open source theology - Posts

A Brief Comparison of Greek and Christian Modes of Discipleship and Obedience

Jacob — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:00:51 -0400

Awhile back I posted a review of one of Michel Foucault’s lectures on what he calls “pastoral power.” I meant to post again from his lectures, but for a variety of reasons I got off track. This post takes back up that line of thought. Here I review Foucault’s discussion of the distinction between Christian and Greek kinds of discipleship and obedience in the ancient world.

The Gods Aren't Angry

peter wilkinson — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:59:41 -0400

This is the title of Rob Bell’s second tour film (the first being ‘Everything is Spiritual’) recorded live at one of the presentations. He speaks for 90 minutes, entirely without notes (there was no evidence of an autocue), and presents a message which is revolutionary, but without any appeals for salvation, healing, or much of the paraphernalia associated with some kinds of religious meeting. Very refreshing. I enjoyed it very much, and wanted to provide some sort of synopsis/review for the OST site. Especially as I have been encouraged to revisit Bell’s first book (‘Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith’) through mention of it in a recent review of a chapter in The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World by Mark Driscoll (pastor of a different Mars Hill church).

What can an emerging theology learn from preterism?

Andrew — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:51:15 -0400

Duncan’s post on the narrative of Revelation has sparked an interesting dispute about the relationship between an emerging theology and preterism. Since the conversation isn’t directly relevant to the post, I wonder if we might explore its implications separately. It’s an opportunity to think a bit about what we mean by an emerging theology and how we might negotiate the boundaries between different dogmatic traditions as well as between modern and postmodern ways of thinking.

Openness

Desert Reign — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:09:40 -0400

What is openness?

What is the Narrative of Revelation?

Duncan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:23:13 -0400

What is the narrative of Revelation? Does it have a unifying storyline? Despite the many complexities of the book, the answer to this question is a definite yes; there is a clear storyline to Revelation.

Revelation is a tale of two cities, Babylon and New Jerusalem; these two cities are also said to be two women, the harlot and the bride (Rev. 17:1-3; Rev. 21:9-10). The judgments of Revelation culminate with the destruction of one of these women and then the marriage of the other. The harlot (Babylon) is destroyed and then the bride (New Jerusalem) becomes married (Rev. 19:1-7).

Why Hyperpreterism can never be systematic

Roderick — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:30:06 -0400

When a premise, assertion or formula is put forth, the true way to test it is to push it to its conclusions. Systematically applying a premise will quickly reveal if the premise itself is flawed.

When it comes to hyperpreterism, it is built on 3 primary premises with 1 overarching premise.

The problem of an 'overrealized' eschatology

Andrew — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:47:00 -0400

Some very nice, sensible and eirenic reflections, Peter - not least with respect to this word ‘overrealised’. The problem with it, as I see it, is that it presupposes a normative measure of ‘realization’ that can be established independently of the interpretation of scripture and then applied to other interpretations. So my reading of the New Testament is faulted for falling too far to one side of some eschatological ideal, perhaps one that is captured by the peculiar ‘now and not yet’ principle. But where does such an ideal come from if not from the critical and open interpretation of scripture.

Mark Driscoll, the church and the supremacy of Christ

Andrew — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:20:12 -0400

The Christian Associates Thinkings group will be getting together in the Hague in October to explore the question of what it means to proclaim Christ as Lord in a post-Christendom, post-modern and religiously pluralist Europe. With that in mind I recently got hold of a copy of a smallish book called The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, knowing full well that it was not going to be especially sympathetic to an emerging perspective. The chapter on ‘The Church and the Supremacy of Christ’ by Mark Driscoll caught my eye for a particular reason that I will come to later.

End of the age

enarchay — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:07:07 -0400

Or is it ENDS of the age?

Celibacy?

paulhartigan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:22:50 -0400

There has been a constant tension in post axial religions between the attainment of earthly and transcendental goods. Pre axial religions were much more straightforward in seeing the satisfaction of their desires for wealth, health, offspring, land and honour as the main purpose of worship (for example the Mosaic covenant).

Greg Boyd's review of Re: Mission

Andrew — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:58:40 -0400

Greg Boyd has posted a short review of my book Re: Mission on his blog. He is very generous in his (not unqualified) recommendation of it, but there are a couple of points that I would like to reply to - the question of the ‘preterist’ label and the assumption that New Testament eschatology has to do mostly with AD 70. My response can be found here.

Some Ideas I need your honest and open thoughts on

drew27 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:33:10 -0400

What did Christ really accomplish? Why did he come? What’s more important: our relationship with God, or our standing with God? How does our relationship with God relate to our lives? What is Sin? Is there objective Virtue? Does salvation matter? The truth, as I have found it.

No time like the present

Desert Reign — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:38:38 -0400

Openness is the worldview whereby the course of history is not fully predicted or determined, but a total lack of determination implies a total lack of purpose and this is exactly the same as a fully determined Calvinistic worldview because neither option allows the universe to have any meaning of its own.

Welcome to Kona Jack's!

Virgil — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:25:42 -0400

Marc’s “Love Wins” tattoo on his wrist was very visible; one could say he was wearing it with pride, buy he never brought it up or talked about it until I pointed it out. I didn’t know Marc, but we agreed to meet at this place called Kona Jack’s Fish Market in Indianapolis to talk theology, faith and life.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Desert Reign — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:24:10 -0400

Just a note raised by the recent thread on denominations:

JWs believe that Jesus is the incarnation of Michael the Archangel. They specifically argue that he should not be worshipped and that only the Father God should be. They believe that Michael/Jesus is the first thing ever created by God.

Survey of Doctrine

qoheleth — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:58:45 -0400

I want to retake a survey.

One body and the problem of denominations

enarchay — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:59:56 -0400

N.T. Wright offers the conclusion in What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity? that because justification by faith has to do with believers having the privilege and calling to sit at same table with each other, regardless of race or gender, the many debates that take place between denominations often serve as self-defeating.

Greg Boyd and the politics of spiritual warfare

Andrew — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:50:15 -0400

Greg Boyd is known for his work on spiritual warfare. Although I have always been rather wary of this whole subject, I enjoyed his talk this week on this aspect of the beautiful kingdom that revolts against the ugliness of the world (see also ‘Greg Boyd, revolting beauty, and the imitation of Jesus’). There is one point, however, that I would like to pick up on. He argued that in the apocalyptic literature that emerged after the Old Testament period we see a greatly increased awareness of the spiritual realm, of cosmic forces – the world is caught in a battle between God and satan, between the good angels and the bad angels, between the holy people of God and the forces of darkness. In other words, a warfare worldview develops that becomes the background for the New Testament and remains relevant for our theology today.

Faithfulness of God

grazi18518 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:33:08 -0400

3 possible ways to be saved. Works, Accepting Christ, God faithfull to mankind

The Rainbow Over

Desert Reign — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:07:13 -0400

Traditional evangelical theology is rather selective in ending the primaeval story at the fall. Mankind is lost, fallen from an original state of perfection, we are told, the next best thing for us being the advent of the Messiah. One could be ultra pernickety and suggest that by keeping us in a depraved and fallen state, we are more easily controlled since we have to do what we are told in order to receive salvation. Church doctrine is then about power and salvation is administered by those in power. It is in the church’s interest therefore to end the primaeval story at the fall.

Greg Boyd, revolting beauty, and the imitation of Jesus

Andrew — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:59:26 -0400

We have Greg Boyd speaking this week at the Christian Associates staff conference in Sopron in Hungary. His theme is pretty much the stuff of a new book that will be coming out later this year, which, if Greg had had his way, would be entitled Revolting Beauty. As it is, the will of the publisher prevailed and it will be called something else – I don’t know what.

Where have theological assumptions caused the church to reject good and/or pursue evil?

mschellman — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:56:44 -0400

Many have made the case that pre-trib theology promotes a certain world view that discourages international unity, middle-east peace negotiations, and environmental concern. Can you give examples of how other theological perspectives might have distorted our concept of right and wrong?

Are you - as emergents - actually building the church

rogermugs — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:40:10 -0400

Take a look at these verses and tell me honestly. I want to hear your opinion. Is the emergent church breaking away or building the church? Don’t just give an answer, back it up.And these are just a start.

seeking theologers

rogermugs — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:34:19 -0400

I’m looking for folks to be a part of a community blog about theology. it would be similar to this idea but a more permanent home for those who dont already blog, or are interested in being part of a theology community blog…

i’m particularly interested in having some of you emergent folks…

A Voice of Noise & Mark of the Beast as seen in Isa. 66:6-9

BurntOffering — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:36:11 -0400

Satan comes forth with the bible in hand and promises to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help her GOD this time.

Others in Our Midst

Jacob — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:34:41 -0400

We’ve always had others in our midst. There is no One Way to respond to others—inside or outside our community. Discerning how to respond to today’s Canaanites and learning how to live with today’s Rahabs and learning how to debate today‘s Stoics and learning how to rebuke and be rebuked by fellow believers, is part of the journey. The Great Commission calls for a continual encounter with others, with our fellow believers and with our neighbors and with our Lord God, where community is by grace and not a matter of defended territory and starkly drawn borders.

Interview published in Precipice magazine

Andrew — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:45:57 -0400

An interview that I did with Darren King, mostly about The Coming of the Son of Man but also touching on the need for a narrative-realist biblical theology, has just been published at Precipice magazine. This is how Darren introduces the interview:

One of the hallmarks of the Emerging Church is its desire, its commitment, to move beyond traditionalism, to examine various aspects of Christian faith with an openness to new answers - and new questions. While critics often (unfairly) accuse the movement of "rejecting the Bible", the reality is that those immersed within the EC conversation are often willing to embrace the complexities of the Bible in ways that are unfamiliar to others. And embracing the Bible means entering into the story, understanding the journey as it was for the earliest believers, as part of the process in receiving it as our own.

More than just made

Desert Reign — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:45:00 -0400

Traditional theology tends to honour the incomprehensible as if it were much to be preferred to that which is clear. Unless there is a mystery or a paradox involved, it is not true religion and we have been somehow short changed.

Romans: Theology of Justification

Faith — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:08:29 -0400

There are different views/ideas or beleifs on the theology of justification;

It would be intresting learn the different ones:

What Do Names Do? Do They Reflect or Do They Evoke?

Jacob — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:40:15 -0400

What Do Names Do? Do They Reflect or Do They Evoke?

The opening words of Martin Buber’s magnum opus, I and Thou, begin: “Basic words do not state something that might exist outside them; by being spoken they establish a mode of existence.”

When Buber says that “Basic words do not state something that might exist outside them,” he is gesturing toward a fundamental divide between two very different ways of understanding the status of language. For purposes of this essay, I’ll say that that distinction rests somewhere between “reflection” and “evocation.” And by that I mean that some hold that their words accurately reflect what is outside them and others hold that their words evoke meaningful perspectives that enable the contours of human life to be defined in particular ways. Let’s look at this distinction a bit more closely.