Shane Clairbore apologizes in behalf of Christianity

Potter Street Community’s Shane Claiborne is a well-admired brethren as he is among the few Christians within the mainstream Evangelical movement who has vocally expressed disdain for laissez-faire capitalism, not to mention his prominently social activism and service to the poor.

His books have come under criticism from some Evangelical Christians for his theology that his critics likened to the Social Gospel. His radical Christian's ministry for the poor, The Simple Way, has gotten him in some trouble with his fellow Evangelicals.

In an article for Esquire, Shane addresses those who don’t believe, which I hope would be a point of reflection for all of us.

Click here to read What If Jesus Meant All That Stuff?

some thoughts on apologetics

A few years ago I was so convinced that I would like to be an apologist like Ravi Zacharias, Josh McDowell etc.

It was during those times that I have misguidedly 'defended the faith' from people who are not attacking it, in effect turning-off more people, from God and Christianity more than effectively bearing witness to the gospel.

But as I grew older I came to refrain from associating with apologetics, and the statement below from the American theologian Frederick Buechner gives a very accurate description of the reason why I am now not so much into apologetics:

"C.S. Lewis once said something to the effect that no Christian doctrine ever looked so threadbare to him as when he had just finished successfully defending it. The reason is not hard to find.

In order to defend the faith successfully - which is the business of apologists - they need to reduce it to a defendable size. It is easier to hold a fortress against the enemy than to hold a landscape. They try to make each doctrine as it comes along sound as logical and plausible as they can. The trouble, of course, is that by and large apologists are apt to end up proclaiming a faith that may be quite persuasive on paper but is difficult to imagine either them or anyone else getting very excited about.

The other danger is that apologists put so much effort into what they do that they may end up not so much defending the faith because they believe it is true but believing the faith is true because they have worked so hard and long to defend it."

- Frederick Buechner
Whistling in the dark
An ABC Theologized

Welcome.

Hello I am Chuck Baclagon and welcome to ad maiorem Dei gloriam which is Latin for the English phrase: "for the greater glory of God".

Which is what I hope to live out as a Christian who stands confronted with the question of the Gospel's relevance in a society that seeks to eliminate the revelation of God as testified to by Sacred Scriptures and taught by the Church.

This blog serves as an online space where I would upload some of my thoughts on Christianity, theology, apologetics, some of the sermon messages that I have given exegesis for the youth ministry of Grace Bible Church. As well as some content from other blogs, sites and online resources on Christian theology.

Useful Christian Links

Churches

• Grace Bible Church - Grace Bible Church is a mission-oriented church in Nagtahan Manila


• Victory Christian Fellowship - Victory Christian Fellowship is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, Spirit-filled, disciple-making, mission-driven church that meets in ten different locations in Metro Manila and has planted churches in forty other Philippine cities.


• Greenhills Christian Fellowship - An international church community in the Philippines affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association.


• Christ's Comission Fellowship - A Philippine based evangelical church.

Theology & Apologetics

• The Bereans Apologetics Research Ministry - Evangelizing. Exposing false teachings. Equipping believers.


• Christian Apologetics Research Ministry - CARM is a non-profit, Internet based apolegetics ministry


• House Church Central - House Church Central is dedicated to the growing house church movement


• Apologetics Index - Apologetics Research Resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues.


• Answers In Action - Answers In Action is a dynamic non-profit, evangelical, Christian organization based in Costa Mesa, California, which trains individuals to think logically and reasonably about all things.


• Christian Research Journal - The online ministry of the Christian Research Institute


• Ravi Zacharias International Ministries - Stirring the imagination and impelling the mind to see the beauty and credibility of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


• Reasoning From The Scriptures - An Apologetics Ministry Centered on the Bible.


• Theopedia - Online theological Wiki


• Answers In Genesis - Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to enabling Christians to defend their faith, and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively.


• Jesus Radicals - Jesus Radicals aspires to be a resource for those who believe that the Christian Gospel is primarily a message of love and peace, and that militarism, capitalism and the state are idols that stand in stark contrast to the rejection of power by Jesus in favor of a personalist way.

Ministries

• Musicworx Ministires - Musicworx Ministries Inc. (MMI) more simply known as Musicworx is a Bible-believing, Christian music organization and singing group.


• New Tribes Mission - An international evangelical Christian mission organization


• World Vision - World Vision International is a Christian relief and development organisation working for the well being of all people, especially children.


• Salvation Army - The Salvation Army is an international movement, sharing in the mission of Christ for the salvation and transformation of the world in over a hundred countries.


• Campus Crusade For Christ - A worldwide, interdenominational Christian ministry committed to showing people how they can know and experience God's plan for their lives.


• National Council Of Churches In the Philippnes - The NCCP is a respected institution for its trailblaizing efforts, spearheading ecumenical evangelism, new programmes, and taking on people’s issues.


• Guidelines International - Guidelines daily commentaries by Dr. Harold J. Sala.


• Word Of Life - The purpose of Word of Life Fellowship International is the Evangelization and discipleship of youth through various means consistent with the Holy Scriptures to strengthen and build up the church of Jesus Christ.


• OMF Literature Philippines - After almost half-a-century of publishing in the Philippines, OMF LITERATURE remains confident in God’s power to touch lives, impart truth, and effect change through Christian literature.


• Philippine Bible Society - The Philippine Bible Society is a non-profit, non-stock and inter-confessional Christian organization that exists to provide people with Scriptures.


• Philippine Council of Evangelical Churces - PCEC equips churches in formulating effective evangelism strategies and strong missions programs for the evangelization of the Philippines and the world.


• Back To The Bible Philippines - CONNECTING THE WORLD TO CHRIST


• Way Of The Master - As a ministry, their sole purpose is to inspire and equip Christians—to teach them how to share the gospel simply, effectively, biblically.


• Gideons International - The Gideons International serves as an extended missionary arm of the church: Our sole purpose is to win men, women, boys and girls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through association for service, personal testimony, and distributing the Bible in the human traffic lanes and streams of everyday life.