Greetings from Calgary Alberta, where I’ve been spending time with the EvFree leaders. Beth Allison Barr — well done! As a historian, I know the Roman view of women (as reflected in 1 Corinthians 14) is just one of many, many examples of patriarchy in the ancient world. Indeed, patriarchy is a constant in world history. From The Ramayana in ancient India to the Epic of Gilgamesh in ancient Sumeria, texts from early civilizations reveal the gender hierarchies that privileged men (especially men of... Read more

By Mike Glenn Every industry is being disrupted by the future. Manufacturing jobs are being impacted by robots. Retail is being changed by the internet, and everyone is being impacted by artificial intelligence. Malls are closing because people can shop on their phones or tablets. We schedule our entertainment with downloads and digital recordings. You don’t have to be home to see your favorite television show. You can record it, download it, or watch an entire year of shows at... Read more

Walter Moberly, The Bible in a Disenchanted Age, proposes three approaches to reading the Bible. As Christians we read the Bible through eyes of faith, to know God. But the Bible remains a subject for significant study in the secular culture.  In addition to reading the Bible as Scripture, it can be read as ancient history or as a cultural and literary classic. The Bible as Scripture is the subject of the bulk of Moberly’s book, but before digging into... Read more

Multiple times a year we at Northern open our doors for a free week of classes. The Taste of Northern is always some of my favorite weeks to be in the classroom because we have people all over the world join us through Northern Live (https://www.seminary.edu/live/ ) SIGN UP (http://bit.ly/tasteofnorthern ) In the last Taste of Northern we had a student join us from Japan where he is a pastor in a church. Thousands of miles couldn’t stop him. The... Read more

The Bible is the central document of the Christian faith. It is, we believe, more than just another ancient text. It is more than a human record of the past. It is also less than perfectly clear. This isn’t some kind of well written set of propositions to guide life. But it is centered on God’s revelation of his work in the world.  Several years ago I read an interesting little book by John Polkinghorne, theoretical physicist turned priest, Testing... Read more

From Beth Allison Barr: Listen to what Beth Moore said (and I am pulling several tweets together here): “I am compelled to my bones by the Holy Spirit-I don’t want to be but I am-to draw attention to the sexism & misogyny that is rampant in segments of the SBC, cloaked by piety & bearing the stench of hypocrisy. There are countless godly conservative complementarians. So many.. There are countless conservative Complementarians I very much respect & deeply love even though I... Read more

This is the question Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun must ask (and answer) if their theological vision is viable. To get this point clear I want to begin where our last post (before our trip to Greece) ended: Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun, in For the Life of the World, contend for the following major ideas when it comes to what theology is or what it ought to be doing today: The heart of our proposal concerns the purpose of theology.... Read more

Here is our prayer for our mothers on Mother’s Day. It comes with a history for me. My mother was choir director at our church, and every Sunday — world without end, Amen — ended with the choir singing this Benediction. I can still sway and bob my head with the words. The Lord bless you and keep you The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace, and give you peace; The Lord make His face to... Read more

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more