Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
The Best Films of 2003
Next Sunday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will recognize achievements in filmmaking by passing out awards—Oscars—to the films it chooses as the best in one of the many categories it honors. So, with...
Foundation Report: Media Plays Role in Childhood Obesity
A report from a Washington-based foundation concludes that the real link between media use and childhood obesity may not be from displaced exercise time, but rather from the billion-dollar advertising machinery...
Valentines in a Small Church
Many small rural churches hosted Valentine/Sweetheart events during February. Jackie and I were invited to several and attended the one at Arbor Springs Baptist Church in Reform, Ala. It was a carry-in dinner with all...
‘The Passion of the Christ’
Much criticism directed at Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" is that it is too violent and that it puts too much blame for the Crucifixion on Jews. Both are valid concerns. Christians who object to violence in...
Is The Passion Biblical or Extra-Biblical?
Christians will likely ignore the most biblically sound theme in Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ," and they will likely embrace the most biblically faulty problems of the movie. Both offer insightful...
Bush Calls for Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage
President Bush is urging Congress and the states to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage. While not endorsing any particular amendment being proposed, Bush said the move is needed to counter "activist judges and...
Poll: 1 in 4 Believe Jews Responsible for Jesus’ Death
One American in four believes Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus, according to a survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League on the eve of the release of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ." A...
An Unethical Evangelism
This is the week "The Passion" will be unleashed on the world, and the opening of Mel Gibson's film on the brutal crucifixion of Christ does not bode well for the church. Evangelical churches have been buying...
Cattleman’s Prayer
The following is a text of a prayer I led at an event in Pickens County, Alabama: Dear Heavenly Father, As I read the Bible again and again I find you being concerned about feeding humankind. From Noah and the...
Proposal to Rename SBC Finds Favor Among Leaders
Southern Baptist Convention president Jack Graham's proposal to possibly change the convention's name met approval from denominational leaders contacted by EthicsDaily.com. Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church...
The Separation of Jesus From Life
Mel Gibson's new movie, "The Passion," is stirring considerable interest. Pre-release publicity has focused on concerns that the movie may spark an increase in anti-Semitism—especially in Europe. There, for centuries,...
Lotz Disputes SBC Charges in Letter to BWA Leadership
Southern Baptist Convention leaders accuse the Baptist World Alliance of being anti-American because of views of Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu, BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz charged in a letter to members...
A New Journey
Recently resettled in a new community, my family and I are shocked to find that we have an unexpected and unwelcome resident in our home. I would like to boot this interloper out, but cancer doesn't leave that easily....
Questions About ‘The Passion’
Since I haven't seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," I can only ask questions. I have lots of them: --Does it honor Jesus or exploit Jesus? Richard Niebuhr in his critique of liberalism wrote, "A God without...
Tell Me What I Don’t Want to Hear
Mel Gibson has long been accustomed to the adulation of the crowds. For years a Hollywood box-office favorite, he has captured numerous coveted leading man roles. With each successive film, both his bank account and...
Lotz Says BWA Misrepresented in BWA Study Report
The head of the Baptist World Alliance says last week's vote urging Southern Baptists to cut ties with the BWA was based on misrepresentation of the global Baptist fellowship. "We are saddened because the statements...
Decoding Mark
Given the popularity of Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, Elaine Pagels' Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas, and Michael Baigent's Holy Blood, Holy Grail, I half-expected John Dart's Decoding Mark to be one more in...
Oceans: Vast But Not Invincible
Nearly all human beings live on land. This leads to a tendency to forget about the oceans. Out of sight, out of mind. But when we stand before them or float upon them they seem vast and limitless and invincible. We...
State Lotteries Most Popular Form of Gambling, Gallup Says
Half of Americans say they have purchased a lottery ticket in the past year, establishing state-sponsored lotteries as the most popular form of gambling in America, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Ticket buyers...
SBC Name Change Is Cosmetic Makeover
Some fundamentalist leaders think it is time for the Southern Baptist Convention to have a face lift. They want to change the name of their denomination. They apparently believe that a cosmetic change to the most...
NCC Offers Guide for Reflecting on ‘The Passion’
One of the nation's leading ecumenical organizations is now offering a reflection guide for Mel Gibson's upcoming movie, "The Passion of the Christ." The National Council of Churches, based in New York, announced...