Southern Seminary – Blogs

What makes evangelicalism evangelical? A new book joins the argument

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:45:07 +0000

The evangelical movement in America emerged in the twentieth century as conservative Protestants sought to perpetuate an intentional continuity with biblical Christianity. While the roots of the movement can be traced through centuries prior to its emergence in twentieth century America, its organizational shape appeared mainly in the years after World War II. And, as anyone who considers the movement with a careful eye understands, evangelical definition has been a central preoccupation of the movement from the moment of its inception.

Is God a Problem? Modern Theology Faces its Alternatives

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:21:29 +0000

The Christian Century, the venerable voice of liberal Protestantism, juxtaposed two significant obituaries in its August 23, 2011 edition — and both on the same page. The magazine published a respectful obituary of evangelical titan John R. W. Stott, identifying him as “a renowned and prolific author credited with shaping 20th-century evangelical Christianity.”

The Culture of Death Grows Desperate: War Declared on Crisis Pregnancy Centers

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:44:31 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court’s declaration of war upon the unborn in its infamous 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade, caught most conservative Christians unprepared and unaware. This shock to the nation’s conscience required Christians and other pro-life activists to develop arguments, strategies, and organizations in order to confront the Culture of Death and the legalized killing of the unborn.

Reparative therapy, homosexuality and the gospel of Jesus Christ

achanbury — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:18:01 +0000

Each U.S. presidential election cycle brings its own set of unexpected issues, and the 2012 race already offers one topic of controversy that truly sets it apart — a debate over forms of therapy that attempt to change an individual’s sexual orientation.

Known as reparative therapy or sexual orientation conversion therapy, these approaches seek to assist individuals to change their sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. The cultural and political debate over reparative therapy emerged when a clinic run by Marcus Bachmann, husband of Republican candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann, was accused of offering treatment and counseling intended to change sexual orientation.

The Empire State’s moral revolution: New York State legalizes same-sex marriage

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:12:19 +0000

The legal, social, moral, and political maps of America were redefined last Friday night as the New York State Senate voted 33-29 to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. The State Assembly had already approved the measure, leaving the Republican-controlled Senate the last battleground on the marriage issue. Shortly after the Senate approved the measure, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law.

Adoption, Identity, and Kung-Fu Panda

Russell D. Moore — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:04:35 +0000

My shoulders tensed up, as I looked over at my sons, eating popcorn in the seats next to me. It’s not that I didn’t think there would ever be a film that might unearth some awkward and potentially traumatic family conversations. It’s just that I didn’t expect it would be Kung-Fu Panda Two.

The Church and the ‘Clobber Scriptures’ — The Bible on Homosexuality

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:59:13 +0000

Is the Church guilty of beating people with the Bible? As strange as that argument might sound, it is actually a powerful weapon in the hands of those who are determined to normalize homosexuality and same-sex marriage within the Church. Those pushing for the acceptance of homosexuality now argue that Christians opposed to that agenda are “clobbering” sinners with the biblical text.

The End is Near? The False Teaching of Harold Camping

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:38:09 +0000

Harold Camping is now warning the world that the Day of Judgment will begin at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The 89-year-old founder of Family Radio has made such pronouncements before, most recently in 1994. He now says that he simply miscalculated then, but he is absolutely certain that he has the right calculation now. You have been warned.

Killing Off Marriage? Dr. Ablow Reports — You Decide

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:43:45 +0000

Dr. Keith Ablow thinks that marriage is “a source of real suffering for the vast majority of married people.” As a matter of fact, that is only one of the accusations Ablow hurls against marriage before eventually calling for its demise. Marriage, he insists, is a dying institution — and he celebrates its death.

Osama Bin Laden and the Terror of Narcissism

Russell D. Moore — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:41:06 +0000

Osama Bin Laden was wicked. Osama Bin Laden was feared. He was also, it turns out, kind of pathetic. Among the items American forces pulled out of the terrorist leader’s compound last week are videos of Bin Laden, wrapped in a blanket, watching himself on television. As ABCNews reports, the warlord is seen to be “a vain pathetic old man.”

“If this is what God intended, so be it” — The persecuted church in China

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:30:56 +0000

The church is known as Shouwang, or the Lighthouse. It is located in Beijing, but it does not have a building. What it does have is enemies — and chief among them is the Chinese government. As The New York Times reports, the Shouwang Church is a so-called house church, even though its membership and attendance would outstrip any residence. The key issue is that Shouwang is one of China’s thousands of unregistered churches. This is true, even though Shouwang has applied for registration.

Why the insomnia of Jesus matters to us

Russell D. Moore — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:29:19 +0000

When the disciples screamed in the face of a storm, Jesus slept (Mk. 4:37-38). When Jesus screamed in the face of a cross, the disciples slept (Mk. 14:37,41). Why could Jesus sleep so peacefully through a life-threatening sea-storm, and yet is awake all night in the olive garden before his arrest, crying out in anguish? Why are the disciples pulsing with adrenaline as the ship is tossed about on the Galilee Lake, but drifting off to slumber as the most awful conspiracy in human history gets underway?

The misplaced aims of the tiger mother

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:22:12 +0000

Are Chinese mothers superior? Amy Chua clearly believes so, and her argument has just as clearly caught the attention of the American public. Chua’s book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, has made The New York Times bestseller list for the past ten weeks. This mom struck a raw nerve. Chua, the John M. Duff Professor of Law at Yale Law School, fired her first shot with a column published in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” It was a shot heard around the world — especially by other moms.

Why is Hell forever?

Russell D. Moore — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:37:36 +0000

For the past several weeks, evangelical Christians have spent a lot of time talking about Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins, in which he seeks to redefine the Christian doctrine of hell. As others have noted, Bell’s argument is not new at all. But Bell’s central point is always relevant. One of his questions weighs particularly heavily. Why, if there is a hell, is it forever? The idea of eternal hell weighs heavily on the heart, as we think of those we know and love apart from Christ. Sometimes a devilish desire to condemn (”You will not surely die”) is behind a denial of future judgment, but sometimes the human motive is just the unbearable gravity of it all.

We have seen all this before: Rob Bell and the (Re)emergence of liberal theology

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:04:20 +0000

The novelist Saul Bellow once remarked that being a prophet is nice work if you can get it. The only problem, he suggested, is that sooner or later a prophet has to speak of God, and at that point the prophet has to speak clearly. In other words, the prophet will have to speak with specificity about who God is, and at that point the options narrow. For the last twenty years or so, a movement identified as emerging or emergent Christianity has done its determined best to avoid speaking with specificity. Leading figures in the movement have offered trenchant criticisms of mainstream evangelicalism.

Doing away with Hell? Part two

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:02:40 +0000

The doctrine of hell has recently come under vicious attack, both from secularists and even from some evangelicals. In many ways, the assault has been a covert one. Like a slowly encroaching tide, a whole complex of interrelated cultural, theological, and philosophical changes have conspired to undermine the traditional understanding of hell. Yesterday, we considered the first and perhaps most important of those changes — a radically altered view of God. But other issues have played a part, as well.

God, Freedom, and “The Adjustment Bureau”

Russell D. Moore — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:31:10 +0000

If you view the trailer for new film “The Adjustment Bureau,” you might wonder if you’ve seen this movie before. You have, kind of. The thriller follows the same narrative pathways as such previous films as “The Matrix,” “The Truman Show,” and “Inception.” Of course, Hollywood never makes the same movie only once, if that movie makes money, so this is hardly surprising. The question is why do movies about escaping from an illusory universe, of recapturing the humanity of free will, seem to resonate with filmmakers and moviegoers?

Doing away with Hell? Part one

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:33:56 +0000

After reviewing the rise of the modern age, the Italian literary critic Piero Camporesi commented, “We can now confirm that hell is finished, that the great theatre of torments is closed for an indeterminate period, and that after 2000 years of horrifying performances the play will not be repeated. The long triumphal season has come to an end.” Like a play with a good run, the curtain has finally come down, and for millions around the world, the biblical doctrine of hell is but a distant memory. For so many persons in this postmodern world, the biblical doctrine of hell has become simply unthinkable.

Mardi Gras culture in Bible belt America

Russell D. Moore — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:32:14 +0000

I grew up in a quirky little strip of south Mississippi, more New Orleans than Tupelo, at the bottom of the Bible Belt. With a Baptist church in a Catholic majority culture, and with half my family on both sides of that religious divide, I saw the best sides of either, and the dark sides of both. Around me I saw Catholic casino night fundraisers and Baptist business meetings and neither looked much like the Book of Acts. When it came to the divide between Catholics and evangelicals, we knew there were some big differences which resulted in the Protestant Reformation and all, but, day to day those differences seemed to my friends and me to amount to little more than who had a black spot on the their foreheads once a year and whose parents drank beer right out in the open.

Honk if you love anti-Christian bumper stickers

Russell D. Moore — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:44:39 +0000

To get to my favorite coffee shop here in Louisville, I pass a lot of bumper stickers intended to make people like me angry. One of them says “Born Okay the First Time.” Another says “If You Don’t Like Abortion, Don’t Have One.” And, of course, there are several of the Darwin fish, those metallic signs with the early Christian symbol sprouting legs.

Adultery Incorporated — The Infidelity Industry

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:40:52 +0000

“Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment.” That is the declaration of Noel Biderman, a Toronto businessman who wants to sell you an adulterous affair. As the current cover story of Bloomberg Businessweek reveals, Mr. Biderman is doing a great deal of business.

The magazine describes AshleyMadison.com as “the premier ‘dating’ website for aspiring adulterers.” Biderman says he came up with the idea after serving as an agent for professional athletes. That job required him to negotiate around the adulterous affairs of his clients. Biderman came to the conclusion that adultery could be big business.

The Osteen moment — your own moment will come soon enough

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:25:22 +0000

Joel Osteen didn’t get where he is today by staking out controversial positions on biblical and moral issues. America’s prophet of Your Best Life Now built his reputation and his international following on an updated version of prosperity theology, laced with ample doses of pop psychology. The ever-smiling and effervescent pastor of America’s largest congregation has done his best to avoid association with doctrinal matters. More to the point — he has done his best to avoid talking about sin.

A news report or abortion propaganda?

Denny Burk — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:23:19 +0000

I saw a headline in the Associated Press that caught my eye: “Abortion doesn’t trigger mental distress, says study: Postpartum depression much more of a factor, according to Danish research.” The article attempts to summarize the findings of a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. I have read enough articles like this one to know that you often cannot take these reports at face value. I have now looked at the actual findings from the New England Journal of Medicine. Despite the cheerleading for abortion, it is clear that the AP has gotten this one wrong.

Why Facebook (and your church) might be making you sad

Russell D. Moore — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:20:02 +0000

We’ve been warned that social media can distract us, shorten our attention spans, disconnect us from real-life relationships. Now a new study suggests that Facebook might also be making us miserable. I suspect there’s something to this, and it’s not just about Facebook. It’s about our churches. Slate magazine cites a paper in a social psychology journal that started with an observation about how college students felt more dejected after logging on to Facebook.

No buzzing little fly — Why the creation-evolution debate is so important

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:06:08 +0000

The folks at BioLogos ended the year 2010 by declaring “The Dawning of a New Day.” Darrel Falk, president of The BioLogos Foundation, wrote with both passion and anticipation as he reviewed the past year and the impact of BioLogos on the evangelical scene. If making a splash was their ambition, they certainly achieved it. And yet, Dr. Falk clearly seems frustrated that the task undertaken by BioLogos is so daunting. He reports that BioLogos has “barely begun to deal with the issues in a substantive manner.”

The Christian Worldview as Master Narrative: Creation

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:52:05 +0000

One of the hallmarks of the postmodern age is, as one of its main theorists has explained, “incredulity toward metanarratives.” This reflects the postmodern suspicion of any master explanation of world reality and human experience. But, from beginning to end, biblical Christianity is a master narrative. Biblical Christianity is not only a faith that involves essential truths; it is the story of God’s purpose to redeem humanity and to bring glory to himself.

Who Needs Marriage? TIME Asked the Question — Do You Have an Answer?

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:48:56 +0000

“When an institution so central to human experience suddenly changes shape in the space of a generation or two, it’s worth trying to figure out why.” Belinda Luscombe of TIME magazine made that observation in the course of reporting on a major study of marriage undertaken by TIME and the Pew Research Center. In the cover story for the magazine’s Nov. 29, 2010 edition, Luscombe summarizes their findings with a blunt statement: “What we found is that marriage, whatever its social, spiritual, or symbolic appeal, is in purely practical terms just not as necessary as it used to be.”

Why I’m Ungrateful

Russell D. Moore — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:35:29 +0000

“If I hear the word ‘Daddy’ again, I’m going to scream!” I heard myself saying those words. And, in my defense, it was loud around here. I was trying to work on something, and all I could hear were feet pounding down the stairs with four boys competing with one another to tell me one thing after another. I just wanted five minutes of silence. My vocal chords were still vibrating when an image hit my brain. It was the picture of me, on my face, praying for children.

Latin America: Mission Field, Mission Force

M. David Sills — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:52:51 +0000

I have had the great privilege and challenge of traveling and ministering throughout Latin America over the last eight months. I normally take four to six trips per year to teach or lead mission teams in Ecuador or Peru, but my fall sabbatical has afforded me the rich opportunity to spend some concentrated time in Central and South America. Many thanks to the trustees and administration of SBTS for the sabbatical. Thanks also to the SBTS for the sabbatical. Thanks also to the International Mission Board for the Professors Abroad program that provided a month-long trip to teach in Ecuador and for hosting me in Lima, Peru as I taught some IMB missionaries there.

On Exorcism and Exorcists: An Evangelical View

R. Albert Mohler Jr. — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:30:13 +0000

A flurry of media attention was directed in recent days to a meeting on exorcism organized by Roman Catholic bishops. The meeting was held in Baltimore and the event drew fifty bishops and sixty priests, who learned how to discern of an individual is truly possessed by a demon and how to conduct an exorcism when needed.