Robert Lowery

Even though I believe in being in touch with cutting edge scholarship, I remain very much of a traditionalist in many ways. Many beliefs people hold concerning the final return of Jesus–including events leading up to it–are relatively new. For example, a doctrine such as the “secret rapture” associated with some very popular books in our country, and unfortunately now throughout the world, was not believed until the early part of the nineteenth century.

We must beware of what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery.” The tradition of the church is not infallible, but it should not be discarded easily. I am cautious about any “new interpretation” in part because we too are influenced by our own cultural context and may fail to see what our ancestors saw. There needs to be balance, of course. Neither the past nor what is “pop” should be accepted or rejected without careful thought.

On the one hand, we must beware of accepting an interpretation or practice merely because it appears to have stood the test of time (think Luther and the Reformation, a movement that challenged beliefs held for more than a thousand years).

On the other hand, we must be equally cautious about accepting an interpretation, not matter how popular it is today, that does not find its roots deep in the history of the church. What is more tragic is accepting beliefs that have no scriptural basis whatsoever.

Depending on who you ask, the invention and use of barcodes may be an impending sign of doom. These God-loving folks in Russia are evidently among them:

God-fearing villagers snub “satanic” bar codes

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A hundred residents of a Russian village have refused to switch to new passports because they believe the documents’ bar codes contain satanic symbols, state television reported on Wednesday.

“We believe these new passports are sinful,” Valentina Yepifanova, an elderly resident of the village Bogolyubovo, told Rossiya television as she clutched an old, tattered passport she said she wanted to keep.

“They have these bar codes and people say they contain three sixes. We are against that.”

Some residents of Bogolyubovo, which means “God-loving” in Russian, have also stopped collecting their pensions at the local post office because the payment slips also have bar codes that might contain the mark of the devil, Rossiya TV reported.

Link to original story

REMINDER: Although you may have missed the first session (last night), Dr. Lowery will be speaking in Springfield, IL, the next five Wednesdays. Details here.

Dear friends:

We apologize for not being in contact with you since the middle of January, but we have been waiting for reports and recommendations from a variety of individuals. The waiting has been the hardest part. Late yesterday, after consulting with our local doctor, a decision was made. It is a decision based on a number of factors and one that we believe will bring a relative degree of peace to our lives.

By our count, more than fifteen doctors (from Lincoln to Springfield to Poplar Bluff to Cape Girardeau to St. Louis) have weighed in on my case. I am told that I am unique (no commentary, please) and that my situation remains a mystery to many medical specialists. Accordingly, we have had to weigh a number of options. The overwhelming majority of the doctors have made it clear to us that a biopsy of any kind has been ruled out; we are told that there is too much risk. What this means is that we cannot know for certain if there is a malignancy or not. And yet we have received encouraging news which has led us to make a decision.

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Have you read Revelation’s Rhapsody and still want more? Dr. Lowery will be speaking at South Side Christian Church in Springfield, IL (map) on March 21, 28, and April 4, 11, 18. Click the image above to download a PDF with details.