ClarkeComments.com

Hello all:

I’m a little behind because I haven’t had easy access to a computer. I’ll try and catch up in the next day or so.

We have been commuting from Calabasis every day to the campus, because we registered two late and all of the rooms were already taken…and since I have both my four year old son and my wife in tow, things haven’t always been smooth or gone according to plan, but they have been fun.

We tried to make it to Richard Cherok’s lecture on Alexander Campbell, but missed it due to traffic. I ended up making it to Robert Hooper’s lecture of David Lipscomb, however. I had the chance to chat with Dr. Hooper for a few minutes before the lecture as we were both waiting outside the classroom while the previous lecture was wrapping up. Dr. Hooper’s lecture was very enjoyable, he talked about Lipscomb and how he is a man for our time today, which I very much agree with. Dr. Hooper announced near the end that his book Crying in the Wilderness: A biography of David Lipscomb, was going to be reissued next year, with a new introduction and some new chapters with current research. I’m excited about that and looking forward to getting a copy when it comes out.

After the lecture, I ended up having to spend a couple of hours working on Art History homework, so we missed the main lecture and several of the afternoon lectures. We made it back in time to hear Randy Harris give what he called an “unSermon” on “The Care and Feeding of Enemies.” The sermon was powerful…he started by reciting the Sermon on the Mount from memory, and then talked about why he couldn’t actually preach the text. Harris’ thesis was that man in incapable of loving his enemy, and that this can only be done with the love God through the Christian in the Holy Spirit. Harris rightfully asserted that without a deeper, biblical theology of the Spirit, we cannot truly understand or live the Sermon on the Mount. I wish my description of the sermon could give justice to what I heard.

After the keynote, I went to Bobby Valentine’s second installment on the Struggle for the Soul of Churches of Christ. Again, the lecture was excellent, and I learned alot more about our more recent history. On a side note, it seemed that throughout the week, I ran into Bobby Valentine every place I went, it appeared impossible not to, which was okay. I promise I wasn’t following you around, Bobby!

-Clarke

Hello everyone:

I am at the Pepperdine University Annual Bible Lectures this week.

We arrived a little late for the 1st nights Song Fest, but what we heard sounded wonderful. It is so great to hear a couple of thousand voices singing praises to God at once. The lecture “Turning the World Upside Down” by Donny McLaughlin was excellent. Don spoke on how the church must be a group of revolutionaries for the Kingdom of God. The message was right on, and very timely.

After the main lecture, I went to Bobby Valentine’s lecture “The Struggle for the Soul of Churches of Christ, 1884 - 1984. Bobby spoke about the Nashville Bible School Tradition versus the Texas Tradition, the personalities behind the approaches and the theology that they pushed. It was a great lecture and I am looking forward to hear the next. John Mark Hicks was unable to join Bobby as he is tied up on other affairs; I was sorry to miss him but Bobby did a great job solo.

I hope to have pictures to follow once I get back to Portland.

-Clarke

Hello All:

My family and I are currently at a hotel near Anaheim, California. I will be blogging live from the Pepperdine University 65th Annual Bible Lectures, for the next few of days. I am really looking forward to the lectures, and hope to meet any of you that might be there.

We went to Disneyland today. My son’s birthday is during the lectureships, so we decided that if we were coming down here, we’d better celebrate his birthday. We were very fortunate in that my son was selected to go up to the bridge of the Disney Ship S.S. Mark Twain - a huge sternwheeler boat- where my son got to “pilot” the ship for the cruise. That was incidental to his birthday, and really topped anything else that we did or saw. What a fun day.

I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

-Clarke

Hello All:

I will be out of town for the next few days for my Anniversary. When I return, I plan to continue my series on the Magisterium of Churches of Christ.

Until then, I will leave you with a small excercise..I’m sure it will generate much lively discussion.

Answer the following question:

Which one of the following is the infallible, inspired word of God?

A. King James (Authorized) Version.

B. New King James Version.

C. Revised Standard Version.

D. American Standard Version.

E. New American Standard Bible.

F. New International Version.

G. Today’s New International Version.

H. The Amplified Bible.

I. The Message.

J. The New Living Translation.

K. The New Revised Standard Version.

L. The Holman Christian Standard Bible.

M. The New Jerusalem Bible.

N. The Ignatius Study Bible.

O. New American Bible.

P. The Douay-Rheims Bible.

Q. English Standard Version.

R. International Standard Version.

S. New Century Version.

T. Revised English Version.

U. Young’s Literal Translation.

V. Contemporary English Version.

W. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Translation.

X. Knox Translation.

Y. New Millenium Bible.

Z. Twentieth Century New Testament

Discuss.

-Clarke