November 26, 2006
The creators of the Global Rich List are asking a good question, one that provokes some discomfort within me: How rich are you, in terms of income relative to the rest of the world? (HT: Roberto Rivera) Our family rests comfortably in the top 1%. Your family does too if you earn at least $47,500 per year. The average household income in Northern Virginia ($91,343), where we live, is somewhere near the top seven-tenths of one percent worldwide.
November 17, 2006
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). Or as Eugene Peterson puts it in his translation, The Message, “Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards.” The reason for more strict judgment “is obvious. The pretence of knowledge adds to the teacher’s responsibility and condemnation” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament). Jamesreminds us of Jesus, who condemned Jewish teachers (Mt. 23:1–33; Mk. 12:40; Lk. 20:47) and said that even our casual words would be judged (Mt. 12:36). Furthermore, Jesus taught that people are responsible for what they know (Lk. 12:47–48). The teacher claims to know and set himself or herself up as an example for the church . . . . How responsible must such people be on the day of judgment! (D.A. Carson, New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition).
James’ admonition weighs heavily on my mind. I post three blog entries on His Evidence each week. I suspect that some readers might accuse me of presuming to be their teacher. In addition, I find myself positioned to lead a small group of highly committed rising Christian leaders through the Servants Quarters Program, the core of which involves studying Christian worldview, particularly as it informs Biblical values of stewardship and servanthood. That leadership role certainly looks a lot like the dangerous teaching positions about which James warns.
November 14, 2006
My children had several days off from school last week, so I decided to take my own advice and “make better use of the vast historical resources readily available to northern Virginia residents.” Late Wednesday morning, we hopped in the Bus (a.k.a. our minivan) and charted a course for Mount Vernon, the estate of our first president. My hope was that our exploration of George Washington’s ancestral home would provide a useful opportunity to teach my girls something of “the virtues of courage, honor, sacrifice and civic duty” (id.). Chilly, wet and muddy conditions aside, things still didn’t turn out quite as I had planned.
Continue reading "Reflections on a Field Trip to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate" »
November 10, 2006
Do you know who William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was? If not, don’t worry: you’re not alone. Only one in ten Americans has heard of him, according to Walden Media. Another reason not to worry: Amazing Grace: the William Wilberforce Story arrives in theaters on February 23, 2007.
For twenty years, from 1787 to 1807, Wilberforce struggled tirelessly for the abolition of the slave trade throughout the British Empire. Year after year, as a British Member of Parliament (MP), he introduced a bill to end that vile institution. Edmund Burke described Wilberforce’s first great speech against the slave trade, given on May 12, 1789, as “equal[ing] anything . . . heard in modern times, and was not, perhaps, to be surpassed in the remains of Grecian eloquence.” Wilberforce and his colleagues painstakingly gathered and presented documentary evidence and testimony of the unfathomably cruel nature of the enterprise and the growing public sentiment against it. Their efforts ensured that no MP could claim ignorance on Judgment Day.1
Continue reading "Amazing Grace: the William Wilberforce Story" »
November 08, 2006
When presenting the faith to nonbelievers, Christians sometimes find an open door to explain “the reason for the hope [they] have” within (1 Peter 3:15). Though some may not conceive of “the reason” for their belief in these terms, Christians are blessed with hope because they, sometimes explicitly and other times implicitly, have weighed the evidence and found it in Christ’s favor. For example, some have been strongly influenced by creation, its beauty and order and testimony to the majesty and power of the Creator. Others have been moved by the universal and timeless presence of the natural law, including the testimony of deep conscience and the unforgiving working out of natural consequences (e.g., “you reap what you sow”). Still others have been brought to faith primarily by the witness of changed lives, the supernatural transformations they see in the lives of believers. Most of us probably were carried to the foot of the Cross by a collection of these and other types of observations.
Several weeks ago, I heard an unbelieving scientist approach this issue with an interesting twist. Like many in his position, he considers science and religion to be squarely at odds. From his perspective, science deals with facts, religion with values (if anything); science is driven by evidence, religion by blind faith. Challenging the notion that the Christian faith can be and is supported or strengthened by appeals to material evidence, he asked: if the evidence is genuinely of concern to you, what evidence might convince you that Christianity is false?
I think this is a good question, one worthy of engagement when sincerely asked. It’s not an easy question to answer honestly. As we continue the process of sanctification and maturation in the Christian life, the Lord not infrequently provides additional bits of evidence that He is there, He is watching and He is faithful. As these bits of additional proof accumulate, it becomes more and more difficult to imagine what evidence could dislodge or shake our beliefs. This is true for me, in any event.
After thinking over this question, in spare quiet moments during the last two weeks, I have tentatively concluded that there are at least two types of evidence that would present a serious challenge to my faith. Specifically, compelling proof in either of the following two categories would make it difficult for me to continue believing:
1. Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead. As Paul so forcefully put it, “if Christ has not been raised” our faith is “useless,” and “we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 19). If Christ were not resurrected, what hope would we have to be resurrected ourselves? I haven’t considered, at any length, what form such proof would have to take to qualify as compelling. Clear evidence of His body in a tomb certainly would be compelling, wouldn’t it?
2. Human beings are inherently good. If humans at their core were good, then the Biblical story of creation, fall and redemption would make no sense. We would not be mired in the effects of sin. We would need no Savior. We would thrive as individuals and a society if only liberated from – well, take your pick from any of these oppressions and their would-be liberators: the illusion of distinction (Eastern and New Age religions); the capitalist class (Marxism); ignorance, mysticism, war, poverty (scientific utopians); unhealthy learned responses (behavioral psychologists); sexual inhibition (leaders of the sexual revolution); etc. I suppose that, if any of these liberation ideologies were proven true – that is, if utopia or heaven on earth were realized upon liberation – that would be strong evidence that human beings are inherently good and the Christian worldview is false.
How about you? Is there any evidence that might lead you to question the truths of Christianity? Your thoughts are most welcome.
November 04, 2006
Nobel Laureate Friedrich Hayek wisely cautioned would-be social planners against falling into the “fatal conceit” – the belief that they can predict with any precision the complex consequences of their efforts at societal reform. Ken Myers, a leading Christian author and cultural analyst, argues that Hayek’s
call to humility should be given to those of us who want to effect a change in culture. Cultural engineering doesn’t work. We can do very little to encourage or discourage cultural trends or fads. (All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians & Popular Culture, p.32)
Careful not to say that we can do nothing to change the culture, Myers (quoting T.S. Eliot) advises that the “very little” we can hope to accomplish is to:
“combat the errors and the emotional prejudices which stand in the way” of cultural change. That is, we can call attention to the folly or absurdity or outright sin that certain cultural phenomena encourage or facilitate . . . “We should look for the improvement of society, as we seek our own individual improvement, in relatively minute particulars. We cannot say: ‘I shall make myself into a different person’; we can only say: ‘I will give up this bad habit, and endeavor to contract this good one.’ So of society we can only say: ‘We shall try to improve it in this respect or the other, where excess or defect is evident’” (id. at 32-33).
During the last month or two, I’ve returned several times to Myers’ advice. It bothers me. I want to believe – and I do think – that each of us can do more than just “very little” to effect cultural change.
Continue reading "Restoring Culture: What Can One Person Do?" »
November 02, 2006
Last week, I explained why my family reversed course from 2005 and decided to celebrate Halloween ‘06, participating in Christ’s work to redeem even this holiday. Well, this year, Team Wilson enjoyed Halloween like never before.
The preparations began days in advance. While my ladies attended a birthday party last weekend, I spent several hours adorning our house with ropes of white lights. Later, Christine hemmed Savannah’s costume, and the girls delighted in placing labels on the treats that proclaimed, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” They also made a poster to hang by the door that proclaimed, “Jesus is the light of the world!”
And then the big night arrived. Before settling in for an evening of handing out treats, we led our girls on their victorious candy campaign around the block. Christine and I (dressed as Mary and Joseph) escorted our girls (dressed as an angel and one of the three wise men) and led our “donkey” (played by our 150-pound Newfoundland puppy Maximus). Even though Maximus didn’t wear a costume, I think he may have attracted the most attention from passersby. Wearing a Halloween costume -- which I haven’t done since elementary school -- turned out not to be as embarrassing as I remembered.
Back at home, we sat outside to enjoy the glorious fall weather and warmly greet guests disguised as werewolves, vampires, and Bill Gates (my bride’s personal favorite, and to some just as scary as the werewolves). Trick-or-treaters were delighted to receive full-sized candy bars instead of those mini-sized imposters. Along with their candy, guests received booklets describing the best treat of all -- Jesus Christ.
Perhaps most rewarding were the warm greetings we received from friends, neighbors and strangers alike in response to our brightly illuminated home. What a difference the white lights made in our little corner of the world.
Cars slowed to get a better look. A neighbor across the street yelled with a friendly wave, “Thank you! The lights look great!” One mother called out, “Your house is beautiful!” A dad said, “I’m sensing a positive vibe here.” A little girl exclaimed, “It’s like Christmas and Halloween all in one!” We heard reports of children telling their parents, “Look at that house with the lights! We have to go there!” One young boy knowingly said, “Oh! It’s all about Jesus,” when he saw the poster that our girls made.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m looking forward to Halloween 2007.
November 01, 2006
According to the Washington Post, there is good reason to believe that the fantastically popular teen networking site MySpace is headed for obscurity. MySpace “functions like a cross between a diary, e-mail program and photo album where content can be shared with friends, whose pictures appear on a member’s profile.” Since inception two-and-a-half years ago, MySpace has attracted 124 million profiles, was acquired by News Corp. for $580 million, and entered into a $900 million deal with Google primarily allowing Google to advertise on the site.
Despite this striking success, the Post finds reason for pessimism. First, a reporter found area teens saying that “they’re over MySpace.”
“I think it’s definitely going down – a lot of my friends have deleted their MySpaces and are more into [MySpace rival] Facebook now,” said Birnbaum, a junior [at Falls Church High School] who spends more time on her Facebook profile, where she messages and shares photos with other students in her network.
From the other side of the classroom, E.J. Kim chimes in that in the past three months, she’s gone from slaving over her MySpace profile up to four hours a day – decorating it, posting notes and pictures to her friends’ pages – to deleting the whole thing.
“I’ve grown out of it,” Kim said. “I thought it was kind of pointless.”
