Taking Back Christianese #6: “All Sins Are Equal in God’s Sight”
For advocates of Reformed theology, we are keen to emphasize the seriousness of sin. Sin is a big deal. Each and every one of them. Indeed, this is precisely why we all desperately need a Savior.
As true as this is, however, our enthusiasm for maintaining the seriousness of sin (which is good) can lead us to make additional statements which may not be so true (depending on how they are understood). One of these statements, and the next installment in our “Taking Back Christianese” series, is, “All sins are equal in God’s sight.”
On the surface, this phrase seems like a great way to uphold our commitment … Continue reading...
Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene? Revisiting a Stubborn Conspiracy Theory
When I was a kid, I always used to enjoy the “whack a mole” game at the local arcade (yes, we had to go to an “arcade” to play games). You had be quick to win that game. Each time you hit a mole, another would pop up, taking its place.
Of course, that is what made the game both fun and frustrating at the same time. No matter how hard you worked, it always seemed that the moles just wouldn’t go away.
Sometimes it’s like that in the world of biblical scholarship. Theories pop up, are quickly refuted by the academy, and then, just when you think they have … Continue reading...
My @RTSCharlotte Class “The Origins and Authority of the NT Canon” Is Now Online @RTSGlobalEd
Over the last decade, I have taught an elective here at the RTS Charlotte campus entitled “The Origin and Authority of the NT Canon.” We cover a variety of subjects related to the origins of the NT, including definition of canon, theology of canon, epistemology of canon, the historical reception of the canon, and so on.
It was this class that gave birth to my book, Canon Revisited (Crossway, 2012). I was unable to find a book on canon that answered the questions my students were asking. So, I decided to write one that did!
On of my favorite parts of the class has been a section where we explore … Continue reading...
How to Struggle with Grief: A Conversation with David and Nancy Guthrie (@saysNancyGuth3)
Over the years, I have noticed that the Reformed folks have a robust doctrine of sin, but (in my opinion) a fairly thin doctrine of suffering. And this is true in the broader evangelical world as well.
We tend to think of sin as simply impacting behavior or ethical choices. And we sometimes forget that sin also impacts every aspect of creation. We live in a fallen, broken world. So, we should not be surprised when our lives are affected by that fallen, broken world.
As a result of this blind spot, most people simply don’t know how to suffer or grieve biblically. Even more, most people don’t know how … Continue reading...
@RTSCharlotte Launches New Center for Church Planting
Last night, RTS Charlotte hosted a special event that formally launched our new Center for Church Planting (CCP).
The new center will include a MDiv emphasis in church planting along with a host of other types of specialized training for church planters. The church planting students will benefit from church planting conferences and lectures, mentoring from experienced church planters, internship opportunities in local church plants, and a church planters fellowship were students can grow and learn in a tight-knit community.
To my knowledge, this is the only program of its kind at a Reformed seminary in the United States.… Continue reading...