Category Archives: Theology

Apologetics, Biblical Theology, Evangelism, Theology

The Worldview Clash by D.A. Carson

Here is a good article on Acts 17 and how we should understand the issue of worldview and how our worldview needs to be explained in big picture form to give people a proper understanding of the Bible when we evangelize them.

Here is an excerpt:

This is a complaint we often hear and part of me wants to sympathize with it. It is crucial that we learn the gospel and proclaim it. But it is also vitally important to understand that the people to whom we speak bring with them their own particular prejudices, backgrounds and biases. The way we go about communicating the gospel will need to vary depending on the audience.

Of course the gospel is the power of God for salvation, and evangelism is a spiritual activity. People are blinded by sin and it is the Holy Spirit who compels belief. However, if the example of Paul is anything to go by, we must address the cultural presuppositions of our hearers so that we do not unwittingly obscure the gospel.

Paul’s speech to the Athenians in Acts 17:22-31 is the longest sermon recorded in the New Testament where a Christian is evangelizing people who do not have any knowledge of the Bible. (Compare this with Paul’s sermon in Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13 where he is evangelizing people who are familiar with Judaism.) In Athens, he is dealing with people who have never heard of Moses, never read the Old Testament, and are clearly polytheists. They had a different worldview.

Today, in the West, we are in a similar situation. Increasingly, we are dealing with people who are biblically illiterate and hold a modernist or postmodern worldview (or perhaps a combination of both). Up until fairly recently we could presuppose that 80 to 95 per cent of our hearers had a Judeo-Christian worldview, or at least were informed by it. Accordingly, if we were dealing with an atheist we were dealing with a ‘Christian atheist’ in the sense that the type of God this atheist disbelieved in was the Christian God. Accordingly, in evangelism one could explain the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus and the need for repentance and it would be fairly well understood.

But that is not the case today. In addressing a generation significantly informed by postmodern thinking there are two main lessons (clearly illustrated in Acts 17) that we need to keep in mind: (1) We need to confront the postmodern worldview with the big story of the Bible; and (2) We need to know where we are going in our evangelism – that is, to a point where people grasp that we are sinful before a holy God and need to be forgiven. (more…)

Apologetics, Evangelism, Mp3s, Promotionals, Reforming, Theology

Master’s Seminary Faculty: A Biblical Response to Homosexuality

I just found out that the Master’s Seminary Faculty (John MacArthur’s School) just finished given their weekly lecture series on the topic of Homosexuality and the Bible.

Here is the link to the series and a list of the topics in the series. May God bless you through these lectures!

MP3 List:

2/14/2008 – Biblical Response to Homosexuality
Alex Montoya

2/12/2008 – Parenting and Homosexuality
Rick Holland

2/07/2008 – Marriage and Homosexuality
Irv Busenitz

2/05/2008 – Cultural and Medical Myths about Homosexuality
Michael Grisanti

1/29/2008 – The Bible on Sexuality and Homosexuality
John MacArthur

Apologetics, Eschatology, Interviews, New Testament Theology, Pop Christianity, Promotionals, Reforming, Theology, Videos

Nightline Reports: What Happens When You Die?

Video: What Happens When You Die?

New Report: Bishop’s Heaven: Is There Life After the Afterlife?

Nightline did a report yesterday on Bishop Tom Wright’s views on heaven and the afterlife. This interview dealt with the same thing that I post about in an earlier interview this year.

The Interview was good, but I know that they cut out several things that Wright said that could have clarified his views on things. I also didn’t like the way Nightline cast the interview. It sounded as thought Wright was saying that everyone will inherit the new heavens and the new earth, but I know that Wright does not believe that everyone will be saved. Some have accused him of that, but he expressly denies it.

What do you think about the Nightline interview?

Apologetics, Biblical Theology, Book Reviews, Books, Eschatology, New Testament Theology, Promotionals, Theology

McKnight Reviews N.T. Wright’s Latest Book

Surprised by Hope

Scott McKnight of Jesus Creed has reviews N.T. Wright’s latest and second book in Wright’s short trilogy of apologetic work introducing the Christian Faith to readers. This review is helpful and informative. I encourage everyone to read through it and consider purchasing Wright’s new book to read as well. Please let me know your thoughts.

Apologetics, Book Reviews, Theology

Fathers and Sons

Here is a book review that Justin Taylor mentioned and gave good reviews about. It’s suppose to be the best book review he’s ever read. So, I pass this on to you and encourage you to read the review and see if you feel the same way.

Here is an excerpt from the review…

If asked what is the deepest relationship imaginable, many people would say it is between lovers, or between husbands and wives. The case can be made, however, that from a Christian perspective, no relationship is more mysterious and more wonderful, yet sometimes more troubling, than that of fathers and sons. The depth and wonder begin with all we know of the relationship of God the Father and God the Son, while the troubled aspects stem from the Fall. Consider Absalom’s rebellion against King David in the Old Testament, Edmund Gosse’s exposure of his father Philip, the Oedipal drive in the writings of Sigmund Freud—and now Frank Schaeffer’s Crazy for God, a memoir that is his personal apologia at the expense of his famous father, Francis Schaeffer, who was the founder and leader of the worldwide network of L’Abri communities.

Frank Schaeffer unquestionably adored his father, just as his father passionately adored him. Having lived in their home for more than three years, I have countless memories of this, including the sight of the two of them wrestling on the floor of the living room of their chalet, and ending with a fierce hug. Yet no critic or enemy of Francis Schaeffer has done more damage to his life’s work than his son Frank—a result that one might not be able to infer from many reviews of the memoir, including that which appeared in the previous issue of Books & Culture.

The problem is not so much that Frank exposes and trumpets his parents’ flaws and frailties, or that he skewers them with his characteristic mockery. It is more than that. For all his softening, the portrait he paints amounts to a death-dealing charge of hypocrisy and insincerity at the very heart of their life and work. In Frank’s own words, his parents were “crazy for God.” Their call to the ministry “actually drove them crazy,” so that “religion was actually the source of their tragedy.” His dad was under “the crushing belief that God had ‘called’ him to save the world.” Because of this, his parents were “happiest when farthest away from their missionary work.” Back at their calling, they were “professional proselytizers,” their teaching was “indoctrination,” and it was unclear whether people came to faith or were “brainwashed” and “under the spell” of his parents. Frank’s own arguments in their support, he now says, were a kind of “circus trick.” (more…)

[HT: James Grant]

Book Reviews, Books, Interviews, Languages, NT Greek, OT Hebrew, Promotionals, Theology, Translations

Interview: HCSB General Editor

2 Comments

Here is a very helpful and interesting interview with Dr. Ed Blum, who edited the Holman Christian Standard Bible. I encourage everyone to read at least some part of it. The information is extremely fascinating.

Below I have re-posted the portion of the interview that dealt with the HCSB’s distinctions from other translations, in particular the ESV.

Please let me know what you think.

Will: In your mind, what makes this translation distinct from other translations? I’m particularly interested in its distinction from the ESV, which seems to be one of its biggest competitors, if I can use that term.

Ed: The ESV comes from the King James tradition. The King James was revised continuously until about 1750. In 1870 they did a major revision of the King James which never became really popular which was called the English Revised Version, and I think popularly known as the Revised Version. It actually came out in 1881. The Americans who worked on it weren’t happy with it, but they had signed an agreement not to publish for 20 years, so they came out in 1901 with the American Standard Version, their revision of the King James tradition. And that stayed in print until the mid 1930s and the National Council of Churches who owned the copyright started on the RSV. And the RSV NT was done in 1946, and the OT was finished in the early 1950s. Everybody thought the NT was fairly decent, but the OT, they had a number of Jewish scholars and they felt that it wasn’t quite what they wanted. So a group of Americans from the Lockman foundation took the old American Standard Version and made the New American Standard Version. That one began as a revision of the King James tradition. And then there was the revision done by Thomas Nelson; they did the NKJV. Then the NASB was revised again in 1995. The English Standard Version took the old RSV and revised about 7% of it. So it’s not a new translation; it’s a revision of the King James tradition. Although they worked on a lot of things, if you really compare them you’ll see that it’s still the King James tradition. They’ve taken King James word order, much of the vocabulary is still the same. The HCSB is a new translation from the original text. For example, the standard Hebrew lexicon that we used is the most recent one. The ESV is a lot closer to the NASB95 and the King James tradition. For example, how often do you use the word “shall”?

Will: Not very often.

Ed: Right. Not very often. Usually in a stylized phrase like, you might say to your wife, “Shall we eat out tonight?” But that is sort of stylized. The ESV has the English word “shall” 6,389 times. The HCSB has it zero. So for example, “Thou shalt not,” is stylized. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is traditional. We would say in English today, “Do not commit adultery. “ So the ESV uses outmoded English expressions of language. How often do you use the word “behold”?

Will: I try not to.

Ed: Okay, “behold” is in ESV 1,102 times. HCSB has it once. ESV retains the old form “Oh” plus the vocative: “Oh, King, live forever.” “Oh, Lord.” The TNIV has taken almost all the “Oh” plus vocative out. ESV follows the King James and has “Oh” plus the vocative 1,129 times. We have it in the HCSB 10 times, and in the next edition that will come out in 2009 there will be zero. The use of “whom” is declining. When you answer the phone do you say, “Whom do you wish to speak to?” Or do you say, “Who do you want to talk to?” King James has “whom” 763 times. NKJ has it 760 times. NASB has it 755 times. ESV has it 740 times. NIV has cut it down to 394. HCSB second edition coming out has it only 142. So, it’s dropping. If you got engaged, how would you introduce your fiancé? Would you say, “She’s my betrothed”?

Will: Probably not.

Ed: ESV’s got it 15 times. We have it zero. Here’s an interesting one. You’ll find that very few translations have this correct. ESV, NIV, a lot of them use the expression “strong drink.” Most people think “strong drink” is whiskey or rum or gin or something like that, but distillation was not discovered until the 9th century ad. So our translation correctly translates it “beer.” ESV continues to use the old terms like “leper.” But then they add a footnote every time they use it, and they have the same footnote 20 times. There’s a confusion in popular thinking about Hansen’s disease. Whatever it was in the Bible period—it grew on the walls and grew on clothing and so on—was not Hansen’s disease. ESV uses old terms like “tithe.” What is a tithe in your mind?

Will: Ten percent.

Ed: Ten percent. And “tithe” is just an old English word meaning “tenth.” So why not use “a tenth”? We have several special features that help the average Bible reader. We have these bullet notes. For example, ESV has the same footnote in the book of Revelation 15 times. We would just have a bullet note that takes you to that section in the reverse.

Apologetics, Evangelism, Pop Christianity, Theology, Videos

ER: I want someone who can give me answers!

Patient: “Well you tell me… is atonement even possible, what does God want from me?”

Chaplain: “I think it’s up to each one of us to interpret what God wants.”

Patient: “So, people can do anything?! They can rape, they can murder, they can steal… all in the name of God and it’s okay??? ”

“No that’s not what I’m saying…”

“Well what are you saying?!! Because all I’m hearing is some new age, ‘God is love”, one size fits all… CRAP!!”

Doctor: “Hey Doctor Trueman…”

Patient: “No, I don’t have time for this now!”

Chaplain: “Greg, it’s okay… I understand…”

Patient: “No you don’t understand!!!… You don’t understand!… How could you possible say that… now you listen to me… I want a real chaplain who believes in a real God and a real hell!”

Chaplain: “I hear that you’re frustrated, but you need to ask yourself..”

Patient: “No I don’t need to ask myself!… I NEED ANSWERS! And all your questions and your uncertainty are only making things worse. ”

Chaplain: “I.. I know you’re upset…”

Patient: “God… I need someone who will look me in the eye and tell me how I can find forgiveness because I am running out of time!!”

Chaplain: “I’m trying to help…”

Patient: “Well don’t!!!! Just get out!!! Get out!!!!! Get out!!!”

[Chaplain women runs out of the room very upset]

Well, Here is the video:

[HT: Drew White]

Current Events, Debate, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

The Former Archbishop Speaks About the Current Archbishop

In continuing coverage of the debate in Great Britain about Muslim Law… The predecessor of the current Archbishop spoke out on the topic in a recent edition of The Telegraph, a British newspaper. Here is the link to what he said, along with an excerpt below:

The storm of criticism that greeted the Archbishop of Canterbury’s lecture on sharia law in Britain will no doubt have disappointed him but, in fact, he may have done us a great favour by airing this whole area of controversy. He might even be regarded as prescient for discussing sharia, even before demand builds among Muslim communities for special provision in British law. Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, says there is no Islamic consensus on the application of sharia.

Indeed, some opinion polls have the number of British Muslims wanting to live under sharia as high as 60 per cent. Furthermore, sharia councils are based in almost every city and town with a sizeable Muslim population. Famously, Canada’s politicians came perilously close to introducing Islamic law for matrimonial cases, headed off eventually by an alliance of women’s groups and the opposition of ordinary Muslims.

Dr. Williams’s chief concern is the protection of religious communities against an increasingly aggressive secularism which last year, for instance, saw Roman Catholic adoption agencies put out of business by an insistence that they act against their conscience by placing children with gay couples.  (read more…)

Current Events, Debate, Interviews, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

Update: Latest News on Muslim Law Debate in England

Here are some recent articles regarding the recent debate and controversy that was recently started after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, said that Sharia Law is inevitable for Great Britain:

Also, for those of you following the Anglican crisis, here is an update from Christianity Today on the latest decision from several African Provinces that have said they will no attend the once-per-decade Lambeth gathering of the Anglican Communion:

Excerpt:

Events in the global Anglican Communion are going from bad to worse. On Feb. 12, an official governing body of the Anglican Province of Uganda announced that they will not be attending the once-per-decade Lambeth gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world. (Nigeria and Rwanda have also indicated they will not attend. Kenya will decide in April.)

Ugandan Anglicans place the blame at the feet of revisionist and “unrepentant” American Episcopal Bishops and a compromised, ineffective Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, saying:

This decision has been made to protest the invitations extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams, to TEC Bishops whose stand and unrepentant actions created the current crisis of identity and authority in the Anglican Communion.

Look here for the full statement released late on Feb. 13.

Current Events, Debate, Interviews, Islam, Law and Faith, Politics, Theology

Law and Faith: N.T. Wright Interview

N.T. Wright was briefly interviewed on the topic of Law and Faith related to a recent lecture he gave at the London School of Economics. Here is the link and his lecture download. I’m posting the YouTube video of the Interview below. What do you think? Are people over-reacting to Archbishop Rowan Williams’ lecture on Muslim Law and British Law?

[HT: James Grant]