My Reviews of the Entire Faithful Learning Booklet Series

I know I love learning about the Bible, theology, apologetics and philosophy.  But the last few years I discover I love learning in many other academic sphere because of my beliefs of the Christian worldview, knowing that this is the world that God has created and allowed man to flourish with insights and understanding.

A great introduction to a Christian worldview of various academic sphere is The Faithful Learning series published by P&R Publishing (one of my favorite publishers).  They bring Christian scholars from their respective field and have them write about their discipline and they write it in a way that’s friendly to the general reader and yet also insightful of its relationship to the Christian faith!  One of the things I learned from reading Cornelius Van Til both directly and indirectly is the fact that this is God’s creation and a right interpretation of God’s creation involves His revelation of His Word and both are compatible and needed.

While looking up to find more of this series I discovered I actually finished the booklets in this series.  So here below are links to my review of the seven titles in this series.  I highly recommend them.

 

Jay D. Green. An Invitation to Academic Studies.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, July 14^th, 2014. 36 pp.

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

The introduction to the series.  The author has a point in balancing between worldview foundation and actual knowledge and skill of the academic disciplines.  Link to my review here.

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Christian Kindergarten Plant Lesson 2: Plant Life Cycles

This is part two of a five part Christian Home School Lesson Series for first graders on plants that aims to fulfill the Science Content Standards from the California Department of Education.

Lesson 2: Plant Life Cycles

 

Purpose: To explore and know more about God’s work of plant life cycles.

 

Book(s) read:

Aaron Carr’s Plants (Science Kids Life Cycles).

Gail Gibbons, From Seed to Plant.

 

Other tools:

Paper

Pencil

Crayons

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn general knowledge about plant life cycle.
2. Learn the vocabulary concerning plant life cycle.
3. Illustrate what is learned in this lesson about plant life cycle.
4. Learn a spiritual lesson concerning God’s creation of plant life cycle.

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Christian Kindergarten Earth Science Lesson 5: Canyons, Gorges and Rift Valleys

This is a Christian Home School Lesson Series for 4-5 year old children on earth science that aims to fulfill the Science Content Standards from the California Department of Education.

 

Lesson 5: Canyons, Gorges and Rift Valleys

Purpose: To know three of six kinds of valleys.

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Discussion Guide: The Ultimate Proof of Creation Chapter 10 and Conclusion

As I’m going over this with a group of guys from my church I thought the following questions might be helpful for individuals and small groups to facilitate discussions and learning based upon the apologetics’ book “Ultimate Proof of Creation” by Jason Lisle.  It is a book that teaches Presuppositional apologetics that engages apologetics at the level of worldview.  Cornelius Van Til was instrumental in beginning this form of apologetics and others have developed and applied it.

For discussion questions for previous chapters click on the following:

Introduction and Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

The questions in this post will be for chapter 10 and conclusion of the book.  Each question is followed by page numbers in parenthesis where the answer can be found.

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Review: Women, Slaves, and the Gender Debate

Benjamin Reaoch. Women, Slaves, and the Gender Debate : a Complementarian Response to the Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, August 17th 2012. 193 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

Christian theologian John Frame once said that “The discussion of the man-woman relationship has greatly intensified since the 1970s.”  I think Frame is right.  Much discussion has been ongoing and many books have been written on the topic.  Different movements have also arise over the decades.  One such movement focuses more on the hermeneutics of how we approach the Scriptures and how we interpret passages concerning the relationship of man and woman.  It is called the redemptive-movement with William Webb being the notable leader of the group.  While different people affiliated with this movement may differ in some of their conclusion nevertheless we can safely say that their hermeneutics lead them to the conclusion of egalitarianism.  This is a book length critique of the movement from a Complementarian perspective.

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God created roles for Men from Genesis 2: Truth 3

This is point 3 of our series on “God created roles for Men from Genesis 2.”

This series is exploring four truths about manhood from Genesis 2:15-18a so that men would live up to God’s design of your identity today.

So what’s point number 3?

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7 Truths about God’s Creation of Man and Woman from Genesis 1: Points 4-5

What is a man and a woman?

In this series we are exploring seven truths derived from Genesis 1:26-28 concerning God’s creation of man and woman so that we would understand God’s design of manhood and womanhood for our lives today.

Here’s the two previous three truths that we looked at:

1. 7 Truths about God’s Creation of Man and Woman from Genesis 1: Point 1
2. 7 Truths about God’s Creation of Man and Woman from Genesis 1: Point 2 & 3

In this post we will look at point 4 and 5.

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7 Truths about God’s Creation of Man and Woman from Genesis 1: Points 2-3

What is a man and a woman?

This series of posts we will see seven truths derived from Genesis 1:26-28 concerning God’s creation of man and woman so that we would understand God’s design of manhood and womanhood for our lives today.

Last time we saw Truth # 1: God created both men and female and God has the authority to say what man and woman is supposed to be.

In this post we will look at point 2 and 3.

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Review: What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible

John Piper. What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway, June 29th 2001.  91 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

The author John Piper is one of the editors along with Wayne Grudem of the massive Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.  In fact this present book was originally written as a chapter for the larger work and while Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.  While that work is more detailed in providing exegetical support and the reasons for why Piper and company takes the position they take yet Piper published What’s the Difference? as a stand-alone book is to present “a Biblical vision of manhood and womanhood as clearly and concisely as possible, and to leave the comprehensive technical discussion for other publications” (14).  Piper also wrote in chapter one that he wanted to have What’s the Difference? as a “portrayal of the vision that satisfies the head as well as the heart” (16).  In other words Piper’s second purpose is his desire to show how a biblical view of manhood and womanhood is “deeply satisfying gift of grace from a loving God” (16).

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Review: Work and Our Labor in the Lord

James M. Hamilton Jr. Work and Our Labor in the Lord.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway, January 31^st, 2017.  144 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

Over the years there has been more books coming out on a biblical view of work and vocation but what I like about this particular work is that the author James M. Hamilton Jr. takes a biblical theology approach to the topic.  By biblical theology I mean a study of what Scripture has to say with the consideration of the progressive revelation of the Bible in terms of redemptive history and the canonical context of passages that is cited.  I have been enjoying more and more books taking a biblical theological approach to a subject as it helps avoid some of the claims that systematic theology is merely engaged in proof text.

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Review: An Invitation to Academic Studies

Jay D. Green. An Invitation to Academic Studies.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, July 14^th, 2014. 36 pp.

This booklet is the first installment for the Faithful Learning Series published by Presbyterian and Reformed that provides an introductory look at various academic discipline from the perspective of the Christian worldview.  As the first volume the series’ editor Jay Green lays the foundation for the rest of the works to follow by discussing how the Christian faith and academic discipline intersect.  It so happened that I read this series out of order.  I have earlier read the series’ work on literature, political science, music and chemistry and have been blessed by them (especially the political science one) that I wanted to read the rest of the series including An Invitation to Academic Studies.  Here is my review of this work.

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Biblically Evaluating Huff Post Religion: “6 Things Christians Should Stop Saying To People Who Doubt”

Over at the liberal Huffington Post there’s an article titled “6 Things Christians Should Stop Saying To People Who Doubt” written yesterday by one of their associate editor name Carol Kuruvilla.  I’m struck at how many millennials are in the leadership and staff at Huff Po.  This girl just graduated college in 2011.  There’s nothing in of itself wrong with youth but I think sometimes their immaturity shows itself (note: I’m a Millennial myself).  In this particular piece the author wrote clearly what the intent of her post is:

here are 6 things I wish Christians would stop saying to people who are doubting their faith.

I’m sure some Christians can sometime say the wrong thing to those who doubt.  Some of the things mentioned in the article also made me cringe.  Though I cringe at time for different reasons than the reason the writer presented.  For the Christian the thing that’s most important is being biblical.  So in my post I want to biblically evaluate this Huff Po Religion piece.  I do so because she’s specifically targeting Christians and Christians must be biblical in how they engage with others.

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The Coup and My Concern for Turkey

It seems right now there’s a lot of confusion concerning Turkey.

My concern isn’t necessarily with both the current president or the segment of the military in revolt.  My concern is whether there will be instability that as a result allows for the florish of radical Islam.  Don’t forget that the Islamic State touches the border with Turkey.  There’s a dangerous parallel with Syria.  Like Syria, Turkey has become the country in which foreign fighters make their way to Iraq for the jihadist adventure.  Like Syria, Turkey had some foreign radical Muslims not go all the way to Iraq but instead have stayed behind and cause problems.

The thing I’m fearful for is to see Turkey get more unstable and as a result bring instability not only to the region of the Middle East and the Islamic world, but threaten to spill over unto Europe with even more refugees and also a gateway for even more radicals.

Pray for Turkey.  Pray for the Gospel to advance in the midst of this.

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Apologetic Sermon Illustration #35: Marines’ Body Armor and Trust or Criticism of What One Believes

GO TO PART 34

Point: Many people today think it is wrong for Christians to correct wrong beliefs and worldview of others.  Sure Christians must do so with love but pointing out what is wrong and especially pointing out the wrong gospel that doesn’t save isn’t wrong.  Similarly some people need to understand that after hearing the true and biblical Gospel they need to trust in the Gospel (and that means trusting in Christ’s person and work).  Is there any helpful illustration to convey this?

Picture: When I was younger I was in the Marines and went to Iraq.  This is a tale of two Marines and their body Armor.

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Urgent since rights of Christian are at stake: Say No to SB1146

Note: This is an urgent guest post by one of our readers we are sharing this immediately given that this is threatening tolerance of Christian beliefs of the Bible.

http://www.opposesb1146.com/images/sb1146-square.png

By B Dub

Freedom of religion is a central feature of our liberties as Americans.  It is a right affirmed in the First Amendment.  Once a society starts stripping its citizens of their essential freedoms, including religious liberty, it cannot long survive as a free society.  There is a bill in the California assembly numbered SB1146.  It could potentially be very bad for California Christian Colleges and Universities.

As of the Time of this writing it has passed the California Senate and is making its way through the California Assembly and is being review in committees.  As it is written now, it could cause real problems for religious institutions in California.  Once it makes it to Jerry Brown’s desk, he is likely to sign it.

The advocates of the bill claim it as a non-discrimination policy, but it disallows religious institutions to uphold their beliefs.   In this way it is in fact discriminatory. It says that religious requirements must be approved by the state. It could be a problem for a college enforcing their moral beliefs stemming from the religion.  For example they wouldn’t be able to talk against homosexual marriage or abortion.   This section in particular is biggest issue:

Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit discrimination on the basis of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code, including the perception that the person has any of those characteristics or that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics.

As you can see, by the wording it claims to not be discriminatory.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.   By not allowing religious institutions’ freedom of conscious, it discriminates against their ability to enforce principles in accordance with their beliefs.

The whole text and history of the bill can be found here for reference and context.
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB1146#content_anchor

Here is what several religious institutions in California are saying and how it affects them:

Concordia University Irvine: http://www.cui.edu/aboutcui/sb1146

Biola: http://now.biola.edu/news/article/2016/jun/08/preserve-faith-based-higher-education/

Western Baptist University: http://www.opposesb1146.com/

As well as another blogger talking about it.

 

What can be done?

Those of you in California contact your representatives.  Even if you are not you can still contact them.  Urge them to vote no.

If you don’t know who your representative is, you can find out here.
http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Tell your friends about this.  Let the word get out about this and why this bill is bad news.

Also, prayer is always encouraged.

Here is a site with more suggestions on what to do.

https://wcbc.edu/oppose-sb-1146

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