Volume 38:Issue 5 

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CONTENTS:

04 From the CAO
On Caverns, Capsules, and Cocoons

06 Effective Evangelism
Contemporary Atheists and Sneer

08 Practical Hermeneutics
What Does the Bible Teach about the Cannabis Plant?

10 Postmodern Death: Organ Transplantation and Human Value
by Richard J. Poupard
Ethical Discernment/Critical Thinking: Organ transplantation has saved many lives, but ethical questions persist regarding the methods of organ donation. Christians should soberly assess the impact that organ donation has on the perceived value of human life.

18May the Force Bewitch You: Evaluating the Star Wars Worldview
by Robert Velarde
Cultural Discernment: For nearly forty years, the Star Wars motion picture saga has captivated audiences the world over. With three new films on the horizon, Star Wars remains culturally relevant and iconic. Its music, sounds, visual effects, characters, and extensive merchandising resonate with millions of people. But technical brilliance and commercial success do not always equate with truth.

26 Ready! Set! Wait!
by David L. Talley
Christian Growth (Practical Hermeneutics): What does the Bible mean when it exhorts us to “wait on the Lord”? To help us understand this important phrase, David L. Talley breaks it down into four specific points, provides a compelling biblical example of “waiting on the Lord,” and explores both “micro” and “macro” aspects to such waiting.

32 Condemnation and Grace: Polygamy and Concubinage in the Old Testament
by Richard M. Davidson
Biblical Discernment/Ethical Apologetics: Although the Old Testament frankly documents a departure from the Edenic model of sexuality in actual practice, Mosaic legislation prohibits polygamy/concubinage as part of universal moral law. Moreover, within the narratives involving plural marriage, the divinely inspired writers invariably embed their tacit condemnation of the practice.

38 Plural Marriage and Joseph Smith: A PR Nightmare in Mormonism
by Eric Johnson
Today’s Religious Movements/Ethical Apologetics: In late 2013, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began publishing essays on plural marriage, awakening many members to the distressing realization that Joseph Smith, their beloved founder, was Mormonism’s first polygamist. Against biblical prohibitions, Smith married thirty to forty women, half of whom were teenagers or already married.

44 Responding to Pro-Gay Revisionist Talking Points
by Sean McDowell
Ethical Discernment/Biblical Apologetics: The Reformation Project is dedicated to reforming the church’s traditional views on homosexuality by training an army of church members to rebut biblical arguments against homosexuality and to use ten “Talking Points” to persuade traditionalists to adopt the revisionist position. Sean McDowell examines five of the more critical talking points.

50 Once upon a Time: The Enduring Appeal of Fairy Tales
by Holly Ordway
Cultural Apologetics: The fairy tale is alive and well in today’s popular culture. Indeed, it has a strong and enduring appeal for both adults and children because its very structure resonates with our deep-seated longings. But when that traditional structure is abandoned, the moral and Christian value of fairy tales can be lost. Holly Ordway explains the difference.

54 Reviews
A Summary Critique:Julien Musolino’s The Soul Fallacy…R. Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec’s God’s Super-Apostles

58 Viewpoint
Living as a Christian in a TV-Dominated World

60 Ask Hank
What Separates Christian Orthodoxy from the M-O-R-M-O-N Heresy?