Henk-Jan van der Klis

All too often authors, journalists, preachers and opinion-makers describe a troubled relationship between science and religion. In Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion (free PDF),  Ronald Numbers is a real myth buster. In each chapter he shows popular quotes on a certain topic from available literature, then cracks it down to the real story, unearthing unkown details, countering the popular beliefs. Numbers himself is a religious agnostic and defines a myth as  just “a claim that is false.” Together with  24 other scholars he explores 25 claims about science and religion. The pieces on all 25 are accessible, suitable for ready reference as well as recreational reading. Make up your mind on myths that:

1. The rise of Christianity was responsible for the demise of ancient science
2. The medieval Christian church suppressed the growth of science
3. Medieval Christians taught that the earth was flat
4. Medieval Islamic culture was inhospitable to science
5. Medieval church prohibited human dissection
6. Copernicanism demoted humans from the center of the cosmos
7. Giordano Bruno was the first martyr of modern science
8. Galileo was imprisoned and tortured for advocating Copernicanism
9. Christianity gave birth to modern science
10. Scienfitic revolution liberated science from religion
11. Catholics did not contribute to the scientific revolution
12. René Descartes originated the mind-body distinction
13. Isaac Newton‘s mechanistic cosmology eliminated the need for God
14. Church denounced anesthesia in childbirth on biblical grounds
15. The theory of organic evolution is based on circular reasoning
16. Evolution destroyed Charles Darwin‘s faith in Christianity : until he reconverted on his deathbed
17. Thomas H. Huxley defeated William Wilberforce in their debate over evolution and religion
18. Charles Darwin destroyed natural theology
19. Charles Darwin and Ernst Haeckel were complicit in Nazi biology
20. The Scopes trial ended in defeat for antievolutionism
21. Albert Einstein believed in a personal God
22. Quantum physics demonstrated the doctrine of free will
23. “intelligent design” represents a scientific challenge to evolution
24. Creationism is a uniquely American phenomenon
25. Modern science has secularized Western culture

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Most people do not read the Bible in its original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). No translation is ever completely successful, however, whether of the Bible or any other text. All translations fall short for a variety of reasons. The Expanded Bible allows the reader to see multiple possibilities for words, phrases, and interpretations. Rather than opting for one choice, it shows many. It can, for instance, show both an original metaphor and a more prosaic understanding of that metaphor. It can show a second or third way of understanding the meaning of a word, phrase, verse, or passage. It can provide comments that give the historical, cultural, linguistic, or theological background that an English-language reader may lack. When helpful, it provides the most literal renderings to show what a translator has to work with.

With so many English translations available, some may ask why we need another. In many ways this is not another translation. Instead, it offers additional information that allows readers to see how translation communicates meaning. Readers see, in a clear and concise format, much of what a translator sees while working to be as faithful to the text as possible. The goal of this approach is not to suggest that a text can mean whatever anyone wants it to mean (it cannot), but to show that the Bible in its original languages is rich, multi-layered, and profound. The Expanded Bible does not overcome all the limitations of translation, but it allows more of the features of the original text to come across into English than any ordinary translation can.

Both formal and functional equivalence translation approaches have benefits. The Expanded Bible represents the best of both approaches, offering idiomatic renderings to clearly convey the meaning of the text, and literal alternatives to show underlying structural features and allow the reader to assess the choices a more meaning-based translation has made. Ultimately, no translation serves the goals of clarity, accuracy, and readability better than The Expanded Bible. Three scholars, Tremper Longman III (Ph.D., Yale), Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., Aberdeen) and Daniel Taylor (Ph.D., Emory) contribute to a better understanding of God’s Word. Without the need for additional commentaries, concordances or references, this Bible gives you the extras while reading the original books, poems, laws, prophecies and letters. The culture of biblical times is explained, scripture with scripture comparison made and space for own expansions, observations and note taking left, providing wide margins on every page.

The base text is a modified version of the New Century Version, a clear and accurate, meaning-based (functional-equivalent) Bible version. This base text appears in bold-faced type. Alternate interpretations of words, phrases, or idioms (and other information) are placed in brackets in lighter type. The easiest way to learn to use The Expanded Bible is simply to read it. Some examples to illustrate the approach and font typing:

Genesis 1: 1-5

1·In the beginning [or In the beginning when] God created [Cthis Hebrew verb is used only when God is the one creating] the ·sky [heavens] and the earth. 2·The [or…the] earth ·had no form and was empty [or was a formless void]. Darkness covered the ·ocean [deep], and ·God’s Spirit [or a mighty wind] was ·moving [hovering] over the water.
3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, so he ·divided [separated] the light from the darkness. 5God ·named [called] the light “day” and the darkness “night.” ·Evening passed, and morning came [LThere was evening and there was morning; Cin the OT a day begins at nightfall]. This was the first day.

Genesis 4:3

3. Later [In due course; LAt the end of the days], Cain brought some ·food [produce; fruit] from the ground as a ·gift [tribute; Lev. 2] to God. 4Abel brought the ·best parts [fat portions; Lev. 3:16] from some of the firstborn of his flock [Heb. 11:4]. The LORD ·accepted [looked with favor on] Abel and his ·gift [tribute], 5but he did not ·accept [look with favor on] Cain and his ·gift [tribute]. So Cain became very angry and ·felt rejected [or felt dejected; Lhis face/countenance fell].

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Rene Ameling (1977, assistant Professor of Sociology at Yale University) attempted to sort through the questions raised by bodily commodification. Economics (my own University background), healthcare and psychology are combined in her publication Sex Cells – The Medical Market for Eggs and Sperm, based on her own research on egg donations and sperm donors, nowadays a multi-billion market in the US alone. Though explicitly a US-based research, Ameling suggests that the outcomes may differ among cultures around the earth. The practice was unimaginable until the 20th century. Hundreds of fertility clinics in the US are dependent on a constant supply of sex cells for clients who do not have or cannot use their own sperm and eggs. Research was done on this market dynamics, the very nature of it: a gift / donation or a simple economic transaction. Secondly the perception of men and women towards their ‘service’ is revealed. What drives them?  Is it for the money? What are gender differences? What about separating private life and personal relationships (marriage, fiancee, sexual intercourse) from ‘a little vacation’ or periodic masturbation on demand? The third part of the book is concentrated on the eventual offspring. Do donors consider themselves parents? What if the offspring become 18 and are looking for their genetic ancestor and knock on your door? The answers to these questions are not reduced to biology or technology. Ameling brings together sociological theories of the market with gendered theories of the body to create a framework for analyzing markets for bodily goods, both in terms of how such markets are organized and in how they are experienced. Eggs and sperm are parallel bodily goods, but appear to be marketed differently from other bodily goods like blood and organs. Egg agencies, sperm banks were visited, staff and donors interviewed.

Commodification of the body is an interactive social process. One of the significant findings from this study: the way in which payment happens is surprisingly important in shaping eggs and sperm donors’ experiences of being paid for bodily goods. Gendered norms influence the market for sex cells, but racial and class-based inequalities, among others, are likely to be as powerful in shaping processes of bodily commodification. Sex does indeed sell in the medical market for eggs and sperm. The characteristics of the people and the parts, the flows of supply and demand, and the historical and cultural context all come together to produce variation in both the structure and experience of the market.

You can read the introduction for free as PDF and preview this book’s content online, check this book’s Facebook page or watch an interview with Rene Ameling.

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EPIC JESUS is de naleesbare vastlegging van de lezing die auteur en spreker Frank Viola gaf op de 2011 Momentum Conference. De schrijver van Revive Us Again, Jesus Manifesto, From Eternity to Here, Reimagining Church, Pagan Christianity en The Untold Story of the New Testament Church heeft de kernpunten van zijn Christocentrische boodschap voor een schappelijke prijs van $3.99 (24 pagina’s tellend e-book) beschikbaar gesteld.

“We’ve majored in minors. We’ve made the Christian life about topics, concepts, methods, activities, and techniques. But Christ is ALL. Everything else is commentary.” De zoektocht naar het hart van het evangelie, God zelf die Zijn plan volvoert, Zijn Zoon Jezus Christus naar de aarde liet komen, mens liet worden, voor onze zonden leed, stierf en weer opgewekt werd, woont nu in Zijn volgelingen. Wij zijn Zijn handen en voeten. Als je Jezus Christus wilt leren kennen, zijn belangrijke sleutels Zijn Woord (de Bijbel), Zijn kinderen (christenen, medegelovigen) die als Bruid voor Hem, de Bruidegom worden voorbereid. En je kunt niet om het collectief aan christenen, de Gemeente heen. Verlaag je Jezus Christus tot slechts een goed mens, een voorbeeldig leider, groot filosoof, leraar, mis je de kern. “So it’s not “what would Jesus do?” It’s “watch what Jesus does.” It’s “what is Jesus doing . . . through you and through me?”

Nog zo’n passage: “As Paul said in Galatians 2, “It is not I, but Christ lives in me.” And now I want to press a question. How did Jesus of Nazareth live His peerless life? Well, we all know the answer. He went around Galilee wearing a WWFD bracelet asking, “What would the Father do in this situation?” What would the Father do in that situation?” Is that what He did? No, He said . . . “What I hear my Father speak, that’s what I speak.” “What I hear my Father judge, that’s what I judge.” “It’s not me doing the works, it’s my Father within me.”

24 pagina’s verzamelde schatten uit de Bijbel met een nuchtere constatering: het beeld dat wij van God hebben (gemaakt), is te klein. Wil je kennismaken met het werk en manier van schrijven van Viola, is Epic Jesus een perfecte aanrader.

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Kay Arthur wrote As Silver Refined – Learning to Embrace Life’s Disappointments back in 1997.  In 2011 a revision, titled As Silver Refined Answers to Life’s Disappointments was released in both paperback as e-book format. Kay Arthur is one of America’s best-known and most-beloved Bible teachers and authors. With her husband, Jack, she is the co-founder of Precept Ministries International, the leaders in inductive Bible-study resources. Kay also reaches hundreds of thousands of people internationally through her “Precept upon Precept” inductive Bible studies. In addition, her daily and weekly television programs air on over 900 stations in 30 countries.

Arthur guides you to biblical truths that will help you break that cycle and instead embrace disappointment as the cleansing fire God uses to make you—as silver refined—a reflection of His goodness. In the prologue the silver refiner and his fire are explained. Then so-called Deadly D’s are the topics covered in chapters ahead. Disappointment, discouragement, dispair, dejection, demoralization, etc.

Arthur’s teaches that disappointment = HIS appointment. The why questions in life can be answered, if you’re willing to read your bible, seek the comfort and fellowship with other believers in church and know the truth. God has a plan, is sovereign, has overcome sin, conquered death, sickness. As a christian you’re free, empowered to be holy, resist the devil’s lies and not give in to sin. Your circumstances are actually the flames of His grace, intended to melt and burn away the undesirable elements in your life, leaving you pure and radiant—like refined silver. Arthur brings in a lot of biblical examples, letters from readers and listeners and goes well beyond simple one-liners and buzz words. Christianity’s core beliefs, much richer than earthly wanderings along doctors, gurus and drugs will provide the answers you’re looking for. Her writing style is engaging. The e-book version I read contains 224 pages, the 368 pages paperback version has a 16 week bible-study as a add-on.

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