Five Star Links

Each Friday, we share links we found especially interesting or inspiring during the previous week. 

Persis:

Are women inherently less wise than men? Is this just an issue of gender or is the root deeper than that?  Rachel Darnall takes the issue back to our understanding of "the nature, source, and purpose of wisdom."

If women are barred from understanding the things of God based on our sex, then we are indeed to be pitied, but not because our folly disqualifies us from standing behind a pulpit. A pulpit is a nothing more than piece of wood, and it is of little eternal consequence whether one stands behind it or sits in front of it. What matters is eternal fellowship with Christ; and if we do not have the mind of Christ – which is the only way to be wise – then we do not have Christ.

Kim:

I remember being very unprepared to answer this question from my own children: "How do we know the Bible is authoritative?" I'm pretty sure many people ask that question. Here is a helpful article which discusses 7 Things You Should Know About the Formation of the New Testament:

We have over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. The second closest ancient text is Homer’s Iliad. We possess less than 2,000 copies of this work. The works of Aristotle, Plato, Herodotus, Tacitus, and many others are even more poorly preserved; and yet, no one doubts their authenticity. 

Rebecca: 

Do you have a family member who is apostate? Many of us do.

Here's some good advice on how to respond when a family member—or friend, for that matter—leaves the faith.