Some Quick Notes from Tampa

Greetings from Tampa. I am here to narrate a musical presentation of the story of Christ Sunday evening at the Lakeside Community Chapel. Goodness, we practice a lot! I hope I can keep everything straight!
   
I have heard the repeated requests from our readers/listeners. I ordered Bart Ehrman’s newest and popular level book, Misquoting Jesus, and will begin reviewing it after I finish the Da Vinci Code series. I am also listening to Ehrman narrating his own—well, the only appropriate term is apostasy, quite honestly—on an NPR broadcast as I am writing this. It is interesting that the interviewer is more interested in his religious background, and his abandonment of a belief in Scripture, than it seems he is interested in discussing it. It is a sad thing to listen to. I am aware that Ehrman’s materials are used by a very wide variety of folks: all enemies of the Christian faith find him a great ally. As a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and a former evangelical, Ehrman can “speak our language.” So, since he makes grand, sweeping claims regarding the practice of textual criticism and its conclusions, I see that of all the books coming out that interest me—books on the Emerging Church, or Noll’s book on the Reformation and Rome today—there are many others just as, or in most cases, more qualified than I am who can respond to them. However, Ehrman has chosen to attack his former faith with zeal in a field that is dear to my heart, hence, it is necessary to respond to his attacks. Further, that work would really continue the Islam series as well in response to Saifullah and Azmy (who likewise have actually started trying to respond to bits and pieces of what I have said about them). So, since I have a small amount of material left in the original Saifullah & Azmy article, I’ll finish that up and then move into Ehrman. But, I am also recording his NPR interview, so you will be hearing that on the DL starting, Lord willing, next week.