Parchment & Pen Blog

Last week nearly 10,000 people invaded the French Quarter of New Orleans for a three-day conference. It wasn’t a convention of Mardi Gras mask-makers, a congregation of Bourbon Street miscreants, or an assembly of Hustler devotees. No, this was the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. This is a collective of the world’s [...]

I have been talking a lot about being passionate, yet cool, calm, and understanding when contending for the truth. I have also said that you can quickly disqualify your voice with rhetoric that lacks tact (especially today). I think we have a lot of people out there who have good theology but terrible tact. Hence, [...]

1. The site is changing servers. Therefore, there will not be much activity here for the next week or so. (We are scared we will lose it). 2. Tonight, you are invited to www.livestream.com/reclaimingthemind to join our live theology session. It will be a Converse with Scholars as, author, professor at DTS, and pastor Dr. Mark [...]

Recently, I had the opportunity to deliver a 15-minute sermon at a preaching lab that is part of a Student Fellowship that I am affiliated with on campus.  Once a month, 2 students are given the opportunity to preach, encourage fellow students and get critiqued by an alumnus with several years preaching experience.  So in [...]

Added to the “. . . And Other Stupid Statements” series. Albert Einstein once said “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing . . . so is a lot.” I have been in discussions with a gentleman who reads this blog and, occasionally, will take one of my theology courses. The main topic of discussion [...]

I remember many years ago talking with a friend of mine about another friend. There was something about this guy that we did not like, but we could not put our finger on it. We knew this: He made us uncomfortable. He made things stuffy. You really did not know what to say when he [...]

Revised, updated and massively expanded. (Please note: these are not really meant to be serious. This in no way reflects my doctrine—don’t go there. Lighten-up! After all, it is categorized under “funny”). 1. “Heads bowed, eyes closed . . .”: During a church service, you may hear a preacher abruptly break into this unexpected dialogue with [...]

“The devil took him [Jesus] up into an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.” – Matthew 4:8 What is being communicated here? It seems rather bizzare. How could Satan have shown Christ all of the kingdoms of the earth from a single mountin? There [...]

As of today (November 15, 2009), there’s a Christmas sale at New Testament Textual Criticism (www.nttextualcriticism.com). Video DVDs are going for $7.50 each or 2 for $10 through the end of the year (a 25% to 33% savings), and the lifetime subscription to the TC Chart Timesaver has dropped from $40 to $30, also through [...]

For my Introduction to Theology students, both online and at the Credo House: I am thoroughly orthodox. No, not Eastern with a capital “O”, but orthodox, meaning that I believe all the right things—well . . . at least I think I am. But, really, it depends on how one defines “orthodox.” What does it [...]

I have a confession to make.  I am not fond of women’s ministry programs.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my sisters in Christ and enjoy fellowshipping with them.  But programs that involve some type of teaching, such as workshops or conferences, generally don’t appeal to me.  Why?  In my experience, gatherings to hear teaching [...]

If you consider yourself a non-Trinitarian believer in Jesus, do I have a challenge for you! With the permission and support of Michael Patton, I am proposing a formal debate on this blog on the subject of the doctrine of the Trinity, to be conducted over a six-week period (beginning sometime after the New Year; scheduling is [...]