What is the Real Meaning of Christmas? A Wonderful New Kids Book Provides the Answer!
What is the real meaning of Christmas? During this festive time of the year, many are busy reminding us that the meaning certainly has nothing to do with presents. Let’s not buy into the materialistic side of Christmas, we are told. Let’s not focus on the gifts.
Now let me say that the sentiment behind such concerns is entirely valid. Few would disagree with the fact that Christmas (especially in America) is overly commercialized and materialistic. And certainly we would want to resist this trend as much as possible.
However, is the denigration of gifts really the way to accomplish this? Are gifts the problem? Not necessarily. Year ago, my … Continue reading...
The Brilliant Apologetic Strategy of the Ancient Church
One of the benefits of studying the history of early Christianity is that we quickly realize that what we are facing in the modern day is far from new. Each challenge to the faith might seem new—sometimes leading to an unnecessary panic among some—but the early church faced similar (and often much worse) things before.
The second century was just such a time. Christianity was in its infancy, a bit like a newborn animal on the Serengeti plains, wobbly legs and all. And the world around them was by no means friendly. Attacks came hard and fast from all directions.
But Christians responded. They sharpened their arguments, they clarified their … Continue reading...
What’s the Earliest New Testament Evidence for the Divinity of Jesus?
In the first century, we learn of one of the most remarkable men that has ever lived.
Before he was born, his mother was told he would not be like other men, but would be divine. As an adult, he traveled around delivering his message and performing miracles. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead.
He had a band of disciples around him who regarded him as the son of God. Eventually, his activity caught the attention of the governing authorities who arrested him, put him on trial, and executed him. Later, his followers said that he was alive and seated in the heavenly places.
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What I’ll Be Up to at The Gospel Coalition National Conference
This week I am headed to Indianapolis for The Gospel Coalition National Conference. Looks to be a fun week with a great lineup of speakers and a wonderful theme: “Alive Together: Faithful Living in a Faithless Age” (a study of the book of Ephesians).
In addition to catching up with friends over coffee and meals, my schedule is filled with a number of breakout sessions and panel discussions. Here are the highlights over a very busy two days on Tuesday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 23:
1. TGC Breakout Sessions. I am part of two different TGC-sponsored breakout sessions, and also one for RTS (see #2 below):
Tuesday, 3:30PM.… Continue reading...
Is All High Christology Necessarily Orthodox?
One of the classic, and seemingly never-ending, debates among New Testament scholars is whether Jesus’s earliest followers viewed him as fully divine, and (perhaps more importantly), whether Jesus viewed himself as fully divine. Some scholars say yes to both, some say no to both, and some are mixed.
In fact, I will be speaking on the subject of early Christology at The Gospel Coalition’s National Conference on April 23. My friend Scott Swain and I are tag-teaming the breakout session for Reformed Theological Seminary. He is speaking on the Names of God in the OT, and I am speaking on “Is Jesus the God of the Bible? High Christology … Continue reading...