As of today, I am officially moving my blog to a new location: www.chrisbrauns.com.  There are a couple of ways you can help me make the move.

(1) Subscribe to the feed of my new blog in your feed reader.  If you are not using a reader, or don’t know what I mean by this, then go to this post.

(2) Link to me off your blog or web site.  It really does help & I appreciate those of you who have linked to this blog.

(3)Tell others about my blog.  Using the Internet is one way we have of creatively communicating with a large number of people.  Luke 16:8-9 has had a big effect on my ministry.  In that text, Jesus encouraged his followers to creatively and shrewdly leverage resources entrusted to them.  Unquestionably, the Internet has given us unprecedented opportunities to communicate with people.  It has never been so easy for me to point so many people to a wealth of resources.

(4) Comment.  It’s fun to know people are reading. 

(5) Check out my online store.  While it is true that Amazon rewards me if people order from this, I assure you that this will only help off-set my book spending a smidge.  What I think is truly important about this is that I have the opportunity to point people to a large number of quality books.  If you are looking for something to read, then go to my “rec reading” and review the different areas.  Notice in the upper right corner there are categories.  I will make changes in an ongoing way.

(6) Pre-Order My Book.  Let me say up front to my family, I am planning on giving each unit a copy, so you don’t need to complain in the comment section about being forced to buy a copy.  And, for our church family, Jamie and I plan to donate a number of copies to church — so, buy local.  Church will then get the funding.  Just to show you my heart is in the right place – - I am offering a discounted price and free shipping to those who pre-order. 

So, I like Collin’s article, but I do want to tell him about “triple points” which are really cool.

In his article, Hansen argues that using solid, liquid, and gas as an analogy for the Trinity is incorrect because all three phases of matter don’t exist at once. 

I agree that any analogy ends in heresy, but, technically, this critique is wrong.

Physicists have long understood something called “triple point” – - basically there is a combination of temperature and pressure at which all three phases of matter exist at once.

So, if you had the right temperature and pressure, you would find both ice, steam, and water existing at the same time.

There was a Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society article in 1993 by an Auburn physics professor named Michael Bozack where he made this very point.  Bozack wrote,*

In summary, the triple point shows how one substance can exist in three fundamental forms concurrently, each fully the same in nature yet clearly distinct to the extent of having a real interaction with each other, different properties, and different applications.

The triple point shares a number of common elements with the Trinity, including a singular nature shared by three coequal but distinct subsistences, economical properties, and ontological properties. . .

Bozack goes on to describe where the analogy breaks down.

*The Evangelical Theological Society, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Volume 36, 36:67 (The Evangelical Theological Society, 1993; 2002).

Of course, being honest with the reality of evil forces us to address difficult theological questions.  Why does God allow evil?  Here, I think Os Guinness’ book, Unspeakable: Facing Up to the Challenge of Evil is must reading.

Unfortunately, one of the most monstrous forms evil takes is when those in Christian leadership take advantage of people under their care.  Pastor James Emery White talks about how local churches should not and should respond in this post.  (Click here).

As for those who perpetrate such evil, it would have been far better for them if they had drowned first (Matthew 18:6).

 HT: Rebecca Writes

It is cool.  See this post. 

I was excited to see what is happening in my hometown.  Alas, there is no news.  We can only wait for Sheep Empire Day and hope that it (or whatever the Keosauqua-ites currently call it) will warrant a link on Google.

This is a cool link.  Take the ride by clicking here.

HT: Justin Taylor

One of the best parts of writing a book was praying together as a family about different aspects of the process.  For a first time author, endorsements are important.  It was fun to have our four year old (at that time) ask me about endorsements.  You can read them here.

This post summarizes my goal with Unpacking Forgiveness.