On the Toughest Critics

Dr. Russell Moore, the Dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, preached "Pharaoh vs. Embryo: Why Unborn Still Matter to Our Church" from Exodus 1 for Sanctity Human Life Sunday. The following is an insightful critique from his 7 year old son:

"You talked too much about Pharaoh, too much about babies and not enough about crocodiles."

On the Preservation of Human Resources

Wendell Berry offers some colorful words:

"Despite world-record advances in automation, robitification, and other "labor-saving" technologies, it is assumed that almost every human being may, at least in the Future, turn out to be useful for something, just like the members of other endangered species. Sometimes, after all, the Economy still requires a "human component." At such times, human resources are called "human components" and are highly esteemed in that capacity as long as their usefulness lasts. Therefore, don't quit taking care of human resources yet. See that the schools are run as ideal orphanages or as ideal jails. Provide preschool and pre-preschool. Also postschool. Keep the children in institutions and away from home as much as possible -remember that their parents wanted children only because other people have them, and are much too busy to raise them. Only the government cares. Move the children around a lot while they're young, for this provides many opportunities for socialization. Show them a lot of TV, for TV is educational. Teach them about computers, for computers still require a "human component." Teach them the three S's: Sex can be Scientific and Safe. When the children grow up, try to keep them busy. Try to see that they become addicted only to legal substances. That's about it."

- Wendell Berry, Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community: Eight Essays (New York: Pantheon Books, 1993).

On the Law

"But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it."

- Deuteronomy 30:14 (NASB)

On the D2L Retreat

Conclusion: God is faithful

On Küng and the Church

Unity and Catholicity are two interwoven dimensions of one and the same church (303).

The Church is apostolic, is a true follower of the apostles, when it preserves in all its members continuing agreement with the witness of the apostles, and also preserves a vital continuity with the ministry of the apostles (356).

- Hans Küng, The Church (Garden City: Image Books, 1967).

On Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy

"There is scarcely anything so dull and meaningless as Bible doctrine taught for its own sake. Truth divorced from life is not truth in its Biblical sense, but something else and something less.... No man is better for knowing that God in the beginning created the heaven and the earth. The devil knows that, and so did Ahab and Judas Iscariot. No man is better for knowing that God [loved the world and displayed this love by sending his only begotten son to die for the redemption for all who believe]. In hell there are millions who know that. Theological truth is useless until it is obeyed. The purpose behind all doctrine is to secure moral action."

- A. W. Tozer. Of God and Men (Harrisburg: Christian Publications, 1960).

On Charles Taze Russell

"As a speaker, Russell swayed many; as a theologian, he impressed no one competent; as a man, he failed before the true God."

- Martin Walter, Kingdom of the Cults Rev Ed. (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2003).