COMMENTARY

Clapham Institute Blog

Welcome to the Clapham Institute Blog. You may have followed us previously at doggieheadtilt.com or come across us through a corporate event, church gathering, or online outreach. However you arrived here, we're glad to have you. If you have any questions about the content we're presenting, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Graphic Novel (pt. 4)

In summertime, families flock to the beach and church attendance flags. That’s not entirely healthy, but it’s not a total loss. The gospel is preached every day on the beach. It’s manifest in a mystery explaining why women’s breasts act like a magnet for men.

Graphic Novel (pt. 3)

American attitudes toward same-sex marriage are shifting. This presents a challenge for those who see marriage differently. Some try to reverse this trend by rebutting the arguments for same-sex marriage. It’s better to make better marriages. But this requires heeding an ancient warning as well as embracing a better faith.

Graphic Novel (pt. 2)

“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” That’s good news and precisely where the gospel begins. But what is God’s plan? Saving us from our sins is imperative, but many see Christ coming to earth as Plan B. That presents a problem, as a Plan B gospel doesn’t include our body,…

Graphic Novel (pt. 1)

Many folks prefer the book version of “The Hunger Games” to the movie. The film is less gripping because editors cropped the book’s more graphic scenes to get a PG-13 rating. That sort of thing has happened in the past to graphic literature, including stories like “Snow White” as well as the gospel. And like…

The Swimsuit Edition

Swimsuit season is approaching. Time to sweat pounds, shed weight, and squeeze into swimsuits. But why do we even wear swimsuits? And why only cover our “private” parts? The Bible explains why, down to our genitals. If however you confuse body talk with bawdy talk, be forewarned. You might find this column too graphic.

The Other 99%

“The whole purpose of public education is to produce university professors.” So says Sir Ken Robinson in “how schools kill creativity,” one of TED’s 20 most watched videos. Only about 1% of college students become professors, so the other 99% are the losers in our educational system. That might be changing.

No Way!

Christians are often puzzled as to how the Jews missed Jesus. The prophecies point to Christ, yet Jewish leaders reacted, No way! Recent findings from neuroscience might add insights into why people reject uncomfortable realities. They might also account for why many church leaders reject an uncomfortable reality today.

Splinters

People typically try to avoid getting splinters. Not anymore. In a recent New York Times column, Meg Jay describes the downside of cohabitating. The dangers are reminiscent of the old warning – go against the grain of the universe and you get splinters. What’s puzzling is that Jay is hesitant to tell couples how to…

Shipwreck

A century ago the Titanic sank. The crew had been cautioned about icebergs but was careless. There’s a similar caution in David Brooks’ description of America as “a culture with an easy conscience.” That’s a red flag, as scripture cautions how conscience takes one of four shapes. Only one avoids shipwrecks – and it’s not…

The Power of No

If you watched the Masters this weekend, what didn’t you hear? The Masters is “a tradition unlike any other.” You don’t for instance hear boisterous fans bellow You da man!!! after a golfer hits a tee shot. Augusta National is an example of prohibitions playing a part in creating unique cultures. It’s worth a closer…