January 26, 2012 in
Charismatic Theology, Hermeneutics with
In the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, there are three interesting paragraphs regarding “Charismatic Hermeneutics”:
“Since a primary charismatic concern is spiritual renewal within traditional denominations, many charismatics interpret Scripture within their own theological tradition. However, they do bring to the subject of hermeneutics a belief in the personal relevance of Scriptures concerning the Spirit-filled life, especially those that focus on charisms (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:8–10). Charismatics also see the paradigmatic value of biblical narratives, though they reject some of the ways Pentecostals have interpreted those narratives. Many do not accept the interpretation of Spirit baptism (this term is also disputed) as a subsequent work of grace or “speaking in tongues” as its necessary evidence.” (p. 108)
Charismatics differ from Pentecostals in that they are generally part of existing denominations that are not necessarily connected to the “charismatic” experience. So their hermeneutical method generally follows along the same lines of the tradition they are already a part of. I suppose this means that the hermeneutical commitments from within their denomination’s tradition serve to guide their interpretation of Scripture, though their application of Scripture is probably more open to being influenced by the experience.
Charismatics also differ with Classic Pentecostals in how they interpret (and again, apply) the biblical narratives, especially, I’m thinking, the Old Testament narratives. Continue Reading…
January 26, 2012 in
Biblical Counseling, Christian Living, Church Planting, Cultural Engagement, Ecclesiology, Ethnic Reconciliation, Hermeneutics, Leadership Theology, Marriage, Missions, Pastoral Theology, Prayer, Preaching, Revival, Scripture, Social Justice, Technology, The Trinity with
Today’s #ElephantRoom event was a smashing success. I will be reflecting on what was discussed and shared for weeks to come, and look forward to more healthy discussions that come from the event. I am very glad I attended the simulcast in MN. Here’s a quick round-up of blog posts either commenting on today’s event or providing summaries of the conversations.
C Michael Patton writes, “T.D. Jakes Not Modalist? An Update from the Elephant Room.”
Trevin Wax offers live-blogging of the event:
Brian LePort asks, “Is T.D. Jakes a Trinitarian?” while also asking a few other questions, including, “Does it matter to you either way or do you find this to be a debate over semantics?”
Mark Driscoll has notes too:
My Impressions…
Continue Reading…
January 24, 2012 in
Christian Living, Conflict Resolution, Ecclesiology with
Not the Elephant Room, but I’m attending a simulcast in Minneapolis, MN. I’m looking forward to hearing the conversation between Driscoll and T.D. Jakes regarding the Trinity, as well as hoping Steve Furtick will comment on the issues related to Matt Chandler’s recent sermon at the Code Orange Revival. The entire event should be both interesting and entertaining.
For those unaware, T.D. Jakes appears to hold to problematic beliefs concerning the Trinity, though he denies that he’s a Modalist. It will be good to finally hear him explain just what he actually believes concerning the orthodox Christian belief.
I hope to blog and tweet (@lgeraty) throughout the event, so stay tuned.
January 24, 2012 in
Reformed Theology with
As I’ve been thinking through the responses to my question, “Who are the NeoReformed?” (an open invitation for you to weigh in on). I’ve got to be honest, no one who uses that term has given me an answer. Lots of great comments though.
When Scot McKnight writes that the “neo-Reformed are more committed to tradition than to the sacred text,” he essentially takes on the same type of attitude that critics of Reformed theology use when they suggest that Calvinists do not pray and do not evangelize.
“NeoReformed” is the new “Hyper-Calvinist” of our age.
Continue Reading…
January 22, 2012 in
Reformed Theology with
Those who are opposed to the young Reformed movement (think Young, Restless, Reformed) often refer to it as the NeoReformed. Scot McKnight thinks he may have invented that term (“NeoReformed”). His reason for thinking that is because back in 2009 he write a blog on it – “Who are the NeoReformed?”
McKnight suggested that the NeoReformed are a “new form of Fundamentalism” and suggests that they could also be called the “NeoFundamentalists.” What kind of characteristics does he suggest the NeoReformed have? He wrote,
“The NeoReformed, for a variety of reasons, some of them good, don’t recognize that evangelicalism as a village green. Instead, they want to build a gate at the gate-less village green and require Reformed confessions and credentials to enter onto the village green. Put differently, they think the only legitimate and the only faithful evangelicals are Reformed. Really Reformed. In other words, they are “confessing” evangelicals. The only true evangelical is a Reformed evangelical. They are more than happy to call into question the legitimacy and fidelity of any evangelical who doesn’t believe in classic Reformed doctrines, like double predestination. The palpable observation here is that many of us think the NeoReformed are as attached to Tradition (read Westminster etc) as they are to sola scriptura.”
Continue Reading…
January 21, 2012 in
Apologetics, Christian Living with
J. I. Packer writes,
“How can one help doubters? First, by explaining the problem area (for doubts often arise from misunderstanding); second, by exhibiting the reasonableness of Christian belief at that point, and the grounds for embracing it (for Christian beliefs, though above reason, are not against it); third, by exploring what prompts the doubts (for doubts are never rationally compelling, and hesitations about Christianity usually have more to do with likes and dislikes, hurt feelings, and social, intellectual, and cultural snobbery than the doubters are aware).” (Growing in Christ, 21)
January 21, 2012 in
Hermeneutics, Secondary Illuminations with
(The following comprises Part Three of the Saturday series on Secondary Illuminations of Scripture by Deborah J. Shore)
Last week we started discussing Alexandrian hermeneutics. Why would Alexandrians follow Philo so far away from the core of the text as modern minds perceive it?
One might imagine Alexandrians sought to emulate the apostle Paul and other writers of Scripture as they reinterpreted and applied various Old Testament texts in ways never imagined by the original hearers. The writer of Hebrews’ attention to Melchizedek in chapters 5-7 was novel as was Paul’s allegorization of Hagar in Galatians 4. Another notable passage that resists summary is 1 Corinthians 10:1-4: Continue Reading…
January 20, 2012 in
Fallacy Fridays, Hermeneutics with
I had to take a couple weeks off of our Fallacy Fridays series due to the holidays and my recent trip to visit my grandmother. But I’m ready to dig back into some more of the fallacies that are listed in Osborne’s The Hermeneutical Spiral.
This week we’re looking at a fallacy known as The Misuse of Parallels. This fallacy actually has many offshoots that connect with it’s fundamental flaw. You see, if we’re pursuing truth and attempting to research through sources, we need to properly weigh the evidence that is available. But a statement like that presupposes that all of the evidence is considered, or at least there’s an intention to follow the evidence where it may lead. Sadly, many scholars, pastors, and students of Scripture only consider some of the evidence. Often, the only evidence allowed to “speak” is the evidence that supports already-held conclusions. For example, if someone already believes that the Bible teaches that Jesus was not God incarnate, they may only read sources and evidence that supports that conclusion. The same is true for some who believe that Jesus is God. If they fall into the error of only considering Scriptures that support that conclusion, they won’t interact with sources or texts that speak on the humanity of Jesus. These are not legitimate methods of studying.
Continue Reading…
January 18, 2012 in
Christian Living, Cultural Engagement, Prayer with
I think that Christians may be able to learn from Muslims about certain spiritual disciplines in ways that many American evangelicals may not realize. There, I said it.
In the past few years I’ve traveled to a number of different countries and have spent some time around a significant amount of Muslims. That doesn’t make me an Islamic scholar, but I do think that my observations have caused me to think about my spirituality in a way that challenges life within the “American Christian bubble.”
Continue Reading…
January 16, 2012 in
Marriage, Pastoral Theology with
Brian Croft has some great questions at Practical Shepherding on pastors and weddings. He asks “What are the boundary lines to determine whether a pastor can/should conduct a wedding?” That’s a great question for a pastor to really think through. I think Brian asks some good questions and offers some good advice for us to apply. When it comes to the question of whether or not pastors should perform weddings, the most common explanations I have heard are as follows:
- They won’t perform a wedding for a believer and a non-believer
- They won’t perform a wedding for people living together
I have no reservations about the first statement, as Paul seems pretty clear in 2 Cor. 6:14 that unequally yoked relationships are not something Christians should participate in, so I’m assuming pastors shouldn’t perform those weddings. That being said, how that gets fleshed out and what makes a couple “unequally yoked” may not be quite how many assume.
For me, the most helpful explanation of good wedding principles was written by D.A. Carson – Counsel to a Young Church Planter on Marriage. Carson lays out some really wise (and biblically informed) thoughts on why taking the “traditional” stand against performing weddings for “sinners” seems to be based on some assumptions that need to be challenged. You really need to read Carson’s article if you are interested in whether pastors should perform weddings under certain circumstances.
What do you think? What kind of guidelines do you think pastors should take, and why?
January 15, 2012 in
Hermeneutics, Scripture, Theological Training with
Have you ever wondered how other people process through a passage of Scripture when they are doing exegesis? Asking questions is essential to good biblical interpretation, so I often write questions down in a notebook or if I’m using my iPad (which I was), I’ll jot down questions in the note section of the ESV Study Bible.
This morning I read through Acts 5:12-16 during my “quiet time” or “devotional” or whatever spiritual-formation-term is popular these days. Here are the questions I typed out:
Continue Reading…
January 14, 2012 in
Charismatic Theology, Hermeneutics, Secondary Illuminations with
(The following comprises Part Two of the Saturday series on Secondary Illuminations of Scripture by Deborah J. Shore)
In the early centuries of the Church two of the most influential theological centers were Alexandria and Antioch in present-day Egypt and Turkey respectively. The way that theologians in these two cities approached scriptures was rather polarized. While key doctrines developed or articulated in their early forms by Alexandrian church fathers such as Clement, Origen, and Athanasius have been integral to the faithful Church of proceeding ages, Antiochene hermeneutics have come to rule the day in conservative evangelical churches.
Alexandria’s allegorical-spiritual method of hermeneutics was already established before Christ died on the cross and the Church and its thinkers emerged. The Jewish scholar Philo, greatly influenced by classical Greek thought, was at its helm, although he was by no means the first Jewish scholar to develop multi-layered mystical traditions surrounding the Torah. Those go back centuries.
Continue Reading…
January 14, 2012 in
Christian Living, Family with
For the past few days I’ve been in Anchorage, AK visiting family and spending time with my grandmother (hence the slowness of blogging). I flew up here with my son and my parents in order to see her since she’s nearing the end of her life. The last time I saw her was about a year and a half ago when my sister got married and right after Cyril’s birth. In fact, her and my grandfather have come to just about every major event in our families lives (graduations, weddings, births, etc.). I lived up here in Alaska for nearly all of my childhood and being around them was simply an assumed reality. They have always been around, always.
In fact, now that I’ve been up here spending time with her, all of the prayer requests and discussions I had about her in the past few weeks seem so foreign and removed. What I mean is that two weeks ago when I was thinking about her and praying for her and telling others about her, none of this “end of life” stuff seemed real. It seemed so far away and so… well, distant. But being here and holding her hand, feeding her, talking to her, and just spending time with her brings back a lot of emotions and makes this, as cheesy as it sounds, real. The memories are a deep well-spring when I think about her and my grandpa.
I remember Grandma cooking the best Japanese food I have ever tasted. And all of the Japanese that I know, which isn’t very much, is due to her and Grandpa teaching me how to say “hello” and “thank you” and “please” and “let’s go.” My interest in Asian cultures stems largely from seeing the beauty displayed in Grandma’s life. The Japanese art work in this house is so beautiful, especially when surrounded by pictures of family.
Continue Reading…
January 13, 2012 in
Christian Living, Pastoral Theology, Theological Training with
I enjoy books that help me to fly by faith not show me how to arrive by faith. I hate arriving to soon at a conclusion only to back pedal later on because I have grown. My worst nightmare is that I would fix myself to an unmovable position on a moving issue. Many cultural truths shift and when they do some Christians can be locked in the spiritual rigamortis of traditionalism. If you’re flying the ground can change and you will be fine but if you have arrived than cultural earthquakes can cause you to feel more than a little helpless. Planes are made to do their work aloft not stay on the ground. I like books that help keep my landing gear up. Here are some tips for reading books that will get your plane off the ground. Unless you like the runway…
Here are some of the questions I ask a book before I commit myself to it…
Continue Reading…
January 7, 2012 in
Charismatic Theology, Hermeneutics, Secondary Illuminations with
Chances are, if you have cable you’ve probably happened upon an eyebrow-raising sermon on Christian T.V. A charismatic speaker was pulling particularly creative meanings out of a biblical text—meanings that you were pretty sure contradicted the contextual import of the passage, contradicted sound theology, or otherwise sounded too baseless and “out there.”
Now let’s say you’re a preacher or a writer or simply a devotee of scripture enjoying the Word at home, and God has been leading you to apparent “buried truths” in some of the stories of the Bible narrative. You’ve seen the T.V. though. You shudder thinking what a minefield it must be to try to steward what I will call “secondary illuminations” of scripture rightly.
You’re not sure if it can or should be done. Forget looking up the meaning of the name of a battle location when it jumps out at you; forget connections you see weaving between disparate parts of the biblical narrative, and forget apparent symbolism when it is not central to the simplest interpretation of a passage as it would have been heard by the original audience. This simplest interpretation is what I will call the “primary illumination” of the passage. Insofar as you can figure it out, it’s the most important and safest interpretation.
Continue Reading…
January 5, 2012 in
Hip Hop, Missions with
“Battling” is essentially one of the most common expressions by way of the four elements of hip hop culture (emcee’s, deejays, breakdancing, and graff art). Battling is a mainstay of hip hop and you’d be hard pressed to find a hip hop event that does not include some form of battling. You cannot underestimate how important battling is within hip hop culture.
I spent a lot of time taking part in hip hop battles as an emcee. I attended many DJ and breakdancing battles and have seen some amazing graff art, but I’m primarily thinking about this from the perspective of emceeing. And I’m thinking theologically too.
So how should a Christian think about this subject? Is battling important enough to hip hop culture to be intrinsic and must remain? Or is it evil? What about Christians who participate in hip hop culture?
Continue Reading…
January 3, 2012 in
Books, Technology with
I love the feeling of walking into a bookstore or searching through the online bookstores of Logos or Amazon. It’s just plain exciting. But when you are picking a book you’ve never heard of, it is an art. There’s nothing more disappointing then shelling out your hard earned money for a book that is so disappointing you can’t even offload it on your worst enemies (believe me, I’ve tried!).
So what are a few ways to prevent your greenbacks from going down the drain? Here’s how I generally do it:
Continue Reading…
January 2, 2012 in
Biblical Theology, Eschatology, Systematic Theology, The Kingdom of God, The Vineyard Movement with
Inaugurated who? Inaugurated eschatology. Eschatology is generally understood as the “study of end times,” but when used with reference to inaugurated eschatology, it refers specifically to the kingdom of God and how it relates to Jesus’ first coming. This is the concept that the dawn of the “end of the age” has come in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Jewish Messiah, Lord and Savior.The kingdom of God has been ushered in, though it is not yet consummated. A “bite size” definition is,
“Inaugurated eschatology sees the first coming of Christ as the beginning of the kingdom in the present, while acknowledging that the consummation or fulfillment of the kingdom of God is yet to come.” (Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, 46)
Yes, we are talking about the kingdom of God being understood as both “already” (inaugurated) and “not yet” (not consummated). This is pretty much the standard view on the kingdom of God within NT scholarship and is considered essential for those of us who are Third Wave Continuationists (or in the Vineyard movement!). Think along the lines of George Eldon Ladd, or modern scholars such as N.T. Wright, Gordon D. Fee, or G.K. Beale.
At any rate, here are eight reasons, with corresponding Scriptures and commentary, that lead me to the conclusion that inaugurated eschatology is the best approach to understanding the kingdom of God. This is not an attempt to list every passage of Scripture that clarifies this eschatological view, as time would need to be spent examining the Gospels in more detail. So as a summary, I present eight different supporting reasons to view the kingdom of God through the lens of inaugurated eschatology:
- The kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15).
- This is… the last days (Acts 2:16-17).
- The end of the ages has come (1 Cor. 10:11).
- In later times, the last days, some will depart from the faith and there will come times of difficulty, just as you already see (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1).
- In the last days, scoffers will come, and have come (2 Pet. 3:3-5).
- Treasure something eternal in these last days (James 5:3).
- In these last days, God spoke to us by Christ (Heb. 1:2).
- The powers of the future exist in the present (Heb. 6:5).
Let’s explore these different concepts and supporting Scriptures…
Continue Reading…
January 1, 2012 in
Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology with
I love how Geerhardus Vos explains the differences between Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology. He writes,
“In Biblical Theology the principle is one of historical, in Systematic Theology it is one of logical construction. Biblical Theology draws a line of development. Systematic Theology draws a circle.” (Biblical Theology, 16).
If these two clarifications adequately summarize the differences between these two disciplines, shouldn’t we agree that both disciplines are equally important? We need both the historical storyline and the logical conclusions, right? We need lines and circles, circles and lines. These two disciplines are both important not only for scholars, but also for the common person sitting in the pew. Why? Because some tend to be more linear in their thinking and others like stories (drama).
December 31, 2011 in
Books, Reviews with
Confession: I didn’t read nearly as many books this year as I have in the past. A few years ago I think I probably read between three to five books a week (yeah, no TV… ever). Now I’m happy if I can finish five books in a month. Pastoral ministry has changed and the needs of a family of six require much more of my time, and I gladly trade reading for that time with people and most importantly, my family.
So this list isn’t going to be crazy long. I’ll reserve it to ten books, just like everyone else, and work my way to my favorite book of the year.
10.) Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, by Gregg R. Allison – This book is really an accompaniment to Grudem’s Systematic Theology and provides a historical survey of the development of Christian doctrine. So if you were interested in the Doctrine of the Inerrancy of Scripture, Allison provides a survey of that doctrine from the early church, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, Post-Reformation, and into our current day. He actually interacts well with a variety of sources and provides a great starting point for further study. This is a great book on a subject that Christians should spend more time studying.
09.) A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New, by G. K. Beale – Another confession: I haven’t finished reading this yet. After all, it just released at the beginning of December. So why is it on my list? What I have read is really, really, really good. I can’t say I agree with all of Beale’s conclusions, but more often than not, I do. He has challenged me and helped my understanding of the Temple (thanks largely in part to his NSBT contribution, The Temple and the Church’s Mission). His work on the NT’s use of the OT has shaped my appreciation for the NT writers enormously and I can’t think of a more interesting book of worship than his We Become What We Worship. Beale has fast become one of my favorite theologians. The reason I believe this book will probably become a “classic” for me is because it builds beautifully upon the foundation laid by George Ladd regarding the Kingdom of God. Throughout Beale’s work, the “already and not yet” framework of the Kingdom functions as a controlling motif. This is one of the better works I have read on inaugurated eschatology in quite some time. And I’m still reading.
Continue Reading…
December 29, 2011 in
Reviews with
If I were reviewing titles alone, Jesus + Nothing = Everything would get the best review I have ever given, as well as be the best book of 2012. It has the catchy bumper sticker attractiveness without the watered down mush. Jesus plus nothing certainly does equal everything. We don’t need anything else added to our Christ.
But this 220 page book is more than a title, much more. It’s essentially a telling of Tchividjian’s story as a young pastor and a collection of sermons that he preached on Colossians.
Overview
Tchividjian, a grandson of Billy & Ruth Graham, is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Yeah, that Coral Ridge… the one that Dr. D. James Kennedy started and pastored for forty-seven years. Yeah… talk about big shoes to fill.
And that’s where the story kind of begins. Tchividjian had planted a new church near Coral Ridge (New City Church) and eventually was asked to merge that church with the historic Coral Ridge. It didn’t take long before there was an upheaval and a few loud members of the older congregation began to petition for his removal along with spreading rumors and other unpleasantries.
It was one of the most difficult periods in Tchividjian’s life. Yet that was designed by God to help Tchividjian leave his idols. Thus, he discovered through Colossians that Jesus plus nothing equals everything! The book is Tchividjian fleshing these sermons out for the reader and doing his best to show how much freedom the gospel brings.
Continue Reading…
December 28, 2011 in
Scripture, Textual Criticism with
Took part in a conversation today where someone suggested the following:
” The new testament was not even written until about 150 years after the so called resurection (that would be the book of Luke). The rest were not written until about 300 years thereafter.”
Interesting statement. This person is suggesting that the NT documents were written between 150 to 300 years after the Resurrection. So if we date the Resurrection between 30 and 33AD, that means parts of the NT were written in the 4th century. This person suggests that by the time the Council of Nicaea (325AD) was meeting, the NT documents were still being written. This is one of the most amazing assertions I have ever read.
First, we have a fragment of a document from the Gospel of John that dates c. 125AD (the John Rylands papyrus). This effectively counters any statement that the NT documents were written between 150 to 300 years after the dating of the Resurrection.
Secondly, the NT documents are quoted before the fourth century in the Didache (mid to late 1st century), the Epistle of Ignatius (c. 115AD), the Epistle of Barnabas (c. 130AD), Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians (c. 110-140AD), as well as within the works of Justin Martyr (c. 103–165AD), Irenaeus (died c. 202AD), and many more.
How in the world could these early Christians quote from sources that did not yet exist? They quoted from the gospels and the epistles as well as John’s Revelation.
It’s amazing the kind of ideas that make their way into people’s thinking. Rest assured, the New Testament has plenty of historical support for being written earlier in the NT than the 4th century.
December 27, 2011 in
Hip Hop with
December 27, 2011 in
Christian Living, Scripture with
Mark Water, in Scripture Memory Made Easy, gives five reasons to memorize Scripture.
- to understand God’s Word
- to pray
- to meditate on God’s Word
- to share Jesus with others
- to counter Satan’s attacks
Sometimes I think we overlook the importance of the last point. Memorizing Scripture helps us counter the attacks of Satan. Remember, our battle is spiritual and it is happening all around us (cf. Eph. 6: 12).
December 26, 2011 in
Reformed Theology with
Yeah, this blog’s title sounds like an impossibility. Today’s Methodists and Wesleyan’s descend from the lineage of Jacobus Arminius by way of John Wesley. These brothers and sisters disagree with significant doctrinal concepts that I believe to be true, yet have much to contribute to the Christian tradition! Did I mention that I’m one of those Calvinists who love Wesley? I am. You don’t have to agree with everything people say in order to love them and appreciate lots of things they did and taught. And Wesley would take great issue with today’s liberal Methodists too.
But what about Calvinist Methodists? Are their such a thing? Let’s just start by saying two words: George Whitefield. Whitefield, my favorite person from the Great Awakening, was a Calvinist Methodist who also loved Wesley. But who were these Calvinist Methodists? Were there others? What makes their tradition unique?
Continue Reading…
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