of human life. It is argued that allowing patented human cells and tissues to be sold in a scientific marketplace
Patenting Life: Yes First Things, May 1996: Prostestations over the patenting of human gene material and genetically engineered animals have essentially created a non-issue. The religious leaders who have raised moral issues related to these practices have failed to display either sound theologica
The Pope in Germany First Things, December 1996: Pope John Paul II has made repeated efforts to reach out to the Lutheran Church in ecumenical fashion. This attempted reconciliation is especially relevant in Germany, the birthplace of the Reformation. It remains to be seen how far the Pontiff will go
The Possibility of Extra-Terrestrial Life Leadership University Special Focus: The Pathfinder's exploration of Mars, following on the heels of the Roswell anniversary, has turned our attention and imagination to space once more. The question of extraterrestrial life looms again as an issue of great interest. Underlying questions about the origin of the of the universe and its relation to the God of faith are being raised again with renewed vigor. Leadership University offers a special focus to discuss some questions relating to these issues.
A Possible Perfect World: Examining the Anti-theistic Argument Based On the Problem of Evil John Gay: "I do not believe in a God because there is so much evil and suffering in the world." This is an argument we commonly hear. The existence of evil and suffering, it is believed, refute the possibility of God's existence.
The Postmodern Puzzle: When there are no absolute truths and no rules of logic, how do we defend the gospel? The Real Issue, March 1998: Dennis McCallum, Senior Pastor, Xenos Christian Fellowship, uses keen insight to dissect the postmodern culture. He explains how to help this new generation see its need for Christ.
Preface Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Principles to Use in Establishing Women in Ministry (Chapter 21) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
The Problem With Conservatism First Things, April 1996: What should Christians think about conservatism? The author strongly cautions against identifying any political persuasion with Christianity. He goes on to point out eight alleged errors in conservative thought that he believes Christians should keep i
Psychological Foundations for Rearing Masculine Boys and Feminine Girls (Chapter 17) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: Psychological Foundations for Rearing Masculine Boys and Feminine Girls (Chapter 17)
The Public Square: The Taming of the Church First Things, November 1996: The author eloquently recounts the origins of the English Reformation. He makes clear the issues at stake which separated the English Crown from the Roman Catholic Church. He also ties this history into the current concerns about the relationship betwe
The Quest for God First Things, October 1996: "The Quest for God" by Paul Johnson is reviewed in this article be Roger Kimball. Unlike Johnson's historical works, this volume portrays the story of his own personal faith. It provides insight into this gifted writer who has consistently opposed the
Rapture and Renewal in Latin America First Things, June/July 1997: Pentecostal movements are sweeping Latin America. Attendants at Pentecostal services are filled with great enthusiasm at messages of personal repentance and reform. The author examines this movement in the context of Latino culture.
Reaching Youth Today Josh McDowell: This is the text of a speech by Josh McDowell on how to minister to contemporary youth. Its message of reaching young people in an post-modern culture conveys many of the ideas from his recent book, "Right from Wrong". Although it is addressed specifically to pastors, this presentation is also relevant for youth ministers, teachers, parents and all who are concerned about issues pertaining to young people.
Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood A Response to Evangelical Feminism: No abstract available for this article
Recovering Christendom First Things, November 1997: What is the purpose and history of political theology? That question is addressed in the book " The Desire of the Nations: Rediscovering the Roots of Political Theology" by Oliver O'Donovan. It is given a favorable review here by Gilbert Meilaender.
Reincarnation and the Message of Jesus Douglas Groothuis: A brief look at the issue of reincarnation, particularly in light of the Christian doctrine of grace and forgiveness, by Douglass Groothuis, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Denver Seminary.
Religion and Medical Ethics: Looking Back, Looking Forward First Things, December 1996: "Religion and Medical Ethics: Looking Back, Looking Forward" is edited by Allen Verhey. It is reviewed by Gilbert Meilaender. This volume is a collection of essays by speakers who attended a 1993 conference entitled "Ethics in Medicine and Technology."
Religion and State in the American Jewish Experience First Things, October 1997: Authors Jonathon D. Sarna and David G. Dalin argue in their new book, "Religion and State in the American Jewish Experience," that the Jewish movement toward the separationist position has not always been this way. Reviewed by Elliot Abrams.
The Religious Origins of the French Revolution First Things, February 1997: "The Religious Origins of the French Revolution: From Calvin to the Civil Constitution, 1560-1791" is authored by Dale K. Van Kley. It is reviewed here by Norman Ravitch. Did the Reformation or the Enlightenment lead to the French Revolution?
A Reply to Richard John Neuhaus First Things, February 1996: Both Christians and non-Christians think critically. Christians, however, begin with a different premise and therefore end with a different conclusion. This essay was written as a response to a previously written article.
Report: Presbyterians Hold the Line First Things, October 1996: Presbyterians recently decided on the issue of whether or not to ordain homosexuals into the ministry. The battle lines had been drawn for some months between the church leaders and their congregations on this matter. Does the victor of this confrontati
Review Essay: Ralph Reed's Real Agenda First Things, October 1996: This essay is a review of Ralph Reed's book "Active Faith: How Christians Are Changing The Soul of American Politics." Richard John Neuhaus provides a sympathetic look at this activist's views on the relation between religion and politics.
Robert Graham, S.J. First Things, June/July 1997: Father Robert Graham, S.J. was a tireless defender of Pope Pius XII against accusations of indifference toward the fate of Jews in World War II. Several years after his death, the Pope became the target of vehement criticism in this regard.
Role Distinctions in the Church: Galatians 3:28 (Chapter 7) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion First Things, January 1996: "Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion" was written by S. Mark Helm and reviewed by Paul J. Griffiths. A perennial question for Christianity has to do with the status of other religions and their members.
Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation First Things, November 1996: John F. Haught's book "Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversion" is reviewed by Stephen Barr. This book attempts to theologically refute the anti-Christian message behind the philosophy of scientific materialism. This book is not, however, add
The Several-Storied Thomas Merton First Things, February 1997: The contemplative and voluminous writer Thomas Merton is the subject of this review essay. The author considers many sides of this complicated figure as he refers to him as "one of the great spiritual masters of our century."
"Silent in the Churches" On the Role of Women in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36 (Chapter 6) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Sin and Censorship: The Catholic Church and the Motion Picture Industry First Things, January 1997: Book review of "Sin and Censorship: The Catholic Church and the Motion Picture Industry" by Frank Walsh. Reviewd by John P. Sisk. Discussed the relationship of Catholicism and Hollyood with particular attention to the now defunct Legion of Decency.
The Sinfulness of Humanity Dr. Bob Pyne: Over the last couple of years we have witnessed some incredible events in our world. In Europe, communism has become a thing of the past. In South Africa, apartheid finally appears to be on the way out. The former Soviet Union is in the throes of reorganization as it moves toward democracy and free enterprise. It's easy to be optimistic when looking at the trend of world events, but it's a little more difficult when one takes human nature into consideration. The sinfulness of humanity may be an uncomfortable subject, but it is absolutely necessary to understand sin in order to understand both ourselves and the world in which we live.
Smoke and Mirrors at the Crystal Cathedral First Things, June/July 1997: A spectacular presentation of Christ's Passion story minus the redemptive element? The renowned production of the "Glory of Easter" by the Crystal Cathedral is the subject of this review.
The Star of Bethlehem Ray Bohlin: What WAS the Star of Bethlehem? Some people suggest it ws an astronomical conjunction of planets or stars. But it might have been the Shekinah Glory, a physical manifestation of God?s presence on earth.
Symposium: The End of Democracy? The Judicial Usurpation of Politics Kingdoms in Conflict: The Supreme Court, in its movement leftward, has all but labled God-fearing citizens as bigots. Those who call into question abortion on demand or legitimized homosexuality have repeatedly been the targets of criticism by the Court for the past two decad
Terrorism Kerby Anderson: Looks at terrorism and provides biblical justification for dealing with terrorists based on Romans 13. Also addresses Constitutional issues.
Thanksgiving Quiz Kerby Anderson: Quiz on history of Thanksgiving: Pilgrims, William Bradford, colonists, etc.
Their Blood Cries Out: The Growing Worldwide Persecution of Chrisitians First Things, June/July 1997: The inflicted suffering endured by Christians throughout the world is the story told in "Their Blood Cries Out: The Growing Worldwide Persecution Christians" by Paul Marshall with Lela Gilbert. A. J. Bacevich provides this review.
A Theodicy Brad Johnson: The author examines the classical understanding theodicy, with emphasis on the relationship between the defender and that which is defended. He examines the Logical and Evidental Problems of Evil, as well as the classical resolutions to such problems. He posits the problem of evil as an existential "pastoral" problem whose answer lies in faith in the person and work of Christ.
Theology of Christmas Carols Dr. Bob Pyne: Examines the theology behind 5 beloved Christmas carols: Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Holy Night, and Joy to the World.
Timelessness and Omnitemporality William Lane Craig: How shall we construe divine eternity and God's relationship to time? The view that God is simply timeless faces two insuperable difficulties: (1) an atemporal deity cannot be causally related to the temporal world, if temporal becoming is real, and (2) timelessness is incompatible with divine omniscience, if there are tensed facts about the world. On the other hand, we have good reasons to think that time and the universe had a beginning. Therefore, God cannot be infinitely temporal in the past. Perhaps we could say that God sans the universe existed in a topologically amorphous time in which temporally ordered intervals could not be distinguished. But such a state is not different from a state of timelessness. Therefore, the best understanding of eternity and time is that God is timeless sans creation and temporal since creation.
The Truth About Jesus ESC Black History: Charles Gilmer debunks the myth that Christianity is a "white man's religion."
Truth or Tolerance? Scott Scruggs: There are terrible implications if truth is relative instead of absolute. Tolerance has become the ultimate virtue, especially on university campuses. A Christian response to this alarming trend.
The Ultimate Question of Origins: God and the Beginning of the Universe William Lane Craig: The absolute origin of the universe, of all matter and energy, even of physical space and time themselves, in the Big Bang singularity contradicts the perennial naturalistic assumption that the universe has always existed. One after another, models designed to avert the initial cosmological singularity--the Steady State model, the Oscillating model, Vacuum Fluctuation models--have come and gone. Current quantum gravity models, such as the Hartle-Hawking model and the Vilenkin model, must appeal to the physically unintelligible and metaphysically dubious device of "imaginary time" to avoid the universe's beginning. The contingency implied by an absolute beginning ex nihilo points to a transcendent cause of the universe beyond space and time. Philosophical objections to a cause of the universe fail to carry conviction.
The Uniqueness of Jesus: A serious study of the Gospels leads to one of three conclusions about Jesus Christ: He was either a liar, a lunatic, or truly Lord.
Using God's Design to Communicate Faith John Studebaker: We can use evidence of several kinds of God's design to communicate the reasonableness of the Christian faith: the design of the earth, of biological life, of history, and moral design.
The Valuable Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership (Chapter 11) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
A Vision of Biblical Complementarity (Chapter 1) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
What Does It Mean Not to Teach or Have Authority Over Men?: 1 Timothy 2:11-15 (Chapter 9) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
What is Truth? Douglas Groothuis: This essay explores the nature of truth in relation to our postmodern setting. Groothuis advances the correspondence view of truth, explain its importance to Christians, and defend it several rivals.
What is the Evidence For/Against the Existence of God? A Debate between Dr. William Lane Craig and Dr. Peter W. Atkins: Dr. Craig argues the affirmative and Dr. Atkins argues against the affirmative in this classic debate. Moderated by William F. Buckley and originally held in The Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, April 3, 1998, this debate is available online in RealAudio and RealVideo formats.
What's the Meaning of Life? Jerry Solomon: Jerry Solomon explains how Christianity answers the biggest question of them all: What is the meaning of life?
When Sacred and Secular Mix First Things, April 1997: "When Sacred and Secular Mix: Religious Nonprofit Organizations and Public Money" was written by Stephen V. Monsma. Reviewed by Keith J. Pavlischek, this book explores the relationship between religious nonprofit organizations and the government.
When Worldviews Collide The Real Issue, January 1998: A comparison of the thoughts and viewpoints of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. Dr. Armand Nicholi examines the worldviews of Lewis and Freud, and in particular their ideas concerning life, pain and death.
When Worldviews Collide: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud: a comparison of their thoughts and viewpoints on life; pain and death (Part Two) The Real Issue, March 1998: Armand Nicholi, Jr., M.D. concludes his anaylsis can comparison of the worldviews of Freud and Lewis by writing of their thoughts on death and life. Nicholi has done much original work in his research on the two personalities.
Where Are You, Adam? First Things, May 1996: After the consumption of the forbidden fruit, God finds the first man filled with shame and excuses. We frequently have excuses about our own shortcomings, often claiming the role of victim. But do we any longer have shame about our failures?
Where's Dad? A Call for Fathers with the Spirit of Elijah (Chapter 23) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Why America Needs Religion First Things, April 1997: A secular humanist comes to believe that religion is necessary for civil life while writing a book on modern society. Reviewer J. Budziszewski. "Why America Needs Religion: Secular Modernity and its Discontents" by Guenter Lewy.
Why Care About Ideas? The Real Issue, March 1998: Jim Cook briefly outlines why Christians should care about worldviews other than Christianity, considering what they might need to know in order to be a witness in this new age of postmodernism.
Why Conflict in the World? John H. Stoll, Ph.D.: Constant and continuing conflicts in life, and in the world, are very troublesome to all. One may wonder as to why these are so constant? The Bible paints a picture to provide the answer, as well as giving one guidelines for personal resolution, and understanding as to the nature of world problems.
Why Isn't the Evidence Clearer? Lou Whitworth: Sometimes unbelievers complain, "If God really exists, why isn't the evidence more plain and simple?" "Is God tricking us by making us hunt and search for answers?" They say, "Why isn't the evidence for the God of the Bible clearer?" That is, why isn't the evidence for the truth of the Scriptures so obvious and undeniable that virtually everyone would acknowledge it, repent, and accept Christ as personal savior? For the balance of this pamphlet, we'll be looking at this issue of the clarity of the evidence from several perspectives. We'll consider the scientific and historical perspectives on this question; we'll attempt to look at it from God's point of view and from our own human vantage point. Finally, we'll summarize the results of our analysis in light of God's grace and our human accountability.
Why We Believe in Creation Dr. Ray Bohlin: Belief in Creation is more than interpreting Genesis 1. Your creation position also reflects what you believe about God and His revelation of Himself through the Bible, Jesus, and nature.
Why We Can Get Along First Things, February 1996: The author points out the fine distinctions in the relationship between critical thinking, religious belief and tolerance. This essay was written in response to a previously published essay.
Why We Can't All Just Get Along First Things, February 1996: Liberalism neither accepts faith nor God as standards for thought. Without any such restrictions, all questions are open. But are those who do believe in God allowed to participate in public discussions, or has their faith marginalized them? How tolera
Wives Like Sarah, and the Husbands Who Honor Them: 1 Peter 3:1-7 (Chapter 10) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Women in Society: The Challenge and the Call (Chapter 24) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Women in the History of the Church: Learned and Holy, But Not Pastors (Chapter 15) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
Women in the Life and Teachings of Jesus (Chapter 4) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: No abstract available for this article
World Hunger Kerby Anderson: An examination of the causes of world hunger, the culture of poverty, and the Christian ethic in dealing with compassion to try to solve this problem.
Worship Jerry Solomon: Jerry Solomon gives an examination of the history and purpose of worship, some contemporary hindrances to worship, and suggestions concerning renewal in corporate worship.