THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN A CONSUMING PASSION: Essays on Hell and Immortality BY CHRIS DATE Posted to: www.RethinkingHell.com website on May 6, 2015. In April 2014, shortly before the inaugural Rethinking Hell conference at the Lanier Theological Library, we published our first book, Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism. A year later, we are excited to announce the upcoming publication of our second book, A Consuming Passion: Essays on Hell and Immortality in Honor of Edward W. Fudge. Wipf & Stock, who published … [Read more...]
Family notes 03/18/2015
THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN CHRISTIAN MOVIES - ROUND TWO - GracEmail subscriber and movie producer Pat Arrabito brought the following to our attention -- "College basketballs March Madness is underway . . . But here at ChristianCinema.com, the madness has already divided our field in half! . . . In Faith & Theology, Hell and Mr. Fudge pulled off the first upset of the tourney . . . over popular favorite Heaven is for Real . . . With the win, Mr. Fudge earns the right to go up against creationist documentary God of Wonders for a shot at … [Read more...]
Family Notes (03/05/2015)
THE FOURTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN RADIO MINISTRY -- God willing, I will be guest on Sunday night, March 15 on a radio program broadcast from San Antonio, Texas. More details to follow. PRECIOUS TO GOD -- Psalm 116:15 says that "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." That is surely especially true when they are martyrs dying for their faith in him, as is the case with thousands continually throughout the Middle East at the hands of the murderous self- named Islamic State. Like the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11, these … [Read more...]
family notes (02/25/2015)
THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN SOLDIER ON The two words "soldier on" are a personal motto of our good brother Leroy Garrett (born 1918), and also the name of his "occasional" e-bulletin. Issue #476 went out this week; Brother Leroy intends to stop with #500 if he reaches that far. He has published a personal bulletin of teaching, encouragement, and news for 64 years under a variety of names: Bible Talk (1952-58), Restoration Review (1959-92), Last Time Around (1993-94), Once More With Love (1990-2003). and Soldier On! You … [Read more...]
family notes 02/18/2015
THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN LINK 'JOURNEY TOWARD JESUS' Shortly before our new website was "turned on," we featured a free on-line book of letters by Bruce Edwards and myself titled A Journey Toward Jesus, with a link to the still-active old website. Several gracEmail subscribers told us the link did not work and they wanted to read the book. So for the convenience of all you who enjoy gospel truth made plain in real life, you can read A Journey Toward Jesus here. IT'S FULLER IN JUNE The second Rethinking Hell conference … [Read more...]
Family Notes
THE ELEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN CHRIST AS SIN-OFFERING A good many years ago I discovered that I was not really preaching Christ. I was preaching only the conditions of salvation, just as though . . . the Lord’s visit to this earth [was] to set forth certain acts as conditions of justification. I was overlooking the importance of the cross upon which he bore our sins. I was not recognizing Jesus as our High Priest who offered himself for the sins of the world. I considered the cross as a means to an end, the end being the endowment of … [Read more...]
Boy who told fibs about heaven
Titled The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven, this 2010 bestseller from Tyndale by Alex Malarkey and his father Kevin Malarkey has sold more than a million copies. And why not, we ask, for a book that purports to tell the story of six-year-old Alex, who sustained head injuries in a vehicular collision that left him comatose for two months and paralyzed permanently. While in the coma, said Alex, speaking through his father, he died but eventually came back. Alex' adventures while dead include a trip to heaven escorted by angels, topped off by a visit with Jesus himself. This month (January … [Read more...]
DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE
A caller phones Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky and asks to speak to Dr. Ben Witherington III. "I'm afraid he can't talk right now," the receptionist says. He's writing a new book." Nonplussed, the caller replies, "Never mind. I'll just hold." With more than forty books to his credit, including socio-rhetorical commentaries on every book of the New Testament, one is tempted to suspect that the prolific author (who calls himself "BW3" on his website at: www.BenWitherington.com ) really does crank out books that fast -- which suspicion, of course, would be a mistake. Witherington … [Read more...]
GracEmail special
THE ASSIGNMENT The first rays of morning gradually illumined the volcanic mountains before me, and the cobblestone streets of Antigua glowed softly beneath my feet. It was August 2007, and I was in this picturesque Guatemalan village on professional retreat with my employer, the Lanier Law Firm of Houston, Texas. During this early morning walk, I was asking God for a new assignment -- something he would enable me to do to bless others and to bring him honor. the answer Within hours, I began to sense an answer. I was to encourage some of God's people by writing a new commentary on Hebrews. … [Read more...]
Christianity On Trial (Book Notice)
Imagine for a moment that someone was able to locate, juggle schedules, arrange transportation, and bring together into one room all the following: * a high school prodigy whose minister sometimes invited him to preach in the largest congregation of their association; * a biblical languages major and avid Bible student; * a national debate champion in university competition; * a Sunday-school teacher with a class approaching 1,000, whose videotaped lessons are viewed around the world; * a Christian apologist with encyclopedic interests and a memory to match; * a … [Read more...]