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Friday, November 30, 2007
The Faith of Modern Creationists
A diorama at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, USA
A
little more than a half-century ago, theologian John Whitcomb and hydraulic engineer Henry Morris published The Genesis
Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Explanations, thereby launching the contemporary Creationist movement.
Today the movement counts hundreds of scientists with master's or Ph.D. degrees from respectable universities in its ranks.
Recently I read a book, sent to me by a good friend, by one such scientist, Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, a chemist (and
master chess player).
Most members of
the American Scientific Affiliation (ASA), a collection of Chrsitians with degrees in the sciences, are not supportive of
the Creationist movement or its godchild, the Intelligent Design movement. Nevertheless the Creationists have a ready-made
audience. According to Gallup polls taken over a number of years, about 45% of Americans agree with the statement, "God
created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so."
My problem with
the Creationists is not so much with their science as with their view of the Bible. Dr. Sarfati, mentiioned above, asserts
that "the Bible is propositional revelation (his emphasis); that is, it uses words to reveal true propositions, or
facts about things." Dr. Michael Ross, an environmental scientist, says, "I have faith that the Bible is a true and
accurate record of the earth." Paleontologist Dr. Kurt Wise confesses, "If all the evidence in the universe turned against
creationism, I would be the first to admit it -- but I would still be a creationist because that is what the Word of God seems
to indicate." [The latter two quotations are cited from interviews by Hanna Rosin, a contributing editor
for The Atlantic magazine.]
In other words,
the creationist's faith is ultimately in a Book, not in the God revealed by Jesus Christ. To me, this is bibliolatry,
and is no more valid than any other idolatry. Abraham had no Bible (in the form that the creationists believe
in). Yet he believed (had faith in, trusted) God and "God reckoned it to him for righteousness."
This is really what the Bible, a veritable library compiled and edited by anonymous scribes in the centuries just before Christ,
is all about.
Likewise Peter and
Paul and the saints who lived and died (many as martyrs) in the years before the New Testament canon was regularized.
They too believed in the God whose character was revealed in Jesus. In the process they made some major changes in the
way their fellow Jews interpreted much of the Old Testament. Were they living today, I have no doubt that they might
well want to interpret the first chapter of Genesis not as propositional truth but as a revelation of the character of God
our Creator.
11:12 am est
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Familiaris
I’ve
just finished reading an 800-page tome by James Kugel, left, entitled How to Read the Bible. Kugel is a retired Harvard professor, now living in Jerusalem. He
is Jewish but thoroughly conversant with Christian faith and theology. During
his tenure at Harvard his classes were very popular, attended by 900 students each semester.
The book is, as I expected (for I had previously read another book of his) insightful and thought-provoking. It consists of a comparison of the traditional way of reading the Bible with the way modern scholars read
it. And his conclusion is that the two ways are irreconcilable.
But
this was not what interested me most. What interested me most was his understanding
of God’s relationship with his people. “These are My servants, whom I brought
out of the land of Egypt.” Kugel notes that to be a servant was to be in a state
of humble submission, ever eager to do the master’s bidding. But it was also
conceived, biblically, as a state of closeness, even familiarity. “Familiarity”
is related to the Latin familiaris, the household slave who “belonged to the family.”
Thus to be God’s servants was to be part of God’s household. And the best way to be a loyal member of God's household
is to meticulously keep each and every Torah commandment.
Fair
enough. But I couldn’t help contrasting this line of thought with Jesus’ words
to his disciples, “You are my friends…I do not call you servants any longer.” This
suggests an intimacy and equality that goes beyond that of the familiaris. It
is not enough that we serve God. We are called, at some level, to be partners,
co-workers with God, in a community of mutual love. No doubt Kugel would agree. Still, I think the distinction is worth making.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Staying Engaged
A lot of men my
age and older spend their sedentary days watching TV. I recally my own grandfather, who lived to be 94, doing just that.
I can't tell you how grateful to God I am that I can remain active and productive in my senior years. It is a great
blessing. During the past couple of years I have been preoccupied writing and publishing my book, What About
the Cross? Now that is finished and I am preparing for 2008. My pastor has asked me to head up a new Disciplemaking
Initiative for our local church. Twenty members have indicated they want to learn how to "make disciples," (Jesus' Great
Commission) and have participated in a couple of orientation sessions. December is a hectic month, so we won't be doing
anything formally during this month. But each of these individuals have identified anywhere between one and five persons
they would like to disciple, God enabling them to do so. So in January 2008 we will begin an intense 8-week workshop
to help them get started successfully. Preparing these workshops will keep me focused and engaged during December --
and that's a good thing.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Forty Acres and a Mule
By a ratio of 2
to 1, according to recent research by the Pew Foundation, "blacks say that the values of poor and middle-class blacks [in
the USA] have grown more dissimilar over the past decade. In contrast, most blacks say that the values of [middle-class]
blacks and whites have grown more alike. Increasingly, within the black community, inequalities are becoming more entrenched.
Today 45% of black households with children are headed by women, and 69% of black babies are born out of wedlock.
Professor Henry
Louis Gates, Jr., of Harvard University, has been studying the family trees of 20 successful African-Americans and has seen
"an astonishing pattern." Fifteen of the 20 descend from former slaves who managed to obtain property by the year 1920.
Most of these gained their property through the Southern Homestead Act enacted after the Civil War, an Act that
provided "40 Acres and a Mule." But also an Act that was scuttled not long after it was inaugurated. Many blacks
were never able to take advantage of it.
The discrimination
continues to this day. The median net worth of black families (median meaning half are less than, half are greater than)
is only one-tenth that of white families: $11,800 as over against $118,300. This discrepancy is clearly evident here
in Paterson, and one of our biggest challenges is how to empower black families to the point of home ownership. Such
families study, save, work, strive, and vote. Families trapped in a rent-culture do not. Our local church's 20-year
association with Habitat for Humanity has been an important contribution to this end.
1:16 pm est
Thursday, November 22, 2007
New Cause for Thanksgiving
James Thomson, left,
started the rancorous stem cell research battle in 1998 when he first extracted stem cells from human embryos, destroying
the embryos in the process. Today, less than a decade later, the battle has become moot. Thomson, of the University
of Wisconsin, and Shinya Yamanaka, below, of Kyoto University in Japan, have effectively ended it. The two men
have discovered that by the simple  addition of four genes to a normal cell and it becomes a stem cell.
This research holds
great promise, and is a real cause for thanksgiving. Stem cells can turn into any of the body's 220 cell types.
They can be used to study complex human diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. It may be possible to use the cells
to grow replacement tissues.
The Bible speaks
often of "signs and wonders." Many Christians today assume this refers to speaking in tongues, or miraculous healings
by laying on of hands. But I believe the many medical advances of the past century clearly fall into this catagory and
are evidence of the presence and power of God's Spirit in our world. At the same time, we have to be acutely aware of
the "law of unintended consequences." By preserving life and extending the human life span, medical and agricultural
advances account, in large measure, for the world's population explosion (two billion people in the year of my birth; more
than six billion today). And this in turn has vastly increased the tension and stress so evident in our global community.
We have yet to resolve this conundrum.
9:00 am est
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Decrease in AIDS
As we approach Thanksgiving
Day, one thing we can be thankful for is that new infections of the AIDS virus have been dropping each year, ever since they
peaked in the late 1990s. This is good news for us in Paterson, for we have friends who have died of AIDS, and other
friends who now suffer from the disease. It is gratifying to think that fewer of our friends will succumb in the years
ahead.
Nevertheless, AIDS
is a scourge in our world. About 6,800 people die from it each and every day. India, Nigeria and South Africa
continue to be the worst-hit areas. The public needs to be aware that the epidemic continues -- hence this particular
blog. In September, for example, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis aimed to raise $15 billion
in new funds, but received pledges for less than $10 billion.
AIDS is today what
leprosy was in Jesus' day. Jesus made a special effort to heal people with leprosy. We should make the same effort
in our day to combat AIDS.
10:37 am est
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Diamond Anniversary
Queen
Elizabeth and Prince Philip are celebrating 60 years of marriage this year. By all appearances it has been a good marriage
-- though their children have had difficult marriages. I recall vividly her Coronation back in 1953 when she was
still a young bride. I was a couple of years younger than she, and teaching at the American Academy in Larnaca, Cyprus. The
Island of Cyprus, which at that time was still a British colony, celebrated the occasion with exuberance. As with
all things British, there was great pomp and ceremony. I, from the hinterland of America -- Omaha, Nebraska -- thoroughly
enjoyed the spectacle. I included a couple of photographs in my autobiography.
8:32 am est
Monday, November 19, 2007
Loving God and Neighbor Together
A couple of weeks
ago I wrote about the initiative of four Yale Divinity School professors, one of who was Miroslav Volf, left, who responded
to an earlier highly publicized letter from 138 Muslim scholars calling for joint efforts to promote peace between Muslim
and Christians. The Yale letter was entitled Loving God and Neighbor Together. Volf and his co-authors invited
other Christians to add their names to the letter. I did so and, somewhat to my surprise, several hundred others have
done so too. These include many well-known evangelical leaders as well as friends and former colleagues of mine from
past years: Nabeel Jabbour of The Navigators, Peter Kuzmic of Croatia, Cho Yonggi of Korea, Don McCurry, Ray Bakke, Leonard
Rogers, John Stott, to mention only a few. Needless to say, I am very pleased with this positive response. As
I said earlier, far too many Christians in America see Muslims as the "enemy," but forget Jesus' words, "Love your enemy."
On another note:
we woke up this morning to a light snowfall, the first of the season. Even as I write now, a couple of hours later,
the snow continues to descend. However, the ground is still warm and the snow isn't accumulating.
9:08 am est
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Names
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, among the top 10 most common surnames in the United States at the present time, Garcia and Rodriguez rank
8th and 9th respectively. This milestone gives the Hispanic community increased standing in the social structure
of the nation. Martinez (11th), Hernandez (15th), Lopez (21st) and Gonzalez (23rd) also make the top 25. (There
are six million surnames in the United States today; 4 million are held by only one person.) Hispanics now account for
13 percent of the nation's population -- roughly the same percentage as African Americans.
A
friend in Arizona wrote today to tell me that she had ordered a copy of my book for her husband for Christmas.
So I thought I would remind you that this would make a fine present for
yourself or a friend. I have been pleased with responses I have got so far, which have been uniformly positive.
11:38 pm est
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Airport Security
Driving home
from a visit to her family in Virginia, Georgia stopped off at a mall and bought a pair of shears like the one in this photo.
The blades are five or six inches long. She tucked them into her suitcase, but forgot to take them out when she unpacked.
On her next flight to Miami to visit daughter Lynn, the shears were still in her suitcase, forgotten about completely.
Yet the suitcase passed through airport security without hesitation. Same thing on the return trip home. Still
Georgia did not realize the shears were still in the suitcase. So this past weekend, as Georgia flew to Atlanta to visit
daughter Ivy, the shears were subjected once more to airport security. Once again they passed undetected. Same
thing on the flight back home. Only when she arrived home and unpacked more thoroughly, did Georgia notice the shears.
Thus four times now, those shears have slipped through security. It takes little imagination to realize that
every day, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of such potentially dangerous items are being carried into airplanes. At any
time one of them could be used by a terrorist or madman. Our airport security system must be in terrible shape.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Relating to Muslims in America and Elsewhere
A couple of weeks
ago I drew your attention to an open letter written by 138 Muslim scholars and clerics to Christians. It was entitled
A Common Word Between Us and You and extended a generous spirit of cooperation with Christians worldwide. Now,
as reported in the Good News Network, Christians have responded. Yale Divinity School scholars have released their
own open letter entilted Loving God and Neighbor Together. The letter has already been co-signed by theologians
from Princeton Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. No doubt others will soon be attaching their signatures.
Loving God and Neighbor
praised the Muslim letter for "identifying important common ground." The Yale letter acknowledges the "undeniable differences
between Islam and Christianity" but suggests that "our next step should be for our leaders at every level to meet together
and begin the earnest work of determining how God would have us fulfill the requirement that we love God and one another."
The Yale letter
concludes with "we commit ourselves to labor together in heart, soul, mind and strength for the objectives you so appropriately
propose." To my own mind, the Muslim initiative and the Yale response is both a sensible and hopeful alternative to
the politicians and others today who rant and rave about our need to combat Islamofascism. Surely it is difficult, if
not impossible, to love one's enemies, as Jesus insisted, and simultaneously try to kill them.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Best Small Town in Texas?
Less than a decade
ago, Paris was named "the best small town in Texas" by Kevin Heubusch in his book, The New Rating Guide to Life in America's
Small Towns. This was quite some progress from a century earlier when Henry White, a black man, was tortured and
burned alive on a train bed as 10,000 townsfolk cheered and jeered. Now it appears that Paris, Texas is reverting to
its earlier form. Recently Shaquanda Cotton (shown here with her mother, Creole), a 15-year-old, was sentenfed to seven
years in prison for allegedly pushing a hall monitor at her high school. Black communities all over Texas are outraged.
One reason for the
outrage is that, about the same time in Paris, a 14-year-old white girl burned down her family's home and received -- from
the same judge who sentenced Shaquanda -- probation. A 19-year-old Paris white man, convicted of killing a black woman
and her grandson with his truck, also received probation. "It's like they're sending a signal to Black folks in Paris
that you stay in your place in this community, in the shadows, intimidated," said Dr. Howard Anderson, president of the San
Antonio branch of the NAACP.
5:13 am est
Friday, November 9, 2007
Disciplemaking
Georgia is in Atlanta
this weekend, visiting her daughter and son and grandchildren. On the plane down to Atlanta Georgia began reading What
About the Cross? and, somewhat to my surprise, is very enthusiastic about it. Today I am preparing for tomorrow's
Disciplemaking Workshop to be held at our church. Two Navigators from Philadelphia are coming up to facilitate it.
Our local church has decided to make disciplemaking a major theme for 2008, a move I applaud and hope to contribute to.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Mules and Jets
Six prominent TV
evangelistic ministries are being investigated by the Senate Finance Committee to determine whether they have illegally used
donations to finance opulent lifestyles. They include Benny Hinn, left; Paula and Randy White; Joyce and David Meyer;
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland; and Bishop Eddie Long. According to reporter Laurie Goodstein, they have until December
6th to respond to a lengthy questionnaire furnished by the Committee.
These six ministries
-- and others -- are well able to afford expensive lawyers to defend themselves, so it is doubtful their lifestyles will be
diminished in any way. Nevertheless it is high time, in my opinion, that these religious celebraties be subjected to
some level of accountability. As Senator Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Commitee, comments:
"Jesus comes into the city riding a simple mule; and you have people today expanding his gospel in corporate jets. Somebody
has to raise questions about right and wrong here."
8:59 am est
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Buy It Now
Maybe it's just
a matter of my getting older, but a lot of things trouble me these days, and I have to keep reminding myself of all the good
news we experience as well. One bit of good news is the positive response I am getting to my book, What About the
Cross? I need to encourage you to buy it, if you haven't already. It's not expensive -- just about
the cost of a single lunch at a good restaurant.
One of the things
that disturbs me currently is the hypocritical way the U.S. is responding to the dictatorial take-over in Pakistan.
We rant and rave and make threats about the possibility that Iran might be preparing to produce a nuclear weapon. Pakistan
already has 20 such weapons armed and ready to launch, and we say nothing about this at all, for fear of losing an
ally in the so-called war against terrorism. Yet six years after 9/11 the "alliance" between Pakistan and the U.S. has
failed to capture Osama bin Ladin, even though everyone knows he is operating from within territory nominally controlled by
Pakistan. Instead of using his military forces to hunt terrorists, President Musharraf, above, is using them to
quell democratic opposition in Pakistan.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
21st Century Migration
According to the BBC,
China's roads are set to get ever busier over the next 25 years. The country is set for the biggest mass migration in the
history of the world, with 345 million people expected to move from rural areas to the coastal city belt by 2030.
This migration will provide the people to live in the new tower blocks, apartments and houses. Last week
I heard from a friend who has returned to China after having been away for six months. Here is his reaction: "Even
being gone six months, upon returning I see changes all around us. So many people must be moving into our city; apartments
are being built around us like crazy. We live on the western outskirts, one bus stop from the end of the line.
I noticed early this morning before the buses start running, that buses were parked two abreast from our stop for a quarter
of a mile. At rush hour they load them two at a time. New power lines have been stung across my mountain to bring
electricity to new areas of expansion. new pipelines are being laid through our aprtment complex. You just sense
bustling everywhere."
Friday, November 2, 2007
Bad News Good News
The bad news is
that E. Stanley O'Neal, left, the African-American CEO of Merrill Lynch is being forced out of his job. And it looks
like another African-American, Richard Parsons, CEO at Time Warner is under pressure to step down also. The good news
is, however, that these moves highlight the fact that there are an impressive number of African-Americans who hold top positions
in large and important companies in America -- in start contrast to the situation a mere generation ago. Some of these
outstanding black executives are Keneth Chenault, CEO of American Express; Don Thompson, president of McDonalds USA; Ronald
Williams, CEO of Aetna; James Bell, CFO of Boeing; Aylwin Lewis, CEO of Sears; Ursula Burns, president of Xerox; John
Thompson, CEO of Symantec [I bought my first computer from Symantec 20 years ago]; Lloyd Trotter, president of GE Industrials;
and Clarence Otis, Jr., CEO of Darden.
10:23 am edt
Thursday, November 1, 2007
All Saints Day
All Saints Day is
celebrated mainly by Roman Catholics, but also by Anglicans and some Protestants, such as English Wesleyans, and Swedish
Lutherans. (Greek Orthodox celebrate All Saints day the first Sunday after Pentecost.)
For most of my life
I have used the occasion of All Saints Day to reflect on certain heroic figures who have influenced my life.
Early on were the missionaries David Livingstone (sub-saharan Africa) and Hudson Taylor (inland China). Later came men
such as Toyohiko Kagama, a Japanese Christian social activist; Albert Schweitzer, who left a prominent career in Germany to
minister to leprosy patients in Africa; Mahatma Gandhi, who disdained war and promoted non-violent solutions to some of life's
most intractable problems; and Harriet Tubman, a Christian lady who led slaves to freedom.
On another
subject: note that my book, What About the Cross? is available from Borders.com and at their bookstores.
On the Borders web site you will find the book available at slightly lower prices (lower enough to cover shipping) from The
Book Depository and other sites.
10:44 am edt
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