"In the Beginning, Grace"

Click here for a good article by Mark Galli on the need for grace to be what animates Christian living.

Southern Baptists and evangelicalism

What is the relationship between Southern Baptists and evangelicals? Are Southern Baptists evangelicals? In Southern Baptist circles, I've often heard Baptists quickly distance themselves from evangelicalism because of the boundaries present there. These Baptists, for example, do not want to be forced into evangelical understanding of the scriptures. These Southern Baptists felt that evangelicalism was too conservative.

Curiously, I have heard evangelicals argue the same point (that Southern Baptists were not evangelicals) but for the opposite reason. Southern Baptists, they believe, fit best in the Fundamentalist, not evangelical, camp. In other words, whereas some Baptists avoid evangelicalism because it is too conservative, some evangelicals believe that Southern Baptists are too conservative (i.e. Fundamentalist) to belong in the evangelical camp.

Is this not odd? I welcome explanations or thoughts on the matter.

You can read more about the relationship between Southern Baptists and evangelicals here.

New website for Baptist Messenger

Check out the new and improved Messenger website here.

Messenger insight podcasts

The Baptist Messenger has made available podcasts here. The first release is a discussion with Chuck Colson and Timothy George.

David F. Wells interview in Boston Globe

Here is a brief interview with David F. Wells, Gordon-Conwell theology professor and author of many books, including No Place for Truth, God in the Wasteland, Losing Our Virtue, Above All Earthly Pow'rs, and The Courage to Be Protestant.

Ed Stetzer on future of denominations

Union University has a solid line-up of speakers addressing the topic of Southern Baptists, Evangelicals and the Future of Denominationalism. Read about Ed Stetzer's address which wonders about the future of denominations here.

Deep Church review

Kevin DeYoung has a helpful review here. The review has even sparked dialogue with the author, Jim Belcher (see the comments section). Belcher says regarding DeYoung's review: "This is by far the most thorough review of my book, both in the overview it provides and the evaluation. It is well written, engaging and helpful, pointing out well the areas you agree and disagree on."

One of the things DeYoung challenges is the uniqueness of Belcher's "third way." This might be true, especially for DeYoung's Reformed background. As even Belcher admits in the book, what he is doing is what Tim Keller has been doing in NYC for two decades. However, for those of the low church, more mainstream evangelical ilk, Belcher's book is arguing for something very unique. (The confusion on this point might be due to Belcher's ill-defined "traditional church" category, another criticism that DeYoung notes--and one that Belcher recognizes as well.). In any case, I recommend both Belcher's book, Deep Church, and DeYoung's review of it.

The Baptist Messenger and the stagnation of a blog

FYI: I am going to be doing some research and writing for the Baptist Messenger. This means that this blog will suffer much neglect. I will, however, continue to link things (which is all I've been doing as of late anyway). If I have an energetic moment (the kind of moment that breathed life into this blog; by the way, notice the energy and frequency that marked the first month of this blog--I couldn't quite keep up) I may try to whip out a post or two.

Media and New Calvinists

Here is the Q&A from the Religious Newswriters Association meeting in Minneapolis. I found it both interesting and helpful.



For more, visit Desiring God.

HT: BTW

While we're at it...

YO JOE!

Battle of the cartoon theme songs

Kevin DeYoung has an exciting (and important) competition brewing. Click here.

On journalism

Are you a journalist that also happens to be a Christian? If so, here is a piece you might be interested in from executive editor of the Baptist Messenger, Douglas E. Baker.