Archive for 2011

             I ministered for over a decade in a Christian subculture which emphasized that the greatest faith was the one that could work miracles here and now. Although I do not want to deny the kind of faith like Elijah’s whose fervent prayer stopped the rain for over three years (James 5:17-18), I saw a more powerful faith in church last Sunday. Read the rest of this entry »

            I once read an article in a traditional conservative magazine that argued that in the long run capitalism was more damaging to Christianity and the family than communism.  After Black Friday, I’m inclined to agree. Read the rest of this entry »

           America is a consumerist society.  It is wonderful to have so many options to choose from and to obtain our favorite foods, beverages, tools, cars, clothes, and entertainment. 

            But what of our character?  The market works not only to meet our needs, but also to fulfill our desires.  As a result, we become people who think that the world exists for us.  This attitude is disastrous for Christians.  We become church consumers, and I am guilty of it too. Read the rest of this entry »

            A good way to evaluate Harry Potter is to compare it to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Taking into account the facts that Tolkien’s masterpiece is the standard for fantasy literature and that Rowling is writing a slightly different genre and for a different audience, Harry Potter holds up fairly well.  Nevertheless, Rowling falls short at a crucial point.  That shortcoming, however, is one that much Christian thinking about God and evil shares.  We desperately need to hear Tolkien in order to avoid the errors of moralism and a simplistic faith that cannot withstand the tidal waves of disappointment in the face of the hiddenness of God. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that the complete Harry Potter series is available as a box set, it seems a good time to evaluate the phenomenon from a Christian perspective.  Some Christians have been highly critical of the books, the author, and the movies.  I’m a Christian, and I don’t agree with them. Read the rest of this entry »