‘The Troubled Waters of Evolution’

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The title of this post is borrowed from that of a book by the late Henry M. Morris.  He, and other (mainly North American) apologists have argued for a literal reading of the early chapters of Genesis as a scientific account of origins, and for this to be taught in schools alongside, or even in place of, evolutionary theory.

It is certainly true that Darwinism has deeply affected many aspects of life, not only in science but also in philosophy, literature and politics.…

Children need fathers

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A recent change in UK law means that women in same-sex relationships can now register both their names on the birth certificate of a child conceived as a result of fertility treatment.

Instead of the usual allocation of one mother and one father, one would suppose that the child would therefore have two mothers in the sight of the law.  However, this will not be the case: a birth certificate will be used which, instead of having a ‘mother’ and a ‘father’ section, with have two ‘parent’ sections.…

Lk 8:26-39 – The Gerasene demoniac – sermon notes

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What a day this is turning out to be! That really was the mother of all storms, a hurricane from hell.

The sheer violence of that storm…the way the Master spoke to it…the fact that it completely subsided as soon he did so…It was almost as if something (or someone) didn’t want us to get to the other side of that lake.

Anyway, it’s over now. I just hope the Master lets us turn the boat around, sail back the way we came, and change into some fresh dry clothes.…

Twenty-six logical fallacies

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Levi Felton has recently posted a list of logical fallacies, which I think is quite useful in sharpening up debate and recognising flaws in the one’s arguments and those of others.  His main target is Brian MacLaren’s A Generous Orthodoxy, but I think the list has more general application.  Here’s the list (mainly in Levi’s words), with a few comments (mainly in my own words):-

1.  Argument from Age.  It can be assumed that something is good, either because it is (a) old (‘the wisdom of the ages’; ‘tried and trusted’); or (b) because it is new (‘fresh’; ‘contemporary’).…

Faith and doubt

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John Ortberg comments that the badge of doubt is often worn with pride (‘honest doubt’), but we seem embarrassed or even ashamed of faith (‘blind faith’).

But of course, he says, there are also such things as ‘blind doubt’ and ‘honest faith’!

John Ortberg’s Book, Faith and Doubt, was published in 2008 by Zondervan.…

Thoughts on ‘spirituality’

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The current interest in ‘spirituality’ is both salutary and alarming.  It is salutary because in its best forms it challenges not only the prevalent philosophical materialism of the modern world but also the perfunctory corporate exercises of many Christians. It is alarming because, although spirituality is generally regarded as an ‘applause-word’, it is often so ill-defined that it can mask gross error.

A definition of ‘spirituality’ cannot readily be induced from the NT, despite the use by Paul of words translated as ‘spirit’ and ‘spiritual’.…

Marxism, Fascism, and the Occult

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It’s a chilling thought, and one to which secular historians would be unlikely to give much credence.  But it is probable that Marxism, and certain that Fascism, were deeply involved in occult practices.

Take Marx.  In his early teens he was a keen Christian.  Although it cannot be proven that he became involved in a Satanist cult, there was certainly one operating near his home, and his early writings give some indication that he was involved with them. …

Edinburgh Fringe – Best Joke

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Nine judges narrowed it down to a short-list of 27 jokes, and then comedy fans voted for the top ten jokes at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

Out of the top ten, my personal favourites are:-

Paddy Lennox – “I was watching the London Marathon and saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another runner dressed as an egg. I thought: ‘This could be interesting’.

Jack Whitehall – “I’m sure wherever my dad is; he’s looking down on us.…

Some thoughts on ‘Intelligent Design’

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Although the teleological argument, or ‘argument from design’, for the existence of a Creator has a long history, going back at least as far as William Paley, the ‘Intelligent Design’ (ID) movement is of much more recent development.

In contrast to young-earth creationism, which is willing to privilege the (supposed) teachings of the Bible in questions of origin over against the (supposed) teachings of modern science, ID proponents accept the conventional scientific view on the age and origin of the cosmos, and on evolutionary processes generally, but postulate that direct divine intervention is required not only at the beginning of the process but at particular points during it as well.…

How can God be good if people suffer?

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The difficulty of reconciling belief in an all-powerful and all-loving God with the existence of suffering is notorious.  It is, of course, not merely an intellectual problem but a very real personal and practical problem for us all.

Many thoughtful writers have given help in the matter, and I have always been impressed by the wisdom of John Wenham.  To summarise:-

1.  It is good that man is a free agent, and not a machine. …