Yesterday I met up with a some friends to discuss the 3 Atonement theories explained in chapter 7 of the book, “Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology” by Greg Boyd and Paul Eddy. In the book the 3 theories summarily presented are (Penal Substitution, Christus Victor, Moral Government). We each shared which of…
I was recently quite happy to receive in the mail a new book just published by Bradley Jersak, “A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel“. I was happy because by choosing to read it would give me the opportunity to further the Atonement question on the blog. It did take me a month to…
Beginning with this introductory post and the ones to follow, I will be seeking a deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of Jesus’ death and in what sense it is ‘atoning’. Jesus Death Saves Us Followers of Jesus across the spectrum of traditions have learned to speak of Jesus’ death as God’s way of somehow…
Upon coming to faith in Jesus and beginning what would become a regular practice of reading and studying the Scriptures, I began to be stirred to know God, walk with Him closely, and understand what He was asking of me. Along with the truth I was gleaming, I began being intrigued, and sometimes daunted, by…
For many Christians today, the phrases “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” refer to “heaven”—in other words, the place called heaven experienced after one dies. However, this is not what was originally meant when Jews (including Jesus) and early Christian Jews of Jesus’ day spoke of “the kingdom of God” or “the kingdom of…
“Jesus may be a bit different than we think.” That is the ideas behind this Gathering in Denver in just 3 months time. This gathering initially caught my interest when I saw that Tom Wright was going to take part. I am anticipating his soon to be released, “Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Christian…
I can’t more highly recommend a book which explores the topic that Jesus himself instructs us to seek first above all other things: God’s Kingdom and Justice. In the book, Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things, Ken Wytsma sets out to explore the proper place and broad reaching effects that…
It seems there ought to be a much broader approach to the understanding of Jesus’ atonement work than to simply be correlating all O.T. sacrifice into the penal substitutionally metaphor. If you’re used to thinking in such lines consider the “3 question reward” which Wright says is in store for those who gain a more…
10. A man’s place is in the army. 9. The pastoral duties of men who have children might distract them from the responsibility of being a parent. 8. The physique of men indicates that they are more suited to such tasks as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be “unnatural” for them…
Jesus, the Jesus of history, the Jesus who was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth, the Jesus who was raised by his parents Joseph and Mary, the one who grew up as all good Jewish boys did memorizing the Torah, attending the synagogue and pilgrimaging to the temple; this Jesus began his public…
I just came across this great video with some very interesting and provoking illustrated thoughts about Jesus’ central instruction to his disciples to “go and make disciples”. How should we be going about discipling followers in the way of Jesus? There are probably many various and creative ways to answer that question.. What do you…
Time Magazine has a very interesting cover article this week titled, “Rethinking Heaven”. It as about how scholars and theologians are rethinking the Christian perspective of life after death. Here is a link to the article. Unfortunately you must pay to read it online. You might want to pick up a copy at the local…
Luke 24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they…
John 18:1-19:42 Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the…
[two_third] If there is a speaker that I have listened to the most, without a doubt it is Tom Wright. I would love to attend this event taking place this summer where N.T. Wright will be speaking at a conference on Paul’s letter to the Galatians & Christian Theology at St Andrews in Scotland. The dates are…
Eugene Peterson respected author of The Message wrote an endorsement for the book Love Wins that reads, “It isn’t easy to develop a biblical imagination that takes in the comprehensive and eternal work of Christ…Rob Bell goes a long way in helping us acquire just such an imagination — without a trace of the soft…
[two_third] I was just listening to a talk by Greg Boyd where he was saying, “A text without a context is a pretext for a prooftext” . I don’t know if it is orignal to Boyd, but it was a punchy and well placed statement within what are usually really encouraging sermons by Boyd. He was talking about the…
In the last few years N.T. Wright has been the author who has had the single most impact on shaping my theology and praxis. I thought that it would be fun to post some of his quotes here. Click through to get the book if any of the quotes intrigue you. It will change your…
I was just watching this short vimeo video from The Justice Conference where Walter Brueggemann is discussing what biblical Justice is and the challenge for those who follow Yahweh to work towards the alleviation of injustices. I am encouraged how Brueggemann is bringing much needed attention to the often separated notions of our “declared love…
[two_third] Carl Medearis has a way of making what might appear to be a complicated issue seem both simple and exciting at the same time. He is a creative and provocative story teller and has a way of inviting you into a life of following Jesus that seems as exhilarating as one of Indiana Jones’…
[two_third] Richard Foster’s excellent book, “Celebration of Discipline, The Path to Spiritual Growth” explores many of the classical spiritual disciplines: meditation, prayer, fasting, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Foster shares from his own experience and involvement with the Quakers. While he does quote from many of the leaders of the Friends…
What actually is the Gospel anyway? What did the Evangelists intend by using the word Gospel? N.T. Wright is seeming to assert that Matthew and the other writers announced their narratives about the life of Jesus cased in the term “Gospel” so as to contrast Jesus with the other Lord of the known world, Caesar….
“What are the top 4 things you love about the life of Jesus?”, asks Carl Medearis in this youtube video. “Not what he said or his parables and what he taught..” This is challenging. Carl points out that we have often skimmed right through the life of jesus in our Christian thoughts and meditations. He…
From the earliest time I can remember on up through High School I was a member within a Pentecostal Church. It was full of mostly great experiences with some bad experiences mixed in as well. For various and sundry reasons I eventually came to the point where I no longer identified myself as a Pentecostal….
[two_third] Two Authors, both apart of the world missions organization Youth With A Mission have put their hearts and minds together in this important book, “Why Not Women”. Loren Cunningham, the founder of Y.W.A.M (pronounced, y-wam), and David Hamilton, a dedicated student of Christian scripture have brought light to this critical debate within Christian praxis….