Theology Central
Theology Central exists as a place of conversation and information for faculty and friends of Central Baptist Theological Seminary. Posts include seminary news, information, and opinion pieces about ministry, theology, and scholarship.Scott Aniol on Psalm 137
Scott Aniol of Southwestern Baptist Seminary has begun an exposition of Psalm 137. His second installment is on the historical background to the psalm.
Two of the most well-known stories from the Old Testament are specifically meant to highlight how difficult it was for the Hebrews to worship God as he had commanded in such a pagan setting. These are among the first stories children learn from the Old Testament—Daniel and the Lion’s Den and the Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace. In both cases, the matter in view is whether or not God’s people in exile will worship him as he commanded or whether they will give into the pressure of their pagan captors and bow to false gods. And in both cases, it is the vast minority that actually follow God’s commands; as far as we know, most of the nation forsake the true worship of God. They forget Jerusalem; they forget the Temple; these are just another way of saying, they forget the true God.
Retirement?
I don’t know who Hugh Whelchel is, but he’s spot on in this essay on Christian retirement. I thank God for “retired” people who continued to do God’s work in the churches I pastored.
Wheaton College and That Hijab
J. Daryl Charles argues that the firing of Larycia Hawkins had nothing to do with her hijab and everything to do with her theology. The essay asks:
Ultimately, do American Christians have the theological and moral backbone to stand firm in the midst of cultural hostility? Alas, most of those criticizing Wheaton College had it wrong. Truth and charity are not opposites. Charity will always seek to honor what is good and true, without compromising and without fear of “offending” others. Just ask the true martyr.
Read it all here.
Rural America and Urban Media
Writing for First Things, K. E. Columbini points out the strong bias against rural life that dominates the media.
Examples of this [rural] purge abound, mostly between 1969 and 1975: Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, Mayberry R.F.D., Lassie, Family Affair, Hogan’s Heroes, and My Three Sons; variety shows like Hee-Haw or those hosted by Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, Jim Nabors, Andy Williams, and Glen Campbell; and westerns, such as The Big Valley, Virginian, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke. As the voice and character actor Pat Buttram said of 1970, the height of the purge: “It was the year CBS canceled everything with a tree.”
Alexander’s Counsel on the Lord’s Day
Whilst you conscientiously follow your own sense of duty in the observance of the rest of the sabbath, be not ready to censure all who may differ from you in regard to minute particulars, which are not prescribed or commanded in the word of God.
Archibald Alexander, A Brief Compend of Bible Truth, 193.
President Trump Cuts Funds to UN, Palestinian Authority
From Israel Hayom:
In final hours, Obama administration approved funds despite Republican objections • President Donald Trump reportedly plans to slash overall U.S. funding to U.N., halt funds to international bodies that grant Palestinian Authority or PLO full membership.
Read more here.
This Week’s Nick of Time
De Trinitate by Kevin T. Bauder.
On Standing While Singing
An extended biblical investigation by Central Seminary alumnus Chuck Bumgardner. Here is his conclusion:
Now, these passages are not, strictly speaking, “prescriptive” (as we may think of that term); they do not command with an imperative that worshippers of God must assume one or another posture. But it is instructive that in this sampling of passages, if anyone is sitting, it is God! Worshipers—in these passages at least—are portrayed either as bowing or standing. What implications does this have for our worship services, and our singing praise to God?
Wade Matuska Being Promoted
USAF Chaplain and Central Seminary alumnus Wade Matuska is being promoted to Major today at Larcher Chapel on Keesler AFB in Mississippi. We extend our congratulations to Chaplain (Maj) Matuska.
The Doctrine of the Trinity
What we call “the doctrine of the Trinity” is, I suggest, a formal set of conceptualities developed like this: a set of conceptualities that finally allowed (or at least was believed to allow) every text to be read adequately. As such, it is not a “biblical doctrine” in the sense of being the result of exegesis; rather, it is a set of things that need to be believed if we are to be able to do exegesis adequately as we hold to the truth of every text of Scripture. The doctrine of the Trinity is a conceptual framework that allows us to read every biblical text (concerning God’s life) with due seriousness, but without discovering contradictions between them.
Holmes, Stephen R., “Classical Trinity: Evangelical Perspective,” in Jason S. Sexton (ed), Two Views on the Doctrine of the Trinity (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
So THAT’S How He Does It
I always wondered how Pastor Matt Recker accomplished so much. Now I know.
Daniel Wallace on 1 Timothy 2:12
This is an older treatment, but still useful. Daniel Wallace pinpoints the issues in 1 Timothy 2:12.
The force of almost every word in 1 Timothy 2:12 has been debated. This brief paper will lay out the major interpretive issues involved, without commenting on which view is superior. It will also glance at the context for support of each view.
An Epidemic of Foul Language
Jon D. Payne at Reformation 21 talks about why our words matter.
To be sure, the problem of unwholesome speech is not new. It’s been around for ages. I remember on one occasion, while I was young, my parents washed my mouth out with soap after I had used a bad word, teaching me the valuable lesson that speaking profanity is wrong and unacceptable. No, profanity itself is not new. Corrupt speech has been around since the fall of mankind. But the extensive and wide-ranging use of profanity is a new phenomena in our culture. Even some high profile hipster pastors such as Mark Driscoll have foolishly used salty language from the pulpit, seeking to connect with their younger hearers.As Christian believers, it is critical that we view this modern profanity epidemic through the lenses of biblical truth. Now more than ever, when it comes to our speech, Christians must be decidedly countercultural.
Spat Over Civics
On January 10 the National Association of Scholars published a report alleging that American universities are teaching civics in such a way as to undermine American civilization.
On January 17 Stanley Fish responded in the Chronicle of Higher Education, arguing that “Citizen Formation is Not Our Job.”
On January 24 Harriet Boyte, whom the original report criticized, also responded in Education Week with an article entitled “Does Civics Belong in the Classroom?” David Randall and Deborah Meier have also joined that conversation. (You’ll need to register to read the exchange).
Soul Force Announces Agenda for Trump Presidency
Soul Force is one of the most important organizations that “works to end the political and religious oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people through relentless nonviolent resistance.” The organization has published its agenda for the Trump presidency here.
And here’s a sample of the Soul Force rhetoric.
If you believe that there should be no religion without a power analysis, you are home.If you believe there should be no political action without spirit, you are home.If you believe that now is the time to sabotage Christian Supremacy, you are home.
Carson on Gospel Issues
What is a gospel issue? How do we recognize one when we see it? D. A. Carson addresses the problem in an insightful essay for Themelios. Here’s one side of the story; it’s worth reading the other:
[B]ecause of the complex entanglements of theology, with a little imagination one might argue that almost any topic is a gospel issue. At one level or another, everything in any theology that is worth the name is tied to everything else, so it is possible to tie everything to the gospel. In that sense, well-nigh everything is a gospel issue.
The Trinity and the “Two State Hermeneutic?
[T]he pro-Nicene theologians quickly developed what we might call a “two-state hermeneutic.” Their description tended to draw on the language of Philippians 2 to insist that some texts spoke of the Son in the form of God, while others spoke of him in the form of a servant. This allowed the most obviously apparent subordinationist texts to be read without compromising the equality of Father and Son.
Holmes, Stephen R., “Classical Trinity: Evangelical Perspective,” in Jason S. Sexton (ed), Two Views on the Doctrine of the Trinity (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) (p. 34). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
President Trump Wants to End NEA, NEH
The Washington Post reports that as part of his budget-cutting measures, President Trump wants to pull the plug on the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He also wants to privatize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
As it happens, I love art and I love the humanities. In fact, I make my living in the humanities. On my view, the NEA, NEH, and CPB do more damage than they do good. Pulling the plug is just fine with me.
A Lesson in Biblical Application
Preaching at a pre-inauguration service, Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas had this to say:
When I think of you, President-elect Trump, I am reminded of another great leader God chose thousands of years ago in Israel. The nation had been in bondage for decades, the infrastructure of the country was in shambles, and God raised up a powerful leader to restore the nation. And the man God chose was neither a politician nor a priest. Instead, God chose a builder whose name was Nehemiah.
And the first step of rebuilding the nation was the building of a great wall. God instructed Nehemiah to build a wall around Jerusalem to protect its citizens from enemy attack. You see, God is NOT against building walls!
No comment seems necessary.
Netanyahu Invited to Washington
One of President Trump’s first official acts has been to invite Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. Read the story and the agenda at Israel Hayom.
APPLICATION & AID