A Cross on the Mountain

Joel Kontinen

How could a cross on the mountains defy those in whose opinion is that Jesus did not save us.

Here, it is not the ”free thinkers” that feel depressed at the sight of a cross and lose their peace of mind that they then try to regain through lawsuits.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.”

It’s an entirely different story for us:

“But to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV).

Political Correctness Goes Overboard: No Good Friday In US City

Michelangelo (1540): Crucifixion of Christ. Photo by Manuel Gómez, public domain.





Joel Kontinen

Political correctness is no friend of Christianity. The latest proof of this comes from the US city of Bloomington in Indiana that has renamed Good Friday as Spring Holiday.

It also changed the name of Columbus Day to Fall Holiday.

The pretext was to make these days more inclusive. Mayor John Hamilton said this would "better reflect cultural sensitivity in the workplace".

Liberal views prevail in the city of 84,067 where 58.6% of the electorate chose to give their vote to Hillary Clinton in the recent presidential election.

Good Friday is the most important day of the year for Christians, as it marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He died for the sins of the entire world, so very few things could possible be more inclusive.

However, as the Christmas wars and battles over crucifixes, religious statues and crosses have shown, many people seem to hate anything that reminds them of Christ or the Bible (including creation and Noah’s Ark and the Flood).

Nonetheless, the gospel of Jesus Christ is still the good news that gives hope to the hopeless, direction for those who are lost and new life to those who struggle and are desperate.


Source:


BBC News. 2016. Good Friday and Columbus Day renamed by 'inclusive' US city of Bloomington. (20 November).

Evolution Researchers: Christianity Inspires Believers to Care for the Sick

Jesus’ example inspires Christians to care for the sick, new study shows. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.




Joel Kontinen

Recently, David Hughes, an evolutionary biologist at Pennsylvania State University, and colleagues presented their research results on religion and epidemics. Richard Dawkins and every other extreme atheist should definitely read their conclusions.

Christianity in particular inspires believers to care for the sick, even for complete strangers. According to the theory of evolution this does not make sense but Jesus gave His followers an example: ” I was sick and you looked after me” (Matt. 25: 36, NIV), He said in the parable of the sheep and goats.

In contrast, Muslims and Jews tend to have a more fatalistic view of diseases: they regard them as acts of God and are not so eager to help the sick.

The gospel is a manifestation of God’s love towards fallen mankind. It inspires Christians to care for the sick.

Source:

Pennisi, Elizabeth. 2011. Does Religion Influence Epidemics? Science NOW (23 August).

Sceptic Sees Forgeries in the Bible

An American sceptic does not believe that Paul wrote all of Paul’s letters. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.



Joel Kontinen


To say that sceptics and atheists are interested in the Bible would be an understatement. Judging by the volume of words they have written, few themes intrigue them as much as Christianity. (Darwinian evolution might be a rare exception.)

Recently, Tim Callahan, the religion editor of Skeptic magazine reviewed – or advertised might be a more apt word - Bart Ehrman’s book Forged. The thesis that Callahan and Ehrman present is typical liberal theology stuff and relies more on basic assumptions than on actual research.

They argue that the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John did not write the gospels traditionally ascribed to them and that the apostle Paul did not author the pastoral letters (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus) or some other letters they assume were written by other early church leaders.

Callahan and Ehrman compare Paul’s letters to non-canonical writings and see forgeries, discrepancies and conspiracies where serious scholars do not. They for instant think that Paul’s teaching on marriage is inconsistent. This flimsy argument obviously allows them to conclude that Paul could not have written the pastoral letters.

Their basic motive seems to be to weaken the authority of the Bible. However, their pseudo scholarly approach fails to do so.

The unbelief of sceptics cannot make the Bible’s truth crumble.

Source:

Callahan, Tim. 2011. By Any Other Name. E-Skeptic. (24 August).

Today They’re Reading the Qur’an in Church

There is no room for the cross in Islam. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.



Joel Kontinen

Interfaith Alliance is an American organisation that claims to be Christian. Recently, it has been trying to bring about reconciliation between Muslims offended by the burning of a Qur’an (which, of course, was an unnecessary provocation) and Christians. The organisation aims to make amends for the distress caused to Muslims by inviting them to read the Qur’an in churches today (26 June).

This is not the first time that non-Christian doctrines have been proclaimed in churches. For several years, some churches have for instance celebrated Charles Darwin.

Like Darwinian evolution, Islam does not accept essential Christian dogmas, such as the trinity, Jesus’ atoning death or His resurrection.

According to the Hadiths or collections of oral traditions about the life of the prophet Muhammad, Muslims have the right to use falsehood in order to spread Islam and even kill those who forsake Islam.

The Qur'an’s view of women is not very enlightening, either. Husbands have the right to beat their wives, for instance: “But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them.” (Qur’an 4:34).

It is very doubtful whether Muslims will let Christians read the Bible in mosques. While removing tension between religions is commendable, reading the Qur’an in churches will hardly solve anything.

Sources:

A Project of Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First. Opposing bigotry towards Islam.

Slick, Matt. 2011. Interfaith Alliance and Islam. Carm.org.

Quran.com

Remembering David Wilkerson: A Godly Preacher Has Passed Away

David Wilkerson (1931-2011). Image courtesy of Wikipedia.




Joel Kontinen


“David served the purposes of God in his generation, then he died” (Acts 13:36). This is how Gary Wilkerson introduced the death of his father David Wilkerson in a blog post.

On Wednesday, April 27th, David Wilkerson’s earthly life came to an end in a traffic accident. He died instantly in a head-on collision with a truck in Texas. His wife Gwen, who was with him in the car, was injured but is expected to recover fully from her injuries.

David Wilkerson (1931-2011) hardly needs an introduction. Millions of people have read his books, especially The Cross and the Switchblade that has become a Christian classic.

Rev. Wilkerson passed away just a month before his 80th birthday.

Wilkerson emphasised God’s love and holiness both in his personal life and his preaching. Love for the lost caused him as a young preacher to venture among drug addicts and gangsters in New York to live out the gospel.

Nicky Cruz, a gang leader seething with hate and anger, threatened to kill him, but as the book Run Baby Run shows, the cross overcame the switchblade.

David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge ministry became the most effective way of reaching and rehabilitating drug addicts and alcoholics due to its “Jesus factor”.

God’s holiness made him speak against the excesses of what came to be known as the prosperity gospel and against some weird manifestations of the charismatic movement. He for instance warned his church members not to attend meetings in which Rodney Howard-Browne of the “holy laughter” fame was speaking.

In 1987 David Wilkerson founded Times Square Church in New York and served as its pastor until 2002. The over 8000-member Manhattan church also gives aid to the poorest of the poor both in America and elsewhere, for instance to orphans in South Africa and street children in Russia.

Wilkerson’s preaching focused on Christ and the cross.

In 1973 he saw a vision that was later published in book form. While Wilkerson repeatedly pointed out that he was not a prophet, he predicted many things, most of which have already been fulfilled:

· The Iron Curtain would fall
· Weird weather phenomena would become commonplace
· The global economy would crumble
· Homosexuality would gain popularity and acceptance to the degree that many denominations would begin to ordain homosexual priests
· Christians would be persecuted in the western world

Some of these predictions sounded too improbable in 1973, when people knew that the weather was getting cooler globally and the Iron Curtain would never come down.

In his last blog post David Wilkerson exhorted his readers: ”Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.”


Sources:

Pulliam Bailey, Sarah. 2011. David Wilkerson Killed in Car Crash Christianity Today (27 April).

Wilkerson, David. 1974. The Vision. New York: Pyramid Communications.

The Bible – A Collection of Old Nomadic Tales?

Joel Kontinen


I have often stumbled upon the view that the Bible cannot be a reliable source of faith and conduct since it consists of old nomadic tales. Many people assume that nowadays we know a lot more about things than the ancient Israelites did.

In reality, the Bible has little to do with nomadic tales. The author list of the Old Testament will reveal surprising insights for those who assume the Israelites were uneducated pastoralists. Moses was educated among the pyramid-building Egyptians. David and Solomon were kings, and Daniel had a high political office in Babylonia.

The view that the ancient Israelites were ignorant peasants has become an urban legend that has continued to live a life of its own despite the evidence.

Moreover, none of the New Testament authors was a nomad. Paul was a learned theologian and Luke a doctor. Doctors were not simpletons even in Bible days.

The old writings in the Bible include surprisingly timely teachings. The Bible was ahead of the times even in many small details: ”Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” Proverbs 6:6 exhorts us. This is no empty plea: Some ants are capable of building anthills that are over 9 metres (30 feet) high.

Taking their size into account, humans would have to erect buildings that are over 2 kilometres (1.25 miles) high to be able to compete with these clever builders.

Jesus exhorted us to look at the birds of the air. Researchers have only recently begun to comprehend how intelligently small birds are designed. Robins, for instance, use so advanced quantum technology in navigating with the help of Earth’s magnetic field that in spite of decades of research humans have been unable to catch up with these tiny birds.

The Bible’s spiritual teachings are not outdated, either. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans that the gospel is "the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”. It is not merely theory but the gospel also works in practice in our time. There is plenty of empirical evidence for this.

The gospel changes the person who accepts the salvation that God offers.

Source:

Doyle, Shaun. 2011. Termite mounds: cities in miniature. Creation 33 (2): 36-38.

New Book Outlines the Revolutionary Effect of Christianity on Mission Fields

The religion that Jesus Christ established changes both individuals and societal structures. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.




Joel Kontinen

Christianity can change both individuals and the structures of society. In her new book Christian Mission: How Christianity Became A World Religion, (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), Dr. Dana L. Robert, an expert on missions history, shows how lady missionaries promoted the welfare of women and brought about societal reforms in Asian and African villages.

Dr. Robert says that these brave pioneers

- established thousands of orphanages and schools
- medicated women in cultures in which male doctors refused to treat female patients
- fought for women’s rights
- resisted prostitution and child marriages
- protested against the killing of widows in India
- campaigned against foot-binding in China
- resisted women’s circumcision in Africa
- tried to prevent honour killings in the Middle East

Such radicalism should not astonish us. According to the New Testament, Christianity is a revolutionary faith. Writing to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul said, ”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).

This radical message is no mere theory; it motivated these missionaries to resist societal ills.

Atheists and freethinkers who are eager to notice the shortcomings of Christians would definitely benefit by discovering how the gospel makes this world into a better place.

Perhaps even the worldview of Richard Dawkins might change a little bit, were he to have the courage to read Dr. Robert’s book.

Source:

Carpenter, Joel. 2009. Bridging the Local and the Global. ChristianHistory.net. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/booksandresources/reviews/bridgingthelocalandtheglobal.html