Monthly Archives: December 2006

An Inconvenient Proof: A giant ice shelf snaps. Scientists say it is the largest event of its kind in Canada in 30 years and point their fingers at climate change as a major contributing factor. ‘It is consistent with climate change,’ Vincent said, adding that the remaining ice shelves are 90 per cent smaller than when they were first discovered in 1906. ‘We aren’t able to connect all of the dots … but unusually warm temperatures definitely played a major role.’ This ice shelf was the size of 11,000 football fields. Huge. So, I wonder, is Al Gore running in 2008?

John MacArthur shows us all how to miss a good point with proper Christian etiquette. Ah, let’s all long for the good ‘ole days of 1966, shall we? I respect and enjoy the work of Mark Driscoll. I am mystified at the seemingly endless attacks directed toward the guy from ‘in house’ people.

Bill Muehlenberg: Singer and Dawkins are way out of their depth, showing their ignorance about the gospel accounts in particular and theology in general. They really should keep silent on subjects they clearly know so little about. As one Marxist commentator put it, ‘This is why (atheists) invariably come up with vulgar caricatures of religious faith that would make a first-year theology student wince.’ The linked article is a great read and response to the recent “atheist jihad.”

William Penn left his prestigious Anglican family heritage for a less spectacular but obviously more fulfilling Society of Friends (aka the Quakers). King Charles II of England awarded Penn a large section of land in North America to settle a loan debt with Penn’s father. Penn named this large section of land “Pennsylvania.” The government established for the colony by Penn was similar to that of Roger Williams and Providence. Pennsylvania was a colony wherein the freedom of religion, religious toleration, and fair court trials were realities. The atmosphere of Penn’s Pennsylvania was attractive to a variety of religious groups seeking the cessation of religious persecution and hardship. Penn also treated the Indians in the region with fairness. A treaty was drafted between the Quakers and the Indians. Once again, the relationship between democracy and religion as illustrated above is seriously important in American religious life.

William J. Seymour, the son of former slaves, was raised a Baptist. Seymour moved to Houston where he began to visit a holiness based African-American congregation led by Lucy F. Farrow. Lucy F. Farrow was a former governess in the house of Charles F. Parham. Charles Parham was the leader of the Midwestern Apostolic Faith movement. Apostolic Faith was the original name given to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurred in January 1901 in the spiritually rich environment of his Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. This movement would later be recognized as Pentecostalism. Seymour, quite unknowingly, jumped into a literal stream of events of which he would not actually become totally aware until the experience of Spirit infused eruption of the Azusa Street Revival. Black, brown and white Christian worshipers gathered (a miracle in its own right, given the time and situation) at Azusa Street and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. Led by Seymour, they spoke in strange tongues and set off a missional-based Pentecostal revival that lasted for more than three years. This Pentecostal revival has had - and still has - a profound effect upon American Christianity. American Christianity cannot even be seriously discussed if Pentecostalism is not a part of the conversation. This is amazing, given the less than cold reception offered to almost all of the participants of the Azusa Street Revival by members and leaders of their home churches and denominations.