Justin and Kevin: also kinda funny

Worthy bros Justin Taylor and Kevin DeYoung are shocked, shocked that WORLD magazine would print an article by Andree Seu lauding Glenn Beck and dubbing the practicing Mormon a born-again Christian.

What about the "but-Beck's-a-Mormon" thingie? Seu dismissively chirps, "I know he’s Mormon and all that" — leaving one to assume that "all that" includes polygamy, damning Gospel of works-righteosness, adding books to the Bible, etc. She hopes he's just like Apollos: a little off, ripe for someone to explain the difference. Which no one has done. Ri-i-i-ight.

But anyway, back to Justin and Kevin. Both find Seu's column shocking. I myself used to love Seu's writing. This is shocking.

But is it more shocking than gushing all over an unrepentant murderess and antinomian, dubbing her (also) a "Christian"?

Is it more shocking than accepting as "Christian" a convert to Roman Catholicism, without as much as one question about the meaning of the Gospel?

WORLD did all this, and it was duly noted... more than four years ago.

By someone.

UPDATE: now WORLD magazine has clarified (?) matters by stating "All of us need editing. Our website editing system failed in regard to Andrée’s post about Glenn Beck." Nice. What does that mean? They don't say. They do say that they will all the more press to interview Beck and "ask hard questions." Well, that's also nice. I hope they do.

But before we get too happy, note that the writer goes on to say, "One of the hardest aspects of reporting is assessing hearts, so we try not to do it...." If memory serves, that was the excuse the reporter gave years ago for not even asking Ann Rice what she thinks the Gospel is.

So... we'll see.

(HT Justin)

"Progressive Church" commercial

(Thanks to FRiend Tim for the link)

Biblical Christianity Statement on Mary

I read with mixed emotions — almost all bad — Chuck Colson's reflections on the passing of apostate Lutheran Richard John Neuhaus, co-perpetrator with him of ECT. Among other troubling and baffling things, Colson bubbles that the dithering of ECT has continued apace. Particularly, "We've been dealing with Mary for the last year and a half."

My. For a year and a half.

Well, I'm always willing to help.

So let me just step up and slice the Gordian knot for them. Here's my statement on Mary:

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a pivotal yet relatively minor figure in the New Testament, of no more ongoing direct personal impact on the lives of Christians than any other exemplary (yet flawed) redeemed sinner depicted in the Bible.

There. Done.

Glad to be of help.

PS — you might find amusement in this old post on B2W, and my comments on it. Doesn't look like I've shifted much.