It has long been a theological and metaphysical bone of contention as to whether there is only one, literal God, or whether there are many gods, One of whom is simply the greatest among them. In other words, is there numerically just “one” God, or is there a number of gods organized in a type of hierarchy with only one on top? Some have argued that if the former is the case, then in the Torah, Moses was teaching an... Read more
In a previous post, I explored an interpretive option as to why Moses was prevented from entering the promised land. It is an interpretation often overlooked by pastors. There I argued, based off of Jewish exegesis, that God punished Moses because Moses, at the Rock of Meribah (Exod 17; Num 20), presented himself and Aaron as the source of divine power, not Yahweh, and in doing so not only elevated himself in the eyes of the Israelites but also demoted... Read more
I rarely do movie reviews, but two recent films are worth writing about: Martin Scorsese’s latest historical epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, based off a book by David Grann; and The Iron Claw, about the Hall of Fame wrestling family, the Von Erichs, directed by Sean Durkin. In these reviews, I will not be concerned with the historical accuracy of the films, nor with plot summaries, but only with their aesthetic virtues and some important theological issues that they... Read more
With each passing year many of us attempt to change some aspect of their lives for the better. This is often called a “resolution.” A New Years resolution is considered an intentional, firm decision to make a change that will matter to one’s life, or the life of those around us. New Years resolutions often have to do with some pattern of behavior one is aware of, but that one believes is not doing him or herself any good. Perhaps... Read more
G.K. Chesterton once summarized the religious history of the world in a single sentence: Paganism was the largest thing in the world, and Christianity was larger, and everything since has been comparatively small. Chesterton, The Catholic Church and Conversion This Christmas, it is important to recognize one “true meaning of Christmas” that often goes unmentioned, or even unnoticed, by our contemporary makers of meaning. And this regardless of whether they themselves are fans or foes of Christmas. What these meaning-makers miss... Read more
In the previous post, I discussed the first, great Christian heresy, the heresy of Judaizing. This theological error, made by many in the earliest days of the Christian faith, places the burden of the Mosaic law back onto the believer in God. It rejects the efficacy of Christ’s atonement on the cross for the sake of sinners, and seeks to reestablish a system of “works-righteousness,” or salvation through or by the Law. The form this heresy takes, or the names it... Read more
It is, or at least should be, a grave responsibility for every pastor, teacher and preacher of the Bible to not just be aware of heresies but to actively defend the apostolic and orthodox Christian faith against them. Unfortunately, one of the most lamentable realities in American Evangelicalism today is a woeful ignorance of Church History, especially early Church history. This causes a problem, for it was early in the life of the Church that God’s people encountered two essential... Read more
A popular worship song, entitled Make Room encourages believers to surrender, to sacrifice their own interests in the interest of the kingdom. The chorus contains these words: And I’ll make room for you To do whatever you want to Do whatever you want to. Make Room © Community Music, 2021 So many times, as believers we may be striving to glorify God and to build His kingdom. We often are consciously working for the things of heaven to come into... Read more
I recently was blessed with the opportunity to get away from daily life and spend a few days in Hawaii with my wife and some friends. We also took my mother-in-law who lives with us and who had never visited the islands. The weather was balmy, the water was warm, we went swimming and snorkeling, took a catamaran cruise, and generally relaxed and had an enjoyable time. As a Christian reflecting on the time we spent I was reminded of... Read more
Martyrdom is a notoriously misunderstood idea, at least in the Christian sense of the concept. Many today find the idea of martyrdom utterly distasteful. They either find it incredibly foolish, seeing it as a meaningless rejection of this world and the good things it offers. Or, alternatively, they find it very dangerous, in part for the same reasons, but also because of an aberrant version of martyrdom which entails the killing of others along with the annihilation of the self.... Read more
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