Paul continues his argument concerning circumcision and Jewishness. It’s important to see this as a central theme to the letter so that chapters 9-11 are not a mere parenthesis between the doctrine and the practice, a little detour but are central to the conclusion of his argument. Paul has said that it is circumcision of… Continue reading Romans 3:1-8
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God’s justice and human suffering
A video picking up on questions arising from Romans 3:5
Peter Mandelson: What else we know – an update
The Cabinet Secretary Cat Little has now given evidence to the Foreign Affairs committee. It’s worth updating on what else we now know First of all, Little has acknowledged that Olly Robbins was correct in terms of due process. The expected process was that security vetting paperwork would not be shared outside of the vetting… Continue reading Peter Mandelson: What else we know – an update
Bible translations, paraphrases, dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence
My friend Alistair Chalmers has written here both extolling the importance of Christians hearing and reading Scripture and opposing the practice of using paraphrases. First of all, I want to offer a hearty amen to his concern for Scripture to be heard and read. One of the strengths of more traditional and liturgical church contexts… Continue reading Bible translations, paraphrases, dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence
Why we should care about the Peter Mandelson scandal
In this post we are going to think about why we as Christians and churches should be concerned about what has been happening in the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s appointment at the ambassador to the US, his dismissal and the subsequent fall out. First of all, it’s worth saying that there are ways in which… Continue reading Why we should care about the Peter Mandelson scandal
Was Phoebe a leader and teacher in the church? Responding to Preston Sprinkle part 3
In his look at Romans 16, Preston Sprinkle spend a bit of time looking at Phoebe. He observes: “Two facts about Phoebe immediately jump out. First, Paul calls her a “deacon [or servant, diakonon] of the church in Cenchreae.” Second, she was a “benefactor [prostatis] of many people, including” Paul. A third significant point isn’t… Continue reading Was Phoebe a leader and teacher in the church? Responding to Preston Sprinkle part 3
Peter Mandelson, Keir Starmer and Olly Robbins: What we now know and what we can start to learn from this
I’m still following the Peter Mandelson vetting case. I suspect that as we move into committee hearings and debates about process that we have moved beyond where most people’s interest in the subject lies, beyond political anoraks. However, I still think that there is benefit to us pursuing the case a bit further. There are… Continue reading Peter Mandelson, Keir Starmer and Olly Robbins: What we now know and what we can start to learn from this
The crucial gift of curiosity
One of the striking things about the controversy concerning Peter Mandehslon is the seeming lack of curiosity at senior government level. Keir Starmer had indicated that he wanted Mandelson as the US Ambassador. A vetting process had been put in place. However, it remained the case that Mandelson was his personal, political appointment. Furthermore, Starmer… Continue reading The crucial gift of curiosity
All the way my saviour leads me
Today marks 46 years since I put my trust in Jesus. I’m sure I’ve told the story many times. It was a Sunday evening and we were with our parents at Sunbridge Road Mission. The Gospel was preached week by week there but they also had a tradition of marking out one Sunday as “Decision… Continue reading All the way my saviour leads me
Romans 2:25-29
Paul now argues that law keeping and law breaking are central to your status as Jews (circumcised) or Gentiles (uncircumcised). He states that circumcision is of value for those who observe the Law. However, Circumcision without law-keeping is useless, you are considered uncircumcised (v25). In the same way, those who are uncircumcised but keep the… Continue reading Romans 2:25-29
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