Category: Theology

Death as exile

What does God mean when he warns Adam and Eve that on the day that they eat from the forbidden tree that they will die?  We know that they didn’t immediately die physically, they lived for many years after, although they would now experience, sickness and mortality.  This is where our Biblical Theology theme of… Continue reading Death as exile

God’s Big Story – an introduction to Biblical Theology

This week’s podcast was all about God’s people dwelling in God’s place or presence.  You can listen to the podcast: We were looking at Biblical Theology.  If Systematic Theology is about taking the whole teaching of Scripture, synthesising and systematising it into specific teaching topics or doctrines, then summarising them, Biblical Theology is about tracing… Continue reading God’s Big Story – an introduction to Biblical Theology

“This is my body” … what exactly do we eat at communion?

I want to return to something we looked at a bit earlier this week.  What was it that Jesus said at the last supper and what does this mean for when we take communion today? Mark 14:22-25 reports: 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave… Continue reading “This is my body” … what exactly do we eat at communion?

What does your pastor need to know?

Every so often I see comments about what pastors and church leaders need to have studied, to know and be reading now. At one end of the spectrum is the view that “all we need is the Bible” and we don’t need to make it complicated.  At the other end of the spectrum is the… Continue reading What does your pastor need to know?

In his name

Quite a few worship songs talk about “the name of Jesus.”  Classics include:  “There is power in the name of Jesus” “There is a name, who reigns without contention …” “What a wonderful;/beautiful/powerful name it is.” “I speak Jesus” There is a risk with these kinds of song lyrics that they could be perceived superstitiously… Continue reading In his name

Not without hope

Genesis 11 paints a pretty hopeless picture.  The new, post flood humanity have in effect squandered the blessings and privileges of the covenant with Noah. Their hubristic rebellion against God has been crushed, they are divided by language and scattered across the world of the day.  However, at the end of the chapter, we are… Continue reading Not without hope

Theology and the church

The other day I saw this twitter comment about the place, or more accurately, absence of theology in the local church. There was also this additional commentary from Marcus Honeysett.  I believe that the local church is the context where theology should primarily happen.  There are a few reasons for this but it boils down… Continue reading Theology and the church

Will all Israel be saved?

Romans 11:25-26 says: 25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,[g] so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved.  What does it mean… Continue reading Will all Israel be saved?

Is it just psychobabble?

Over the past couple of days I’ve shared a couple of posts drawing on observations that psychologists make about trauma and suggesting some lessons for church leaders. Some of us might be a little bit nervous of seeing articles that appear to draw primarily from secular thinking. I mean, there’s huge scepticism about the ability… Continue reading Is it just psychobabble?