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 his Life of Moses, Gregory of Nyssa remarks on the fact that Moses was nursed by his own mother while growing up in Pharaoh’s household: “This teaches, it seems to me, that if we should be involved with profane teachings during our education, we should not separate ourselves from…
From a quick overview, The Oxford History of Christian Worship (2006), edited by Geoffrey Wainwright and Karen B. Westerfield Tucker, looks to be one of those indispensable reference works. The editors have assembled an international group of contributors, and there are chapters not only on all the usual issues and…
David Bell has an illuminating article on France in the November 28/December 5 issue of TNR. Contrary to many commentators, he argues, France has a long history of assimilating minorities: “France has been a multiethnic country for a very long time, and, for decades, it did as well as any…
A few further thoughts on the genealogy of Jesus: 1) Twice in Matthew’s genealogy, “brothers” are mentioned: Judah (1:2) and Jeconiah (1:11). David Garland suggests that this sets up the theme of Jesus’ brothers that runs through the gospel (cf. eg. Matthew 25); like Judah and Jeconiah has His own…
A few further thoughts on the genealogy of Jesus: 1) Twice in Matthew’s genealogy, “brothers” are mentioned: Judah (1:2) and Jeconiah (1:11). David Garland suggests that this sets up the theme of Jesus’ brothers that runs through the gospel (cf. eg. Matthew 25); like Judah and Jeconiah has His own…
Gerard O’Collins points out that Arian and modern neo-Arian Christologies have significant implications for our understanding of the extent of God’s favor toward us. According to traditional Christologies, “God so valued us and our historical, space-time world that the Son of God entered it in person. By assuming a human…
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