Earlier this week we saw that Edwards believed that “God is a communicative being.” This significance of this is that God is all about his glory – specifically God is all about communicating his own glory ad intra (within the Trinity) and ad extra (to sentient beings he has created). Then we asked the question:Continue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – Sex & God’s Glory”
Category Archives: Religion
Jonathan Edwards Week – Ontological Argument(s)
Jonathan Edwards makes an interesting (and prior to a few weeks ago unknown to me) ontological argument in one of his miscellanies. But before we get to that, a little bit on Ontological Arguments[1]: Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source otherContinue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – Ontological Argument(s)”
Jonathan Edwards Week – Edwards and Atonement (Pt. 2)
Yesterday we took a brief look at a quote from Edwards that has been spun into a rather interesting theory of atonement (namely one that Edwards would never had agreed to). Today, I felt like we should look at what Edwards really believed about atonement. Here is Edwards in his own words: If it beContinue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – Edwards and Atonement (Pt. 2)”
Jonathan Edwards Week – Edwards and Atonement
What does Jonathan Edwards believe when it comes to atonement? Well, its nothing terribly interesting – he takes the traditional reformed line when it comes to this doctrine. However – in one of his miscellanies he says something that has been used by other theologians (John McLeod Campbell initially) to argue that he might haveContinue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – Edwards and Atonement”
Jonathan Edwards Week – God is a Communicative Being
One of the fundamental axioms of Jonathan Edwards’ theology is that God is a communicative being. Edwards says that “It is God’s essence to incline to communicate himself.” (Misc. 107) He also says that “This disposition to communicate himself is what we must conceive of as being originally in God as a perfection of hisContinue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – God is a Communicative Being”
Atonement is Penal and Substitutionary
Atonement is both penal and substitutionary – here is John Webster on what is happening on the cross: He becomes, that is, the bearer of our sins. “Surely,” Isaiah tells us, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (53:4); and again: “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”Continue reading “Atonement is Penal and Substitutionary”
Called or Converted? (Pt. 2)
A short while ago I began to address the question whether Paul was called or converted. It’s a question that has preoccupied a lot of scholars – especially in our post-holocaust world. It seems to many (including E.P. Sanders) that if you say that Paul converted away from Judaism and towards Christianity you are beingContinue reading “Called or Converted? (Pt. 2)”
The Shape of Paul’s Theology
Apocalyptic or redemptive-historical? That is the main question most people are debating nowadays when it comes to the shape of Paul’s theology. Certain places – like Galatians (especially the opening chapter) have a sort of apocalyptic feel. But other places like Romans – certainly has a redemptive-historical feel. So what is the primary motif undergirdingContinue reading “The Shape of Paul’s Theology”
Shepherding God’s Flock
Towards the end of 2014 I spent some time praying, asking God what areas of growth he wanted me to focus on in 2015. Two areas that came up were 1) Preaching and 2) Shepherding. God wanted me to work on my preaching and communication skills and God wanted me to grow in having aContinue reading “Shepherding God’s Flock”
A Tale of Two Skywalkers
As someone who preaches I’m always looking for awesome illustrations that can help the audience better come to grips with tough theological concepts. One of those concepts is the relation between Adam and Christ – or as Paul refers to them in Romans: the First and Last Adam. Theologically what is going on in RomansContinue reading “A Tale of Two Skywalkers”
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 