The news is in that the COE Synod has rejected a  vote to have women bishops. Read articles at BBC, HuffPost, and CNN for more info. A 2/3 majority was needed to carry the motion. It passed in the house of bishops and house of clergy, but fell short by just six votes in the house of laity. I have friends in both conservative and progressive evangelical lobby groups (i.e., Fulcrum and Reform) for whom the vote was either a marginal victory or... Read more

Over at CT is an interesting article by Sarah Lebhar Hall on the frustration of living purposefully ( The Key to a Purposeful Life). She notes how many folks, esp twenty-somethings, fear not fulfilling their ambitions and goals in life. She raises several points on that in relation to union with Christ: If I am united with Christ, my focus can be on staying connected to Jesus. If I am united with Christ, then my life will take on not only... Read more

You have to see the ad with Brad Pitt for Chanel no. 5 to really appreciate it. Read more

Last year at SBL I was sitting with a group of scholars and pastors and someone mentioned the name Andy Stanley who is the Pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta. The three Aussie guys in the room just shrugged their shoulders and said, “Who?” We were then informed that he was the senior pastor of the largest church in America. I came across a fascinating article on CNN about Two Preaching Giants and the “Betrayal” that Tore them... Read more

Very interesting article at CT on What is the Biggest Change that Evangelical Seminaries Need to Make Right Now? with contributions from Dan Kimball, Cheryl Sanders, and Winfield Bevins. I liked these thoughts: Dan Kimball on the need for more pathos: If seminary professors could teach preaching and other skills more passionately, seminary students would more completely develop a passion for evangelism. The global church would also stand to benefit greatly. This kind of seminary graduate as a career pastor... Read more

Crossway College (Brisbane, Australia) is looking for a Lecturer in Biblical Studies who will also act as Director of Postgraduate Studies. The applicant should possess a PhD in Old Testament or New Testament, have a publication record and appropriate ministry experience for lecturing students in our degree and postgraduate programs. Duties will include lecturing, student pastoral responsibilities, and  administrative tasks. Applications will be received until 7 December 2012. Crossway College (formerly The Bible College of Queensland) is an independent, evangelical... Read more

SPCK has a special promotion where you can buy a box set of Tom Wright’s New Testament for Everyone Commentaries at a discounted price. This limited edition box set features all 18 volumes from the bestselling New Testament for Everyone series, in canonical order. Here’s what you can expect. . . a refreshed, contemporary design. new book format – not to be sold separately and never to be printed again! a signed letter from Tom Wright enclosed. an ideal gift for Tom Wright... Read more

Over at the Zondervan Blog, Koinonia, is an exciting announcement about a forthcoming series of theological volumes called New Studies in Dogmatics. Looks like some exciting things in the systematic theology pipeline! Read more

Intriguing article over at the Huffington Post by Richard Stearns (President of World Vision) on Goodbye Christian America. Stearns notes the end of America’s nominal Christianity and believes that it might not be a bad thing. Writing about one particular church, he says: There was a time when Pastor Curry might have worried about things like posting the Ten Commandments in courtrooms, but today he’s too busy changing the city of Tacoma and world. This is the work Christians are... Read more

Over at RBL is my review of Roger Pearce (ed.),  Eusbeius of Caesarea: Gospel Problems and Solutions (Ipswich, UK: Chieftain, 2010). Read more