Curious Christian

Exploring life, art, spirituality, and the way of Jesus

How many Muslim countries are actually theocratic?

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2011-04-19

I’m not a big fan of theocracy and as Islam is often presented as a pro-theocracy religion that has, unsurprisingly, coloured my perception of Islam. But I got to wondering this evening: how many Islamic majority countries are actually theocratic? So, here’s what I’ve determined so far. As far as…
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Top 200 Church Blogs

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-18

Kent Shafer has re-released his Top 200 church blogs as of March 26, 2011, and it seems Glocal Christianity is ranking 93rd according to his weightings. Looks like I’m in good company too with Johhny Baker and Christine Sine also hovering in the 90s. Thanks to all of you who…
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Engaging across cultural divides

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-16

Here’s a question. On the one hand, many Christians speak of the importance of cross-cultural contextualisation of the Christian message. On the other hand, many Americans speak of the culture wars between progressives and conservatives. So, are we acknowledging that these are two different cultures we’re talking about, at least…
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Crucifixion nails found in tomb! [insert skeptical expression here]

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-14

esurrection. Because if today’s reporting is anything to go by, it’s not just dead—it’s been buried in a tomb of its own, beneath layers of sensationalism and clickbait. This morning, the Sydney Morning Herald had this gem: JERUSALEM: Two nails used in Jesus’s crucifixion have been discovered in a 2000-year-old…
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Living the Resurrection

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-13

What does resurrection mean for you? This is where differing views on eschatology and apocalyptics have profound implications for discipleship. If you view the future as relevant for the present only in so far as the last judgement can be calculated to the near future, then chances you’ll treat the…
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Are fundamentalists an unreached people group?

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-13

I wonder, should we recognise fundamentalist Christians as an unreached people group? After all, we’ve frequently observed that the love of God is often clearly absent in fundamentalist circles.
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Apocalyptics versus Eschatology

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-10

“We must first of all distinguish between eschatology – whose concern as we have defined it is the meaning of the eschaton for present history – and apocalyptics – the effort to obtain precise information as to the date and shape of things to come. In marked contrast to the…
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Are Universalists beyond salvation?

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-09

In suggesting that Christian Universalists have got hell wrong, am I saying they’re condemned to hell? This seems to be the impression John got the other day so I want to make it blatantly clear. No. Indeed I’d like to draw attention once again to the N T Wright article “Justified…
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Are voters uninterested in moral issues?

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-06

The Barna Group says “Voters Most Interested in Issues Concerning Security and Comfort, Least Interested in Moral Issues” but I’m curious as to why they don’t consider terrorism, war, tax policy, immigration policy or health care moral issues. For that matter, is there any aspect of life, public or private,…
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Bells Hells

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Matt Stone

on

2011-04-05

Rob Bell has a few people screaming
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