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Shame[1] is bad… right?! Our whole society today cries how terrible it is. Only people who shame others should be made to feel shame. So shame must be bad, right?!! From a pure feelings orientation, shaming certainly looks victimizing, impresses as irredemptive… unloving, even. So, how can shame...
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July 25, 2024 Andrew Sargent
Society
No Comment
I was at a low place one Father’s Day when I’d first begun my PhD. I did not know it at the time, but I was six months down my four year road with sleep apnea, which came on suddenly after a severe illness and ended just as...
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June 17, 2024 Andrew Sargent
Society
I recently saw a picture of young woman from India holding up a sign that read “Don’t ask your daughters not to go out, Ask your SONS to BEHAVE.” (sic) I am well aware of the plight of women in the cultures of India. I have been traveling...
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April 4, 2023 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Society
I’m the last person who should criticize another person for writing an aggressive article that seeks to make a single point in exclusion to a myriad of other points that might soften a forceful tone. In fact, when I read the post, “The Greatest False Idol of Modern...
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July 1, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Society
The struggle for power is as natural to human nature as love and hate. On a sociological scale it is as fundamental to the patterns of history and culture as the struggle for survival. If world history has taught me anything, it is that there is, and always...
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October 27, 2021 Andrew Sargent
Society
One can hardly keep from noticing that the writing prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) seem a tad preoccupied with combating the societal inclination in Israel (and the nations) to Idolatry. We can speculate as to the exact process by which men became idol worshippers—many speculate based on Scriptural passages...
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October 2, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Old Testament Studies, Society
An atheist close to me was raised as a conservative Christian. The gospel never penetrated his heart, but he was, on the whole, a well behaved kid who absorbed a strong sense of morality, obedience to authority, concern for his neighbor’s well-being, work ethic, sobriety and self-restraint. He...
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September 30, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Old Testament Studies, Society
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One of the transforming insights I’ve gained over the last few years regards the blindness, deafness, insensibility of the human heart. I sit stupefied at the depth of human evil in many who are so untouched by divine light as to perpetrate and defend the vilest acts against...
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April 30, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Communication, Contexualization, Society, Theology
The first Law, planted in Genesis 9:6 like a seed in the human race, sprouting into all just law as the ages have passed, is rooted in that one all important notion about the nature of man. All natural law, thus all natural rights, stem from the idea...
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April 29, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Society
If you have a powerful sense of justice like I do, an inner hot spring of raging desire for recompense upon the wicked who abuse, rob and destroy others in a thousand different ways to satisfy their own selfish desires, then I’m sure that you too have routinely...
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April 17, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Society
I love the word asymptotic. I’m not a mathematician. No offense intended to all you left brained calculus types, but I actually hate doing math. It seems to me, however, that asymptotic defines my life’s work… and yours too if Christ-likeness, Biblical understanding, theology, and/or any other branch...
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April 12, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, Society
I have a lot of respect for Nelson Mandela on a personal level.[1] He came back from years of imprisonment over his resistance to institutionalized racism and, yet, took an official position of forgiveness and healing over revenge after his release.[2] He said, “As I walked out the...
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May 30, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Society
Today we have a guest post from Darrel Cox, Ph.D. Professor of Biblical Studies at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA. He has a Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Trinity International University, an M.A. in Christian Doctrine & History & an M.A. in Public Policy from Regent University and...
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May 23, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Society, Systematic & Historical Theology
No Comment
Let me say for starters that I don’t watch Duck Dynasty, don’t agree or disagree with anything about their statements for absolute sure (having no real context for it) save in the important right in our society to speak freely about issues. Were the network producers horrified...
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May 18, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Society
Today is a guest post by Scott A. Woodlee, pastor of Franklin Alliance Church (in Franklin, PA) and a contributor with Biblical Literacy Ministries. In the movie The Princess Bride the Sicilian mastermind Vizzini decries, “Inconceivable” after every foiled attempt to outwit others. For him, to have someone be able to match with...
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May 14, 2018 Scott Woodlee
Bible Backgrounds, Communication, Society
In my post, “Confessions of a Troglodyte,” I attempted to share my frustrations as a biblical scholar trying to teach or dialogue with those who are quintessential Millennials, those who represent in mind and attitude all that has come to characterize those born around 1980-2000 as they are...
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May 11, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Communication, Society
Technology has done many wonderful things for human existence. The power of our infrastructure has made survival likely (though none of us are getting out of this world alive till Jesus comes); it has added years to our days; it has allowed us the luxury of leisure, self-expression,...
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May 9, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Society
I remember a heated discussion I had in the 90’s with an African American friend of mine over race, culture and prejudice. I often contended genetic innocence for American slavery every time he tried to tar me with that brush because during those years my ancestors were in...
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May 9, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Communication, Society
Christianity is by its nature both fatalistic and utopian. Those dedicated to a Biblical Christianity tend to hold out little hope for this world, marching as we are to a climactic end of history. They also, however, have hearts full of a vision of what will be when Christ comes...
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May 4, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Society
It seems to me that a phenomena I have been witnessing for years in ever increasing regularity goes well beyond prejudice right into manic meltdown. All that is needed to create it is to mention certain topics to the wrong person while being the wrong person… one whom...
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April 9, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Communication, Society
