This week, we saw technology feature prominently in the headlines, with tens of thousands of New Zealand Telecom XT mobile customers losing their connections over the last few days. However, the big news of course was the announcement of Apple’s latest tech gadget, the iPad. Weighing in at one-and-a-half pounds (.68 kg) and a half-an-inch thick (13.4mm), with a 9.7-inch screen, the most surprising detail of the portable computer was the price: $499 USD. Will it change the world? At the very least, it will offer a serious challenge to Amazon’s Kindle. And Christians may wonder if it has the potential to revolutionize the virtual church movement.

Until then, here is some reading to take you into the final weekend of January.

Christianity and the Haiti disaster

• A Christian perspective on the tragedy in Haiti
  Michael Milton offers some pastoral reflections from Lamentations and Luke chapter 15.
• Was Pat Roberston’s thoughtless statement about the Haiti disaster actually representative of Biblical Christianity?
  Melinda at the Stand to Reason blog corrects Richard Dawkins’ confused claim that Pat Roberston’s comments are an accurate reflection of the Christian tradition.
• Should Pat Robertson have attributed the Haiti disaster to the wrath of Gaia instead?

Christianity and Theology

• Douglas Wilson: “How shall we understand our afflictions? Our God sometimes strikes us, but only as the accomplished pianist forcefully strikes the keys.”
• The Judgmental Jesus
  Matt’s column in the latest Investigate Magazine addresses one of the most quoted (and misunderstood) verses in the Bible: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
• Greg Beale discusses inerrancy
  Martin Downes interviews professor Greg Beale about the exegetical foundations of inerrancy and the status of the doctrine today among evangelical theologians and biblical scholars.
• The Church and the surprising offense of God’s love
• Inerrancy and its denial
  Jeremy Pierce discusses why inerrancy should be the starting point for our doctrine of Scripture and some of the implications of its denial.

Christianity and Ethics

• The Euthanasia debate
  Professor of philosophy at Biola, J. P. Moreland analyzes the different arguments used in the debate about euthanasia and sets the controversy in the larger context of broad, world view issues.
• Abortion: A rational look at an emotional issue

Christianity and Philosophy

• A conversation about Middle Knowledge
  Razorkiss posts a transcript of his discussion on AOMin’s chat channel about middle knowledge and how this diminishes our conception of God’s nature, particularly his immutability.
• Remembering Aquinas
  Edmund Edward Feser offers some links to celebrate (yesterday’s) Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas.
• Bill Vallicella disentangles several questions that may be asked about the Trinity.
• Chesterton and the argument from reason
  Jim maps out Chesterton’s influence on the argument that C. S. Lewis’ made popular.
• Part 3 of Os Guinness’ lecture series on the essence of apologetics has been uploaded.
• Ten essential aspects of thinking as a Christian
  Tom Gilson describes what it means to think well, think deeply, and in accordance with the truth of God revealed through Jesus Christ.

Christianity and Politics

• The difficulties of religious freedom
  Lydia McGrew explores the idea that informal moral agreement must be necessary in order for religious freedom to work in society, particularly in the context of Islam and homosexual activism.
• The reaction to the ‘celebrate life’ Super-Bowl ad
  Jim Daly comments on the attempt of woman’s rights groups to pressure CBS into disallowing a Superbowl commerical that advocates a pro-life message.

Christianity and Fiction

• Vampires and God
  An interview with a professor Emeritus of English Literature at the University of Central Missouri about vampires, folklore, literature, and the how these themes connect to death and religion.
• More discussion about The Shack
  Yesterday, we posted Tim Keller’s impressions of the enormously popular novel by William Young. This week, Albert Mohler also considers the popularity of the book and what this means about the lost art of spiritual discernment within the Christian community. Fred Sanders, at the Scriptorium, also has some thoughts on how we can make the most of The Shack.

Christianity and Film

• Exegeting Avatar
  Sophie Lister deftly analyzes James Cameron’s epic crowd-pleaser from a Christian perspective.