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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INTRODUCTION Elisha has been introduced earlier as Elijah?s successor (1 Kings 19), one of Yahweh?s instruments of judgment against the house of Omri. As Joshua succeeded Moses, and as the Spirit working with the apostles succeeded Jesus, so Elisha carries on the work of Elijah. THE TEXT ?And it came…
And it was in Yahweh’s causing-to-ascend ‘Eliyyahu in a windstorm to the heavens. And walked ‘Eliyyahu and ‘Eliysha’ from the Gilgal. And said ‘Eliyyahu to ‘Eliysha’, “Dwell here please, for Yahweh sends me unto Beyt-‘El.” And said ‘Eliysha’, “Life of Yahweh and life of your soul, if I forsake you.”…
Joseph Epstein writing on the MLA in a recent issue of The Weekly Standard: “At these meetings, in and out the room the women come and go, speaking of fellatio . . . .”
Matthew 28:18-20: ?Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I command you. And, behold, I am with you always, even to the…
This builds on the thoughts in an earlier post entitled “Ups and Downs.” Elijah has power to ascend and descend. When Ahaziah sends his troops to capture Elijah, he is high up, exalted like Yahweh on a mountain. But He does come down to deliver a message, but only on…
A week and a half ago, Newsweek published a story alleging that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, desecrated the Koran by flushing pages down the toilet. The report touched off riots throughout the Middle East that killed 15 and left many injured. This past week, Newsweek retracted…
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