This morning I repented for not repenting. Not a day goes by that I seek acceptance from others or reliance on myself, instead of relishing God in Christ. And too many days go by before I confess this to God who is for me, not against me. I am, as Lewis said, far too easily satisfied. It was Luther that said all of life is repentance, a man who was profoundly acquainted with the depths of God’s grace.

Read no morbid legalism into this confession. I am humbly aware that forgiveness and acceptance from God does not hinge upon the purity and thoroughness of our repentance, but upon the purity and thoroughness of Christ’s atonement for our sins.

With repentance comes redirection of our affections and actions. While on the topic of redirection, I have another confession. This redirection is somewhat milder, and not an issue of sin.

For some weeks now, I have been bothered by the direction of my blog. I have slowly but steadily departed from the vision of my blog, which is summarily stated under the What is Creation Project tab: “Through nature and nanotechnology, science and sport, math and media, art and all things profane, run the two interweaving threads of human purpose and divine drama. A wondrously complex project which has departed from its model, but not from its blueprint, creation and its cultures are destined for perfection. The beginning can only be understood from the end, and the end is a new beginning.“

My blog posts have been increasingly churchy and decreasing in cultural savvy. Don’t get me wrong; there is a place for “churchy” Christian blogs, but my original intent in starting this thing was not to become an advertisement for all things Christian. Instead, I value the harder work of theological integration, reflection upon various aspects of culture in an attempt to trace the human and divine threads, producing a discerning discipleship. So, I will be redirecting my writing in an attempt to redemptively engage culture. No claims at perfection or even proficiency here. Theological integration and redemptive discipleship are hard. I may shift some of my church and church planting reflections to another blog, though time will likely not permit that.

If you are still reading, thanks for your patience in my repentance and redirection.

It is interesting that Oxford University is in an uproar over the appointment of Dr. Turnbull to Wycliffe college, because he appointed a deputy who opposes women’s ordination. Anonymous allegations of homophobia are also being circulated and Turnbull is undergoing an investigation. It appears that accusations of misogyny and homophobia are readily received without proper concern for their origins. To oppose women’s ordination is one thing, to be a misogynist quite another.

All of this is an effort to retain liberal theological values, liberal values that are not liberal enough to accommodate more conservative perspectives on ordination. The Rev John Richardson points out: “Once the universities were bastions of Christianity, now they accept the ethos of a Christian education only grudgingly.” If various theological perspectives, including conservative ones, are not allowed to be presented just how liberal and academic is the theological education?

Read the article here.

A new study by MTV and the Associated Press reveals conservative priorities for teens, our next generation.

A seven-month study conducted by MTV and The Associated Press reveals young people find the most happiness in family, religion is important to them, and they see marriage and children in their future.

Nearly 1,300 young people aged 13 to 24 years old were interviewed in late April. When asked what one thing in life makes them the most happy, 20 percent said family, the top answer. Nearly three-quarters said their relationship with their parents also makes them happy, and most of the respondents listed their parents as their heroes.

Are Christians becoming too culturally savvy for the sake of teens? Could this be a generational rebuke to our method-focused ministries? How are we redemptively engaging the rising generation of leaders to help them ground their marriages, relationships, and religious impulse in a life and worldview that changes both the heart and behavior, spirituality and society?

This article in the Republic traces a trend of Evangelicals leaving their denominations in favor of the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox church. Concerns?