The ‘must read’ Christian book of the year?
Mark Thompson gives notice of what he thinks will be the ‘must read’ Christian book of the year:
“Graeme’s convictions about the authority of Scripture, its dual authorship, its profound and textured unity, its Christological centre, and its vital relevance for all who want to know God and to live as his forgiven people are not only expressed but explained with all the care and skill of this master teacher.”
“All over the world Moore College is known for its approach to biblical theology. Biblical theology in this sense is attention to the unfolding unity of Scripture with its focus on the fulfilment of God’s promises in Jesus Christ. It has proven to be not only a productive way to see how the parts are related in an overarching whole, but also an aid to responsible application of individual narratives. Before jumping straight from the story of, say, David and Goliath, to our situation today, that story is located in the unfolding purposes of God. We see God’s anointed deliverer winning the battle against the enemies of his people while the beneficiaries enjoy the victory without achieving it themselves. Seen in this light, the story of David and Goliath anticipates the victory of Christ on the cross, a victory won for us rather than by us. Read more
Evangelical worship
In their latest 28 minute chat, Phillip Jensen and Kel Richards discuss ‘Evangelical worship’.
Is our theology reflected in what we do in church?
See the video at phillipjensen.com. Stimulating, as always, and a good antidote to much of the ritual and mysticism that’s common in churches.
Baptising in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
“I have found writing this blog series to be quite demanding. It has been demanding partly because it proposes something that is likely to be unacceptable to many. …”
– Barry Newman has begun a new series of articles and outlines where he thinks it will go. Should be interesting!
The Attributes of God
Tim Challies has produced a helpful PDF summary chart of The Attributes of God.
“When we talk about God’s attributes we do so to answer questions like Who is God? and What is God like? It is the way we seek to wrap our minds around just little fragments of who this God is…”
You can download the high resolution 8MB file here.
Phillip and Kel on Church ‘discipline’ and ‘pastoral care’
In the latest episode of The Chat Room, Phillip Jensen speaks with Kel Richards about Church discipline. But is that the best name for it? – and how do other denominations approach the question? 28 minutes of wise and thought-provoking discussion – at phillipjensen.com.
Warning Passages Ahead
Collin Hansen writes:
“The Book of Hebrews daunts even the most gifted preachers and scholars. For one thing, we don’t know the author. He quotes the Old Testament at length and repeatedly, but his method of interpreting these passages doesn’t always make sense to readers. His arguments about angels, Moses, and the temple require more than cursory understanding of the Hebrew Bible.
And then there are the so-called warning passages. It might be hard at first to grasp the significance of the priest Melchizedek, but many Christians viscerally understand the practical importance of these warnings. Can I lose my faith? What if I doubt? Fail to overcome sin?
To answer these questions and more, I turned to the acclaimed scholar Peter O’Brien, professor emeritus at Moore College in Sydney, Australia…”
– read his questions and Peter’s answers at The Gospel Coalition.
Knox/Robinson for today
“You might be unfamiliar with the term ‘Knox/Robinson’, but you may well have come across the substance of these two men’s teaching if you’ve ever looked into the doctrine of church.
Observers of Anglicanism in Sydney have often remarked on a confident and distinctive approach to the nature and purpose of church, led by such men as Howard Mowll, TC Hammond, Marcus Loane, Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox. The source of this approach is undoubtedly the teaching of Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox at Moore College from the early 1950s until the early 1980s, though both men denied they were teaching anything unusual and could point to others who were saying similar things.
For us, nearly thirty years after the last published piece by either of them, how should we respond to the theological legacy of Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox? …”
– Read Mark Thompson’s paper at The Briefing.
The Lure of Rome
Dr. Robert Godfrey, Professor of Church History at Westminster Seminary California, speaks about why some evangelicals and other Protestants in the US are becoming Roman Catholics.
35 minute interview here. (h/t Ligonier Ministries.)
What is church for?
“If the word in our Bibles simply means a ‘gathering’ or ‘assembly’, our real question is: What is a Christian ekklesia? What is distinctive about the particular gathering or assembly into which God calls his people?
To answer this we need to look at the key places where God gathers his people together. …”
– Phillip Jensen asks ‘What is church for?” – at The Briefing.