Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Let’s Discuss…Baptism

By Chaplain Mike This past Sunday we had a baptism in our Lutheran church. Four small children received the sacrament and were introduced to the congregation as members of God’s family. This led to a discussion after worship among members of our family who have been in churches that practice only believer’s baptism. At theContinue reading “Let’s Discuss…Baptism”

iMonk Classic: An Appetite for Fanaticism—Is There Something Wrong with Saying ‘You’ve Gone Too Far’?

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Undated Note from Chaplain Mike: The Harold Camping debacle over the weekend made it clear that many in our culture and in our Christian circles remain susceptible to fanaticism and the fervor that false teaching and imbalanced emphases often work up. I thought it would be a good timeContinue reading “iMonk Classic: An Appetite for Fanaticism—Is There Something Wrong with Saying ‘You’ve Gone Too Far’?”

Harold Camping, Plowboys, and the Peril of Jouissance

By Chaplain Mike One of the books I am currently reading is David Fitch’s The End of Evangelicalism? Discerning a New Faithfulness for Mission: Towards an Evangelical Political Theology. (See Scot McKnight’s recent series reviewing this book.) One of the concepts from Fitch’s book that rang true to me was that of jouissance. Jouissance isContinue reading “Harold Camping, Plowboys, and the Peril of Jouissance”

A Way Forward for Eschatology

By Chaplain Mike Two years ago, Scot McKnight did a five-part series called “The Future of Christian Eschatology” on his Jesus Creed blog. We have all had this subject on our mind this week, thanks to the looney predictions of Harold Camping and all the press they received. Today, I offer a summary from oneContinue reading “A Way Forward for Eschatology”

iMonk Classic: Three Questions about a “Secret Rapture”

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer From Feb 7, 2006 Advocates of the rapture make much of the texts in Luke and Matthew that speak of “one taken, one left.”—“I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two womenContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Three Questions about a “Secret Rapture””