Repost from December, 2006: My Day at Southern Seminary

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

My Day at SBTS Yesterday, I was hosted for a day at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I learned some lingo, For instance, in SBC circles, the school is referred to either as “Southern Seminary,” “Southern,” or “The Southern Baptist Seminary.” Specifically, I was invited by the faculty of the International Center for Youth Ministry at Boyce College, and its director, Dave Adams. As one might imagine, I had some trepidation going into this conversation, particularly having read the less-than-affirming blogs of the school’s... Read more

Repost from February, 2005: What Is Practical Theology?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

What Is Practical Theology? Part I I do get asked on occasion, “What is practical theology?” Lots of people are pretty sure they know what systematic, dogmatic, and biblical theology are, but less are sure exactly what practical theology is. At Princeton Theological Seminary, Dr. Richard Osmer has developed a model of doing practical theology that is extremely helpful in this regard, so I’ll describe it over the course of a few posts. His is what a philosopher would call a “wide,... Read more

Repost from February, 2005: Response to Critics of Emergent

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

Official Response to Critics of Emergent Response to Recent Criticisms By Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Spencer Burke, Brian McLaren, Dan Kimball, Andrew Jones, Chris Seay We continue to be amazed by the enthusiastic interest in the work of emergent, a conversation and friendship of which we are a small part. This conversation is bringing together a wide range of committed Christians and those exploring the Christian faith in wonderful ways, and many of us sense that God is at work... Read more

Repost From December, 2004: The Trinity

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

De Trinitate Scott Collins-Jones, “You are in more dire need of a blog than any white man in history.” (Movie quote, anyone?) Since Scott, a funny, smart, opinionated guy who needs a blog doesn’t have one yet, he emailed me to ask how I can not think that someone who doesn’t believe in the Trinity is not unorthodox. Well, not coincidentally, Doug and I spent a long time talking about this the other night, sitting in his van in my driveway after catching the... Read more

Repost from November, 2004

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

Throwing Down the Gauntlet OK, I’m sticking my head out the window and yelling, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Well, I’m not really that mad, but I am a little irked. In the last week, I have read or heard these statements: “What emergent is discovering is stuff Lutherans have known for 500 years.” “Anabaptists don’t have to become postmodern because we were never modern.” “Emergent is trying to marry liturgical tradition to... Read more

Reposting from Waaaaay Back

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

Usually, I take two weeks off of the blog each year. This year, I’ll be taking three. One was Spring Break, one is a family vacation this week, and one will be in November for my honeymoon with Courtney (we’re getting legally married alongside our friends, Rachel and Ratchet). Instead of lining up guest posters for this week, I’ve lined up an assortment of posts from the archives. These go way back to my first year of blogging, 2004-2005. You... Read more

Preaching in the Dakotas

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

We’re less than two months away from hunting season, so I’m actively looking for opportunities to preach in North and South Dakota, particularly when the preaching gig includes a hook-up for pheasant, duck, or goose hunting. If you want to barter your pulpit for some hunting, drop me a line. Read more

Post-Cynical Christianity

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

“I want to tell you something. What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!” he said, speaking off the cuff in his native Spanish. “I want to see the church get closer to the people. I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools... Read more

What Heresy Is (A Post for Rachel Held Evans)

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

Yesterday, I accused C. Michael Patton of holding a heretical view of the Trinity. He does. He thinks that the Trinity is a “functional hierarchy,” which contravenes the historic creedal belief that the persons of the Trinity are co-equal in all respects. It probably also makes him a modalist, or at least a dynamic monarchianist, since he overemphasizes the role of each member of the Trinity, and thus emphasizes the oneness over the threeness of the Godhead. (I imagine that... Read more

Some (Honestly) Bad Reformed Theology Defending Hierarchies

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Tony Jones

One thing I like about C. Michael Patton is that he’s honest. He will write what many Reformed proponents think, but are reluctant to publicly affirm. Like, for instance, his post from earlier this month in which he posits that the Trinity is a hierarchy: God is on top, Christ is in the middle, and the Holy Spirit is on the bottom. This is heresy, friends, albeit a widely popular heresy. Patton writes: (more…) Read more