Gary Shogren's Blog
In September 1972, I picked up a Bible, opened it and began to read it for myself. To be sure, I had grown up in a Bible-believing Baptist church. I went to Sunday School, memorized Bible verses, could recite the books of the Bible. I knew what Revelation was about and the basic plot of... Continue Reading →
The English version of my Thessalonian commentary is available from Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Thessalonians-Zondervan-Exegetical-Commentary-Testament/dp/0310243963/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343856671&sr=8-1&keywords=shogren It is also available as a book on Logos. And the English version of my 1 Corinthians is available on Logos software - http://www.logos.com/product/24079/first-corinthians-an-exegetical-pastoral-commentary Spanish versions to come in the future! Blessings! Gary
I offered to teach my hairdresser how to study the Bible. Her counteroffer: every Thursday she’d close up shop and I’d teach her entire staff! “Now, we’re all from different backgrounds,” she said. “But you’re going to teach about us how to study the Bible for ourselves, not promote a specific denomination, right?” Next Stop:... Continue Reading →
[this is the 2012 version of the post, and some of these are outdated] Gullibility is not a fruit of the Spirit. Yes, Paul did say that a Christian “believes all things” (1 Cor 13:7), but what he meant was, “to whatever extent possible, believe the best about other people”. It’s important to establish this... Continue Reading →
Click here to read Part I, which is necessary to understand this Part II. Some take issue with the 2011 update of the New International Version. For example, here’s the official statement from the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: As the evangelical community turns to CBMW for trusted counsel on contemporary Bible translations that... Continue Reading →
Search for comments on the new NIV by Google, and you will find bloggers talking about its “feminist agenda”, “Satan’s lies”, “end-time deception” and that “the homosexual community is excited about the new perversion of the Bible.” (They provided no statements from gay groups, expressing their glee). At its annual convention last year, the Southern Baptist... Continue Reading →
An important debate between Bart Ehrman, who wrote that the New Testament is not reliable. He speaks with Daniel Wallace, who is perhaps the leading authority when it comes to collating manuscripts of the Greek Testament and digitizing them so that people world-wide have access to the oldest copies of the New Testament. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg-dJA3SnTA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Part of my traditional New England upbringing was to learn to maintain boundaries between private issues, family matters, and public information. When I asked my parents what they were talking about, at times I heard, “Well, it doesn’t concern you.” Nothing gruff, like “it’s none of your business,” no “you wouldn’t understand.” Just, “if you needed to... Continue Reading →
I guess I came in late for this controversy: from 2008 there’s a YouTube clip of a famous preacher and his wife, responding to the question: “What are your thoughts on stay-at-home dads if the woman really wants to work?”[1] “Too many guys take too little responsibility” was part of the answer, one with which... Continue Reading →
A reader writes in: What really was Jesus’ name? Wasn’t it Yeshua? Is it an insult to him if we do not use his "real name" with the ancient pronunciation? Do we lose out on salvation if we call upon the wrong name? First, it is highly probably that his given name was Yeshua, a Hebrew and also... Continue Reading →
Open Our Eyes, Lord! 