Parchment & Pen Blog

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 [...]

People ask me all the time if I ever think about starting a church. My answer? No, not much. Only about twice per day. I have thought through quite a bit what an “ideal” church looks like. You know the old saying, “once you find the perfect church, you better leave since your presence makes [...]

*Added to the “. . . And Other Stupid Statements” series. Please note:there is intentional overstatement with the title for rhetorical effect. If you don’t like it, there is a good possibility that anything you say can and will be used against you in this blog and eventually turn into an “. . . And Other [...]

My tenth installment into the “. . . And Other Stupid Statements” Series. Premise: We often make heaven such an esoteric place that no one really wants to go there. Since I was young, I was excited about getting to heaven. We all were. I remember when my mother told my older sister, Kristie (yes, my [...]

I probably don’t need to explain what knee-jerk theology is.  We all know it and we all do it, to varying degrees.  Somebody makes a comment or pontification on some doctrinal point or passage in Scripture that is an affront to how we’ve understood it.  The knee-jerk response instantly rebuts, refutes and refuses to acknowledge [...]