Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
My first title for this series of posts was “Evangelical Sacramental Ecumenism” – not exactly a clickbait title. But those three words, evangelical, sacramental, and ecumenical, say a lot: The centrality of the gospel; a focus on baptism, bread, and wine; and the quest for visible unity among diverse churches.…
I can imagine someone reading the title of this essay and saying to himself, "I have two questions. First, what in the world is “contextualization”?" Second, even before hearing the answer to the first question, he may wonder, "what does baptism have to do with such an awkward and vague…
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 My colleague Ralph Smith has recently written on this passage, here . I entirely agree with Ralph's thrust, which is typological, that the passage is ultimately aimed at the entire nation of Israel itself as the rebellious son. But what I am thinking is from another perspective, perhaps…
In the previous article in this series, I drew attention to the threefold meaning of the Spirit of God descending as a dove on Jesus at His baptism. On a related note, I also argued that 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Titus 3:3-7 were parallel passages that addressed the same issues…
The National Anthem protest is misguided. So too the conservative backlash. The Church’s response has been disappointing. I address each in turn. The greatest triumph of the American Civil Rights Movement was its seizing of the moral high ground in American politics. It did so by insisting only on those…
Peter Leithart’s book, The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism , argues that baptism is parallel to and the fulfillment of the old covenant rite of priestly ordination. But this is not something explicitly stated in the New Testament. Why, then, should we believe it? Leithart shows in…
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In the twenty and seventh year to Asa king of Yehudah Reigned-as-king Zimriy seven days in Tirtzah. Not the people [were] encamping against Gibbethon which [was] to the Pilshetim. And heard the people who were encamping, saying, ?Zimriy bound-together and also struck the king.?E And they caused to be king,…
In creating the world, Isaiah 48:13 tells us, God “laid the foundations of the earth.” In the context, this not only refers to Yahweh’s place at the origin of all things but His place at the end of all things: “I am He, I am the first, I am also…
INTRODUCTION Jeroboam?s dynasty has come and gone, and so has Baasha?s mirror-image dynasty. Omri initiates a new dynasty, and this is the most successful one in Israel?s history. It is also the most idolatrous one. THE TEXT ?In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri had reigned in…
[ This post, unfortunately, was accidentally deleted in a server crash and has not been recovered. Maybe someday Dr. Leithart will rewrite it. ]
These thoughts are indebted to an article on Timon by Leo Paul S. de Alvarez in Alvis and West, Shakespeare as Political Thinker (ISI, 2000). 1) The play begins with a collection of Athenian artisans coming onstage, and we are immediately reminded that we are in Athens, the city of…
Some basics on the atonement for class lecture. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION The church has never creedally determined the doctrine of the atonement. Several models of atonement have dominated the landscape since the patristic period. Each of these contains an element of truth, and has some biblical grounding, though some can go…
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