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Review: Unclobber – Rethinking Our Misuse Of The Bible On Homosexuality

May 2, 2024 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

It's intellectually lazy to reference the Bible and dismiss it at the same time.

Deliberation Or Pugilism
Which Is The Better Way
To Find An Answer

Finally!!

A much needed book focused on what the Bible actually says and how a more informed reading should lead us away from the anti-woke doctrines of prominent Catholic politicians.

No, the book doesn’t focus on Catholics or Catholicism. In fact, I don’t remember the words Catholic or Catholicism mentioned at all in the book.

That bit is an add-on by me but an accurate one since Catholics have dominated the discussion regarding acceptable sexual/moral norms for centuries. It’s also true that several vociferous Catholics presently holding significant positions of power are pushing their doctrines on an unwilling public. A public that largely rejects these ideas.

Consider the fact that Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, both governors of two large influential states, both Catholics and both representing the more intolerable version of the Catholic Church. And both aggressively pushing a Republican Party first and anti-woke agenda more unbendingly, irrationally and demandingly than good sense, or the law, allows.

Their leadership is inquisition-like, only with a little less blood shed, as far as we can tell.

DeSantis’ strident form is easily understood once you learn how committed his family is to Catholicism. With an aunt who’s a nun and an uncle who’s a priest, how can he demonstrate an equal level of commitment other than by damning anything and anyone who oversteps the Church’s boundaries, all from high political office. Abbott can’t claim such pedigree so we can only attribute his asininity to a stubborn nature.

You may know this but the Supreme Court is also loaded with Catholics.

But I digress. Back to the book.

There were several reasons I enjoyed this book and hardily recommend it to others. [Read more…] about Review: Unclobber – Rethinking Our Misuse Of The Bible On Homosexuality

Filed Under: Bible Study, Book Reviews, Interpretation

What Are The Implications Of Inspiration

February 25, 2024 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Interpretation Is The Process
That Renders The Actions
Of An Inspired Text
Into Meaning

Those who believe the Bible will often justify their belief by pointing out the fact that the text of the Bible is inspired. The argument is you can’t or shouldn’t easily dismiss an inspired text, and I would agree entirely.

Because it’s an inspired text, we should take every passage of scripture seriously but we also must be cautious. Accepting it as inspired and applying it literally, at face value, are two very different things.

For the purposes of this post, Inspiration is understood to mean the text is God breathed or arranged. In other words, the text reads the way God intended. It says what He wanted it to say.

And we have statements in the Bible that reinforce that idea.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction is righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16 & 17)

Another passage lending force to the idea is 2 Peter 1:21.

The prophecy (Old Testament scriptures) came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost

The Timothy passage refers more to the outcome of inspiration, the benefits that can be derived from studying it carefully, while the Peter passage focuses on the process, how it actually came to be.

But what does that really mean? How far do we take the idea of inspiration? I don’t question inspiration but I do question how people use the idea when attempting to apply the Bible to life.

If you want to get the right perspective on inspiration, there are several implications to consider. [Read more…] about What Are The Implications Of Inspiration

Filed Under: Bible Study, Interpretation

Review: The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

September 21, 2023 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Truth, like food, is better received when better prepared.

A Clanging Cymbal Expresses Adamance
Not Meaning

Before the Scopes trial, which ultimately was a debate between creation and evolution, William Jennings Bryan famously said, “if evolution wins, Christianity goes.”

He, like many other absolutists before and after him, was wrong. In the end, neither side could claim victory and Christianity hasn’t gone anywhere.

But it makes you wonder. How many other tightly held biblical ideas could be moderated without destroying faith and the Christian community?

The truth is Faith isn’t easily obliterated and science is not static. I believe in a young earth and a seven day creation but I know I can’t prove those ideas any more than evolutionists can conclusively prove the 13.7 billion year history they claim for the earth.

When conflicts like this occur, the only reasonable response is to respect the rights of others to think differently, share in the discussion and keep digging for facts. Both sides keep digging but the sharing part resembles a barrage of artillery shells flying both ways. Everyone is firing and ducking.

Instead of clarifying, the discussion separates and divides. Neither side seems to understand that ideas aren’t weapons and would be better used to stimulate thought than cause injury.

I understand how uncomfortable some ideas can be but I still find it difficult to refuse the discussion.

Before you walk away, remember that religionists are often the unreasonable party. They don’t argue, they dismiss. Religious conservatives, like the Catholics who put Galileo under house arrest for teaching the earth revolved around the sun, accept only compliance and obedience. Arguments, any arguments, are viewed as an offense against God and there is a long history of burning opposing ideas at the stake.

I’m saying that as one who was raised in religious conservatism. I learned the doctrines well and zealously complied but compelling ideas should never be ignored even if those ideas seem to rub faith the wrong way.

We should never be satisfied to ignore those ideas and always be open to new arguments and perspectives.

The question is where do you find those arguments. [Read more…] about Review: The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

Filed Under: Bible Study, Book Reviews, Philosophy

9 Reasons You Won’t Find God At The Center Of Government

July 21, 2023 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

What's the difference between atheistic totalitarianism and theistic totalitarianism.

Any Kind of Totalitarianism Is Abusive
And Democracy Is The Correction

There’s really no difference between Atheistic and Theistic totalitarianism but before we discuss the two, a clarification.

The question here is not does God have a place in government but exactly how does He fit in.

  • Is He completely uninvolved as if He didn’t exist?
  • Is He in complete control imposing His rule and will on every aspect of human life?
  • Or does He provide the necessary information to enable us to figure things out as we go.

Those are the only three options, two of which are totalitarian. [Read more…] about 9 Reasons You Won’t Find God At The Center Of Government

Filed Under: Bible Study, Christian Living, Law

Book Release: Calvinism’s Fallacies by Ennis Pepper

March 13, 2023 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Calvinism's Fallacies: Why The Gospel Applies To Anyone, Anywhere, At Any Time, Under Any Circumstance

Calvinism’s Fallacies: Why The Gospel Applies To Anyone, Anywhere, At Any Time, Under Any Circumstance

Calvinim’s Fallacies is available for free through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program but the ebook version can also be purchased at Amazon inexpensively for just $2.99.

This book is not so much about Calvinism as it is a response to Calvinism. Since Calvinism grates against fairness and logic to begin with and has proven very difficult to clearly and rationally explain, it wouldn’t make sense to write another book on that topic.

To be sure, there are plenty of books attempting to explain or teach Calvinism and if you read them all, you would still be in the dark. Apart from the terminology (called, chosen, elect, predestined, grace, etc.), which everyone accepts, calvinists and non-calvinists alike, there is no thread of agreement. The acronym, TULIP, is a good example.

The acronym represents the five points of Calvinistic teaching, which on the surface seems to focus the thinking and coalesce disparate ideas, but when you read through explanations for each point, you find a range of variations as broad as the Gulf of Mexico and the reasoning for the differences, if you could call it that, as long as the Mississippi.

The intention here is not to explain Calvinism but rather to point out an entirely different perspective on terms like elect and predestined. There are, of course, other books that have attempted this also but those voices are drowned out by all the celebrating over being specially chosen while everyone else goes to hell. Hence, one more book to add a different perspective to a well worn discussion. Hopefully you find it clear and concise enough to be helpful.

This book only shares a few anecdotes on the historical effect of Calvinism but an extensive study on that topic could settle the question for most people. The interesting truth is Calvinism wasn’t institutionalized till John Calvin gave it academic weight in His Institutions. It didn’t take strong hold till it settled into the American northeast with the Pilgrims. Maybe that will be the next book.

Filed Under: Bible Study, Evangelism, Salvation

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