James L. Evans - The Decatur Daily

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Decatur, Ala. | Monday, May 21, 2012

James L. Evans

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51 results total, viewing 1 - 10

Faith’s slow retreat into irrelevance

In 1981, Langdon Gilkey, professor of theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School, found himself embroiled in a church/state battle in Arkansas that would eventually be known as McLean vs. … more

5/18/12 | 211 views | 3 comments

Teaching a person to fish

When I was about 4, my grandfather took me fishing. He had a secret fishing hole that was a backwater off Murder Creek in East Brewton. Remind me to tell you the story sometime of how Murder Creek … more

5/11/12 | 292 views

When religion becomes evil

The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, wrote in the 1600s that “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” He was right then, and he is still … more

5/4/12 | 523 views | 4 comments

The impact of an opinionated woman

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Wingate University in Wingate, N.C., you will most likely see the Ethel K. Smith Library. In the early 1980s, I had the privilege of serving as Ethel’s … more

4/27/12 | 474 views | 1 comment

The power of a good teacher

One of my earliest mentors and teachers was a biology professor in my senior year of high school. His name was Mr. Butler. In those days I was something of a class … more

4/20/12 | 632 views | 1 comment

The foolishness of the no-tax ideology

Grover Norquist, a darling of the religious and political right, quipped one time that government should be reduced to a size that it can be drowned in a bathtub, and then drowned. Without a doubt … more

4/13/12 | 458 views | 3 comments

Believing in the Resurrection

Believing in the Resurrection The experience of Easter worship in many churches is entirely too predictable. Preachers will take the various Resurrection stories and use them as proof of the … more

4/6/12 | 421 views

Palms and passion

Some 2,000 years ago, a rogue Rabbi from Galilee led a ragtag group of dissidents into Jerusalem at the height of a high holy time. As Jerusalem was commemorating their most … more

3/30/12 | 458 views | 3 comments

The prophetic role of the church

Harold Camping, a 90-year-old radio evangelist based in North Carolina, created a bit of a controversy for himself lately by attempting to predict the future. … more

3/16/12 | 746 views | 2 comments

The intersection of faith and life

It was my privilege to recently attend a briefing at the White House along with 60 other Baptist leaders. Our stated purpose was to hear how the administration was willing to work with faith … more

3/9/12 | 784 views | 2 comments