Tomorrow I’ll post my own view of Mary’s perpetual virginity. But today we need to look at Jerome, who is perhaps the first major theologian to deal with our question — was Mary perpetually virgin? He does so in polemics with Helvidius, both of whom were in Rome at about the same time, c. 383 AD. Most of the whole debate today unfolds from his arguments with Helvidius. After today’s post, I’d be interested if this discussion has any impact... Read more
One of the reasons I’m blogging through this book is that it was written by a pastor, and it is important for me to understand more deeply what pastors think and do. Chp. 6 deals with the heart of pastoral vision: compassion. How compassionate are you? Here’s a definition for each of us: |inline Read more
Sorry, the title to this post is some old humor about circumcision. While 4:4-8 could be seen as the show-stopper for the New Perspective, 4:9 actually turns the lights on for its show. How so? Because, after positing a “faith” vs. a “reckoning” system, Paul turns the lights once again on Jewish privilege. |inline Read more
I took that test I linked to in the Weekly Meanderings last Saturday, and this is what showed up. I’d not characterize myself this way, but maybe you took it too. At any rate, I have purchased Finney’s 2-volume theology, but not read a word; his atonement theory is governmentalist which I can’t quite get my mind around enough to write about, and I read Jonathan Edwards often — go figure. Did you do this test? Was it accurate for... Read more
I took that test I linked to in the Weekly Meanderings last Saturday, and this is what showed up. I’d not characterize myself this way, but maybe you took it too. At any rate, I have purchased Finney’s 2-volume theology, but not read a word; his atonement theory is governmentalist which I can’t quite get my mind around enough to write about, and I read Jonathan Edwards often — go figure. Did you do this test? Was it accurate for... Read more
Two days ago I observed that there is an early and widespread belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity in the Church. Today I want to begin to begin looking more particularly at the debates and actual comments by the early theologians. Today’s post will begin the examination of the major biblical texts, but they will be more clear tomorrow. |inline Read more
Do you think Jesus depended on the Spirit? That is the subject of Frye’s fifth chapter, and it is a good chapter. Once again, very good stories in this chapter envelop the basic biblical discussion of whether or not Jesus was dependent on the Spirit (and he says “yes”) and how that can be a model for ministry today. I’m curious to know if pastors really do think about this presence of the Spirit often enough. |inline Read more
Paul speaks in Romans 4:4-8 theoretically about “works” and he does so in such a way that “faith” becomes theoretically opposed to “works.” This is important for understanding the New Perspective, and what Paul does here is compare a “reckoning” system with a “grace” system. |inline Read more
Public school teachers, that’s who. Laura Barringer, our daughter, finished her school year of teaching last week. She’s a first grade teacher in the area. Public school teachers go at it, more or less, from the middle of August to the middle of June. We owe a lot to our public school teachers, and this might be a good time to write them a note and tell them. I should know about public school teachers, my family is full of... Read more
Where does the pastor, and nearly every one I’ve met has struggles with this one, find his or her identity? John Frye, in Jesus the Pastor, weaves together one big biblical idea with personal realities to frame a solid answer to the formation of pastoral identity. |inline Read more
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