‘Wrath of God’ Headliner
Published 7-8-2015 On June 23, 2015, vicious thunderstorms and windstorms tore through northeastern Iowa. Our local newspaper described widespread damage. Heavy winds knocked down trees and damaged multiple homes. There were no injuries but there was widespread damage even without a tornado. On the following day the local newspaper headlined the ‘Wrath of God’ on…
Read MoreHundred Year Events
Published 7-3-2015 Our personal neighborhood in extreme northwest Illinois has been struck many times in the last dozen years by monumental rainfall events. It is debatable whether their frequency has been intensified over previous decades. Our locality has endured four or five rainfall events in the 8 to 13 inch category. These do not compare…
Read MoreTemporary Suffering
Published 6-24-2015 Many skeptics highlight their argument that a loving and benevolent God would not permit evil, decay, pain, suffering, or death. If God is both omnipotent and good, certainly he would permit only goodness and righteousness to exist, the argument goes. Moreover, he would not permit any physical laws such as the Law of…
Read MoreNo More Decay
Published 6-22-2015 Discussions about the body’s wellness or illness consume a large portion of conversation, whether among the young, middle-aged, or seniors. Regular medical monitoring is vital even for the very youngest among us. By retirement age and the years following, our discussions, not to mention a substantial portion of insurance coverage, are committed to…
Read MoreTemporary Medical Intervention
Published 6-18-2015 Divine healing or medical intervention? God has supplied the benefits of both. In our day the confident pronouncement that “All healing is divine” accounts for phenomena such as (1) our body’s own repair mechanisms from cuts, scratches, and bruises, (2) our body’s responses to illness or infection, and (3) our body’s natural tendency…
Read MoreHealing Questions
Published 6-15-2015 Our friends and fellow church members often request prayer for physical injuries or illnesses. Useful perspectives on wellness and illness are sometimes under stressed in our church communities in light of diverse and ongoing physical needs. Within the church these conditions are often communicated as a need for divine healing. Outside the church…
Read MoreDeposing the Queen
Published 6-10-2015 Many science laypersons may not be enthralled with our recent discussions of science methodology such as methodological and metaphysical naturalism. For them, merely acknowledging the beauty and order of the natural world suffices. We hope one positive dimension of their experience consists in admiring the artistry of the Creator. Deeper research highlights the…
Read MoreMN and Metaphysical Naturalism
Published 6-7-2015 In past discussions with friends concerning science, including specific issues such as creationism and evolution, few subjects have consumed more attention than methodological naturalism (MN). MN is a guiding principle of secular and theistic scientists alike. Under modern principles of MN, scientists are strictly guided by the concept that in science, only natural…
Read MoreMethodological Confusion
Published 6-2-2015 “I believe methodological naturalism is a good operating principle for scientific discovery.” Your Ankerberg science blogger wrote this on his 9/15/2009 post. Lacking full knowledge of what this important term means and how it is used by science professionals, some science laypersons may be confused. At worst this confusion could cause misunderstanding concerning…
Read MoreScientific Revolution Methodology
Published 5-30-2015 Skilled science philosophers and historians contribute to our understanding of seminal topics such as the Scientific Revolution. Robert Bishop is a Professor of Philosophy and History of Science from Wheaton College. His article “God and Methodological Naturalism in the Scientific Revolution and Beyond” appeared in the ASA Journal Perspectives on Science and the…
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