Category Archives: Theology

Apologetics, Biblical Theology, Books, Eschatology, Interviews, New Testament Theology, Pop Christianity, Promotionals, Protology, Reforming, Theology

N. T. Wright Interview: Christians Wrong About Heaven

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And to this I must say, Amen!

N. T. Wright is one of the best Bible teachers out there when it comes to eschatology and God’s ultimate purpose for mankind and the rest of the creation. One of the things he loves talking about is “life after life after death”. His point is that “life after death” is not the end. It’s not our final resting place. Heaven, as most Christians think today, is not the end goal of the Christian life. The “end”, instead, is the beginning of life as God always planned it to be. Life after life after death begins with resurrection. And in resurrection the Christian inherits a new heaven and a new earth.

In other words, heaven and earth will finally be one, God will be all in all, and man will finally dwell on the earth as God has always intended it to be. Had God decreed something other than the fall, Adam would have fulfilled his calling to expand the Garden and dwelling place of God on the earth (i.e. – to fill and subdue the planet, Gen. 1:26-28) and his descendants would have been brought into a new heavens and a new earth once the Genesis dominion mandate was fulfilled.

Let us thank God for the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, who fulfilled Adam’s calling and guaranteed a new heavens and a new earth to all who trust in him!

So, why the interview? Well, Wright has just published his second book in a trilogy of books on the essentials of the Christian Faith. Thankfully, Time has interviewed him for us here. I am reposting the interview below. Enjoy! Continue reading N. T. Wright Interview: Christians Wrong About Heaven →

Current Events, History, Politics, Prayer Requests, Reforming, Theology

TN Governor: Tornadoes the ‘Wrath of God’

Sermon Audio reported that my state governor, Phil Bredesen, said (after surveying the damage done by the tornadoes earlier this week), “The wrath of God is the only way I can describe it.“

These are wise words and the United States should heed them. Why do you think John McCain and Hillary Clinton are the leading candidates for both parties in the upcoming Presidential election? You think it’s bad luck these tornadoes happen to come through the day after Super Tuesday? Think again…

“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”“

Luke 13:1-5 (ESV)

[HT: Sermon Audio]

Apologetics, Atheism, Book Reviews, Books, Debate, Evangelism, Evolution, Promotionals, Theology

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Keller’s latest book is due out on Feb. 14th, Valentine’s Day. From what I know about this book and about Keller, it is not a book you will want to miss out on. It would even be a great gift to give your loved one on V-Day! 🙂

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
By Tim Keller

The Reason for God

Book Description
The End of Faith. The God Delusion. God Is Not Great. Letter to a Christian Nation. Bestseller lists are filled with doubters. But what happens when you actually doubt your doubts?

Although a vocal minority continues to attack the Christian faith, for most Americans, faith is a large part of their lives: 86 percent of Americans refer to themselves as religious, and 75 percent of all Americans consider themselves Christians. So how should they respond to these passionate, learned, and persuasive books that promote science and secularism over religion and faith? For years, Tim Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced “doubts” skeptics bring to his Manhattan church. And in The Reason for God, he single-handedly dismantles each of them. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller also provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash. The Reason for God challenges such ideology at its core and points to the true path and purpose of Christianity.

Why is there suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to Hell? Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive? Shouldn’t the Christian God be a god of love? How can one religion be “right” and the rest “wrong”? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God? These are just a few of the questions even ardent believers wrestle with today. In this book, Tim Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations and reasoning, and even pop culture to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.

About the Author
As the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Tim Keller started his congregation with a few dozen people. It now draws over five thousand weekly attendees who meet in three Manhattan locations. Redeemer has since spawned a movement of churches across America and throughout major world cities. Many pastors model their churches on Redeemer and Tim’s thoughtful style of preaching.

Some Positive Book Reviews:

About.com

Publishers Weekly

Justin Taylor’s Interview

Tim Keller’s reason for writing the book

Here is where you can purchase it once it comes out: Continue reading The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism →

Audio Books, Books, Mp3s, Prayer, Reforming, Theology

ChristianAudio.com Free Audiobook – February

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ChristianAudio.com has sent out info on this months free audiobook. Here are the details below:

How to Pray

Free Download of How To Pray

How to Pray is a gripping call to prayer read in an enlivening style. Pastor, educator, evangelist, and author R.A. Torrey delivers a no-nonsense handbook for praying correctly and receiving answers from God. The book is full of examples, stories, and anecdotes that inwardly compel the listener to pray heartily. Topics covered include the importance of prayer, praying in the Spirit, constancy in prayer, and hindrances to prayer.

Just add the Download Format of How To Pray to your cart and then enter the coupon code FEB2008 during checkout.

Our Price: $0.00
List Price: $12.98

Biblical Theology, Book Reviews, Books, Covenant Theology, Eschatology, Historical Jesus Debate, New Perspective on Paul, New Testament Theology, Promotionals, Reforming, Systematic Theology, Theology

Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study

This is Fee’s most recent work on the Apostle Paul and his theology. I do not own it, but from the reviews I’m posting below, I really do look forward to it and I would definitely recommend it to others already.

Here is the information on the book:

Pauline Christology Cover

Description: An exhaustive study of Pauline Christology by noted Pauline scholar, Gordon Fee. The author provides a detailed analysis of the letters of Paul (including those whose authorship is questioned) individually, exploring the Christology of each one, and then attempts a synthesis of the exegetical work into a biblical Christology of Paul. The author’s synthesis covers the following themes: Christ’s roles as divine Savior and as preexistent and incarnate Savior; Jesus as the Second Adam, the Jewish Messiah, and Son of God; and as the Messiah and exalted Lord. Fee also explores the relationship between Christ and the Spirit and considers the Person and role of the Spirit in Paul’s thought. Appendices cover the theme of Christ and Personified Wisdom, and Paul’s use of Kurios (Lord) in citations and echoes of the Septuagint.

Subjects: Bible, New Testament, Pauline Epistles, Literature, Methods, Theological Approaches, Biblical Theology, New Testament Theology

Reviews:

Review by Matthew Montonini

Review by Don Garlington

You can purchase the book here: Continue reading Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study →

Books, New Testament Theology, Promotionals, Systematic Theology, Theology

NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY: Magnifying God in Christ

Baker Academic has posted the introduction and chapter 9 of Tom Schreiner’s forthcoming magnum opus, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (due out in May 2008).

Here is what others are saying:

 Book Description
In this substantial volume, Thomas Schreiner takes up the study of New Testament theology, looking for the themes that emerge from a detailed reading of the whole rather than considering the individual writings separately. Two themes in particular emerge. The first concerns redemptive history and the kingdom of God. The New Testament writers adopt the Old Testament vision of God’s reign and affirm that it has come in Jesus Christ, although final fulfillment is yet to come. Second, the ultimate goal of the kingdom is God’s glory. Schreiner goes on to relate these themes to the life of the believer and the community of faith. Pastors and students will find this a comprehensive and illuminating survey of the unifying themes found throughout the New Testament.

From the Inside Flap
“Scholars frequently focus so tightly on the details of the New Testament documents that they miss the big picture. On the other hand, all too often attempts to summarize the message of the New Testament ignore the particular expressions and diverse emphases of its twenty-seven books. Without losing the trees for the wood, Schreiner’s New Testament Theology offers a superb exposition of the New Testament’s central message, the glory of God in Christ. Pastors and students will find it an invaluable resource for answering the question most readers are asking: what is the New Testament about?”–Brian S. Rosner, senior lecturer in New Testament and ethics, Moore Theological College

“Schreiner’s New Testament Theology has long been awaited by colleagues, friends, and students. The appendix, which provides a helpful survey of the discipline of New Testament theology, and the discussion of justification, which contains a summary of the modern debate and a defense of a forensic interpretation of the Pauline teaching, are alone worth the price of the book.”–Robert H. Stein, senior professor of New Testament interpretation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

In New Testament Theology, Thomas Schreiner’s approach is based on solid exegesis of all the key texts, which leads him to a unified view of core New Testament teaching. He focuses particularly on two overarching themes. The first concerns the unity of redemptive history and the kingdom of God. The New Testament takes up Old Testament imagery and affirms that the kingdom has come (although it remains unfulfilled) in Jesus Christ. The second related theme concerns the goal of the kingdom–the glory of God through the work of Christ and the empowering presence of the Spirit. In the second half of the work, Schreiner takes up the question of what these themes mean for the life of the believer and the ministry of the community of faith.

Although this substantial and comprehensive volume will be of great interest to scholars, Schreiner’s first concern is to provide an accessible guide for students and pastors. He has succeeded admirably, and readers will find here a lucid exposition of the theology of the New Testament.

[HT: Between Two Worlds]

Biblical Theology, Books, Eschatology, Languages, New Testament Theology, NT Greek, Promotionals, Reforming, Systematic Theology, Theology

Thy Kingdom Come

Here is a helpful definition of the Kingdom of God from a Reformed perspective by S. M. Baugh. I hope that you will consider this definition in your study of the Bible.

Thy Kingdom Come: A Reformed Definition of the Kingdom of God

Here is a good excerpt from the PDF about what the Kingdom of God is NOT properly:

1. The Church militant in this age
2. The rule of God in the hearts of believers
3. An spiritual rule to be consummated in an earthly millennial reign
4. A geo-political or social program in this age or a program of Christianizing all spheres of life
5. However: the power and influence of the kingdom is currently felt in these areas. Continue reading Thy Kingdom Come →

Anglicanism, Ecclesiology, History, Theology

An Anglican Life

For those of you interested in learning more about the Anglican branch of the Church, I would like to suggest this book by Louis R. Tarsitano:

AN OUTLINE OF AN ANGLICAN LIFE

Here is an interesting tree of church history from the book that chronicles the life of the Church all the way back to Adam and up to the Present. Enjoy!

History of the Church

Here is the relevant portion from the book that discusses the image above:

The general history of the Church of Christ is shown as three main branches diverging after the undivided Church of the first thousand years. The sub-branches represent the movements and churches that have claimed a separate identity since the time of the 16th century Reformation. The dates given for the sub-branches stemming from the Anglican branch indicate the time of their institutional separation from Anglican churches. The theological differences involved are serious and complex, and require respectful study. Also remember that this is a chart of historical relationships, rather than ecclesiastical validity.

Books, Debate, Justification, New Perspective on Paul, New Testament Theology, Promotionals, Reforming, Systematic Theology, The Solas, Theology

OPC Report on Justification – Greek Font Problem

For those of you who might want to read this report, I finally got a hold of the Greek NT Bold font, which the report’s PDF document uses. This font will allow you do read the report with the Greek text clearly displayed (once you install it in the “fonts” under your Windows “control panel”). Here is the font:

GreekNTb.TTF

Also, for those of you who haven’t read the report or heard of it…

OPC Report on Justification

New Perspective on Paul, New Testament Theology, Reforming, Systematic Theology, Theology

The Apostle Paul in a Sentence

This is a masterful quote describing the Apostle Paul! Amen!

Paul preached, and then explained in various pastoral, community-forming letters, a narrative, apocalyptic, theopolitical gospel (1) in continuity with the story of Israel and (2) in distinction to the imperial gospel of Rome (and analogous powers) that was centered on God’s crucified and exalted Messiah Jesus, whose incarnation, life, and death by crucifixion were validated and vindicated by God in his resurrection and exaltation as Lord, which inaugurated the new age or new creation in which all members of this diverse but consistently covenantally dysfunctional human race who respond in self-abandoning and self-committing faith thereby participate in Christ’s death and resurrection and are (1) justified, or restored to right covenant relations with God and with others; (2) incorporated into a particular manifestation of Christ the Lord’s body on earth, the church, which is an alternative community to the status-quo human communities committed to and governed by Caesar (and analogous rulers) and by values contrary to the gospel; and (3) infused both individually and corporately by the Spirit of God’s Son so that they may lead “bifocal” lives, focused both back on Christ’s first coming and ahead to his second, consisting of Christlike, cruciform (cross-shaped) (1) faith and (2) hope toward God and (3) love toward both neighbors and enemies (a love marked by peaceableness and inclusion), in joyful anticipation of (1) the return of Christ, (2) the resurrection of the dead to eternal life, and (3) the renewal of the entire creation.

( Michael J. Gorman, Reading Paul, Eugene:
Cascade Books, 2008. p. 8 )

[HT: Christ Tilling]