Author: faithrootsdw

Prodigals, Adam, Death and Resurrection (An Easter reflection)

It’s Easter Sunday and I find myself drawn back to three key things in Luke’s Gospel.  First, we have the Resurrection Sunday afternoon walk on the Emmaus Road.  Jesus works his way through Scripture to show that the whole account was pointing towards him and his death and resurrection. Then back in Luke 3:21-38, we… Continue reading Prodigals, Adam, Death and Resurrection (An Easter reflection)

Jesus lover of my soul: In defence of love songs to Jesus

Every so often, someone kicks off a debate about the superiority of traditional hymns against inferior contemporary worship songs, or vice versa.  Usually one of the big claims is that old hymns are full of doctrinal truth whilst modern worship focuses on sentimental love lyrics with the derogatory label “Jesus is my boyfriend songs”. I… Continue reading Jesus lover of my soul: In defence of love songs to Jesus

What atonement means

There has been a tendency in recent years to talk about “models of atonement”.  The tendency came to the forefront during the 2003 controversy over Penal Substitution.  Evangelical Christians have historically tended to talk about Jesus’ death as paying the penalty for our sin.  Steve Chalke and Alan Mann in their book “The Lost Message… Continue reading What atonement means

Deconstruction

Deconstruction or deconstructing is a word that is being increasingly used to describe a particular phenomenon linked especially with US Evangelical Christianity.  The idea is that as someone loses confidence in their inherited evangelical faith, they start to deconstruct. The challenge the assumptions and tenants of their faith which levels the ground and enables then… Continue reading Deconstruction

The church is not undermining the Asylum System – The Home Office are managing to do that all by themselves

This is one of those articles where perhaps the headline says it all. However, for background, newspapers are reporting that the church are undermining the asylum system. The criticism comes in the light of the Clapham attacker’s case.  In his case, Abdul Ezedi professed faith and was baptised whilst seeking asylum.  Newspapers report that he… Continue reading The church is not undermining the Asylum System – The Home Office are managing to do that all by themselves

Does the parable of the prodigal son rule out penal substitution?

This was other “Threads take” that I referred to the other day. In the parable of the prodigal son, a father has two sons, the younger demands his share of the inheritance and then leaves home, wasting his share until famine hits and forces him to recognise his folly. He returns home to throw himself… Continue reading Does the parable of the prodigal son rule out penal substitution?

Paul and the supposed lost message of love

I promised that I’d pick up on the substance of a couple of recent social media debates. Here’s the secind one. Readers will recognise immediately that this is a pretty old misconception. It’s been doing the rounds as long as I can remember.  Some of my readers are significantly older than I am and I… Continue reading Paul and the supposed lost message of love

Memes and Piper

Talking of bad takes I’ve picked up in other places than the much maligned Twitter, here’s something else I came across on Threads. Why is this a bad take? Well, first of all consider the theology offered here as an alternative to Piper’s.  There are three things that strike me. First, what exactly is “a… Continue reading Memes and Piper

Can babies sin? Navigating a current controversy

Apparently, the latest dispute to occupy people’s head space and get a thousand fingers tapping passionately at their keyboards, is the question about whether or not it is possible for babies to sin.  The big claim has been that if you are reformed, then you should recognise that babies sin.  The practical focus seems to… Continue reading Can babies sin? Navigating a current controversy