In this episode of The Now and the Not Yet, we look at the church with a special focus on two books: Michael Bird and Brian Rosner (eds.), Mending a Fractured Church (Lexham Press) Jonathan Leeman, Political Church: The Local Assembly as Embassy of Christ’s Rule (Crossway) In a nutshell, in this episode we discuss the how to preserve the unity of the church and how political is the church! Remember, if you like the show then please like, subscribe, and share! Read more

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard about the Intra-Complementarian “Civil War” about the Trinity, Subordinationism, and Gender. While this might seem like a storm in a teacup or else sound like the esoteric ravings of academics, let me assure you that there is far more than that going on. My good friend and colleague, Scott Harrower explains why this debate matters, and why you should care. Scott shows the importance of preserving a “theological culture” where the Trinity is upheld and... Read more

Over at CT, Caleb Lindgren writes on Gender and the Trinity: From Proxy War to Civil War. Basically, the debate boils down to three interrelated issues: a particular understanding of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son in the Trinity; whether that relationship reflects the historic creeds of Christianity; and whether that relationship has any bearing on human relationships, specifically regarding gender roles. If you are confused about the brouhaha over the Trinity, mystified by terms like... Read more

For those interested in the Calvinism Complementarian Civil War on the Trinity, you might be interested to know that at this year’s ETS meeting that the Evangelicals and Gender study group will be discussing the Trinity. Here’s the program (HT: Jamin Hubner): Lucy Peppiatt (Principal of Westminster Theological Centre): “Co-heirs of the grace of life: A pneumatological perspective on the participation of men and women in the life of the Trinity” Jack Davis (Gordon Conwell Theological Sem): Trinity and Gender: “How... Read more

If you like Greek exegesis, 1-2 Timothy, and helping families adopt, then go to this page and buy Rick Brannan’s commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy! All money raised will help Rick and his wife adopt a child. Rick Brannan has produced a robust and rigorous exegetical introduction to First Timothy. This book is a great guide to the nuances of the Greek text that interpreters need to grapple with as they attempt to interpret this letter. Whether it is... Read more

Whoa, stop what you are doing, cause you have to read the lengthy article in The Atlantic by Ariel Sabar on “The Unbelievable Tale of Jesus’ Wife.” Sabar tracks down the author of The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife and it is a cracker of a tale. It has forgery, porn, shonky businessmen, Egyptian museums, bruised egos, the east European Stasi, and a whole lot more. Truth really is stranger than fiction. It is a 30 minute read, but well worth it! A brilliant piece of investigative... Read more

Over at New City Times, Mark Jones responds to Owen Strachan with Biblicism, Socinianism, and “Arid” Scholasticism. Jones takes particular issue with Strachan for likening opponents of trinitarian subordination to scholasticism. All I can say is whoa and wow, Jones does not hold back! It is easy to argue, “we need to just follow the plain teaching of the Scriptures” and not be so dependent upon a “New Scholasticism,” but less easy to convince readers this method yields better results than what... Read more

As the Complementarian Trinity melee winds down, I refer you all to Fred Sanders’s excellent piece: 18 Theses on the Father and the Son. I think points # 9 to # 16 are the real guts of the debate. I still have to reflect on analogates of the immanent Trinity in #17, I’m not so sure. Otherwise, I have a few comments on a few of Sanders’s theses: 10. The doctrine of the Trinity suffers equally from flattening out the distinctions... Read more

Over at The Paulcast (an excellent podcast on Pauline studies, if you aren’t subscribed, why not!) Kurt Willems interviews Jewish scholar Mark Nanos about the “Paul within Judaism” approach to the Apostle Paul. Nanos’ interview is remarkable because it provides some insights into his intellectual journey into Pauline studies, he uses some interesting “Amish” analogies about what Paul was up to, and provides a penetrating critique of the “two covenants” view of Romans 9-11. Here’s my summary of the Paul... Read more

If you are an Evangelical, keen on the Old Testament, and would like to be my colleague here at Ridley College, then feel free to apply for this position:   Read more