Dr Paul Allen

The Miracle of Christ Healing the Blind by El Greco, c. 1570 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) As Jesus and His disciples passed through Jerusalem , they came upon a man who had been blind from birth. This surfaced a question in the minds of the disciples that they must have been wrestling with for some time. They asked, Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?—John 9:2 Their dilemma was based upon a wrong assumption they had been taught all their lives, namely, that illness is a sign of God ’s judgment. There was no question in their minds that someone had sinned. But who? The disciples were trying from their limited perspective to answer a question we often find ourselves asking. It is the why question. Why did this happen? Why did my son run away? Why did my father contract cancer? Why did our house burn? Why did I lose my job? Why was I sued? The questions are endless. Each of us has a specific list. Sometimes there is so much emotion involved we dare not

Image via Wikipedia Germaphobes beware: Watching  Contagion   will only kick those frequent hand-washing tendencies into overdrive. But even if you’re not the one who immediately reaches for an antibacterial wipe after touching a doorknob,  Contagion  will make you all too aware of just how easily sickness can be passed from one person to another. And unlike many disaster movies ( 2012 , anyone?) where fantasy and reality seem veritable light-years apart, the filmmakers do a fantastic job of creating a foreboding sense of doom that feels very real in  Contagion —just one of the movie’s many strengths. Image via Wikipedia In a mere five minutes, the film’s ominous tone is perfectly set when we see  Gwyneth Paltrow ’s ( Country Strong ) character, Beth Emhoff, getting ready to board a flight back home. (Note: Gwyneth personally supports Gay marriage) After spending time in Hong Kong for business, she’s eager to get back to snowy Minneapolis, where she, her husband ( Matt Damon ,  T

Image via Wikipedia Mary and Joseph lost Jesus when He was a kid. It took three days to find Him, but there He was, “in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). Jesus was in the Temple, the center of worship. It was also the center of learning. “And all who heard him were amazed at His understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:47). Our Bibles give us only one glimpse into Jesus’ boyhood, and that scene depicts Him as an avid learner and a diligent student, actively engaged in lively theological discussion. So why is there so much suspicion toward Christian scholars today who, like the 12-year old Jesus, have a penchant for hanging out in centers of learning and engaging in lively theological discourse? Why the anti-intellectualism in the Church today? To be sure, Jesus was no intellectual elitist. Marveling over His brilliant teaching, some folks once asked, “How is it that this man has learning, when He has never studied?” (John