I recently read the interview of bioethicist John Wyatt by Andy Cheung. I am thankful that Dr. Wyatt is working for the cause Christian values. But I must admit at being a little irked at his comment regarding American Evangelical opposition to abortion-on-demand as lacking nuance and leading to harsh and polarizing rhetoric.
A note for your diaries: we have a one-day seminar booked with Derek Tidball on the last Saturday of March. This is open to all students but is especially useful for Masters students because Dr. Tidball will be speaking about the current state of Evangelicalism in the West (special interest for Module 724 on the MA programme).
The subject of evangelicalism and its current expression in the West is likely to be interesting for all students so please consider coming whether you are studying for KYB, Undergraduate or Postgraduate awards. The seminar will be a daytime event with Dr. Tidball giving four lectures. There will be opportunities for questions and answers.
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*The BBC Panorama programme
One of the major arguments used against trapping relates to the number of non-target animals alleged to be harmed during the practice. The argument suggests that it is one thing to harm an animal that one wanted all along, but if the number of unwanted animals that are harmed is so high, then the means to capture the target animal may be too costly (in moral terms) to justify its continued use.
Animal rights protest industry activists know how to exploit the public’s ignorance and prejudices. One of the most successful ways they do is by using the political tactic of divide and conquer. By attacking trapping, animal rights protest industry activists can frequently gain support from sportsmen and sportswomen in opposing trapping. The irony is that these sportspeople think that hunting and fishing are somehow more humane than trapping and therefore immune from the animal rights activists ire.
I have a new poll over at www.calvinlsmith.com (see top right of page) on Christian responses to Israel. So far responses are a little thin, though better than several previous polls. Just eight days left of voting to go, and hoping to analyse and comment on results if enough people vote, so visit the site and get your mates to vote too. I want as wide and varied a set of results as possible.
I’ve mentioned previously the wide-ranging and intense theological debate raging on within Messianic Judaism (MJ) concerning MJ identity, its relationship with the Church and the extent to which Messianic believers ought to be integrated into a church or Torah-observant MJ synagogue. Richard Harvey’s book mentioned in that post has gone some way to mapping out the various expressions of MJ.
For those of you seeking to understand this volatile debate on ecclesiology and how it has fragmented the MJ movement, the Rosh Pina Project is a website where issues such as this, of immense importance to MJ, are debated. There, a post recently sought to highlight a possible link between Mark Kinzer and Jesuit spirituality. Mark Kinzer is author of Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism, a book which has caused considerable debate within the movement concerning its ecclesiology, and who belongs to the Torah-observant wing of MJ. Within this branch of the movement are some who not only declare Messianic believers must fully observe the Mosaic Law, but also the ideal for them is to congregate in a wholly Jewish setting in order to retain their Jewish identity, rather than attend Evangelical congregations where their Jewish identity as believers in Yeshua threatens to be diluted. Many Evangelical believers, both Gentile and Jewish, are uneasy with the ramifications of such a bilateral ecclesiology.
The link to the post on Mark Kinzer and Jesuit spirituality can be found here. But what I found particularly interesting was the debate carried on in the comments section afterwards. It becomes immediately clear how intense and passionate the current debate concerning ecclesiology and identity within MJ actually is.
Update. This post was originally published on my personal blog at www.calvinlsmith.com. Interestingly, in the last paragraph above I point out the intensity of the debate within MJ, but since posting this short piece the debate has continued over at my site on the comments section. Feel free to contribute there. Oh, and take my poll on Christian responses to the State of Israel (see top-right of that page). Only 9 days left to vote.
I recently read the interview of bioethicist John Wyatt by Andy Cheung. I am thankful that Dr. Wyatt is working for the cause Christian values. But I must admit at being a little irked at his comment regarding American Evangelical opposition to abortion-on-demand as lacking nuance and leading to harsh and polarizing rhetoric.
There are many sideways ’swipes’ at the Christian faith which go on in the media throughout the year. But Christmas really seems to bring out the worst in third rate comedians who think they’re being funny or original in mocking the Christmas story. So often in recent years (2009 being no exception), I’ve heard [...]
A survey for the BBC* has found that 73% of people believe friends or relatives of someone who is terminally ill should be able to assist their suicide.
And Terry Pratchett says the UK should set up assisted suicide “tribunals” which may grant people legal permission to end their lives.
So how do you answer the question [...]
A note for your diaries: we have a one-day seminar booked with Derek Tidball on the last Saturday of March. This is open to all students but is especially useful for Masters students because Dr. Tidball will be speaking about the current state of Evangelicalism in the West (special interest for Module 724 on the [...]
I have a new paper on Christian Zionism which was recently delivered to a postgraduate group and which I’ve since been written up and added to my The Church and Israel B.Th. module (it is now posted on that eCampus page). It can also be found here (there is also a PDF version available at [...]