This week Christianity Today ran a short article commemorating the 100th birthday of its deceased founder, Carl F.H. Henry. Henry is worthy of memory; aside from the aforementioned magazine, he gave us Fuller Theological Seminary and he was a key signatory on the Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy. He was passionately engaged in both doctrine and Christian work. Henry is largely a microcosm of the shift from early 20th-century “fundamentalism” (a rather vague term) to where...
Nothing gets me giddy like going to an academic conference. For those who are involved in the academic study of the bible/theology/religion like myself, the big event – “conference time” – takes place in mid-November with the annual meetings of ETS/IBR/SBL/AAR. It is always a blast to present and listen to papers, meet new people, connect with old friends, and do a bit of traveling too. But it’s this last part – traveling – that can make...
On a recent visit to Reality San Francisco, I couldn’t help but feel that a large movement had begun throughout their community. Though there was over a thousand people in attendance, it was easy to feel the small community within the Mission District Middle School that Sunday morning. Usually Reality SF holds more services, but in January they are trying “slow church” – one service, the whole body, and lots of good vibes. As I...
As the New Year is approaching, I cannot help but to remember my past and stand in awe of God. June 2013 will mark my ten-year anniversary of being a Christian, and August 2013 will bring my 30th birthday! Spending the entirety of my twenties figuring out life as a Christ follower has been challenging, rewarding, and completely life altering. 2013 will also bring the opportunity to be a full-time writer here at The Two...
Was Jesus always nice? OK, so it’s not the deepest theological question we’ve ever tackled here at The Two Cities. But it’s an important one. Because, above all, the world expects Christians to be nice. Forget about holiness, evangelism and social justice. Just be nice. But if Christians bear any resemblance to Christ (and we should), we won’t always be nice—at least not by man’s standard. Spend a little time with your Bible and you’ll...
Allow me to introduce myself. First and foremost, I’m a sinner saved by grace. I’m a husband and a father. I’ve been a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, deacon and elder. I served in the Air Force for thirty years. I was a three-sport letterman in high school, played college football, and played seven years of football overseas while in the Air Force. I like sports, action movies, being in control, and I would never...
My name is Donna, and I’d like to tell you about my son. Bryan is my second child, coming four years after his big brother, Jayson, and on his dad’s 31st birthday. He didn’t have a swollen and scrunched up face like some newborns, but was beautiful from the very beginning. His paternal grandfather was from Mexico and his maternal grandmother was from Ireland, and he has the features and temperaments of both cultures. As...
Since publishing my article “I’m (Kinda Sorta Yeah Not Really) Gay” last month, I’ve received a lot of follow-up questions. Not so much about the article, but about the specifics of my struggle with same-sex attraction. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions. When did you realize you were, you know, gay? If you dig through my memory box, you’ll find a piece of paper decorated with hearts and a little stick figure....
People wonder if I’m gay. I know because kids in school used to ask me. When I replied with silence, they called me a fag and went on their way. If bullies wondered about my sexuality, then so did family, friends, people at church. They were probably just too afraid (or too nice) to ask. I’ve had years to think about it: if someone asked if I’m gay, how would I answer? Saying “no” risks...
Every fan of Harry Potter has envisioned themselves as belonging to one of the four houses of Hogwarts. Ask any fan and they’ll tell you. For myself, I know I am not courageous enough to be Gryffindor and so I’ve always identified with Ravenclaw; not because I am particularly drawn to characters from Ravenclaw — such as Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, or Prof. Flitwick — but because of their emphasis on academics. For a guy...
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