‘It is no empty word for you, but your very life’ (Deut. 32:47)
At Theological Theology, Peter Bolt, Head of New Testament at Moore College, presents his third and final post responding to recent publications on women preaching to mixed congregations of men and women.
What’s happening to our preaching?
“On Boxing Day 2012, a series of electronic booklets called “Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry” was released by Zondervan. One of these booklets was written by John Dickson, a highly respected Australian evangelist, writer, researcher and Anglican minister…
In light of these claims, we need to do whatever we can to promote gospel unity and avoid an unnecessary “taking of sides”.”
– Lionel Windsor writes a brief initial response to one of the three e-books recently published by Zondervan.
Rescuing the Baby from the Bilgewater
Peter Bolt continues his response to recent publications on women preaching to mixed congregations of men and women.
“How do you talk about a ‘prohibition’ in God’s good economy in which he always commands what is good for us? Grammatically, a prohibition is simply saying ‘don’t do it!’, but what is the force of this ‘No!’ when it comes from our loving Creator who has graciously redeemed us in Christ in order for the universe to ring out with his ‘Yes!’?…”
– There’s plenty of food for thought in this post at Theological Theology.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Feeling Blue?
Mark Thompson writes: “Following the interest in yesterday’s posting on the preaching question, and in preparation for more detailed work to be done in the future, here is a initial contribution from guest blogger, Peter Bolt.”
“With three short e-books downloadable from Christmas Day, Zondervan has released a new series, ‘Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry’. Well, even the authors admit there is nothing really fresh here, but ‘Regifted Perspectives …’.
Since these three booklets have been released in the public sphere, they deserve the more considered critique which will follow in kind, that is, in the same public sphere in which any proper discussion of ideas must take place. However, since discussion has already begun in the subterranean depths of the online realms, and since two of the three e-authors who have come up for air in this series, John Dickson and Michael Bird, are my fellow Aussies with whom I share no little history, some interim and quick responses may be appropriate in these dark realms as well! My thanks go to Mark for allowing me several pieces of his blog-time across the next little while.
Each of these pamphlets seek to entangle their readers in what has been identified as a ‘Shift Story’. … This personal journey tells of a shift from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’: ‘I used to believe that, but now I believe this’. …”
– read it all at Theological Theology.
(Dr. Peter Bolt is Head of the New Testament Department at Moore College.)
The Preaching Question
“There has, it seems, been quite a flurry of publishing activity on the question of preaching lately, especially by those seeking to make a case for the propriety of women preaching to mixed congregations…
It is important that we keep testing our conclusions both on theology and practice by the teaching of the Bible. …”
Mark Thompson, Principal-elect of Moore Theological College, looks at a hot topic, and commends a couple of excellent expositions, at Theological Theology.
How the Incarnation humbles me
Tim Challies on the Incarnation –
“This is not the Mary of Roman Catholicism who was without sin and, in that way, the most suitable mother in all of human history. No, she is a sinful girl who stands in desperate need of the very Savior she is carrying. …
Of all I love about God—and there is a lot I could list!—this is very near the top, that he chooses such unlikely people to benefit from his gifts and his grace.” – Read it all here.
Has the personal evangelism ship sailed?
“It is quite correct to say that there are only two kinds of people in the world—those who in the words of Two Ways to Live are living ‘Way A’ (rebelling against God, facing his judgement) and ‘Way B’ (submitting to and trusting in Jesus, forgiven by God).
But it is also true that within those two broad categories there is a wide spectrum of difference. …”
– Tony Payne begins discussion on a topic close to the heart of many – at The Briefing.
Modernity
“Twice in the Bible we read of God ‘dwelling with us’.
The first looks back in time when ‘the word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14) and the second looks ahead when ‘God will dwell with us’ (Revelation 1:3). We live in between the two, looking back to the first and forward to the second.
Modernity is an enticing idea. It suggests that all our hopes are located in the time that is ‘now’. But when you think about it modernity is whenever you live. When the wheel was invented it was modern times, or the dishwasher, or the iPad.
Modernity is always moving – on and on, faster and faster. Go to any electronics outlet and the products are different from just a few months back. Cameras do different things, likewise TVs, and computers. I have the sense of being left further and further behind, helpless to catch up. The machines seem to be getting more complicated. By the time I reach step 4, I have forgotten step 2. …”
– Bishop Paul Barnett suggests three responses to modernity – read it all at his blog.
Serving God’s words
Adrian Reynolds at The Proclamation Trust draws attention to the book ‘Serving God’s words’, published this time last year – a Festschrift to Peter Adam, with contributions by Don Carson, David Peterson, David Jackman, Peter Jensen, Gerald Bray, Michael Raiter, and others.
– Read the brief review here. Book available here.
The New City Catechism
“Last week Tim Keller asked ‘Why Catechesis Now?’ This morning TGC introduced the New City Catechism, adapted by Tim Keller and Sam Shammas from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York…”
– Andy Naselli has the links and some related resources.
Creeds and Confessions in the Contemporary Church
Carl Trueman was interviewed on the role of creeds and confessions in the church – at Christ the Center broadcast.
Where general church culture is increasingly forgetting the place of creeds, this is worth hearing. The interview starts 5:15 into the audio file.
Related: See also the video about Trueman’s new book The Creedal Imperative here. (Availability.)
‘Churchman’ digitised for the Web
“Church Society are pleased to report that Rob Bradshaw, Director of “Theology on the Web”, has recently digitised and uploaded to the internet, most back articles of Churchman (est 1879), dating from the 1920s. In total Rob has uploaded 3,531 individual Churchman articles to his Biblical Studies website, for which the Council of Church Society express their deep gratitude.
Click here to view the Churchman page on Rob’s Biblical Studies website. It is hoped in due course that these files will also be made available on the Churchman website. …”
– from Church Society’s EV News.
Why I am a Complementarian
“God is graciously moving his universe towards the goal of all things being summed up under Christ (Eph 1:9-10). But this ultimate state of life has already begun, as the Father brings people to the Son, and unites them together under Christ as their head (Eph 4:1-16). …”
– Read Jane Tooher’s essay at the Moore College website.
Free book — first draft of The Point of the Sword
Chris Green, Vice Principal of Oak Hill College in London, gave the Annual Moore College Lectures which concluded this morning. The theme of his lectures was – The Point of the Sword: Applying the Bible to applying the Bible.
He has kindly made available the text of his talks as a book-in-progress.
“I recently gave the Moore College lectures on applying the Bible. The aim is to finish writing them up and publish, but in the meantime here is the first draft, warts and all…”
You can download the 850kb Word file from Chris’ blog.
In addition, videos of his lectures as delivered are available here.
Themelios 37.2
The latest issue of Themelios (issue 37.2) is now available as a free download from The Gospel Coalition.
It includes articles by Don Carson and Mike Ovey, and many book reviews (a review of Paul Barnett’s The Corinthian Question: Why Did the Church Oppose Paul? is among them.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…