In 2008 Oxford University Press published John A. D’Elia‘s A Place at the Table: George Eldon Ladd and the Rehabilitation of Evangelical Scholarship in America, which serves as both biography and interpretation. The book contains valuable insights into Ladd’s childhood, training, and life, and also includes the author’s editorial thoughts and interpretation (or application!). For this new series, ThinkTheology will be writing collaboratively […]
For the past few months I’ve been working on writing a booklet for Vineyard USA, edited by my good buddy Ramon Mayo, on the Lord’s Supper. As many of you know, I’m a huge advocate for the regular celebration of the Lord’s Supper. In fact, the inspiration for this booklet came when first wrote about […]
If I had to summarize all of the preaching of Jesus and all of the preaching of Paul, I’d suggest that they had one message with many applications: the kingdom of God. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom (Matt. 4:17, 23; 9:35; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 8:1; Acts 1:3, etc.) and Paul proclaimed the kingdom (Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, […]
The New Scribes: A Kingdom Hermeneutic
Matthew 13:52 (ESV) “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” – Jesus So I was reading this passage during my devotions last month and it got me thinking – could […]
Exchanging the Apologetic with the Prophetic: The Role of the Holy Spirit in Postmodern Hermeneutics
Postmodernism is thought to be as both the villain and the savior for the contemporary church, depending on who is asked. To some, postmodernity is the greatest threat to the Christian Church since Nero, and to others, it is a breath of fresh air that promises the demise of hard-lined fundamentalism that has plagued evangelicalism […]
Seven tips for surviving first-semester Biblical Greek
Having taught Elementary Greek to about 30 different groups of students, and of course having learned it myself before that, I have a few tips and pointers to share. For most of them, there’s a story! Here goes: Tip #1: Don’t depend on your teacher or your textbook: Everything depends on you! If you are […]
The Local Church: “Library Model?” or “Garden Model?”
Driving through our town today i realized that I have not visited our library. Why? I love books and reading. Sounds like a great match. After much thought I began to realize that there are about three contributing factors to my lack of desire to visit the library 1)decentralization, 2)conversation, and 3)coffee. 1. Decentralization: Decentralization […]
Perhaps you have grown up with an indelible image of God pressed into your brain through teaching and preaching that seems to boil everything in the Christian life down to God getting Glory. Not that God getting glory is a bad thing. God is glorified and should be but how and why?
Postmoderns Need (and have) Creeds!
Been reading Carl R. Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative. I love Trueman… even when I totally and completely disagree with him (which seems like 50% of the time). He makes so many wonderful points that are historically informed and hilariously obvious, especially related to ecclesiology. Every so often I hear people, often those who I’d call “radical postmoderns,” say that […]
Let Worship & Justice Kiss – David Ruis (review)
David Ruis and I go way back. From that very first conference where he snuck up behind me at the coffee kiosk and scared the liver out of me, I have enjoyed the multi-dimensional “swirl” (to use David’s favourite word) that comes with the Schlavenator. I have always enjoyed David’s music, and for six years, […]
Ladd’s Table: Early Life & Academic Preparation
In 2008 Oxford University Press published John A. D’Elia‘s A Place at the Table: George Eldon Ladd and the Rehabilitation of Evangelical Scholarship in America, which serves as both biography and interpretation. The book contains valuable insights into Ladd’s childhood, training, and life, and also includes the author’s editorial thoughts and interpretation (or application!). For this new series, ThinkTheology will be writing collaboratively […]
The Best Intro to Kingdom Theology…
If I had to summarize all of the preaching of Jesus and all of the preaching of Paul, I’d suggest that they had one message with many applications: the kingdom of God. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom (Matt. 4:17, 23; 9:35; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 8:1; Acts 1:3, etc.) and Paul proclaimed the kingdom (Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, […]
Some Myths of Spiritual Formation
I actually came across this in a review of the book Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered in JETS (the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society). I haven’t actually read the book, but the review by Abraham Kuruvilla of Dallas Theological Seminary (how ’bout that, I’m quoting a Dispensationalist) made enough of an impression […]
Matthew 12:20-21 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (ESV) Matthew provides this quotation from Isaiah as an apologetic/explanation of Jesus healing of many who followed Him (v. 15). He is portrayed as […]
Why Jesus doesn’t want you to love your neighbor as yourself…
I can’t take any credit at all for the big idea that I want to share in this short post. In fact, I am shocked that I have lived with the Bible for so many years and had never really seen this as clearly as I was helped to see it (by the teaching pastor, and […]
The Local Church: “Library Model?” or “Garden Model?”
Driving through our town today i realized that I have not visited our library. Why? I love books and reading. Sounds like a great match. After much thought I began to realize that there are about three contributing factors to my lack of desire to visit the library 1)decentralization, 2)conversation, and 3)coffee. 1. Decentralization: Decentralization […]
A Song For Martin Luther King Day
Here is one of my favorite old hymns. Written by an ex slave trader John Newton. I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith, and love, and every grace; Might more of His salvation know, And seek, more earnestly, His face. ‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And He, I trust, […]
ThinkTheology.org’s Blogging Plans for 2015
This past year has been exciting for ThinkTheology.org and our merry band of contributors. We’ve had several of our posts go “vial” and our readership has grown by literally thousands of people. We’re thankful that many have found our posts helpful or thought-provoking. While there’s no doubt that some of our blogging is done with a sense of […]
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