Dear Matt, You’ve asked me what is one of the most commonly asked questions about the emerging movement, but the way you ask about it is both funny and typical. You said: “I tell everyone I’m an ’emerging’ Christian but what (I’m afraid to say I don’t know) are we emerging from? Whenever someone asks me this, I brush it off. But I’d like to know your opinion what we are emerging out of since several of my friends claim... Read more
When we combine the Reformation (e.g, esp Lutheran) antithesis of law and gospel with pietism’s and Liberalism’s and the Western democracy’s sense of individual freedom, it is not hard to predict that many will find “rules” difficult expressions for genuine spirituality. And here (Ps. 119:43) the psalmist claims he “puts his hope in” or “rests himself in” God’s ordinances, rules, or mishpatim. |inline Read more
Terry Tiessen’s 6th chp asks this question: To whom does God reveal himself? Let us remind ourselves of the basic options — some say God reveals himself only to those who hear the gospel as preached through the Church (ecclesiocentrics); Tiessen will argue that God reveals himself to all (accessibilists). How so? |inline Read more
Publishers are kind. Each year we get a Christmas present or two from publishers I’ve worked with. I have pens, luggage tags, coffee mug protectors, cups, and (of course) books. It seems to me that publishers are creative with their gifts, but this year’s gift from Baker takes first prize. |inline Read more
Psalm 119:43 is odd: “Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.” My rabbi commentary, by Samson Hirsch, says this: “Do not make it appear as if my mouth had said something entirely untrue when I pointed out Thy righteous ordinances to my opponents.” |inline Read more
If you go to Reclaiming the Mind, you can see how to join us tonight in a 2-hour conversation about Mary. (Sorry, no Apple computers — to which I say “argh!”) The room is now open for some audio, though I don’t start teaching until much later. I’ll be giving a 30 minute lecture on the “Features of Mary’s Faith.” Read more
Eye on Chicago, with Antonio Mora, interviewed me about the movie and The Real Mary, and this is a link to the website. If you click on the image (to the right) of The Nativity Story picture, you get the full interview — 15 minutes or so. Read more
In chps 12-13 of Sarah Sumner’s book Men and Women in Ministry Sumner begins a four-chapter study of “head” in the Bible and esp in Paul’s letters. We will not be done with “headship” issues today, but we need to get a start. Sarah Sumner begins with 1 Cor 11:3, and I want to provide the text before I summarize what she argues: |inline Read more
Kris and I read this liturgy, and then lit the first advent candle in our home — with a little creche behind it. |inline Read more
God’s manifold mercy, God’s lovingkindness that embraces us in our manifold needs, is the hope of the psalmist in the next section (waw-section; 119:41-48). His prayer: “May your steadfast love reach me.” |inline Read more
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