The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems by William Dembski and Jonathan Wells

The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence In Biological Systems

I just finished reading The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems by William Dembski and Jonathan Wells (which someone was kind enough to buy me from my Ministry Resource List!). This book was a joy to read! I’ve been following the Intelligent Design vs. Darwinism debate for a long time, and I’ve read a good number of books and countless articles and blog entries on the subject. So to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to glean a lot of additional insight from The Design of Life. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. My highlighter got a real workout with this book!

The Design of Life is essentially a textbook on Intelligent Design. Most of the resources I have read on the topic deal with a specific subject: Darwin’s Black Box looks at irreducible complexity as an indication of intelligence; Edge of Evolution examines the power of random mutation and natural selection to produce novel biological changes; Signature in the Cell examines the origin-of-life, etc. The Design of Life, however, is a more comprehensive look at ID. But don’t think “comprehensive” means it only provides a little information about a lot of topics. Not at all! I was quite impressed with the balance achieved between comprehensiveness and detail.

The book covers human origins, genetics and macroevolution, the fossil record, the origin of species, homology, irreducible complexity, specified complexity, and the origin of life. It even has a supplementary CD containing additional details on the topics covered in the book. If you are looking for a good, well-rounded book to learn more about the claims of and evidence for ID, I would highly recommend this book!

Jason Dulle, M.A. Exegetical Theology
Theosophical Ruminations

The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence In Biological Systems

Open Challenge To The Church of Christ

1. 
   
   This is a formal challenge to

The Church of Christ

and its preachers.

1. 
   
   I respectfully challenge you to a dialogue or debate on the Biblical doctrine of the Godhead (Oneness vs. Trinity).

Here is a list of COC Debaters Known So Far:

Thomas Thrasher

Bruce Reeves

Glen Burt

Pat Donahue

Oneness Apologetics: Dr. David K. Bernard vs. Dr's Jamal Badawi and Shabir Ally

Some people might be tempted to say that Dr. Bernard avoids debates. I don't think he does. I believe he has bigger focus however of his mission in Christianity. This is a twelve video collection of him debating the best of Islamic apologetics in 1998. This starts with video 9.

The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns

"What does God expect of us?" This is the question Richard Stearns, who is the president of World Vision U.S. since 1998, asks all right thinking Christians. The book is autobiographical, as it details the journey Stearns traveled from the corporate world to assisting the third world through World Vision. It is also a challenge to Christianity. The Hole In Our Gospel is an invitation to wrestle with the problems of worldwide poverty.

The title is slightly misleading since the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-3); however, the "hole" is the lethargy, ignorance, and etc. of believers in evidencing good works to help those less unfortunate than themselves. We could all do better.

Commenting on a once "Christian America" Stearn says that he "feels as though that has changed." He has noticed that the face of America is changing. Change is good and change is bad. Change however of distinctly American ideals is to lead our country into something else.

His chapter on "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" was perhaps my favorite as Stearn deals with hunger, water--an essential of life, and sickness. In this chapter Stearns attempts a "reality check" for believers. He paints a vivid picture of reality using a wealth of statistics and data, e.g. 1 out of every 5 children worldwide are malnourished or every 5 seconds, a child dies of hunger.

Stearns also wrestles with disease. In Sub-Saharan region of Africa, 12 million children have become orphans due to AIDS and in Africa alone 15,000 die each day from preventable disease.

The copy I received was provided to me at no charge, courtesy of Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of a review program. I received the paperback edition which contains new material (e.g. photo insert, Q&A w/Renee Stearn, Q&A on: “Can Poverty Be Defeated?”). I recommend this book to any believer wanting to know their more about their responsibilities as a Christian in a world of hurt, sickness and poverty.

JN Anderson

Existence of God and Holiness: A Sure Foundation

These are only my musings. I mean no offense to anyone or any of our doctrines. It seems that the "right" is concerned with the tug of the "left" as it concerns holiness in the Oneness movement, particularly the UPCI vs. WPF. And vice versa. These things happen as do the ebb and flow of life. Things change and the world is a very big place to reach after all. Thank God for such organizations as the UPCI, WPF, ALJC as well as brethren who are not affiliated, yet upholdng Truth, with any organization or one not named.

The intensity of this tug of war between the "left" and the "right" has existed in almost all forms of discourse and thought. Even the early Roman senates were secatarian as a result of agenda often times. This is the problem however and not a solution, right? I thinks so. So, what is a solution? Notice I said "a" solution.

I believe that we should return to a more fundamental teaching on the existence and nature of God, beginning with Him being a trancendant being. Why? Scripture commands us to be holy because He is holy. We all realize that holy means to "be set apart" at the very least. This is so with God the Father who exists outside of time, space, and matter. He is holy.

How will this help holiness? Think of it this way. Think of the foundation of our trust as being "faith in God"

Foundation = "faith in God".

Faith in God? What kind of God? A personal, impersonal deity? Sustaining creation or a part of creation? His desire to restore His creation? This is a fundamental way to strengthen the foundation of faith and will subsequently, or as a result, strengthen one's view of our Holy God.

Dr. Carl F.H. Henry has noted that a persons

“concept of God is determinative for all other concepts; it is the Archimedean lever with which one can fashion an entire world view.” (Remaking the Modern Mind)

In the Old Testament, for sure, it is clear that worship to any god or gods will affect lifestyle. The result of worship to pagan gods such as Molech, Ashtoreth, or Diana was always in accordance with the nature or concept of that god. Our view of God is tantamount to a root system of a potential or existing tree. From it all our thinking and biblical concepts of God are strengthened.

Dr. Paul Vitz: The Psychological Importance of Fatherhood

Great comments by Dr. Vitz

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich by Eric Metaxas

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Affluence.

Privilege.

Gone in seconds as the Gestapo sweep Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his home.

This biography is a literary paradise for those who truly love the period of WWII where much of this book is historically postured, climaxed with the execution of Bonhoeffer in 1945. They will love it even more if they are also interested in philosophical and theological tensions about war and killing. Metaxas is timely since it wrestles with current issues. Issues resonating since modern warfare. For example, we see this element in the British or American solider and the Iranian or Iraqi soldier as well as the Maoist or former Nazi’s.

The thought of dying is usually not glorious to us. Death coupled with a crusade or a just war is known to give death meaning. Death in this sense is viewed as righteous because it is has been coupled with righteous cause. By resisting the onslaught of the Third Reich Bonhoeffer felt the intensity of his times and rose to the occasion. The fruits of his opposition to National Socialism grew to the place where Bonhoeffer was part of a conspiracy to kill Hitler. Here he clearly reveals to us that some evil cannot be avoided. At times even inaction can be viewed as evil. We must never remember that we are not only striving for heavenly citizenship but we are also members of an earthly citizenship.

The reason many theologians and Christians believed the West should intervene in WWII was because inaction, on their part, would have constituted an even greater war if Hitler had not been stopped. Even with the intervention of the British and the United States Hitler almost attained total European domination. To protect human free-will at some point we may have to accept guilt in order to protect her.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Pentecostals Are On The Rise? by Ken Gurley

A recent study reveals 1 in 4 U.S. Christians to be Pentecostals.

According to the Barna Group, 29% of Christian adults aged 26-44 claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit and possess one of the charismatic gifts such as tongues, prophecy or healing. The number of Pentecostal/Charismatics is three times the number of Evangelicals in the United States and is roughly equal to the number of those attending Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal or non-denominational churches.

Pentecostals are spread across all denominational, geographic and political lines. Denominationally, 20% of Catholic adults and 26% of Protestants identify as part of the Pentecostal movement. Roughly the same percentages of Pentecostals can be found in the nation's four geographic regions. 24% of Republicans, 23% of Democrats, and 21% of Independents are Pentecostals.

David Kinnaman, President of the Barna Group, says "For millions of the youngest Christians, the charismatic, Pentecostal and Spirit-filled labels are not as divisive as they were to their parents' generation."

The modern Pentecostal movement began in the early 20th Century with a wide variety of young adults leading the way. For the future of Pentecostals, the knowledge that a similar group of young adults hold to the belief that their lives can be filled and led by the Spirit is very encouraging.

Changing the world is not a function of might or intellect. Only God's Spirit can change the world.

May we all believe that!

Originally posted @ A Pentecostal Perspective: Seeing Life Through The Spirit. The blog of Pastor Ken Gurley.

You can also purchase his works for PC Study Bible here as well.

Church of Christ and United Pentecostal Church debate Baptism and Music

Debate in Nacogdoches, TX:

May 3rd and 4th @ 7:00 p.m nightly.

I. "The Scriptures teach that in order to be baptized "in the Name of Jesus" does not require that the baptizer use some formula." Glenn Burt (COC) affirms, Roger Perkins (UPC) denies.

II. "The Scriptures authorize instrumental music in worship today." I p...lan to attend the event. Glenn Burt (COC) denies, Roger Perkins (UPC) affirms.

Location: COC Stallings Drive 3831 NE Stallings Dr, Nacogdoches, Texas

If you are coming into Nacogdoches on 59 then you will need turn on loop 224. If you are coming through Mt. Enterprise or Timpson you will need to turn left. If you are coming through Lufkin go right. Loop 224 is also NE Stallings Dr. The COC is not far from N University Dr. You will see the church building. The COC building is NE of Nacogdoches on Loop 224.

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