God Issues - Articles - Tough Topics

The grave of Jesus?

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 CST

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John must feel flattered indeed this morning. And frustrated. After The DaVinci Code sold 40 million copies by writing its own heretical story of Jesus' life and supposed marriage to Mary Magdalene, two filmmakers are trying their hand at the genre. James Cameron, director of Titanic and The Terminator, has teamed with TV director Simcha Jacobivici to claim they have evidence of a tomb housing the remains of Jesus and his family.

Lebanon and the end times

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:00:00 CDT

As I write on this Tuesday, television commentators are claiming that Israel is nearing a state of "total war" with Lebanon. According to today's New York Times, Israeli Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinski has told Israeli radio that his army will be fighting in Lebanon for "a few weeks" until they achieve "very clear goals." More than 200 Lebanese have died, most of them civilians; 24 Israelis have died. The White House is announcing today that Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice will be traveling to the region soon. Nothing in recent months has captured our attention and fanned the flames of our fears like this.

Judas and Jesus: The truth about the Book of Judas

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:00:00 CDT

The "Book of Judas" has made front-page news since its disclosure last week. National news stories have been dedicated to its announcement. A two-hour National Geographic special aired on April 9. Books on the subject are already filling the shelves of local book shops. In the midst of all this furor, what is the truth about this so-called "lost book of the Bible"? And why does its announcement matter to our lives and faith today?

Suicide, scriptures, and the grace of God

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 00:00:00 CST

This week, our pastoral care minister and I sat down to discuss a memorial service he would be conducting for the family of a teenage suicide victim. As we talked about this tragic issue, it seemed to us both that a brochure dealing with this subject would be helpful for families in such times. What you are reading today is the result of that conversation.

Why Baptism Matters

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 00:00:00 CDT

Why is baptism so important that our church would make its derivative, "Baptist" part of our name? Why does this action matter to us?

Why Jesus?

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 00:00:00 CDT

"GodIssues" exists to help people follow Jesus. We want to give those who are exploring spiritual truth a place to ask hard questions and find relevant answers. And we want to help believers understand their faith more fully and live it out more practically.

Terri Schiavo, euthanasia, and the Bible

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:00:00 CST

Most of us who have watched the Terri Schiavo tragedy unfold have wondered what to think. The legal issues involved in her medical care and death are enormous. When should society guarantee a person's right to refuse life support? What kind of statements and/or documents are necessary? Absent these, is the decision best left to the spouse or other immediate family? What role should health care providers play?

When God hasn't answered your prayer

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 00:00:00 CST

A dear friend raised this issue with me this week. If God knows what we are going to ask, why ask? If he already knows what he is going to do, why pray? If my prayer causes God to do some good thing he was not going to do until I prayed, what does this say about the character of God? Why does he sometimes heal when we pray and sometimes not? Why pray?

Homosexuality: a biblical overview

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Thu, 22 Apr 2004 00:00:00 CDT

Last year a number of readers asked me to discuss the subject of homosexuality in biblical context. The ordination of Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church was the presenting issue, but the larger question transcends any particular denomination or individual. In brief, what does the Bible say on this divisive subject?

On such a controversial and emotional issue, we need to know whose word we are going to trust. We can find scholars who support any of the variety of positions which are advocated on the subject. It is not my intention to treat fully the multitude of interpretive comments which deal with the biblical texts on the subject. My goal is simply to review what the Bible says about homosexuality, as clearly, succinctly, and practically as possible.

The Real Painter of the Gospel: The DaVinci Code in the Light of History

no@spam.com (Dr. Jim Denison) — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 00:00:00 CST

Several months ago, I picked up Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code on the new fiction table at a local bookstore. Its cover and title led me to believe it would be a work of art history. Given my interest in the general subject, and in Leonardo in particular, I began thumbing through the volume. It was quickly obvious that the writer intended something far different.