Just because Quest
Forums articles frequently deal with contentious issues does not mean they
always must. This question provides an example. It is just an historical
curiosity from the Bible. Also, it is one where I will probably leave more
questions than answers. But the point is, this is something we sometimes wonder
about, particularly at this time of year, and it is interesting to look into it.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Friday, December 9, 2016
Where are the Safe Spaces?
Quest Forums articles always concern
topics about which I am passionate, but they are rarely personal. This week’s
post is an exception. It was recently brought to my attention that an online
petition has been circulated to create “safe spaces” on the campus of my alma
mater, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. You can read the full petition here.
I would recommend reading the entirety of it for context, and because it is
quite brief. Also, you should never just take my word for it. I have a
considered opinion, and I do hope to help in informing yours. But it is always
possible that I have missed something or read too much into something else.
Ultimately, you must make up your own mind.
Friday, November 18, 2016
How Do We Know What Is Right?
A few weeks ago, we
looked at the Teleological Argument (TA) for the existence of God. As we saw
there, purpose points to a Creator. Nature has goals and shows order, which
only make sense if there was an intelligence to cause them. Once we have that
established, it allows us to go a little deeper and consider the Moral Argument
(MA) for the existence of God.
Labels:
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Teleology,
Truth
Friday, November 11, 2016
Why Should I Be Interested In Genesis?
Quest Forums recently
started a new series in our meetings. In “It’s a Start,” we will be taking the
next few months to move through the book of Genesis. The approach is a pretty
simple one. I announce a handful of chapters beforehand, give everyone a chance
to go over them before we get together, and then spend the time going over
whatever questions they may have.
Labels:
Death,
Genesis,
God,
History,
Jesus Christ,
Legend,
Meaning,
Miracles,
Myth,
Proof,
Purpose,
Quest,
Resurrection,
Science,
Sin,
Truth
Friday, November 4, 2016
What Are We For?
A few weeks ago, we did
a mini-series looking at the Cosmological Argument (CA) for the existence of
God. It had a decent reception, and I found it interesting to do, so I am going
to write an article or two more in a similar direction. What I have in mind to
review are the Teleological and Moral Arguments for the existence of God.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Aren't We Inherently Good?
A few weeks ago, as we approached the end of our Church–y
Words series of forums, we discussed the topic of sin. That would usually
be a very uncomfortable subject, but we had a very edifying conversation by
taking a general approach to it. Still, sin is never easy to talk about, and
one of the questions asked by someone in attendance shows why. The question
was, “Aren’t we inherently good?”
Friday, October 14, 2016
How Can Evangelicals Defend Donald Trump?
Those who know me
personally may not believe this at first, but I have had very little to say
about the 2016 election. Don’t laugh, it’s true! In comparison to what I did
during the primaries, and what I would normally be doing, I have been almost
silent. Those few comments I have made have been in self-defense, rather than
as an effort at persuasion. With nothing nice to say, my goal was to say very
little at all and just stick to the decisions of my own conscience.
Labels:
Bible,
Christianity,
Decision 2016,
Donald Trump,
Election,
Evangelicals,
Faith,
God,
Hillary Clinton,
Morality,
Politics,
Relativism,
Repentance,
Salvation,
Supreme Court
Friday, October 7, 2016
Why Are We Here? (Part 3)
This is the third and
final article in a brief series on the Cosmological Argument (CA) for the
existence of God. The other two can be found here and here. In them, we
considered some of the basics of this type of argument, and discussed the three
C’s of Contingency, Causation, and Continuation. Now, we can move on to
considering the implications of what we have discovered.
Labels:
Bible,
Christianity,
Cosmology,
Faith,
God,
Logic,
Philosophy,
Quest,
Reason,
Religion,
Science
Friday, September 30, 2016
Why Are We Here? (Part 2)
This article is the
second part of a look into the Cosmological Argument (CA) for the existence of
God. In the last one we laid some groundwork and considered the lynchpin of the
argument, known as Contingency. This week, we will look at its other two major
components.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Why Are We Here? (Part 1)
This week’s article is
going to be something a little bit different. They usually start with a
question, either about something in the Bible or something happening in the
world around us. But lately, I have been studying some philosophical concepts
about the existence of God, which can also be of interest. So we are going to
look at one of them over the course of a few articles, and depending on how it
goes, I may cover more of these concepts in the future.
Friday, September 2, 2016
Will We See the Father?
I was asked this
question a little while ago, and it took some serious thought to come up with a
response. “Response” is a carefully chosen word, because I cannot call it an
answer. I don’t like to refer to my thoughts as answers, anyway, since I know I
do not know it all. However, this is particularly one where I feel the need to
make that explicit. I have formed an opinion. It is biblically informed, but it
is still an opinion and nothing more. Hopefully it provides something to think
about and discuss, and if you disagree, please feel free to say why.
Friday, August 26, 2016
Does God Want Human Sacrifice?
I was asked a question
in conversation recently, and I have to admit, it’s a tough one. It is also the
sort of thing that is hard to give an application, because it comes out of the
minutiae of the Old Testament Law. If you know this ministry, though, you know
my attitude. If it is in the Bible, it can be discussed and understanding can
be pursued. That is part of the “quest” in Quest Forums.
Friday, August 19, 2016
How Do You Find a Nest?
How many
of you have ever had a bird problem? Or maybe you don’t see it as a problem,
but all I know is I am not fond of them. Don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful
to look at. But it’s better to have them at least at a little bit of a distance.
They’re messing things, and you don’t want them nesting in your stuff.
Labels:
Atheism,
Belief,
Birds,
Creation,
Faith,
God,
Jesus Christ,
Logic,
Quest,
Reason,
Resurrection,
Science,
Search,
Truth
Friday, August 12, 2016
Fall 2016 Update
Rather than looking at a
question this week, I think it’s time for another update. First off, the
eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that the “Meetings” tab is down. It might
be that way for about another week, as I decide what topic we will discuss and
when. Labor Day and a few other scheduling issues are making it so that it has
to be pushed back a little. Right now, I am looking at September 18th
being the next time we can get together. That means we are looking at a bit of
a gap, but it won’t be too bad. And of course, I will be keeping up the online
presence so QF stays in people’s minds.
Friday, August 5, 2016
What about Satan in Schools?
It can be taken as a proof of God’s providence that we
often find just what we need just when we need it. This week’s article is a
case in point. The next meeting of Quest Forums is taking place this Sunday,
and the topic is going to be “Satan.” I wanted the article to tie in somehow,
and was trying to decide what to write about, when this
article came up in my Facebook feed.
Labels:
Atheism,
Bible,
Christ,
Christianity,
Church,
Compassion,
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Faith,
First Amendment,
God,
Logic,
Love,
Quest,
Reason,
Satan,
Satanism,
Satanists,
Satire,
Secularism,
Truth
Friday, July 22, 2016
What's With Pokémon Go?
So there’s a new
cultural phenomenon, and it has a lot of people talking. Just about everyone
has at least heard about Pokémon Go, if they’re not playing it. And it
has also been making news for the number of accidents it seems to be causing. I
thought it could be interesting to take a look at it here, too. We’ll discuss
what it is, what its dangers and benefits may be, and what spiritual wisdom we
can apply to it.
Friday, July 15, 2016
What About Racism?
We are faced with
another moment of national crisis. After police shot and killed black men in Minnesota and Louisiana, and five police officers were killed in retaliation in Texas, tensions are high. Many in the African American community feel
persecuted by the police, and police officers are feeling hunted. A sober look
at the facts of the situation would show that the dangers, while real, are not
as pervasive as they seem. Not all police are racists, not all black people are
agitators, and not all of either are murderers. But at times like these, it is
hard to allow reason to guide us. It is easier to lean on emotion and to speak
in general terms. Sadly, that simply perpetuates the stereotypes and leads to
the hardening of positions, resulting in an almost ironic defense and obscuring
of those who really ought to be condemned.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
How Can We Get the Desires of Our Hearts?
The next meeting of
Quest Forums is taking place on July 10. We will be looking at another one of
those “church–y” words that Christians often use but that can be frequently
misunderstood. The topic this time will be prayer, and I thought my article for
this week could take a short look at one of the things we are likely to
discuss. Consider it an appetizer, and if you are interested, think about
joining us for the main course this Sunday!
Friday, July 1, 2016
Is American Christianity in Trouble?
This isn’t going to be a
book review, but I do want to start off by discussing an interesting one I have
been reading lately. Written by Bradley R.E. Wright, Christians are
Hate-Filled Hypocrites…And Other Lies You’ve Been Told is an interesting
read. I’ll admit, it’s been a bit of a slog for me. I’m no sociologist or
statistician, so I have had to do some rereading to grasp a few points. But it
has been worth the effort.
Friday, June 24, 2016
What's in a Word?
What is one of the most important words
in any language? There is no one right answer. After all, there are plenty of
them. It is not my intention to make an exhaustive list, either. I just have
one in mind that struck me with particular force recently. It is the word
“but.”
Friday, June 17, 2016
How Do We Respond to Orlando?
It was a struggle to
decide whether to write this. I don’t think I’m likely to add anything unique
to this situation. What finally made me do it, though, was the chance someone
in the LGBT community might see it. You could see essentially the same comments
coming from Glenn Beck and Franklin Graham, but maybe you aren’t willing to
read them just on reputation. You might think they hate you, so you don’t care
what they have to say. But since you don’t know me, I hope you might be willing
to give me these few moments of your time.
Labels:
Bible,
Christianity,
Death,
Forgiveness,
God,
Guns,
Islam,
Jesus Christ,
LGBT,
Life,
Love,
Orlando,
Quest,
Salvation,
Sin,
Truth,
Unity
Friday, June 10, 2016
How Do I Become A Saint?
To start, let’s have a little bit of an
update. We had our most recent Quest Forums meeting this past Sunday, which
makes three so far. That means Stage 2 is still in its infant stages, but there
has been some encouraging progress to this point. We’ve had very good
conversations, which is proof of concept. And I believe everyone has gotten
something out of them. At the very least, I know I have. Also, most of the
attendees have expressed an interest in not only returning, but in inviting
others to join us. QF needs that. Word of mouth is the best advertising I can
have.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Is Transgenderism Wrong? (Part 2)
Last week, I wrote an article on the issue of transgenderism. My purpose there was to go over the biblical
case against it. This week, I want to expand on it by looking at some of the
key elements of this debate from a different angle.
Labels:
Bible,
Boycott,
Christianity,
Christians,
Creation,
Emotion,
Experience,
Gender,
God,
Jesus Christ,
LGBTQ,
Purpose,
Questions,
Reason,
Safety,
Salvation,
Science,
Sin,
Transformation,
Transgenderism
Friday, May 20, 2016
Is Transgenderism Wrong? (Part 1)
Today we’re going to
look at something I have mentioned in passing, but which I have not focused on
specifically. Even though I am joining a throng of other voices, I still feel as
though I can no longer ignore it. It has to be discussed. It is sad to have to explain something that should be so straightforward, but this is where we are. Madness has to be
acknowledged, and confronted. And the idea that you can be trapped in the wrong
gender is certainly mad.
Labels:
Bible,
Christianity,
Christians,
Creation,
Emotion,
Equality,
Experience,
Gender,
God,
Jesus Christ,
LGBTQ,
Purpose,
Questions,
Reason,
Religion,
Science,
Sin,
Transgender,
Transgenderism
Friday, May 13, 2016
What's the Deal with Habakkuk?
For those who know me or who have
followed this ministry for a while, you know that I am what is called an
Evangelical Christian. That means different things to different people, but it
generally entails a deep devotion to the Bible. While essentially all
Evangelicals will claim that, however, they are sometimes accused of having a
hole in their esteem for Scripture. The problem is that they focus almost
exclusively on the New Testament while disregarding the Old.
Friday, April 29, 2016
What Does It Mean to be Born in Jerusalem?
One of the wonderful
things about the Bible is that there are so many layers of meaning to the
things it says. Take Psalm
87 as an example. This psalm was written as a song for worship in the Jerusalem
Temple. Its purpose was to describe the blessing of being born in Jerusalem,
which meant to belong to God in a special sense. This was because Jerusalem was
the spiritual and political capital of God’s earthly nation Israel. However, it
is possible to apply it to the life of Christians today.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Why Can't Women Lead in Church?
I received this question a few weeks
ago, and I have spent that time considering the best way to respond to it. It’s
very difficult to know where to start, because it is definitely a loaded topic.
No matter what I say, someone is going to take offense.
Still, it is discussed in the Bible, and one of the major purposes of this
ministry is to show there is no reason to shy away from the difficult
questions. If I could ask one thing, it would be that you listen to the
recording rather than just merely reading the article. That gives me my best
chance to get my attitude across, and not just my ideas.
Labels:
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Men,
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Sameness,
Truth,
Women
Friday, April 15, 2016
Can We Justify Ourselves?
This article is going to be off to an odd start, because it is in response to a
story I do not want to tell, or share. Suffice it to say, there are indications
that incest is going to become another battleground in the war for our society’s
soul. Now of course, what I saw may easily have been a hoax. We all know how
the internet is, so I am not saying we should become indignant, at
least not until the truth is more firmly established. What we need to do right
now is be vigilant and sober. That is the reason why I am writing this. I want
to respond to the supposed justifications the people in the story offered, and
I want to provide a reminder of why we must continue to stand against the tide.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Was David as Terrible as He Seems?
As regular readers know, David has been
a frequent subject of my posts. He is just such a compelling character, and his
life offers so many illustrations, I can’t seem to get away from thinking about
him for long. Fortunately for me, I am not the only one. I received a question
this week about the life of David, and in particular, about his behavior in 1
Samuel 27.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Is Anything Lost in Translation?
The first Quest Forums
discussion meeting is coming up this Sunday, and I have been thinking a lot
about its topic. We are going to be talking about the Bible itself, which seems
like a good place to start. My preparation has been to collect some information
about its composition, its trustworthiness, and how to read it. The great thing
is, there is no way for me to exhaust the subject in one hour. The real
difficulty is in knowing what is most important for me to say in such a short
time. It isn’t really up to me, though. Not entirely, anyway. The goal is to
discuss questions, not just for me to get up and share information. Hopefully
we get some interesting back-and-forth going.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
What is Easter? (Part 2: The Proof)
Everything I said about Jesus in Part 1 is taken from the
Bible. Specifically, it is taken from four books of the Bible called Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John. These four books are known as the “gospels,” an Old
English word meaning “good news.” They are also the first four books of the New
Testament. Where the Old Testament had dealt primarily with God’s promises to
the people of Israel, the New Testament described their fulfillment for the
whole world in Jesus Christ.
What is Easter? (Part 1: The Story)
Easter is this Sunday,
and as anyone knows who follows this ministry, it commemorates what I consider
to be the most important event in human history. It is my hope, however, that
there might be some new readers who are not so familiar with me. A post like
this, especially at this time of year, is designed with the curious in mind. It
is natural to have questions about God and what the Bible says about Him, and
particularly about what was accomplished by Jesus Christ. So that is why I am
writing today. I want to share with everyone what Jesus did, why we can trust
Him, and what trusting Him means.
Friday, March 18, 2016
How Could Jonathan Love David?
There’s an old piece of
literary advice that says to “write what you know.” And it’s good advice. After
all, how are you really supposed to generate any passion or a sense of
competence if you write on a topic you know nothing about? But I find there’s
another level to it, too. A lot of times, I don’t just write what I know. I
write what I know recently. You see,
without being sent questions, which happens far too infrequently, I have to
pick topics myself. Of course, the ideas for these articles do not just spring
into my mind. They come to me from the things I have recently seen, heard, or
read. That is the case again today.
Labels:
Bible,
David,
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God,
Jesus Christ,
Jonathan,
Love,
Messiah,
Promises,
Quest,
Sacrifice,
Salvation,
Saul
Monday, March 7, 2016
Can Christians Be Cremated?
Hey everybody,
before I get started I want to confess to dropping the ball on this one. I was
asked this question last year, and I worked out a response, but for some reason
I never wrote an article. I still don’t know how it slipped through the cracks.
Fortunately, someone else asked me recently, so I have a chance to try again.
But I just wanted to apologize to the person who brought it up first.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Why Don't Catholics Eat Meat During Lent?
The closer we come to
Easter, the more people in this country tend to think about spiritual things.
Obviously, that makes sense. The holiday commemorates the most important moment
in all of time, when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Every person’s reaction
to that news is of cosmic importance. The annual celebration has enduring
cultural impact, even drawing the attention of those who ignore church the rest
of the year. It is not surprising to find people more curious now.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Can a Christian Want Borders?
If life is a quest for
the truth, there will be times when you will have to look at subjects you don’t
want to consider. Today, I find myself in that unfortunate position. I don’t
like thinking about Pope Francis I, and I really
don’t like thinking about Donald Trump. When the two of them buck heads,
though, I’m left with very little option other than to discuss it. It raises
spiritual questions that simply cannot be ignored.
Why Are We Happy?
Some themes run
throughout the Bible. You’ll come across it one place, sort of forget about it,
but then see it again somewhere else. Over time, those reminders from multiple perspectives
start to stick. If you see them often enough, they become more than
information. They can start to shape the way you think and live your life.
Labels:
Bible,
God,
Happiness,
Humility,
Jesus Christ,
Joy,
Moses,
Pride,
Quest,
Salvation,
Suffering,
Wealth
Friday, February 12, 2016
What is a United Heart?
A basic premise of Christianity is that we are fractured. Our
hearts are broken. On the one hand is the image of God, which is what we are
created to be. On the other is the enemy of God, which is what our selfishness
has made us. Both make up human nature, but both are at odds with each other.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Why Would God Condemn a Census?
Sometimes we avoid
difficult stories in the Bible, and that can be a problem. Now, it isn’t
always. There are occasions when they would just be a distraction, times when
people want to talk about an obscure passage because they do not want to face
the straightforward truths in different places. And other times, discussing
the esoteric is no more than a way to prove knowledge rather than
increasing wisdom.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Is Football Spiritually Important?
Having asked for
suggestions for this week’s post, I received a very interesting one from
Daniel, 17, of Atlanta, Georgia. He asks, “Is football spiritually important?”*
Labels:
Bible,
Fan,
Fanatic,
Football,
God,
NFL,
Quest,
Questions,
Religion,
Spiritual,
Spirituality,
Worship
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Anniversary Update!
Last week, I posted the
52nd Quest Forums article.
Having started out in February, 2015, that means I averaged better than a post
a week. Of course, it did not work out quite that way in practice, but it still
feels like a milestone. I may not be reaching the audience of my wildest
dreams, but I have experienced some growth. And I proved something to myself,
at the very least, by having the dedication to stick with it.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Should I Play the Powerball?
Maybe the most talked about
thing in the country right now is the historically high jackpot for the Powerball.
As of my writing this, it has not yet been won and stands at $1.5 billion. The
more it grows, the more people get on board in an attempt to win this
life-altering sum. Of course, the odds never improve. Your chances at getting the
right combination stand at 1 in 292,201,338, per ABC
News. As Wired.com
puts it, that is about as good as the odds of having your name randomly drawn
from a hat containing the name of every person in the United States.
How Can You "Taste" God's Goodness?
There
can be no question that the Bible says some unusual things. Quite frequently,
they can be difficult to understand and explain. To my mind, however, that is a
reason to love it. The challenge stretches and strengthens the mind, and once
you have gone through the hard work of understanding, it deepens the faith. Reading
the Bible, especially the confusing parts, is the path to growth.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Is There a Purgatory?
“Is there a Purgatory?”
This question is an important one because it is such a sticking point between
Roman Catholics and Evangelical Protestants. Protestants have long rejected the
doctrine because they consider it to not only be unbiblical, but anti-biblical.
In other words, it does not appear in the Bible and contradicts things that do
appear there.
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