A Long Surrender: A Scientist’s Path from Atheism to Christian Theism by Gunter Bechley of The Discovery Institute Featured at Salvo When atheists hear conversion stories that begin with, “I was a staunch atheist and then . . . ”, they tend to roll their eyes and doubt the claim. However, this is exactly what happened to me. I had been a 150-percent atheist and materialist for almost forty years before I embarked on a spiritual journey that ultimately, after many twists and turns, led me to belief in God and Christianity. I had no life crisis, no epiphany, and no spiritual experiences at all. It was the result of purely rational, scientific, philosophical, and historical arguments that gradually changed my mind as a scientist. Here is my story. Read the Bechley's whole story by clicking here.
One of my most recent "aha" moments and spiritual highs came as a result of learning about the origin of the Celtic Cross. I first came across a talk given by Ken Boa (which will soon be on a post on this page). I later learned that Glenn Sunshine had done the research which Ken used to bring that talk to life. My epiphany regarding the significance of the symbolism of the Celtic Cross is why I placed it on the cover of my book, Lord of All. I even created a prayer using phrases drawn from my new understanding of this symbolism. I'll eventually share that prayer here. I have read Glenn Sunshine's articles at BreakPoint for many years and have found them an invaluable source to help me better understand and articulate the Christian worldview. His book, Why You Think the Way You Do is a must read on worldview thinking. I was formally introduced to Glenn through T.M. Moore at The Fellowship of Ailbe, which we were both a part of at the time. Glenn is a regular teacher/speaker for The Colson Center, a ministry associate of Ken Boa at Reflection Ministries, and has his own website and ministry, Every Square Inch Ministries, to which the excerpt below is linked. He is also part of a great podcast called, The Theology Pugcast, which covers a wide array of topics in a winsome and thorough way. The article below is about Celtic crosses in general and Muiredach's cross in particular. Enjoy. The story begins thousands of years before the first Celtic High Crosses was erected. The ancient inhabitants of Europe erected menhirs, enormous standing stones, particularly in Ireland, Britain, and Brittany in France. These stones date back six to seven thousand years, placing them in the Neolithic period. No one knows what their original purpose was, but as Celtic peoples migrated into the areas over the millennia, they became pagan holy sites. Read the whole article at Glenn Sunshine's website by clicking here.
Before we get started... I've shared this piece a number of times over the years, primarily because of the impact Ken Boa made (and continues to make) in my life. I also share it because, in many ways, his influence continues to show up in much of how I think and minister, as well as what I write. I deeply appreciate now the time and effort Ken has invested in ministry in general, in me in particular, as much as when I first wrote this. Any person who has ever taken a class I have taught has heard the name “Ken Boa” more times than they ever wanted. Ken was a mentor of mine from 1989-1992, while I attended seminary in Atlanta. I first “discovered” Ken through an audio tape (remember those?) someone let me borrow. After that, I went to the seminary library and read everything I could get my hands on. I also started attending as many of Ken’s Bible studies and small groups as I could that were spread around Atlanta. (There's a really long version of this story, but this will suffice for now.) Sometimes, at seminary, students can actually become spiritually malnourished as God becomes more of an object to be analyzed rather than a Person to be loved. Ken served as a great antidote to that ailment in my life. I enjoyed the privilege of getting to know Ken one-on-one and was even allowed to teach some of his classes from time to time. I will always appreciate the time and effort he poured into me. He must have exercised great patience in having this young seminary student trailing behind his every step. But if he did ever grow weary of me, I never knew it. He was always very gracious and helpful. After graduation I moved back to Florida and continued studying under Ken via his audio tapes and books. I have listened to his teachings and read his books over and over again. In fact, I wrote him a number of years ago and told him his influence has been felt throughout Florida, at every church I have served. (As a side note, I reached out to him during the pandemic and asked if he could share with me some details about his online teaching setup. Again, he was very helpful.) Today I can continue to keep up with Ken through his website. I can receive daily devotions and prayers, download and listen to his teaching via podcasts, read his many articles, etc. And if I want to feel even more like I’m back in one of his studies, I can join him in a class via Zoom or watch him via his seemingly countless class videos. I have mailed Ken periodic “thank you” cards as well as reached out to him with an occasional email. But it’s nice to know I can still keep up with him and his teaching. He was, and remains, a very influential mentor in my life. My ministry reveals it, as folks I have been privileged to teach and disciple can easily attest. Below is Part 1 of a Ten-Part video series entitled, The Voyage of Life. Ken has a book coming out soon based on this series. It was a moving study, one in which I took copious notes. His lesson related to the Celtic Cross especially moved me (more on that later). The Voyage of Life: Part 1 Aging Wisely by Ken Boa at Reflections Ministries Understanding the Times: Part 1 Strangers in Our Times by T.M. Moore at The Fellowship of Ailbe The Fellowship of Ailbe is a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic tradition. At the Fellowship of Ailbe website, you can find many helpful resources to grow deeper and wider in your faith in Christ. This post contains Part 1, in a series by T.M. Moore on Understanding the Times. Here's T.M.'s introduction to Part 1... Nobody likes to be thought of as strange. Click here to read the whole study and/or download this resource.
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