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Sacramental Theology

The Gospel According to the Sacraments, (Part 1)

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.…

by Michael SpalioneDecember 12, 2017
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Baptism

Baptism and Contextualization, (Part 1)

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…

by Ralph Allan SmithDecember 7, 2017
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Deuteronomy

Law of the Rebellious Son

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…

by Richard BledsoeDecember 5, 2017
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Baptism

Like A Dove (Part 2)

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…

by Ralph Allan SmithNovember 30, 2017
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Politics

What’s in a Flag?

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…

by A. K. ShaukuNovember 28, 2017
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Baptism

Like a Dove

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…

by Ralph Allan SmithNovember 23, 2017

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Theology

Blood

Below is a transcript of a lecture delivered at Disputatio for NSA on Friday, September 17. INTRODUCTION In February of 1666, the English physician Richard Lower performed what he called a ?spectacular experiment?E Using a crude syringe made from a quill and a bladder designed by Christopher Wren, he ?selected…

September 17, 2004

Translation, 1 Kings 7:1-22

Another flawed, wooden, speculative, error-ridden translation from Kings, which may still be helpful to someone. I’ve tried to reflect the difficulties and confusions that arise from the Hebrew text, and believe I had succeeded at least in that. Now his house Shlomoh built thirteen years. And he finished all his…

September 16, 2004
Biblical Studies

Ministerial Conference Lecture

INTRODUCTION When they allude to the typology of the temple, the NT writers seem to be operating with something like the medieval ?quadriga,?Ethe ?fourfold sense of Scripture.?E They know about a literal temple in Jerusalem; they see the temple allegorically foreshadowing Christ and His Church (John 2:13-22; 1 Peter 2:5);…

September 15, 2004

Ministerial Conference Lecture

September 15, 2004

Ministerial Conference Outline #1

Here is an outline of a lecture I will be giving at the Christ Church Ministerial Conference later this month. In addition to some new material, it includes material from various earlier outlines and notes posted on this site. INTRODUCTION Scripture teaches that Jesus?Edeath was a sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews…

September 15, 2004

Sermon Outline, September 19

INTRODUCTION Solomon first devoted his efforts to building a house for Yahweh. When that was complete, he began to build his own house (7:1), which included a number of buildings (7:1-12; cf. 9:10). The design of the Solomon?s own house reinforces his status as the son of Yahweh who lives…

September 15, 2004

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