Scattered Thoughts on Theology and Ministry…
Today we celebrate (mourn, think about, reflect upon, take your pick) the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. With this momentous event upon us, numerous people have turned their attention to the various historical and contemporary implications of the Reformation. You can see this in the number of books, articles, and blogs that have beenContinue reading “Was the Reformation a Mistake?”
Last night in the NT Backgrounds class I am teaching we got into a discussion concerning the nature of authoritative and inspired texts, how “choose” the books of the Bible, why some Christian traditions recognize certain OT Apocryphal books as having some weight and authority. The discussion took us a bit away from what weContinue reading “How the Canon Came to Be…”
What is an “evangelical?” Is there even such a thing? If one were to look at the vast spectrum of people who call themselves evangelicals, one might be tempted to say that there isn’t. Yet somehow, this moniker can’t simply be shaken off. People keep on calling themselves (and other) evangelicals. It’s a sociological-theological-historical termContinue reading “Theology and the Mirror of Scripture”
It seems like a simple question, which doesn’t have a very simple answer: Can Christians and churches be catholic and Reformed? Can they commit themselves not only to the ultimate authority of apostolic Scripture but also to receiving this Bible within the context of the apostolic Church? Allen and Swain believe that the answer toContinue reading “Reformed and catholic!?!?”
I just finished Tim Keller’s new book on prayer. It is at one theological, practical, and pastoral. Overall it was a great book. However, there were a few chapters that really stuck out to me. One of those chapters was a chapter where Keller covers Augustine’s, Luther’s, and Calvin’s theology of prayer through the examinationContinue reading “Martin Luther on Prayer & Meditation”
Karen Swallow Prior, professor of English at Liberty University and Research Fellow with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, begins each semester by exhorting her students to see the connections between the life of the intellect and the life of faith. She makes a sharp case for why Christians must beContinue reading “Christians Must be Readers & Writers”
Many years ago Avery Dulles wrote a classic book on ecclesiology titled – Models of the Church – in this book he outlines several key models that Protestants and Roman Catholics have used to explain the nature of the church. Dulles explains that the church has been understood as an Institution, a Mystical Communion, aContinue reading “Models of the Church”
When faced with the question, “Why do you meditate on scripture?” here is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer gives two answers. The first flows out of his identity in Christ…. Because I am a Christian. Therefore, every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God’s Word in Holy Scripture is aContinue reading “Why I Do I Meditate on Scripture?”
A few weeks ago Ed Stetzer began a series of blogs written by professors and pastors called Preaching Jesus from the Old Testament. The purpose of the series was to get people who have the responsibility of bringing the word week in and week out to their congregations to engage with these blog posts andContinue reading “Book Review: Jesus on Every Page by David Murray”
Its been a while since I last posted in our “Cool Christian Beards” series, but its time for the cool Christian beard to make a comeback! Today we have one of the most famous beard protestant theologians. Although he isn’t as famous as the bearded Calvin or the non-bearded Luther and Edwards, this bearded theologianContinue reading “Cool Christian Beards (pt. 3): B.B. Warfield”
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 