The strapline of Faithroots is “What we believe affects how we live.” This is because Faithroots is first of all, a theological website. One of my aims is to introduce readers to good, solid, rich and challenging theology. But Faithroots is also meant to be a practical, pastoral site and I don’t think those two… Continue reading Good news for the unsettled, uprooted and home sick
Tag: Biblical Theology
Exiles and strangers
When Peter opens his first letter with the words, “o those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”[1] It could be seen as just a literal and physical description of those Jewish believers who had been dispersed and scattered from their homeland. However, when you get to 1 Peter… Continue reading Exiles and strangers
Out of Egypt I have called my son – Jesus as exile
In Matthew 2::14 -15, we are told that Mary and Joseph fleeing from Herod with the baby Jesus to Egypt and then returning from there to Nazareth, when Herod died fulfilled the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Hosea 11 retells the story of the Exodus. It is God’s… Continue reading Out of Egypt I have called my son – Jesus as exile
It’s not banishment when God sends
In the first 11 chapters of Genesis, we see several examples of exile when people are banished from the place of God’s manifest presence. Adam and Eve are banished from Eden. Cain, their son is literally banished from the ground meaning that he can no longer live off of its produce as he has done… Continue reading It’s not banishment when God sends
Homeward bound: More on a Biblical Theology of death as exile
Yesterday I wrote about the theme of death as exile. In the Old Testament, it is that theme of banishment and exile that most visibly shows the consequences of death for humanity. However, it is important that we remember that this is about how death is the post-fall penalty for sin. Christ’s death on the… Continue reading Homeward bound: More on a Biblical Theology of death as exile
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
Twenty-one
If you’ve been following along with Faithroots over the past few months, you’ll have got used to reading quite a few articles linked to Mark’s Gospel. That’s because I’ve been linking in the day to day articles with the teaching programme that our church are currently following. However, once a month, we take a break… Continue reading Twenty-one
For him
Let’s return to that question of what happens when we see people fall either due to false teaching or to moral failure. I’m thinking specifically of religious leaders here. Some people have argued that because Romans 11:29 describes God’s gifts and calling as irrevocable that even when a leader falls, they can and should be… Continue reading For him
Why do some fall?
On too many occasions I’ve seen people we all thought to be committed to Christ fall into serious sin or begin to express disbelief in the truth of the Gospel. Eventually, they are no longer part of a church either because they’ve wandered away or because they have had to be put under church discipline. … Continue reading Why do some fall?
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