Mike Wittmer

Month: November 2009

  • evangelicals and roman catholicism

    In light of the comments on my last post, I think that some of you may appreciate Doug Philips’ interview with Chris Castaldo, who recently published Holy Ground, a book which explains his conversion from Roman Catholicism to evangelicalism.  Doug’s interview probes the essential issue of justification, and how it is presently held by Roman…

  • the manhattan project

    In light of our recent discussion about homosexual practice, I thought that you might want to know about and even sign The Manhattan Declaration, a joint statement from Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christians (it was written by Robert George, Timothy George, and Chuck Colson) which defends our religious freedom to live by the teaching…

  • designated pagans

    Matthew Westerholm sent me this link to an atheistic organization that is meeting a real need.  For $110, Eternal Earth-Bound Pets will rush to your house within 24 hours of the rapture and rescue your beloved pet which is left behind.  The only flaw in their business model is that many dispensationalist pretribbers were taught…

  • cuts both ways

    Sometimes I’m told that I shouldn’t be critical of Pete Rollins for denying revelation and the resurrection of Christ because his message can reach people that I can’t.  My response is that’s probably true, but what message is he reaching people with?  It does no good to jump into the quicksand to rescue your friend…

  • eternal subordination in Barth

    Many complementarians ground their belief in male headship in the authority-submission structure of the Trinity.  As Paul writes, “the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:3).  A growing number of egalitarians (e.g., Kevin Giles, Scot McKnight) accuse these…

  • two items of interest

    Driving at dusk in West Michigan in November is a bit like being dropped into a game of Frogger.  The deer are rutting and running this time of year, and last week a buck sprinted across the road right in front of my little car.  Unless that happens tonight, my 1990 Honda CRX will turn…

  • sexual sins

    Thank you for your provocative and helpful comments on my previous post (“three questions”) concerning homosexual practice.  I learned from you that churches and religious organizations are legally allowed to discriminate against practicing homosexuals and that no, there is no solid ground for a gay-friendly redefinition of marriage. I didn’t think I needed to say…

  • Bach and Freddy

    If you enjoy history you will love James Gaines’ Evening in the Palace of Reason.  I picked this up on the advice of Gene Veith, who said that you should put down whatever it is you are doing and read this book.  I happened to be grading papers at the time, so I did. This…

  • three questions

    Perhaps in part because of the recent election, the past week produced another round of finger wagging at conservatives who oppose gay marriage.  From the religion columnist of the Grand Rapids Press to Newsweek and Jon Stewart, we were reminded again that we are mean-spirited, afraid, stupid, and hopelessly out of date. I support the…

  • this conversation is really over

    Al Mohler has an interesting review of John Franke’s new book, Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth. Franke’s book seems to align with the emergent author I mentioned in “this conversation is over.”  Indeed, that author cites Franke’s book as support for viewing the Bible as our community library rather than our constitutional authority. Reading…