By What Authority?
July 31, 2015 By 4 Comments

By What Authority?

On July 18, 1996, an early morning Bible-quoting contest turned ugly in Dadeville, Alabama, ending with one man dead and another fleeing justice. Gabel Taylor, 38, died after being shot in the face. Police are looking for a suspect who was comparing his Bible knowledge with Taylor’s. It was discovered that their disagreement arose because they were quoting different versions of the same passage. The suspect reportedly retrieved his Bible and was angered when he discovered that he had been wrong.

True story. And as sad as this account is, it is not the first time a believer has sought to defend his or her interpretation of Scripture with an angry tirade. We live in a chapter of the Christian story in America that finds many people defending the authority of Scripture in ways that do great damage to the cause of God and the people for whom Christ died. They are the kind of Christians we wouldn’t want to be linked to. Could it be they misunderstand the issue at stake?

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Should Christians Drink Alcohol?
June 5, 2015 By 55 Comments

Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

A few years ago, I was in Chicago with some friends. It was a hot, sticky day, and we needed to get some exercise, so we went to a gym at the University of Chicago to play racquetball. The four of us played cutthroat racquetball until we were drenched, exhausted, and spent.

Then one of my friends offered postgame beverages—a six-pack of Heineken on ice back in his room. We all trekked to his room, and I enjoyed my machine-cooled Coke while the three of them split the six-pack.

My abstinence made the math easier. Dividing a six-pack by four is like figuring out who gets the last piece of pizza. We sat around and talked about our jobs, our families, our sports teams, and our faith. My three friends were an Episcopalian priest, a Lutheran pastor, and a Mennonite leader.

Should Christians drink alcohol? Are my friends sinners for guzzling the beers? Are they going to hell? Did they do damage to the cause of Christ that hot summer day?

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Scripture Quoting
February 27, 2015 By 7 Comments

Scripture Quoting

Mr. Everett, my air-conditioning opponent, quoted from the Bible that was in his head: “The morning air of the Lord will cool the sanctuary.” In his mind, God had said it, he believed it, and that settled it.

Others use quotes from more authentic biblical versions as the authoritative word to settle issues. And I do not dismiss the authority of the Scriptures as necessary for holy conversation. The revelation of God in Scripture is second only to the revelation of God in flesh. The Word written and the Word enfleshed bear faithful witness to the ways of God.

But I do not believe that Scripture was meant to be used as a conversation stopper. God seems to invite our questions, our doubts, and our wonderings.

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