Will There Be “Queer Treasure” in the New Jerusalem? On Gay Christianity and Revoice

July 5, 2018 By Owen Strachan

A workshop that will take place at the upcoming Revoice conference has drawn serious scrutiny. (Revoice in general has drawn major attention–here’s coverage in The Federalist, the Christian Post, a very helpful Al Mohler podcast on it, and a great Public Discourse article by Denny Burk and Rosaria Butterfield.) The workshop in question is entitled “Redeeming Queer Culture: An Adventure,” and is led by a young man named Grant Hartley. Here is the slice of the workshop description that caught my eye: “So... Read more

On the Revoice Conference, “Gay Christianity,” and the Apostle Paul’s Showstopper Words to the Corinthians

June 1, 2018 By Owen Strachan

The Revoice conference has caused a stir in evangelical circles in recent days. Basically, it is a conference that stands for the idea that a person can faithfully affirm both Christian identity and a homosexual identity. This is not a new view–see Matthew Vines’s work as one example–but this particular conference charts new territory by looping in numerous figures associated with Covenant Seminary and the Presbyterian Church in America, among other institutions and churches. Covenant and the PCA are complementarian... Read more

The Pastor Is a Theologian–Like Harold Ockenga and Jonathan Edwards

May 7, 2018 By Owen Strachan

I just published an academic article on the pastor-theologian for the Journal of Biblical Studies. It’s entitled “Light from the Third Great Awakening: Harold Ockenga and the Call to Future Pastor-Theologians.” In the article, I argue that what took place in the neo-evangelical era under Harold Ockenga, Billy Graham, and Carl Henry was actually the “Third Great Awakening.” This is a big claim, and it will take further academic work to substantiate it, but I believe it to be true. (If... Read more

A Response to Andy Stanley on “Theological Correctness”–With Help from Jonathan Edwards

May 1, 2018 By Owen Strachan

Andy Stanley just made waves. At the recent Orange Conference, Stanley spoke on John 17 and said that oneness in the faith is “more important than being theologically correct.” The broader context of his remarks was the need for church unity, as seen in this summary: “He prayed for our oneness, that we’d be on the same page,” said Stanley. “This is mission critical. If they are not one, we will not win … unity is mission critical and disunity... Read more

A Historic Day for Midwestern Seminary: Andreas Köstenberger Joins the Faculty

April 10, 2018 By Owen Strachan

In the kindness of God, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has just made the most significant faculty hire in our six-decade history. As announced today, Dr. Andreas Köstenberger has been elected by the trustees of the seminary to the faculty. He will teach New Testament and biblical studies at Midwestern and will lead a center on campus. Much of Dr. Köstenberger’s ministry at the school will come at the doctoral level; students interested in doing a PhD in New Testament will now... Read more

Did the Atonement Break the Trinity? On Tom McCall’s Essay

April 2, 2018 By Owen Strachan

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45-46) ************ This past weekend, Christianity Today published an editorial by Tom McCall, a well-regarded systematic theologian. McCall’s piece made several surprising claims. Below, I interact with several of its key arguments; see also this helpful blog by Denny Burk, and these tweets by Malcolm... Read more

Skeptical About Skeptics: A Few Thoughts on Doubt & the New Rob Bell Film, “The Heretic”

March 16, 2018 By Owen Strachan

The new Rob Bell documentary just landed. It’s entitled “The Heretic,” and Bell laughs at the label when in the film he is introduced as such. It chills your blood, really. I just reviewed “The Heretic” for the Center for Public Theology of Midwestern Seminary. Here’s a snippet from my review that I’ll expand upon below: Doubt is the new “truth.” We hear emergent leader Peter Rollins say of Bell, for example, “he put his finger on a doubt and... Read more

Big News at Moody Bible Institute: MBI Adopts the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

March 1, 2018 By Owen Strachan

Julie Roys has dropped an absolute bombshell: Moody Bible Institute just announced that it now affirms the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. Beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, Moody will require all faculty to embrace the Chicago Statement. For those recently concerned by reports out of Moody, this is very big news indeed. It is also very good news indeed. The best way for a school to fend off Satan’s attacks and fight for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom through its... Read more

Defending Billy: Responding to George Will’s Fierce Critique of Billy Graham

February 23, 2018 By Owen Strachan

Like many young conservatives, I’ve learned a lot from George Will. His erudition, his conservative bona fides, his love for baseball—these things qualify him for considerable admiration. Will’s well-mannered thought-leadership stands out to me and many others. How strange, then, that the death of evangelist Billy Graham (1918-2018) just brought out a very different side of Will. In his Washington Post column, published before Graham’s body had cooled, Will’s headline showed his hand: “Billy Graham Was No Prophet.” National Review,... Read more

Moody’s Challenges and Scripture’s Inerrancy: Why the Chicago Statement Matters More Than Ever

February 2, 2018 By Owen Strachan

In recent days, a furor has broken out over a surprising place: Moody Bible Institute. Moody is a hallmark of American evangelicalism, particularly the mainstream Chicago rendition, and has famously sent out thousands of graduates to the mission fields. Moody’s reputation is justifiably strong; it is a school that most evangelicals would instinctually trust. But Moody has been shaken to its core in the last few weeks and months. First came reports of massive faculty cuts at two locations; then... Read more