The New Yorker ran a fascinating article on The Passion of the Christ in their September 15 issue. It gives a lot of the background to the movie, focusing on Mel Gibson’s background and beliefs as well as the controversy the movement generated based on its perceived racism. The full text of the article can…
I believe every Christian has had an experience like I had a few days ago where a passage of the Bible I had read many times and even memorized suddenly took on a whole new level of meaning to me. If you are a regular reader of this site you will know that I have…
John Piper has just released a new book titled The Passion of Jesus Christ. Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it? The book is obviously intended to coincide with the release of the movie. He is offering cases of 108 of the books for a suggested donation of $130 provided you promise to give the books away…
I found the following article posted over at He Lives. I had intended to go searching for just such an article today, so thanks David for saving me the Google time. It was not until I had finished reading that I noticed it was written by a close friend of my parents who is also…
The L.A. Times published a fascinating article in yesterday’s edition about The Passion of the Christ. Written from a skeptical point-of-view, it provides some interesting food for thought. Below are some excerpts: Just what kind of box office “The Passion” will do when it opens Feb. 25 is impossible to predict. But it is clear…
After posting about pragmatism yesterday I spent some time “corresponding” with various people about it, mostly by email and MSN Messenger, though at times I do step back in time and carry on old-fashioned verbal communication. I found that there is a misunderstanding about what pragmatism is. So let me explain by way of two…
Pragmatism has become a dominant force in the Christian world. I want to take a brief look at the history of pragmatism and then show how it has influenced the church. In following days I am going to write about areas in the Christian world where it has had a significant impact. Pragmatism is rooted…
I have indicated several times that I have concerns with the upcoming movie The Passion of the Christ. I would like to provide some information about why I have those concerns. Primarily, the concerns stem from the fact that my church is going to be heavily invested in this movie. Until I discovered my church’s…
I do not often use terms like “God showed me” or “God has been teaching me.” Perhaps it stems from my upbringing in churches where people simply did not speak like that, or perhaps I generally do not stop long enough to consider where God is working in my life. It could be that I…
I think I’m now all caught up with book reviews, so won’t be posting any more for at least a few days! I’ve somehow managed to read 8 books so far this year. That could have something to do with the scowls my wife has been giving me when I plunk down on the couch…
Scouring the news sites I came up with some interesting links in regards to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Hollywood Jesus has a review. You may want to turn down your speakers because the movie’s trailer plays automatically when you go to the site. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for…
I wrote this article a few weeks ago, but have decided to repost it as part of the Blogger Idol competition being held by a fellow blogger. This week’s theme has to do with freedom and I thought this article fit the bill. Enjoy! There is a misconception about Christianity whereby non-Christians seem to think…
The following article, entitled Take Back Your Sabbath is taken from Christianity Today. NORTH AMERICA’S largest purveyor of Christian merchandise recently began opening its 315 stores on Sunday afternoons. Family Christian Stores touted its decision as a way to expand ministry opportunity. According to a press release, the firm sees it as a way of…
The Passion of the Christ goes against everything I believe in. Or more accurately, it goes against everything I was raised to believe in. In the tradition I was raised (Canadian Reformed Church) movies were generally regarded as a sinful form of entertainment. Going to a theatre was to bring oneself into the “playground of…
The following article is taken from E Online. Mel Gibson wants moviegoers to get their fill of The Passion of the Christ. The Hollywood star’s Icon Productions has announced plans, along with indie distributor Newmarket Films, to release his controversial movie about the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ on 2,000 screens…
Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ is due to hit theatres on February 25, 2004. This movie has received universal acclaim from Christians who have seen it with reviews ranging from positive to ecstatic. Many are saying that this movie represents the greatest opportunity for evangelism and outreach that they have seen in…
I have been seeking to understand how God works in the conversion of souls. The more research I do, the more I realize that many standard evangelistic practices must be flawed, for it seems we often try to do the work that God tells us He needs to do. Here is a list of some…
Thousands of churches are still in the midst of Rick Warren’s 40 Days of Purpose and little do they know that if they do not hurry it up, they are going to miss out on the best outreach opportunity of the past 2000 years! Yes indeed, Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of The Christ” is…
The church has traditionally positioned itself as a place for those who believe to find a place where they can belong. As the church changes and evolves with the times there is a trend to make the church a place where anyone can belong regardless of whether or not they believe. Having people who wish…
A Web site I visited recently which seeks to explain Catholic doctrine and beliefs to Protestants contained the statement “Protestants do not believe in confession.” The statement is incorrect insofar as Protestants do not practice auricular confession (confessing ones’ sins to a priest in order to receive forgiveness). That statement along with others I have…