These — “his presence lingers” — are the words of John Ortberg in the Afterword to Becoming Dallas Willard (by Gary Moon). It’s an extraordinary book because Dallas was an extraordinary man. This book is a “paraclete” for Dallas’ own works; one doesn’t become conscious of Moon’s views or theories or voice; everything in the book turns the reader to Dallas, and not a few times I was tempted to put it down and go read something from Dallas himself. (That’s... Read more

From SI.com: AUGUSTA, Georgia — There is a serene perfection to Augusta National Golf Club and to the Masters tournament that it hosts—and which the sport adores—that is both beautiful and distant. There is no running, there is no litter and there are no cell phones. It is a place that bows forever to a worshipful past, whose former champions are manifestly, if not always accurately, remembered as Capital-G Gentlemen of dignity and honor, their green jackets hung for all... Read more

My review of a fantastic new book: Matthew Croasmun, The Emergence of Sin: The Cosmic Tyrant in Romans (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017). Sin in the Pauline letters seems to be more than the violation of a command and seems to take on systemic force. Christian theology’s doctrines of original sin and guilt are but one example of theological attempts to come to terms with lower case sins and upper case Sin as a tyrant. In Matthew Croasmun’s recently... Read more

In his splendid brand new biography of Dallas Willard, Gary Moon in Becoming Dallas Willard: The Formation of a Philosopher, Teacher, and Christ Follower, Moon tells a story of Dallas Willard’s struggle to determine his future: preacher/pastor or professor? He had been reared and nurtured and formed mostly at the feet of Southern Baptists but his gradual exposure to other voices — like C.S. Lewis and Charles Finney and Thomas a Kempis — had broadened his interests. Including a growing, simmering,... Read more

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more

Could Beth Moore turn the tide? Will she? By Beth Allison Barr: “Lord, I repent of ways I’ve been complicit in & contributed to misogyny & sexism in the church by my cowardly and inordinate deference to male leaders in order to survive rather than simply appropriately respecting them as my brothers. Forgive me for being part of the problem.”  Beth Moore tweeted (@BethMooreLPM) this  just last week, March 27 2018. I almost missed it. It wasn’t until we were eating Easter dinner a... Read more

https://soundcloud.com/user-212639123/open-to-the-spirit-part-1-kr-87 Who exactly is the Holy Spirit? What does he do in our lives? How can we know him more deeply, and is it possible to tap into his power? Is it possible to be aware of his promptings and speaking into our lives? Dr. Scot McKnight answers these questions and more in this comprehensive examination of what the Bible says about this divinely important, but often confusing member of the Trinity. Purchase Scot’s new book, Open to the Spirit.... Read more

By Mike Glenn There’s an old story told in business circles about a poor farmer who sold his little dirt farm and went off to search for diamonds. Several years later, he returned home, broke and despondent, never having found any diamonds. Much to his surprise, he finds out a mining company has bought his old farm and his mining diamonds – acres and acres of diamonds – from the very place he had left. The moral of the story... Read more

The Reformation was a claim by Protestants like Luther and Calvin to be “more ancient than thou” when it came to the Catholics, ignoring as they did the Orthodox. In a splendid essay on “The Catholic Luther,” a title with tilt if ever one had it, David Steinmetz (in Taking the Long View: Christian Theology in Historical Perspective) sorts out the history of interpreting Luther but in the process unveils what the Reformation was all about. It’s still with us.... Read more

New Anglican Studies Program at Northern Seminary Lead the Church, Engage the World with an Anglican Ethos Northern Seminary’s new Anglican Studies Program (with certificate and degree options) begins Spring 2018, through a partnership with The Telos Collective, an initiative of The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). The Anglican Studies Program is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of students preparing for Anglican ministry, lay and especially ordained. In this program, students will engage the Anglican history,... Read more