Israel AND a Palestinian state?

The Tables Have Turned. I am honestly very surprised about who is supporting this but tell me your thoughts. This is quite a difference from Rev. John Hagee. Honestly I do not involve myself deeply into politics- I am just a cynic from the distance, but this is important.
Coalition of Evangelicals Voices Support for Palestinian State

Homosexuality and the Gay Gene

I've been really trying to understand homosexuality at a different level this year from different perspectives. I had many discussions and read quite a few books at L'Abri dealing with the "Biblical View" (which was across the board) as well as studies being done on homosexuality and the genetic make-up of humanity. I still do not have any clear answers, but I have made some conclusions for the present. I do know as a church, regardless of who you are, we need to show people to Christ. It is not up to us to change people into what we think they should be. If that is the case, then we are putting ourselves in the seat of God.

To dialog about these issues is great, especially when you are actually listening in that dialog. One book that was very helpful in understanding some of the science behind it all is Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate, by Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse.

Here are some other blogs that I believe do a good job in opening discussion on the issues:
Average Joe's Corner (July 11th and 27th posts)
Mindful Mission any article on homosexuality

Put On Your Critical Thinking Cap

Anyone interested in a controversial Bible passage?

Read Exodus 32:1 - 33:6. (Pay close attention to "the Lord.")

I'd certainly be curious to hear any thoughts.

Theological Straight-Jackets

I'm currently taking a summer intensive course entitled "The Gospels." This has included an historical overview of the political, social and economic survey of the Mediterranean world around the time of Christ. It has also included analysis and review of extra-biblical Gospels.

And I have been eating it up!!!!

My professor, Dr. Craig Evans, a New Testament scholar, speaks on tangent regularly about what he terms "theological straight-jackets." Simply put, theological ideas that lead to "mistaken expectations of the nature and function of Scripture" (31)

One such idea that he raises (with much discussion and controversy in class) is the idea of inerrancy. Here's what he writes in his book, Fabricating Jesus (pages 29, 31):

Peter and the rest of the apostles proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus. (See Acts 2:22-24) For them this was the good news, this was conclusive evidence that God was at work in the ministry and person of Jesus of Nazareth. Peter didn't stand up and proclaim, "Men of Israel, I have good news; the Bible is verbally inspired and therefore inerrant and, moreover, the Gospels can be harmonized."... It was the reality of the resurrection and its impact on those who heard and responded to it in faith that propelled the new movement forward, not "mistake-free" Scripture... [People] need to be told that in the first ten to fifteen years of the existence of the church, not one book of the New Testament was in existence. Nevertheless, the church grew fast and furious, without benefit of a New Testament or the Gospels (inerrant or otherwise).

I repeat: The truth of the Christian message hinges not on the inerrancy of Scripture or on our ability to harmonize the four Gospels but on the resurrection of Jesus. And the historical reliability of the Gospels does not hinge on the inerrancy of Scripture or on proof that no mistake of any kind can be detected in them.

This has sure been thought-provoking for me.

Montaña De Oro

We went camping this past weekend with our friends Erik and Jenny to one of our favorite places on earth... central California state park Montaña De Oro. Here are a few pictures.

The geological layers of crust jut almost straight out of the ocean vertically making a totally unique, rigid coastline.


We camp in an environmental campsite up on a bluff around no other campers. You can hear the constant quiet roar of the ocean in the distance. The only signs of life are the potential campers at the other environmental site on a different ridge about a half mile away. It's awesome!