On a tour of Jordan, as our bus made its way north from Petra to Amman, the guide kept touting the great lunch awaiting us in the capital with the words, “Many salads!” This puzzled us until we realized that, in a desert region, an abundance of leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, and cucumbers was a […]
Water and Shade in a Thirsty, Sun-Baked Land Read Post »
One afternoon in a Chicago used bookstore, I ran across a booklet with the intriguing title, Britain in Prophecy.1 I’d heard about something called “British Israelism” and of some connections with Herbert W. Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God. I was curious, so I plunked down my $6.00. The author, Brian Williams, told this story: The
So England Is Populated by the Lost Tribe of Ephraim? Read Post »
Numerous Christian reviewers have pointed out that Darren Aronofsky’s movie Noah “takes liberties” with the biblical story of Noah. Indeed, the Bible doesn’t record any giant lava monsters, stowaways on the ark, or sacred serpent-skin relics. But the problem with Noah goes deeper than simply an imaginative portrayal of the details. Aronofsky fundamentally shifts the
What’s Wrong with Noah? Read Post »
It’s the most exciting time of the year for college basketball fans in America: the Final Four. This weekend, they will don their team’s colors and expend no small amount of energy cheering as the last four teams alive battle for a national championship. Amid this excitement, I heard a radio host in Kentucky (where
Does God Care About the Final Four? Read Post »
Through the years, Hollywood has done a lot of theology—both good and bad—whether in Ben Hur, It’s a Wonderful Life, Bruce Almighty, Chariots of Fire, or Lord of the Rings. But they also packed of lot of it into a single evening at the Academy Awards, in the acceptance speeches and follow-up interviews. Here’s a
Theology at the Oscars Read Post »
The United States has long illustrated the truth of Proverbs 14:34, which says that “righteousness exalts a nation.” Though far from perfect, America historically has upheld biblical standards of justice and liberty, and consequently enjoyed God’s blessing. A contributing factor to the nation’s virtue doubtless has been the devotion of its presidents to the Bible,
Presidential Devotion to the Bible Read Post »
