Think You Know the Christmas Story? Here are Five Common Misconceptions
Bah, humbug.
That’s probably one of the most well-known lines in literary (and now, cinematic) history. Everybody immediately recognizes the curmudgeonly voice of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he pours cold water all over our Christmas spirit.
And his point is still made today by some, albeit in different words. It’s that the Christmas story just isn’t true. It’s rubbish. It’s made up. It’s all in our heads.
While now is not the time for a full-scale defense of the historicity of the Christmas story, Scrooge’s skepticism does prompt us to wonder whether we’ve gotten the story right. Are we telling the story that really was, or are we just telling the … Continue reading...
Was the Divinity of Jesus a Late Invention of the Council of Nicea?
One of the most common objections to Christianity is that the divinity of Jesus was “created” by later Christians long after the first century. No one in primitive Christianity believed Jesus was divine, we are told. He was just a man and it was later believers, at the council of Nicea, that declared him to be a God.
A classic example of this in popular literature can be found in the book The Da Vinci Code:
“My dear,” Teabing declared, “until that moment in history [council of Nicea], Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet… a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.” … Continue reading...
Phil Ryken Lecturing @RTSCharlotte on “Messiah Comes to Middle Earth”
For our annual Harold O.J. Brown Lectures at RTS Charlotte, we are pleased to Welcome Dr. Phil Ryken, president of Wheaton College.
On Feb 11, 11AM-2PM, Dr. Ryken will be giving two lectures (with a provided lunch in between) on the theme of “Messiah Comes to Middle Earth: Images of Christ’s Threefold Office in the Lord of the Rings.”
Certainly this lecture will be of great interest to all J.R.R. Tolkien fans, but it will also be diving deeply into the three offices of Christ—Prophet, Priest, and King—and its relevance for our theology and ministry.
Dr. Ryken earned a master of divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary and a … Continue reading...
Think You Know the Christmas Story? Here are Five Common Misconceptions
Bah, humbug.
That’s probably one of the most well-known lines in literary (and now, cinematic) history. Everybody immediately recognizes the curmudgeonly voice of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he pours cold water all over our Christmas spirit.
And his point is still made today by some, albeit in different words. It’s that the Christmas story just isn’t true. It’s rubbish. It’s made up. It’s all in our heads.
While now is not the time for a full-scale defense of the historicity of the Christmas story, Scrooge’s skepticism does prompt us to wonder whether we’ve gotten the story right. Are we telling the story that really was, or are we just telling the … Continue reading...
How on Earth Did Jesus Become God?
Two weeks ago, I posted my tribute to Larry Hurtado upon his death from a long bout with cancer. Since, others have offered tributes as well, including those by Chris Keith, Greg Lanier, Tommy Wasserman, John Stackhouse, Helen Bond, Michael Bird, as well as by Larry’s own Doktorvater, Eldon Epp.
In addition, I have received a number of inquiries about how to get a quick introduction to Larry’s work, especially his contributions on early Christology. After all, his Lord Jesus Christ is a bit lengthy for a quick overview of his arguments. So, let me recommend his briefer volume, How on Earth … Continue reading...