11.26.08
Cloning and The Christian
Professor Jonathan M. W. Slack, Ph.D., F.Med.Sci., the Director of the Stem Cell Institute, at the University of Minnesota and the other scientists there are at the forefront of reprogramming adult stem cells. By mapping and understanding the nature of DNA, it is becoming more and more promising that we can reprogram a bone marrow cell, for example, to become a heart tissue cell, brain cell, or spinal chord cell. Professor Slack announces, “Stem cell research, and regenerative medicine generally, will have as much impact on our lives in the 21st century as did motor cars, antibiotics, and computers in the 20th.” He and others at the institute “seek the treatments that will make a difference in quality of life for patients suffering from such diseases as Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, muscular dystrophy, and more.”[1]
I recently emailed Professor Slack to get his opinion regarding guiding principles in medicine. In his response, he stresses a “non-religious ethic,” noting that we ought to honor the “Golden Rule” principle and that “public consensus must be respected.” Read the rest of this entry »
11.18.08
Self-Sacrifice (What is worship–part 1 of several)
Following Genesis, we can then say that the human imaging of God takes shape in two forms of horizontal relatedness: 1) with other people and 2) with the rest of the created world.
The Church’s image and role in the world (as contingent in these two spheres) is to serve and sacrifice to 1) other people and 2) the rest of the created world.
The human imaging of God can be best articulated in an ethic of sacrifice (Gunton’s Christ and Creation, Ch. 4, pp 117).
Self-sacrifice, or self-crucifixion, is worship—not giving up in surrender in such a way as to make a hero of ourselves and get God’s attention, but as a way of offering to God that creation which He has placed into our hands.
11.15.08
The 2nd Arch-Crime Against God
The first arch-crime of humanity against God was Eve’s bite from the forbidden fruit. It was mankind saying to God, “Whatever.” It is essentially mankind’s “F— You” toward their Creator and Master.
The second arch-crime of humanity against God is similar, but far worse than the first. God places His wrath on Christ who knew no sin, but became sin for us so we might become God’s righteous in Him (II Cor. 5:21).
When we are not so charged, changed, and obedient to the reality of this truth, but are instead leukwarm and indifferent to our salvation, we are in a state of perpetual “Whatever, God.”
When we are in a perpetual state of flipping God the bird, we cannot and will not “produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Instead, we will rely on someone else to do it (Luke 3:8).
“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”
11.12.08
Gay Marriage and The Christian
There does not need to be confusion or a haze of uncertainty as to the believers in Christ and the issue of gay marriage. Does this mean that there is no such thing as a Christian who is gay? We passed Proposition 2 in Florida. Conservatives passed Proposition 8 in California–this done in direct conflict with its earlier Supreme Court ruling. Now, it seems Connecticut will be the new player to join its neighbor, Massachusetts, in allowing gay marriages.
On ABC Nightly News tonight, the camera focused on what seems to be two body-builders in a side-by-side embrace as they were in prayer. The cleric conducting the wedding ceremony was standing beside them. I may have been misunderstanding the video, but I think not. Read the rest of this entry »
