Category: Theology

Rethinking the dates of the New Testament

One of the most significant writers of the 20th century was JAT Robinson. This is due to two books he wrote. The first, Honest to God, was significant in promoting liberal theology and religious scepticism. So it is perhaps surprising to know that the second was more likely to find support among conservative Christians. In… Continue reading Rethinking the dates of the New Testament

Paedobaptism and the mediator problem

The Bible insists that there is one mediator between God and man, his name is Jesus.  Therein lies a crucial problem with paedobaptism.   There are some churches where babies are baptised and it is understood that this is symbolic, the baptism is in effect an expression of hope that the child will grow up to… Continue reading Paedobaptism and the mediator problem

If the Bible doesn’t speak with one voice -then our “Biblical scholars” are not experts

One of the greatest hypocrisies of liberal theological scholarship is that on the one hand the erstwhile theologians set themselves up as experts on Biblical studies. They then range across Scripture, Old Testament and new, universally recognised letters from Paul and those disputed, history, prophecy and wisdom.  They claim to be able to comment on… Continue reading If the Bible doesn’t speak with one voice -then our “Biblical scholars” are not experts

God really is our Father

I mentioned the other day that there had been some controversy around the Archbishop of York’s comments about some people finding it difficult to refer to God as “our Father.”  Quite a few people jumped in assuming (prompted by the media headlines) that the Archbishop was seeking to stir up the old controversy about God,… Continue reading God really is our Father

Total Depravity

This is the “T” in TULIP.  Total Depravity means that because of Adam’s sin, our spiritual condition is that we are dead in sin.  It means that sin or depravity reaches into every aspect of our lives, there isn’t a part of my life that wasn’t affected by sin. Key Bible passages include Genesis 2:17-18… Continue reading Total Depravity

Unconditional Election

The other day I started to write about the 5 points of Calvinism, often referred to under the mnemonic “TULIP”, Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Perseverance of the Saints.  It’s worth remembering that whilst this has become a shorthand summary of reformed theology, it was intended as a specific response to specific challenges at… Continue reading Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement?

People often talk about the Five Points of Calvinism, under the anacronym TULIP The Five points actually were put together some time after Calvin at the Synod of Dort, a council called by the Dutch Reformed Church to respond to Arminianism. There is a risk then with seeing a five point attempt to rebut and… Continue reading Limited Atonement?

Penal Substitution: Steve Chalke and the Lost Message of Jesus, 20 years on

In 2023, a little book by a prominent Christian communicator shook the evangelical world.  Steve Chalke stated in “The Lost Message of Jesus” that the doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement if true would amount to “cosmic child abuse.”[1]  It’s important to be clear about what he wasn’t saying. Chalke did not claim that the atonement… Continue reading Penal Substitution: Steve Chalke and the Lost Message of Jesus, 20 years on

Arkeology

1 Chronicles 13 The Ark of the Covenant “Although the ark probably perished in Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem (c.f. Jer. 3:16), the Chronicler gives greater emphasis to it than the compiler of 2 Samuel. This is presumably because he wanted his own generation to give priority to their own symbols of God’s covenant and presence,… Continue reading Arkeology