Topic: Bible

Epiphany: A journey home renews faith

By Charles Moreland | April 13, 2008 |

As a junior in high school, at the age of 16, I made a commitment to God. I find that I desire daily literature that gives me a spiritual direction. I continue to read the Bible for spiritual illumination, and recognize it as one source of information and understanding.

A few days ago during my “quiet time”, I had an epiphany as I read Luke 24:13-35. Epiphany is used in two ways: it is an annual festival of Christianity that starts on January 6, and commemorates the revealing of Jesus to the Gentiles as personified by the Magi, and the baptism of Jesus. It is also much more personal: Epiphany is also a moment of sudden intuitive understanding, a “flash of insight.”

I have read this scripture annually on my spiritual pilgrimage. Today it revealed a new thought, that of home. I have never over the years understood this scintillating story in the framework of “Home.” The two saddened disciples in this story were going to their hometown, on a path towards a home-cooked meal and a welcome to the their family. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Spirituality | No Comments

“For the Bible Tells Me So” delivers

By Blayne Clements | February 27, 2008 |

My wife has a book that I have intended to read for years, but never found the time, “What the Bible REALLY says about Homosexuality.” Then I saw this movie available on Netflix, “For the Bible Tells me So” , and thought at this point in my life, I’m much more likely to get a quick movie in than to read a book.

The movie introduces you to several families that have two things in common 1) strong religious ties, and 2) a family member that is a homosexual. Director Daniel Karslake’s selection of families with different backgrounds is sure to connect with a variety of viewers. Theres a Midwest lawyer and stay at home mother that are Lutheran; a African American couple from North Carolina who are ministers in a AME church; there a Episcopalian elderly white couple from blue collar rural Kentucky (no spoiler here but their child was the first openly Gay bishop in the Anglican church, Gene Robinson); a single middle class mother, and a long time politician Dick Gephardt and his family.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Spirituality | 3 Comments

Should the Bible be taught in schools?

By David W. Shelton | July 31, 2007 |

This is a question that has polarized the secular and religious community since the early 1960’s. A casual glance at most Christian websites that offer political commentary will reveal a very popular assumption, that our national moral decline is a direct result of the Bible being removed from schools. Therefore, they say, the Bible should once again be taught in public schools.

Some youth pastors have encouraged their youth groups to take their Bibles to schools and to even do reports on Bible stories. I won’t comment on prayer in school, since there’s serious prayer every time a hard test is scheduled for the day.

According to School Board director Mike Harris, there are currently no Bible classes in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School systems. As we prepare to start another school year, it might be interesting to entertain this question. Should elective Bible classes be considered as an option for our schools? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics, Spirituality | 6 Comments

Christianity & Homosexuality Part 2 of 8: Exploring Romans 1:26-27

By David W. Shelton | September 10, 2006 |

Last week, I dared to ask the question, “Can a person be gay and a Christian.” Naturally, the first reaction by many sincere Christians is that “the Bible condemns homosexuality.” This series will continue to explore this very controversial issue in the light of Scripture. Since I asserted the whacky idea that the answer to the aforementioend question is, “yes,” it’s prudent to, as the Bereans did, “search the Scriptures to see if it’s so.”

There are six passages in Scripture that are used to support the traditional evangelical and fundamentalist view that homosexuality in any form is condemned outright. We will explore all of these passages at length and go into as much detail as possible so that we can begin to understand that some of us are not only gay, but clearly are embraced by God as his children, and are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Today’s exploration skips past all of the passages in Genesis and Leviticus, and goes straight into Paul’s letter to the Romans. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics, Spirituality | No Comments