The Bible may be the best-selling book ever, but its readership has diminished through the years. A church in Missouri is working to change that. First Presbyterian Church of Branson plans to begin a campaign focused on reading the Bible with its congregation in hopes of expanding the initiative to its surrounding area and beyond….
Theology Matters A recent Pew Research survey revealed that 72 percent of those polled believe the legal recognition of same-sex marriage is “inevitable.” Even among the 42 percent who oppose the redefinition of marriage, a majority regard it is inevitable. Strong Christians can even sometimes fall to prey to this kind of defeatism that assumes…
By Travis Loller NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Worried they could be sued by gay couples, some churches are changing their bylaws to reflect their view that the Bible allows only marriage between one man and one woman. Although there have been lawsuits against wedding industry businesses that refuse to serve gay couples, attorneys promoting the…
The recent story of a Tennessee judge changing the legal name of an infant whose parents took one another to court in a dispute over child support has garnered national attention. The questions raised by the secular media center around a parent’s freedom to name their child whatever they choose, religious liberty and the judicial…
By Melanie Eversley Emergency workers and community members in eastern Missouri are not sure what to make of a mystery priest who showed up at a critical accident scene Sunday morning and whose prayer seemed to change life-threatening events for the positive. Even odder, the black-garbed priest does not appear in any of the nearly…
This is not about a change in constitutional questions nor sexual practice. This article is about the way the Presbyterian Church (USA) qualifies candidates for pastoral ministry through the ordination examination process. Did you know that the denomination’s ordination exams are now 100 percent open book? Did you know that the exams are administered exclusively…
By Mateen Elass Reviewed by Ray Jones, The Layman What is Islam all about? How does it compare with Christianity? Why does conflict arise between the two? The Rev. Mateen Elass has written a brief but extremely helpful book packed full of information taken directly from the Bible and the Quran. With continuing turmoil in…
Justin Buzzard. The Big Story: How the Bible Makes Sense out of Life. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2013. 192 pp. $13.99. Review by Aaron Armstrong Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? Do I have a purpose? Answers to such questions make up our worldview, and our worldview drives the course of our…
By Chan Kilgore, Resurgence What is your motivation for reading the Bible? The first and correct answer of course is to know God. However, perhaps more than any spiritual discipline, Bible study can become a blind pursuit of self-righteousness. Our quest for the knowledge of God can subtly become a way in which we compare ourselves…
Reuters The Bible is getting a sequel. U.S. television network NBC said on Monday that it will produce a follow-up to the History Channel’s popular miniseries The Bible, which topped ratings when it premiered in March. The sequel, which does not have an expected air or production date, has the working title A.D.: Beyond the Bible…