Around the Horn

At first, if there are any still buying the canard that Calvinism is driven by logic and the alternatives are not, these two articles by Roger Olson on High Calvinism and a Followup to it should put that to rest. Olson is an Armininian who knows enough about theology to know what that means. Most Arminians don’t know enough to know they are Arminian, and not a few are actually Pelagian. Olson’s point is driven, not by Scripture, but by logic, namely, God can’t be something because Olson’s mind can’t comprehend how he can be that something. It’s a bad way to go about things, when the smaller determines what the bigger can be based on what fits into the smaller mind. That’s not to say Olson is a small mind. It’s to say that he is human, and the finite cannot sit in judgment on the infinite.

At second, here’s an interesting article an interesting article by a historian who is claiming that “being gay” is a modern notion, not a biological one. It’s worth a read, perhaps particularly because it is not from a religious perspective. Why does that matter? Because even non religious people believe that homosexuality is not biological.

At third, here’s an interesting article on urban church planting. On the one hand, there is some good stuff here. On the other hand, I wonder if this doesn’t actually perpetuate some racial ideas that might increase or at least continue racial tension. In addition, I am not sure it wrestles adequately with theological issues involved. Perhaps I will write more on that later. Until then, read it and consider it.

Last today, here’s a sobering collection of color photos from the German prison camp Dachau taken by Hitler’s personal photographer in 1950. Only our collective memories will prevent repeat of history. And has that last sixty years of history have shown, our collective memories have failed. Whether it’s Russia, southeast Asia, the Balkans, Sudan, or American, the killing fields continue. At least today, the pictures of Dachau are considered acceptable. In America, the pictures of our own Holocaust are ruled to gruesome for public consumption. How strange it is.

Around the Horn

At first, Carl Trueman brings it strong here and here on celebrity pastors and particularly Mark Driscoll. He has done this before, even showing up at what is probably the largest gathering of celebrity pastors to defend himself. It’s worth reading. (Ironically, one of the commenters at First Things talked of having to choose between evangelicalism and Presbyterianism, so he left evangelicalism and chose the PC-USA. I think that probably says more than he intended it to. But I digress … )

At second, here’s a good article raising a very legitimate point about Roe, namely, why do mothers have the right but fathers do not? Why can mothers kill their babies because of future costs, but fathers cannot? Why are fathers prosecuted as murderers for doing the same thing that mothers do with immunity?

At third, here’s an old article by Thomas Sowell on writing. It is both instructive and amusing. And it has relevance for preaching as well, such as when he says, “Jaw-breaking words often cover up very sloppy thinking.”

Lastly, here’s a long, disturbing, thought-provoking, and interesting article from a series of interviews with the father of Newtown killer Adam Lanza. It’s hard to imagine, to fathom, and to understand what happened, and how a father lives with it. This doesn’t help any of that, but it gives some insight into all of it.