For those of you who pay attention to the sidebar, you know that I have a new book set to be released on October 31. As it turns out, the publisher got her done early, and the book is available now for anybody who wants one. Amazon.com has it at a discounted price, but the best price I’ve seen so far is offered by the Westminster Theological Seminary bookstore—only $9. People have been asking me why I wrote this book. There are a number of reasons I could cite, but the main reason is this—the glory of God. We inhabit a culture that falls short of the glory of God…
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Mark Driscoll crashes the “Strange Fire” conference
As many of you know, John MacArthur is hosting the “Strange Fire” conference at his church in California this week. The conference is focused on reasserting a cessationist position and highlighting the dangers of the charismatic movement. The Christian Post is reporting that Mark Driscoll showed up to the conference today, engaged attendees, and handed out free copies of his new book, which has a chapter advocating the continuationist position. Driscoll himself posted pictures of his visit on Instagram. Driscoll also says that the books he was handing out were confiscated by security. Security confiscated my books. #strangefire http://t.co/mGccvXZwyK — Mark Driscoll (@PastorMark) October 18, 2013 Sarah Pulliam Bailey reports…
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Authorial Intent and Theological Interpretation
Jim Hamilton has some really insightful reflections on the difference between biblical theology and so-called “Theological Interpretation of Scripture” (TIS). In short, he says that authorial intent in typology may be the key. He proposes that biblical theology cares about authorial intent in typology while TIS does not. Some people may dispute with Jim whether this is a true distinction between biblical theology and TIS. In any case, I absolutely agree with his bottom line: I argue that biblical theology is the attempt to understand and embrace the interpretive perspective of the biblical authors… Authorial intent may be out of fashion, but I contend that without it we lack meaningful…
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N. T. Wright discusses his magnum opus on Paul
N. T. Wright’s magnum opus on Paul is set to release on November 1. It’s titled Paul and the Faithfulness of God. Mike Bird recently interviewed Wright about the book, and you can watch it above. Keep your eyes peeled for the appearance of this book in November. Wright is one of the most consequential New Testament scholars of our time, and this book is expected to be a watershed for the field. Stay tuned.
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Should Christians spank their children?
Andy Naselli has a really good article about spanking in the most recent Journal of Discipleship & Family Ministry. It’s titled “Training children for their good,” and Naselli argues that the Bible supports the use of spanking as a legitimate form of discipline. There is careful discussion of the relevant biblical texts, especially the Proverbs. If you’re looking for a solid, biblically formed position paper on spanking, you need to read this. Andy Naselli, “Traing children for their good” JDFM 3.2 (2013): 48-64.
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Watch Eric Metaxas’s “I am second” testimony
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Tom Schreiner on the Dangers of Specialization
Sometimes biblical scholars can be…well…a little snobbish when it comes to systematic theology. And I’m saying this as somebody who is one. Nevertheless, I have observed that many biblical scholars view their work as primarily historical and cooly detached from the theological implications of their work. The irony is that even some Christians regard this detachment as praiseworthy and good. That is why Tom Schreiner’s words in the video above need a wide hearing in our guild. We are far too Gablerian. If you are a biblical scholar, it is no virtue to ignore theology as if our work is purely descriptive. If we would be faithful to our calling…
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Olive Tree: The Best Bible App on the Market
I have been using Olive Tree’s BibleReader app on my iPhone since 2009. But the small size of the iPhone screen meant that I really only used it in a pinch. For regular Bible reading, I have preferred either a physical book or at least a larger screen. About a month ago, I purchased my first iPad. Since then, I’ve been using the Olive Tree reader on a daily basis. It’s clean interface and easy usability makes it my favorite Bible app for mobile devices—even more so for the iPad. For what I use it for, it simply has better features than any of its competitors. So here are my…
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If we must choose, we choose Christ over America
As religious liberty erodes in the United States, we will find ourselves increasingly at odds with an overweening state. There is a great conflict descending on Christians, and Doug Wilson says that pastors have a responsibility to prepare their congregations accordingly. If you think this concern is just alarmism, then you aren’t paying attention, and you may be part of the problem.. Wilson writes:
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Theology conference on the Trinity at SBTS
Southern Seminary will host a theology conference on the Trinity this September 20-21. The speaker line-up looks fantastic, and it includes Fred Sanders, Wayne Grudem, Robert Letham, Scott Horrell, and Lewis Ayres. This is one you won’t want to miss. For more information and to register, check it out here. UPDATE: Audio and video from the conference as now been made available. You can watch/listen or download below. Lewis Ayers Audio [download]: ————— Fred Sanders Audio [download]: ————— Scott Horrell Audio [download]: ————— Wayne Grudem Audio [download]: