Shakespeare and Dynamic Infallibilism (by David Opderbeck)   Our recent conversation about inerrancy generated lots of discussion. Although the conversation about this question often becomes heated and difficult, there is one positive note: everyone on this blog is concerned about truth, the authority of the Word of God, the welfare of the Church, and the quality of the Church’s proclamation of the Gospel. In that spirit, I’d like to offer a perspective that seems helpful to me: “dynamic infallibilism.” I came... Read more

I want to thank “T” for this splendid series. Our final post on how we build our theology, using Wesley’s Quadrilateral as an outline, focuses on “Scripture.”  For this discussion, I’ve opted to use pieces of a conversation that started here and continued via email between myself and frequent Jesus-Creeder and pastor (and all-round gracious guy), Matt Edwards.  Matt mentioned in this thread (comment #10) his own experience of raising a thorny issue with his church, cessationism, and summarized the reasons he gave for... Read more

James Payton, Jr.’s, book, Getting the Reformation Wrong: Correcting Some Misunderstandings , is now available and I want to urge it upon readers who have any interest in the signficance of the Reformation for the contemporary Church — and the Reformation reshaped the Church in both good and bad ways. (I posted this before, but want now to call attention to the book’s availability.) How is the Reformation talked about in your circles? How do you perceive it? What are... Read more

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Read more

Book Review: The Bible among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? by John N. Oswalt What’s so unique about the Bible? After all, there are plenty of other ancient texts that claim to describe the creation of the world, the role that humans play in it, and the nature of the gods. And we know, of course, that these writings are nothing more than myths. Isn’t the Bible just like these ancient myths–ahistorical religious fiction, albeit with a... Read more

True to form, which means a bit late in the game, President Obama has now weighed in about the mosque and Islamic center to be built two blocks from Ground Zero. The debate is now a culture war — it is not about legality. It is about propriety. One issue not discussed that I have seen is the Christian commitment to forgiveness. Does this fit in this issue for you? “Let me be clear: as a citizen, and as president, I... Read more

How about this shot? A plane against a rainbow in France. We’ve been in Seoul Korea this week but here are a few meanderings. (Speaking of which, Jesus Creed is coming out shortly in Korea. Please tell your Korean friends.) Some asked about why I was leaving BNet, and I will say a little more in the next week or two, but this series at Patheos gives on angle on what Patheos has to offer. Look at the scope and... Read more

How about this shot? A plane against a rainbow in France. We’ve been in Seoul Korea this week but here are a few meanderings. (Speaking of which, Jesus Creed is coming out shortly in Korea. Please tell your Korean friends.) Some asked about why I was leaving BNet, and I will say a little more in the next week or two, but this series at Patheos gives on angle on what Patheos has to offer. Look at the scope and... Read more