08AR13-23

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Apologia Report 13:23

June 10, 2008

In this issue:

APOLOGETICS - Publishers Weekly gives Paul Copan glowing review

ISLAM - are Muslims beginning to see Al Qaeda is no friend?

+ the bravest Christian missionary in the West?

PSYCHOLOGY - "the most popular new psychotherapy technique of the past decade"?

WORD FAITH MOVEMENT - the "new strain" of teachings in Russia

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PLEASE NOTE: Our office will be closed next week. Consequently, the next issue of AR is scheduled for the week beginning June 23.

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APOLOGETICS

When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics, by Paul Copan [1] -- "Copan, a professor of philosophy and ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University, submits an excellent and comprehensive resource to help Christians contend with controversial questions about their faith. Copan writes eloquently and respectfully on social and moral themes: when is lying biblically acceptable? why does a sovereign god demand worship from humanity? how can Christians believe theirs is the only way to heaven? what does God have to say about homosexuality and same-sex marriage? Though each topic is approached with care, Copan does not flinch from a biblical stance and delineates each problem with exemplary thoroughness. Thoughtful readers will find great value in his approach to unpacking Christian slogans as related to truth and reality, worldviews and religious belief systems. He expertly unmasks the problematic personal autonomy philosophy that makes sweeping relativistic claims, but then tacks on absolute, inviolable standards at the end. Copan's skillful approach to apologetics provides ample information on hot-topic themes, but some readers may not be up to the challenge of slowly digesting his thought-provoking, weighty explanations." Publishers Weekly, May 26 '08, p57.

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ISLAM

"The Unraveling" by Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank -- describes "the jihadist revolt against bin Laden" in which "a rising tide of anger in the Islamic world toward Al Qaeda and its affiliates, whose victims since September 11 have mostly been fellow Muslims." This is coming from a "group of religious scholars, former fighters, and militants who had once had great influence over Al Qaeda's leaders, and who - alarmed by the targeting of civilians in the West, the senseless killings in Muslim countries, and Al Qaeda's barbaric tactics in Iraq - have turned against the organization, many just in the past year." And, "unlike most mainstream Muslim leaders, Al Qaeda's new critics have the jihadist credentials to make their criticisms bite. ...

"Why have clerics and militants once considered allies by Al Qaeda's leaders turned against them? To a large extent, it is because Al Qaeda and its affiliates have increasingly adopted the doctrine of takfir, by which they claim the right to decide who is a 'true' Muslim." Many examples of the transition taking place follow. For example, "the Muslim Brotherhood joined forces with the British authorities to reclaim the institution from pro-Al Qaeda militants. The Brotherhood is the most powerful Islamist group in the Arab world, with chapters throughout Europe and North America."

Still, "Al Qaeda will threaten the United States and its allies for many years to come.

"However, encoded in the DNA of apocalyptic jihadist groups like Al Qaeda are the seeds of their own long-term destruction: Their victims are often Muslim civilians; they don't offer a positive vision of the future (but rather the prospect of Taliban-style regimes from Morocco to Indonesia); they keep expanding their list of enemies, including any Muslim who doesn't precisely share their world view; and they seem incapable of becoming politically successful movements because their ideology prevents them from making the real-world compromises that would allow them to engage in genuine politics." Lengthy. The New Republic, Jun 11 '08, <http://tinyurl.com/65mr44>

Also see "Jihadi Suicide Bombers: The New Wave" by Ahmed Rashid, a bibliographic historical essay covering the 1990s. New York Review of Books, Jun 12 '08, pp17, 20, 22.

"Unapologetic Apologist" by Deann Alford -- a substantial profile of Jay Smith's London-based ministry of aggressive Christian apologetics for a Muslim street audience. This friends, is gutsy faith in action. Alford notes that Smith's focus is "debate, apologetics, polemics, and presentation." He is also "training Christians in debate strategies." Christianity Today, Jun '08, pp34-37.

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PSYCHOLOGY

"Lotus Therapy" by Benedict Carey -- profiles Mindfulness Meditation, "perhaps the most popular new psychotherapy technique of the past decade." Mindfulness "is rooted in the teachings of a fifth-century B.C. Indian prince, Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha." Its genesis began in the 1970s, by a graduate student in molecular biology, Jon Kabat-Zinn.

In Mindfulness Meditation, "Practitioners find a comfortable position, close the eyes and focus first on breathing, passively observing it. If a stray thought or emotion enters the mind, they allow it to pass and return attention to the breath. The aim is to achieve focused awareness on what is happening moment to moment." New York Times, May 27 '08, n.p. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/research/27budd.html>

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WORD FAITH MOVEMENT

"A Report from the Front Lines in Russia" by St. Petersburg, Russia Centers for Apologetic Research staff member Dima Rozet, who explains that the Word-Faith movement in Russia is a "new strain [which] goes much farther than traditional 'name it and claim it' and 'seed-faith' slogans. It actually sends its constituents to go and make themselves rich by launching business ventures and investing money - and this is justified by the claim that one cannot give an adequate witness for Jesus without being materially successful and prosperous.

"Thus, many followers of Word-Faith 2.0 engage in a variety of commercial schemes (such as selling Nuga-Best 'healing massage beds' with 'miraculous' qualities). Sometimes excessive Christian imagery and terminology are used in their promotional campaigns.

"Unlike the old 'faith movement,' the latest Russian version doesn't demonstrate as strong an attachment to the doctrines and influences of U.S. televangelists like Kenneth Copeland; instead, it promotes its own peculiar pantheon of apostles and prophets, most of whom hail from the former Soviet Union or Africa (the latter illustrated best by Ukraine's megachurch pastor, Sunday Adelaja, who oversees the 30,000-member Embassy of God church in Kiev and is opening Bible schools across Europe and even the U.S.).

"The new-generation Faith churches also make extensive use of the highly controversial G12 discipleship and church-growth system - especially 'Encounter' techniques to stimulate rapid growth and increased congregational commitment. I have a feeling that they are increasingly employing secular psychological techniques at the expense of their already-meager biblical teaching (for example, using seminars and conferences as vehicles for offering 'training sessions' to stimulate 'personal growth' and 'business skills').' May 23 '08, <http://tinyurl.com/5g4zru>

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Sources, Monographs:

1 - When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics, by Paul Copan (Baker, August 2008, paperback, 224 pages) <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080106743X/apologiareport>

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