Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 323
June 18, 2014
Text and context on women’s ordination
The Australian theologian and Bible scholar John Kleinig said that women’s ordination used to not be a big deal for him–until he studied 1 Corinthians 14 and realized that it is far more forceful on the issue than most people realize. From John Kleinig, Why I Changed My Mind | Blogia.: In connection with his [Read More...]
A liberal changes his mind on the Tea Party
The liberal MNSBC commentator Chris Matthews has declared, “”This looking down our noses at tea party people has got to stop.” He says they have legitimate grievances and are responding to the corruption and dysfunction of the government just like Eastern Europeans did under Communism. From Tony Lee, Chris Matthews: We Must Stop ‘Looking Down [Read More...]
Terrorism by beheading and crucifixion
ISIS has reportedly slaughtered 1700 captives in Iraq, using beheadings and even crucifixions. Experts say the goal is to ramp up the “shock value” of jihadist terrorism. From ISIS, beheadings and the success of horrifying violence – The Washington Post: From beheadings to summary executions to amputations to crucifixions, the terrorist group has become the [Read More...]
June 17, 2014
Baptists discovering toddler baptism
Southern Baptists are concerned that the number of baptisms is way down. (And yet many of their churches are growing. Is it that converts, new members, and the Millennial generation are unwilling today to be baptized?) But one demographic of Baptists is getting baptized in greater and greater numbers: children five and under. That is [Read More...]
On the NBA championship
For the first time, I actually followed the NBA this season. That was due to my Oklahoma nationalism–that being where I grew up–and getting hooked on the Oklahoma City Thunder, with MVP Kevin Durant and company. I had always thought the playoffs, which involve a best-of-seven series on every level with days between games, lasted [Read More...]
US troops sent to defend Baghdad embassy
President Obama is sending 275 back to Iraq to protect the embassy and American personnel from ISIS insurgents. From Obama Is Sending 275 US Troops To Iraq – Business Insider: President Barack Obama is sending 275 U.S. troops to Iraq to “provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad” in [Read More...]
June 16, 2014
Trinity
Yesterday was Trinity Sunday. At our church, we said the Athanasian Creed and a little girl was baptized in that august Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, her name joined to His. What a glorious God we have! Those of you who celebrated that day of the church year, did you gain any [Read More...]
Catholic, Calvinist, and Libertarian
David Brat, the Virginia economics professor who overthrew House Majority leader Eric Cantor in the Republican congressional primary, calls himself a “Calvinist Catholic libertarian.” Let’s hope Pope Francis doesn’t burn him at the stake! But what could that possibly mean? Does that make him, in effect, something like a Lutheran, holding to a sacramental spirituality [Read More...]
Liberal culture & conservative culture
A new Pew study of the political polarization in this country has found some distinct cultural differences between liberals and conservatives. Read about it after the jump, where I also offer some observations and propose something for us to discuss. From Dan Balz, Pew poll: In polarized United States, we live as we vote – [Read More...]
Shi’ite militias defend Baghdad
The U.S. trained and equipped Iraqi army is much bigger and better armed than the ISIS insurgents, but in combat they have been running away in droves. So the chief Shi’ite cleric has called for volunteers and a reconstituting of the militias to fight back against the Sunni insurgents. And that seems to be working. [Read More...]
