One cannot overestimate the importance of 1 Timothy 2:12 in the intra-evangelical debate over gender roles and women in ministry. There is a reason why countless articles and even an entire book have been written on the interpretation of this single verse. In many ways, this verse is the most disputed text in the debate. It is clear that Paul is prohibiting something, but just what he prohibits has been fiercely contested.
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Jim Hamilton’s New Book
Jim Hamilton’s biblical theology is soon to be released, and you can go ahead and pre-order it now from Amazon.com. It’s titled God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology, and you will want to buy this one. It posits God’s glory as the unifying theme of the Bible, and it will be a must-read of 2010. Watch the video above for a preview.
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How To Translate Romans 1:17
I just answered the following question at the “Perspectives in Translation” forum: “How Should a Translation Render Rom. 1:17?” My answer is an interaction with Doug Moo’s contention that a “literal” translation of Romans 1:17 is impossible. I disagree with Moo, and you can read why here.
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The Release of NIV 2011
The online version of the NIV 2011 was just released this morning, and the video above is the chairman of the translation committee, Doug Moo, offering an introduction to its release. The translation committee has produced a number of materials that readers will want to consult: an executive summary, translator’s notes, and the text itself. A word is in order about why Zondervan is putting so much into the release of the NIV 2011. The last two attempts at revising the NIV were met with a great deal of controversy. The first attempt was the NIVI, and the second was the TNIV. Both revisions were controversial because they adopted a…
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Buddha and Biblical Womanhood
Last week I wrote briefly about Rachel Held Evans’ year of living biblically. Her stated aim is to live out what the Bible teaches about womanhood. Today she writes about her difficulty in adopting the “gentle and quiet spirit” commanded in 1 Peter 3:4. To help develop such a spirit, she has incorporated contemplative prayer into her morning routine, “particularly breathing exercises, lectio divina, and centered prayer.” She appeals to the teaching of contemplative masters—both Buddha and the Proverbs—as sources for learning how to master “the volatile human spirit.” Just a reminder, Thomas Nelson has agreed to publish her book in 2012.
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Entrusted with the Gospel
I am grateful to have received a copy of Entrusted with the Gospel: Pastoral Expositions of 2 Timothy edited by D. A. Carson. It’s a compilation of sermons from the plenary addresses at the 2009 meeting of The Gospel Coalition. At one level, the book is a popular-level commentary on the text of 2 Timothy. At another level, the book is a study in the different preaching styles of its authors—a list that includes John Piper, Phil Ryken, Mark Driscoll, Bryan Chapel, and Lig Duncan. For all their differences, the editor still finds value in each of them. In the introduction, Carson writes: “The best of expository preaching takes its…
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Trevin Wax on Inerrancy Baggage
Trevin Wax has an insightful post on those who avoid the term “inerrancy” because of its “baggage.” He writes: “No label comes without baggage. The question is not whether we will claim labels for ourselves, but whether we will be courageous enough to stake out our positions clearly. “If I uphold the idea of inerrancy but want nothing to do with the term, I’m unintentionally loading myself up with a different kind of baggage. Sure, people may equate an affirmation of inerrancy with a literalist interpretation of Scripture. But disavowing the term inerrancy also has baggage. I group myself with people who may not believe in the historicity of miracles,…
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David Mills on Mere Christianity
David Mills has a great piece about so-called “mere Christianity” over at the First Things blog. He tweaks C. S. Lewis’ metaphor of the house with many rooms, and I think it’s insightful. Mills is a committed Roman Catholic, and he doesn’t mind honest disagreement among friends. In short, he argues that there’s a real and substantial difference between Protestants and Catholics—a difference that can’t be papered over by an appeal to “mere Christianity.”
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Simon Gathercole To Lecture in Kentucky
Simon Gathercole will be lecturing at Campbellsville University next month in Campbellsville, Kentucky. There will be three lectures and a chapel service, and they will be on the topic of Christ’s atonement. The dates are November 17-18. Here’s the schedule: Chapel: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, 10 a.m. Lecture 1: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, 11 a.m. – NoonLecture 2: Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, 11 a.m. – NoonLecture 3: Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Gathercole is a world class New Testament scholar and a riveting lecturer. If you are able to be there, I would recommend taking advantage of this opportunity. For more information, here’s a flyer advertising…
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The Oasis of God
You don’t get to hear preaching like this very often, and you need to hear this one. This is Dr. Robert Smith’s message from today’s chapel service at Southern Seminary. Watch above, listen below, or download here. [audio:http://www.sbts.edu/media/audio/fall2010/20101013smith.mp3]