“Of all the disciplines theology is the fairest, the one that moves the head and heart most fully, the one that comes closest to human reality, the one that gives the clearest perspective on the truth which every disciple seeks. . . . But of all disciplines, theology is also the most difficult and the…
Category: Theology
Making Music with Athanasius
I’m digging into the writings of the early church fathers, and was reading Athanasius last night. I came across a little gem in my “digging” that perfectly aligns with one of my favorite writing projects. In The Father’s Song, I try to tell the Big Story of the Bible using the metaphor of a divine melody…
Life Verses 4: Hebrews 4:12
This series is expounding some of the Bible passages that have been most significant in my own faith journey. –JB 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. From my point of view,…
Cross, Atonement & Paul Peter Waldenstrom
“Oh! How dear and precious to your heart you will find God to be when you thus behold him in Christ. Because in Christ you have the true manifestation of him.” P. P. Waldenstrom (1838-1917), Swedish Covenant Pastor & Theologian I’ve been exploring the meaning of Jesus’ death and atonement theology recently. We just watched…
Blue Parakeets & the Bible’s Big Story
I’m rereading the great book The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible by my teacher, Scot McKnight. I can’t believe its already been nearly 10 years since I first devoured the book (half of it in the bookstore!), and now am studying with Scot! I’m preparing to preach on the importance of grasping the…
QUOTABLES: God’s Sovereignty
“If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, …then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled. Perhaps that one maverick molecule will lay waste all the grand and glorious plans that God has made and promised to us…” -R.C. Sproul, Calvinist “There is, I…
On Wrestling with Books: Luther’s Tower Experience
Have you ever argued with an author, or wrestled with a book? Has an idea ever so overwhelmed you that you gasped audibly and threw the book down in either disgust or delight? Have you ever returned to a section, re-reading a sentence over and over hoping to find some other way to interpret it?…
