The Manhattan Declaration is a 4,732-word statement signed by a movement of Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders who are collaborating around moral issues of great concern. Its 125+ signers affirm the sanctity of human life, marriage as defined by the union of one man and one woman, and religious liberty and freedom of conscience. The Manhattan Declaration endorses civil disobedience under certain circumstances.

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

Visit the site for more information.

Here’s a new book out that looks great: Christian Apologetics Past and Present: A Primary Source Reader, edited by William Edgar and Scott Oliphint (Crossway, 2009).

This, the first of two volumes, goes up to 1500 and is in two parts: (1) The Early Church: The Struggle for Vindication; (2) The Middle Ages: The Church Becomes Established.

At WTS Books you can get some sample pages, which contain the table of contents and the introduction.

It’s a 500-page hardcover. Each major historical section contains a preface, a time, and a map, then an introduction to each apologist and their primary material. Each source text is then followed by questions for reflection/discussion. I’m not aware of anything quite like this on apologetics.

Here are the blurbs:

“The texts here assembled are ‘classics’–not in the sense that they answer all legitimate questions about Christianity, but that, when they were written, they made their readers think hard about the faith, and that they continue to do so today. This is a most worthy collection.”
- Mark A. Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame

“For years I have wanted a book of primary sources in apologetics to use in my classes. Now we have an excellent one in this volume. Editors Edgar and Oliphint have made good choices in the selections used. A number of them are fascinating pieces rarely considered today, but timely, such as Raymond Lull’s critique of Islam.”
- John Frame, Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando

“In an age of historical amnesia such as ours is, nothing could be more helpful than to know how the church, in its long march through time, has addressed the opponents of Christian faith. This collection is superbly done and will bring much needed wisdom to our own times.”
- David F. Wells, Distinguished Research Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

“Understanding apologetics as explicating, affirming, and vindicating Christianity in the face of uncertainty and skepticism, Edgar and Oliphint have skillfully selected the best pre-Reformation sources to introduce us to this ongoing task. Their volume, the first of two, fills a gap in scholarly resources and highlights the strength, wisdom, and solidity of defenders of the faith in earlier times.”
- J. I. Packer, Board of Governors Professor of Theology, Regent College

“This reader on the classical traditions of Christian apologetics is, to my knowledge, unmatched in basic compendia. It will equip and encourage thoughtful Christians to develop equally compelling defenses of the faith in our post-Enlightenment, post- Romantic, post-Postmodern era where global interdependencies plunge many into new varieties of suspicion, contempt, and hostility that demand reasonable and faith-filled encounter, dialogue, and debate.”
- Max L. Stackhouse, De Vries Professor of Theology and Public Life Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary

“Bill Edgar, one of evangelicalism’s most valued scholars and apologists, has given us in this work with Scott Oliphint a classic destined to be used for generations. I highly recommend it to all who are called to defend the faith.”
- Chuck Colson, Founder, Prison Fellowship

HT: BTW

1. Here’s a cool cultural engagement site: Gospel and Culture.  Phil Ryken just recommended it on the Reformation 21 blog (itself a worthy site), and I’ve checked it out a bit.  Bill Edgar, one of my favorite thinkers, started this project, and it looks quite worthy of attention.  They do need to post media from their events, though; I would love to access some of the past material.

2. According to the literati (and specifically Wired magazine), blogs are “so 2004.”  Well, so what?  That’s my thoughtful reply.  I am not a fan of Twitter, personally.  Call me a grumpy young man, but it seems to provide endless opportunity for meaningless information that no one really needs to know.  I could have told you, for example, that I hit a few threes in my pickup basketball game this morning, or that I just ate (delicious) pumpkin bread made by my wife, but what would you really gain from that?  Furthermore, I want to shy away from activities that call attention to me and that can be pretty good fodder for narcissism.  Blogging is close enough as it is!

3. This is a great approach to basketball, but more importantly, all of life.  Written by my buddy Jed Coppenger, coach of the Boyce Bulldogs basketball team (Louisville, KY), it’s got some great material.

4. Dave Schrock considers marriage with his characteristic depth.  A great blog to bookmark.

5. A pounding hip-hop video from one of my favorite rappers, Mr. J Medeiros, a Christian who makes great music.  Download this one from ITunes for your next jog–you’ll go faster than before, I guarantee.

–Have a great weekend, all.