Euangelion

Famous quote from Oscar Cullmann:

“the f0untainhead of all false biblical interpretation and of all heresy is invariably the isolation and the absolutising of one single passage.” (Oscar Cullmann, The State in the New Testament, 47).

James K. A. Smith of Calvin College (who is actually in Australia right now to deliver the New College Lectures on “Imagining the Kingdom: On Christian Discipleship and Action”) has a provocative article in Calvin Theological Journal entitled, “Reforming Public Theology: Two Kingdoms or Two Cities.” You know it’s a provocative article because it commences with the words, “Based on voices emerging from some corners of the Reformed tradition, you would think that the future of Calvinism is Lutheran. At just the moment that neo-Calvinism has begun to be absorbed by wider evangelicalism and has become the de facto paradigm for Christian higher education in North America, scholars such as D.G. Hart, Michael Horton, and David Vandrunen argue that the neo-Calvinists are not really Calvinists. Curiously, the basis for this claim is the neo-Calvinist rejection of the Lutheran model of two kingdoms that they see in Calvin and ‘the earlier Reformed tradition.’” Whoa, okay, you have my attention! A very interesting read.

The proverbial late night college dorm room question, “Could Jesus have sinned?” (the question of Jesus’ impeccability), is one that I recently came across in a section of theology written by the preeminent Orthodox theologian Bishop Kallistos Ware of Oxford, who by the way gave lectures at North Park last year. In an essay entitled “Salvation and Theosis in Orthodox Theology” Bishop Ware writes

How far was Christ subject to temptation? The testimony of Scripture is explicit: ‘in every respect as we are, only without sinning’ (Heb. 4:15). A human will and human freedom imply liability to human temptation. We are to affirm of the incarnate Christ, not that he was incapable of sinning, but that he was capable of not sinning; not non posse peccare, but posse non peccare. His sinlessness was moral, not ontological; as regards his humanity, he was sinless by virtue of his will, not of his nature. Sin was a real possibility for him as man.

I find Ware’s remarks, particularly his preference for the idea of “capable of not sinning” over “incapable of sinning”, a useful statement on the matter that well reflects the New Testament witness to Christ’s humanity.

Michael Licona interviews Dan Wallace about new manuscript discoveries by CSNTM including an apparent fragment of Mark from the first century. Big claim, very tantalizing for textual-critics, mouth drooling really, an apologist’s fantasy coming true, skeptics are skeptical, and it creates more suspense than the last episode of Lost. C’mon Dan, show me the money!

Justin Taylor does a superb interview with Peter Williams (Tyndale House) and Simon Gathercole (Cambridge Uni) about faith, scholarship, apocryphal Gospels, and Tyndale House. Do check it out!

Over at The Punch, journo Miles Heffernan has a piece on Our Churches Should Not Be a Law Unto Themselves, which raises concerns how (in Australia) religious groups can discriminate against employees in non-core areas of their work. His main target is the company Sanitarium owned by the SDAs who only hire “Christians”. But what stood out for me was his observation about who actually does the major of charity work in Australia. Read this:

This weekend one of the country’s biggest fundraisers, the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, was in full swing targeting $80 million. I have been a healthy skeptic of them and other faith-based charities. I learned recently while doing research that little old ladies from the Salvos stay up all night manning the needle exchange on St Kilda’s infamous Grey St. When not reducing the risk of HIV infection, Flo and Dot are next door at the battered women’s shelter. There are thousands of other examples that show Christian workers doing good deeds without prejudice. My research also took to me to Centrelink. They provide “welfare referrals” for those in crisis. I covered half of Sydney. In nearly every case, the only groups accepting those referrals were Christian. So while church-based charities may offend some people with their contribution to public policy, when it comes to what they do on the ground, it is hard to be offended. I haven’t seen too many secular groups driving the mobile soup kitchens.

Amen! Without religious based charities there would be a social welfare melt down in our society. So stick that in your secular humanist pipe and smoke it!

I must admit I’ve never celebrated Ascension Day; that is until this week. How unfortunate is that?! The ascension of Jesus is the ultimate culmination of his work on the cross on behalf of the world. He died to be resurrected, he was resurrected to be exalted at the Father’s right hand. We celebrate Easter, but Easter culminates with the Ascension.

Ascension is celebrated by the Church on the Thursday between the sixth and seventh Sunday’s after Easter. It is ten days before the Day of Pentecost (next Sunday). Often churches celebrate Ascension also on this seventh Sunday.

The message of the Ascension is that twofold. First, the ascension of Jesus means he is Lord over all (Eph. 1:21-23). Second, the ascension means that Jesus’ priestly work on our behalf continues eternally (Heb 9:24).

Let’s remember today that the man, Jesus of Nazareth, confirmed to be the Son of God by his being resurrected, has been exalted to God’s right hand. It is this person, the resurrected and exalted Son of God, whom we worship, whom we follow, and whom we seek to pattern our life after. It is this Jesus who we believe will return in glory at the end of the age to restore all things (Acts 1:11); and it is for him that in the meantime we bear witness through our testimony to the message of his kingship and his continuous and gracious work on behalf of humanity.

Prayers
Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Messiah to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to the place where our Savior Messiah has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting Amen.

Brian Tucker provides a nice review of Paul and the Second Century which is edited by Joey Dodson and Michael Bird. Reading the review may save you from reading the book!