Can Positive Thinking Save Your Soul?
In 2006, Rhonda Byrne released a New York Times Bestseller entitled The Secret. This book dominated bookstore shelves, online blogs, and book discussion groups everywhere. The book’s message proclaimed the power of positive thinking. Essentially, if you think positive thoughts, positive things will come your way. You can be healthy, wealthy and wise—just be more positive about your situation. Byrne’s own words are actually more...
Uniting for a Cause: Reestablishing the Local Society
When seeking to right the wrongs in society, many Christians feel helpless in their attempt to effect change. The task seems insurmountable, the problems overwhelming. Yet time and again, people make a difference. Some familiar examples include William Wilberforce and C. S. Lewis. The former dismantled an entire social structure, the English slave trade; and the latter has captured the imaginations of a countless many. Yet the...
First Things for Christian Apologists
For centuries Christians have believed in the need to give a reason for the hope within. Apologetics (the defense and articulation of Christian truth) has produced a great heritage of theological and philosophical resources. In the wake of the legacies of C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer, many have taken up this mantel with remarkable zeal. Apologetics texts burgeoned in the late twentieth century, along with institutes, courses, and...
Can Archaeology Deliver?
Essay by Matthew McAffee Introduction In the popular consciousness, archaeology captures the fascination of a generation that grew up with Indiana Jones and his far-flung adventures in search of ancient treasures. For them archaeology spells adventure and excitement—the exploration of real-life ancient ruins which provide a fresh rendition of days gone by. Not too long ago, the world of biblical studies experienced similar...
The Discipline Dilemma
When it comes to discipline in the Christian life, many believers feel that it is more drudgery than discipline. Prayer is seemingly lethargic. The practical value of meditation and devotional readings are reflected upon haphazardly. The real purpose of a spiritual discipline such as fasting is so far from being ‘relevant’ in today’s culture that it is often ignored. However, these spiritual disciplines are essential to the lives and...
The Importance of Being a Confessional Christian
If an analyst were to survey a number of local churches, he would find that it is comprised of Christians from various ecclesiastical backgrounds, despite the church’s denominational affiliation. For instance, one might find a Presbyterian church to have several members with a Baptist upbringing. On the other hand, some attending an Anglican church may have been reared in a Free Church Tradition [1]. These trends suggest that many...
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