“If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school of metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but […]
Enlightenment
A Review of The Moral Arc Part 1: Abortion
Michael Shermer. The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom. New York: Henry Holt, 2015. 543 pp. As I read it, Michael Shermer’s 2015 book The Moral Arc is a sweeping 500 page apologetic for two theses: the optimism thesis (the world is getting better); and the secular thesis (that improvement […]
Should Christians be afraid of Islam?
In my review for God’s not Dead 2 I pointed out that the religion currently under greatest threat in the United States is not Christianity. Rather, it is Islam. That claim received a response from readers both in the discussion thread and via email who argued that Islam is a threat. When the concern was initially raised by Walter […]
Reading biblical horrors post-Enlightenment
David P writes: My problem is this: a) Prior to the Enlightenment, everyone pretty much read the Abraham/Isaac passage literally (right?). b) After moral reflection on God’s nature and other things, modern thinkers say the passage should be taken metaphorically. Then they proceed to point out features of the text that support their conclusion. Maybe […]
