Imagine the conversation should someone turn up today from the 4th Century church and observe the state of our theological debates. What would they say to us? I imagine it would go something like this.
Category: Theology
Sheep and Goats: Are Paul and Jesus in conflict -a worked example
I got involved in a conversation the other day about what it means to say that Scripture, the whole of it is God’s Word. It arose because some people were going back over that old question “are we as evangelicals guilty of Bible-olatry?” In other words do we end up worshipping our Bibles more than… Continue reading Sheep and Goats: Are Paul and Jesus in conflict -a worked example
Simply questionable
I’ve just been reading a fantastic new book for review (watch out for the review over the next few days) and was struck by the attention it gives to 2 Timothy 3 and the warning that we are marked out as true teachers and leaders not just by our message but also by our method.… Continue reading Simply questionable
Love and Hate, Sovereignty and Freedom: A Copernican revolution in Romans 9
A lot of people struggle with Romans 9. It isn’t the easiest of Bible passages to follow as Paul delves into some deep and complex reasoning. However I think the primary problem that people have with the passage are the following verses that we might find uncomfortable; not so much difficult to understand as hard… Continue reading Love and Hate, Sovereignty and Freedom: A Copernican revolution in Romans 9
How 2 Timothy 3:16 shows us that Scripture is sufficient
A Roman Catholic will tell you that they too believe in the authority of Scripture. They believe 2 Timothy 3:16 to be true. It’s also that they believe that when Christ gave the keys to the church, this authority meant that it would be the church or its magisterium a few hundred years later who… Continue reading How 2 Timothy 3:16 shows us that Scripture is sufficient
A different world?
“Could God have created another world?” It was a classic question set for theological students when I was at Oak Hill. The question concerned God’s sovereignty and providence. On the one hand it was argued that this world is exactly the kind of world that you would expect to see, it is fitting to God’s… Continue reading A different world?
Murderers at heart (Genesis 4)
In Genesis 1-2, the origins of humanity are described. Mankind is made in God’s image and so man and woman have the breath of God within them. God blesses them and provides for them. They have meaning and purpose as they are told to fill and subdue the earth. And yet in Geneis 3 we… Continue reading Murderers at heart (Genesis 4)
When atonement is absent
I find Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement” particularly bleak. It’s the story of a girl who witnesses a crime, Bryony sees her cousin Lola being assaulted and raped. She is convinced the assailant is the family gardener, Robbie and so he is falsely accused, arrested and convicted. Her error combined with her self-importance is the cause… Continue reading When atonement is absent
How can I be free from sin?
One of the greatest blessings and greatest challenges of a Christian is that our conscience is re-awakened. This means that we are even more keenly alert to our own sinfulness. We become more aware of how ugly and destructive lust, hate, greed, selfishness, pride, anger, gossip and slander are. And yet at the same time… Continue reading How can I be free from sin?
Under new management (Romans 7:1-6)
Near where we live is a restaurant. Whilst we’ve been living here, it has changed names a number of times. There’s a reason for that. The original restaurant had a bad name for poor quality food and dodgy hygiene. However, I think that on a few occasions, the name change was merely cosmetic. If you… Continue reading Under new management (Romans 7:1-6)
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