COMMENTARY

Clapham Institute Blog

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Graphic Novel (pt. 9)

This series ends with a sad story about rusty showerheads. My two sons played high school sports. I remember our surprise at learning how sweaty athletes would forego showering at school and drive home stinky – showering there. The showerheads at school had become rusty from disuse. However, rust wasn’t the reason athletes didn’t shower…

Graphic Novel (pt. 8)

In 1999, NASA was forced to destroy the Mars Climate Orbiter as the craft entered the Martian atmosphere. The mission unraveled because engineers were talking past one another. The same-sex marriage debate is suffering the same fate. The country is unraveling as we talk past one another. What’s the solution?

Graphic Novel (pt. 7)

Ever heard a Protestant case for purgatory? You’re about to. Surveys indicate chastity is popular amongst white evangelical adolescents, but few practice it. This yawning gap between belief and behavior is not an insurmountable problem. It has several solutions, including the possibility of purgatory. That’s right – a gaping chasm between profession and practice makes…

Graphic Novel (pt. 6)

She blurted an answer… and then blushed. What a shame. We know a couple getting married this weekend. They’ve been chaste but when the bride blurted “I can’t wait to have sex with him!” eyebrows went up. She blushed, but shouldn’t have. She was sharing the graphic gospel. It says the essence of chastity is…

Graphic Novel (pt. 5)

When Coroebus won the first event of the first Olympic Games, he received an olive branch. He had trained for one month and passed an exam attesting that he was of the right moral fiber. Within 50 years, morally upright Olympic athletes performed naked. The London Olympics begin July 27. Athletes no longer perform naked,…

Graphic Novel (pt. 4)

In summertime, families flock to the beach and church attendance flags. That’s not entirely healthy, but it’s not a total loss. The gospel is preached every day on the beach. It’s manifest in a mystery explaining why women’s breasts act like a magnet for men.

Graphic Novel (pt. 3)

American attitudes toward same-sex marriage are shifting. This presents a challenge for those who see marriage differently. Some try to reverse this trend by rebutting the arguments for same-sex marriage. It’s better to make better marriages. But this requires heeding an ancient warning as well as embracing a better faith.

Graphic Novel (pt. 2)

“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” That’s good news and precisely where the gospel begins. But what is God’s plan? Saving us from our sins is imperative, but many see Christ coming to earth as Plan B. That presents a problem, as a Plan B gospel doesn’t include our body,…

Graphic Novel (pt. 1)

Many folks prefer the book version of “The Hunger Games” to the movie. The film is less gripping because editors cropped the book’s more graphic scenes to get a PG-13 rating. That sort of thing has happened in the past to graphic literature, including stories like “Snow White” as well as the gospel. And like…

The Swimsuit Edition

Swimsuit season is approaching. Time to sweat pounds, shed weight, and squeeze into swimsuits. But why do we even wear swimsuits? And why only cover our “private” parts? The Bible explains why, down to our genitals. If however you confuse body talk with bawdy talk, be forewarned. You might find this column too graphic.