Having It Both Ways From Condoms To Abortion

Here is a post by Justin Taylor that summarizes Frank Bekwith's  problems with President Obama's very nuanced position on abortion. There is little doubt that our President has sought  (for some time now) to have it both ways on the issue of abortion. I remember attending Rick Warren's conference on HIV ministry and the church, at Saddleback. The conference was held just after Obama had been elected to the US Senate. This same disturbing trend was present then with his nuanced position on STD prevention. Then Senator Obama said it was not right to condemn someone for life for a bad decision, and thus he supported the distribution of condoms. However, if asked (and he was) Obama would state that he was for abstinence. If you are interested in reducing STD's then I could understand but if the goal was to eradicate HIV and other STD's then there is only one way for this to happen. As followers of Christ we must be willing to bear the scorn of our culture in order to be clear that sex between a man and a woman in the context of marriage is God's intent for our sexual expression. We also should be prepared to fight the temptation to appease on the issue of abortion. Reducing abortions is not our Goal Mr. President, eradicating them is! Let us pray that God will grant believers the moral clarity and conviction to speak as clearly as Bekwith and many others, on this issue. Please read the post above, it is well worth your time.

Straining Out Gnats and Swallowing Camels

    The debate over Mark Driscoll's ministry and it's place in Southern Baptist life received a new voice this week. The Baptist Press has decided to weigh in on Driscolls ministry in a way that is not entirely helpful. This article explains, for those discerning enought, why segments of the SBC and other fundamentalist evangelicals are failing to engage this culture. Rather, they have decided to create a foxhole mentality to cultural engagement, settling for Gospel bombs rather than real life authentic engagement.  Now I have been part of this long enough to know the next statement, which goes something like this: "We cannot lose the truth of the Gospel only to become culturally relevant." I understand this point and agree with it but to apply this thinking to Driscoll's ministry simply isn't fair. Driscoll is not without his faults (hopefully we could all humbly admit this as he has specifically). Driscoll offers something genuine, vulnerable, and authentic that at least some in the SBC have recognized. I could go into the problems with the Baptist Press article but thankfully Timmy Brister has done an excellent job, laboring to point out those problems for us here. Let's hope and pray for the horizon of a new day in the SBC when edification will not be sacrificed on the alter of being right. The problem with the Baptist Press in this case, it is neither.

Renewing The Same Sex Marriage Debate

Justin Taylor posts an interesting perspective on the debate over same sex marriage. Some may find this difficult to agree with but I wonder if it has merit. There is a legitimate need for this discussion to be renewed in a way that reflects the grace of Biblical Christianity and the Truth of God's Word. I wonder if this is it? Let me know your thoughts.