Introducing Early Church Emphasis Month
In a recent, two-part essay, entitled To the Sources, I attempted to account for the resurgence of interest in early Christian thought and life that has transpired over the last 10-15 years. While interest in the early church has certainly been evident at other key moments throughout church history, the present engagement with the past can be instructive to those interested in a vibrant, robust doctrine of the church for the future....
Policemen, Paramedics, and Painters: How Working for the King Matters
We spend the better portion of our days and even our lives working. Jesus appealed to work in His parables (e.g., sowing, reaping, buying, selling, fishing, shepherding). Paul told his readers to be hard workers (Col. 3:23), and he was a tentmaker himself. But on some days we wonder if our work actually makes any difference. Due to sin, everything takes on a new dimension in our world, being wounded towards disorder and confusion.[1]...
This Is a Mystery: Marriage, Sex, and the Trinity
After explaining the proper relationship between spouses to the Ephesian Church, the Apostle Paul makes an intriguing statement: “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). Through the centuries, this passage has spawned deep reflection. The seventeenth century poet John Donne wrote several rich poems that dig into the correlations between marital relationships, our relationship...
Book Recommendations (Winter 2015)
Learning to apply the principles of Scripture to our daily lives is a matter that demands serious contemplation and commitment. We desire to be good stewards of what God has given us, including our abilities, opportunities, finances, and responsibilities. Often it can be helpful to work through the implications of biblical principles with a friend—two heads are better than one after all. This quarter’s selection of recommended books...
To the Sources: Retrieving the Christian Theological Tradition: Part 2
Today’s post is the second part of an essay that posted this past Monday. Webber is best known for his four-volume project known as the “Ancient-Future series.” This series includes an introductory volume, followed by titles on evangelism, spiritual formation, and worship.[1] The introductory volume subtitled “Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World,” best demonstrates Webber’s specific aim: The fundamental concern of this...
To the Sources: Retrieving the Christian Theological Tradition
(This essay is adapted from a presentation given by Jackson Watts at the 2014 National Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society) Arguably the dominant mark of the 15th and 16th centuries was the call of ad fontes (lit. “to the fountains”). This period witnessed a resurgence of interest in Greco-Roman culture, as well as classical Christian sources from the Patristic period (roughly the first five centuries A.D.). This return to...
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