Category Archives: Theology

Hipps on Hell

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In September, Rob Bell announced that he was stepping down from his role at Mars Hill to pursue work on a TV show with one of the producer/writers of Lost. Teaching Pastor Shane Hipps, a Fuller Theological Seminary grad, will take on the lead teaching role. With the swirl surrounding Rob Bell and Love Wins, many might be asking what Hipps thinks about heaven and hell.

Recently Shane Hipps wrote a blog entry discussing that very topic. Hipps post was cross posted on the ChurchLeaders.com site. I came across the entry when I saw Scot McKnight’s tweet which opened up a discussion on the article at his blog the Jesus Creed.

http://twitter.com/#!/scotmcknight/status/133569352829124611

For those with short attention spans Hipps conclusion is that theological positions on heaven and hell are all speculation.

There is a lot of talk these days about heaven and hell. …

It’s strange that so much passion and ink has been spilled over something that is all speculation.

I can only comment on this one piece, I don’t know Shane Hipps and have not read other things he has written. Continue reading →

God, the Jobs Bill, and Helping Others

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It all started with a resolution (H.CON.RES.13) that passed in the House on Tuesday. The roll call was 396-9 in favor of reaffirming the motto “In God We Trust”. I am not sure why the House decided that this was the time to put forth this resolution, but the President was quick to jump on it.

“I trust in God, but God wants to see us help ourselves by putting people back to work.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney tried to clarify that remark:

Carney said Obama was trying to make the point that “we have it within our capacity to do the things to help the American people.”

“I believe the phrase from the Bible is, ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves,'” Carney said.

The White House later clarified that the phrase – “‘the Lord helps those who help themselves” – is not in the Bible.

Perhaps Obama and his team should have watched the Colbert Report. Last year  in his “Jesus is a liberal Democrat” rant, Colbert chastised Bill O’Reilly for writing that “God helps those who help themselves” in response to Congressman Jim McDermott.  McDermott at the time was pushing for passage of the latest bill to help the unemployed.

In the span of  one year we have Obama using the phrase to justify passage of a bill enacting federal help for those in need and O’Reilly using it to validate the opposite point of view. O’Reilly was emphasizing individuals taking responsibility for helping themselves. Obama was emphasizing the nation taking responsibility for helping itself.

So who is right? Continue reading →

Happy Reformation Day [Insane Guilt]

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If chapter four of the Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul was about how God’s holiness unsettles people, then this chapter explored that theme through the lens of Martin Luther’s life. I enjoyed Sproul’s retelling of key moments in the life of Martin Luther exploring the events and personality that shaped the man who sparked the Protestant Reformation. If you are looking for a good intro to Luther this chapter is excellent. I am a church history buff and have added a new book – Here I Stand – to my ever growing Wish List too.

The thing that struck me (maybe because I can relate to some degree) was Luther’s obsession with his guilt resulting in his compulsions to go to confessions daily often for hours to be cleansed. He seemed to struggle mightily with trying to figure out how to be right before a Holy God. What brought him to a point where he could barely function…

Luther examined the Great Commandment, ” `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself”‘ (Luke 10:27). Then he asked himself, “What is the Great Transgression?” Some answer this question by saying that the great sin is murder, adultery, blasphemy, or unbelief. Luther disagreed. He concluded that if the Great Commandment was to love God with all the heart, then the Great Transgression was to fail to love God with all the heart. He saw a balance between great obligations and great sins.

Continue reading →