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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Social history in various forms, history that focuses not on kings and battles but on the common life of people, has been popular for a century and a half. But it’s not a modern development. It has ancient roots. Van Seters ( In Search of History ) writes, “for the…
Isaiah 62:3 has numerous parallels with Isaiah 28:1-5. 1) Both passages use the word crown ( ‘atarah ). It appears three times in chapter 28 and again in 62:3. The word is never used elsewhere in Isaiah. 2) Both passages speak of beauty ( tif’arah ). In 28:1, 3, the…
A Pyramid Text (see Faulkner, Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts , 64) includes a curse from a Pharaoh against enemies: “I am stronger than they . . . their hearts fall to my fingers, their entrails are for the denizens of the sky, their blood is for the denizens of the…
The project: Trace the use of “perichoretic” modes of thought in modern philosophy, particularly French philosophy. Follow these easy steps: 1) Start with Gabriel Marcel, Henri Bergson, Merleau-Ponty. Throw in Polanyi like paprika. 2) Investigate links with Trinitarian theologians and the nouvelle theologie . 3) Follow through the after-story by…
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,” David writes (Psalm 8:3). Why would God create with His fingers? Why not His hand? Fingers are needed for subtle work. Hands are instruments of power; fingers are organs of skill. Hands are political. Fingers are artistic. Hands can push,…
Through Isaiah, the Lord promises, “as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and the rejoicing of the bridegroom over the bride, your God will rejoice over you” (62:5). There are multiple difficulties here. First, sons (plural!) marry their (virgin!) mother. Second, God is the…
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