Sermons, Connection Talks, Prayers and other works by Dr. Blair
Dr. Ralph Blair’s Keynote at the GCN Conference in Seattle, Washington, January 4-7, 2007 At first, they were impressed – a bit surprised, but impressed. But when the guest preacher began to “reinterpret” Scripture, they were confused. As he went on, they were shocked. Finally, they were furious. They knew their Bible. And, for starters,…
In the 400th Anniversary Year of the launching of The King James Version of the Bible The 2004 Winter Bible Study Series at The City Church, New York The last supernova was seen from Earth exactly 400 years ago – in 1604. That spectacular astral explosion of light and energy was visible through both darkness…
The Fall 2003 Bible Study Series by Dr. Ralph Blair at the City Church, New York FIRST STUDY Three hundred years ago today, Jonathan Edwards was one week old. And considering how very precocious he was, he was already well on his way to becoming America’s foremost theologian. One day, he wrote the following on…
Introductory Lecture for the Jonathan Edwards / John Wesley Tercentenary Preaching Festival of Evangelicals Concerned Ocean Grove, New Jersey September 26, 2003 The evangelical movement sailed forth in the fervor for the gospel of Christ in 18th century “Great Awakenings” on both shores of that ocean out there. As it’s been said, “Evangelicalism emerged precisely…
An expanded version of the Keynote address given by Dr. Ralph Blair at the Eastern and Western connECtions 2003 INTRODUCTION Earlier this year I was at Wheaton College for the centenary of that brilliant observer of the 20th century, Malcolm Muggeridge. He was the consummate insider who was ever the outsider. In his memoir, Chronicles…
A Sermon by Dr. Ralph Blair at City Church, New York on August 31, 2003 As you may know, the night before he died in the Iraqi desert, NBC correspondent David Bloom sent his wife an e-mail that was later read at his funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral here in the city. Here’s what he…
A Sermon by Dr. Ralph Blair at City Church, New York June 22, 2003 Unemployment here in the city is around 9%? That’s far worse than the national rate of 6.1%. But 6.1% is better than the national average over the last 25 years. So what do these figures mean? Well, it’s one thing to…
A Sermon by Dr. Ralph Blair at City Church, New York on June 22, 2003 An atheist’s advice? Here it is: Christians should be Christians. That was the advice of at least one atheist. Back in 1948, French Dominicans asked existentialist Albert Camus to talk on the topic: “What Do Unbelievers Expect of Christians?” His…
A Lecture at Princeton Theological Seminary March 21, 2003 What’s so immediately evident is this: Of all Christians, Evangelicals have perhaps the most difficulty integrating any expression of homosexuality with Christian faith. But here’s what’s not so immediately evident: Of all Christians, Evangelicals should have the least difficulty integrating at least some expression of homosexuality…
for The City Church, New York on March 9, 2003 As I mentioned, today is the birthday of Phoebe Palmer Knapp. It was 130 years ago, in the Knapp mansion on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, that she first played her new hymn tune for her friend, the blind poet, Fanny Crosby. “What does this tune…