'Net Stuff

Some theological items I've found recently around Our Friend Mr. Internet.

Gender Roles: here's an interesting blog post about Galatians 3:28 from a complementarian perspective, with numerous comments from an egalitarian, joined by more complementarians, and more egalitarians. The discussion is civil and respectful (mostly), and will be enjoyed by koine Greek readers. (Which I'm not, but still...) It serves as a good introduction to the major interpretive questions surrounding this and other key NT texts, as well as to some of the most common research sources.

Slavery in the South: a monograph co-written by Reformed pastor, classical education advocate, and Federal Vision impresario Doug Wilson. Just discovered it today, and haven't read it myself yet. Outrageous? Un-PC? Embarrassing? Correct?

Oh, that wacky Worldwide Church of God! What will they think of next? Here's "The Surprising God Blog". Let's start with the blog title: I think it's supposed to refer to the bloggers finding God's gracious ways surprising, but grammatically it could just as well scan as how the blog itself is surprising ("you won't believe our new blog!"). Or even better, that the blog is about "surprising" God by sneaking up behind Him. Anyway, it's a "Christ-centered theology" blog for WCG pastors, and others who meet the Orwellian anonymous comment-submission requirements in the right-hand margin. (WCG alumni will feel right at home) Heavy on Barth and Torrance, of course, plus a new theologian du jour Robert Farrar Capon, who appears to be in favor due to his quasi-universalism.

Parlez-Vous "Prairie Muffin"? This manifesto will challenge your views of Christian womanhood on many levels.

Have fun!

The God Of Our Mind

My friend Lyle composed this little parable about idolatries ancient and modern.

The God Of Our Mind

A thousand years ago there was a man by the name of Ganran. He was a simple man, who was a farmer. Ganran lived in a culture that commonly used idols. Ganran was anxious that it wouldn't rain so he spent some of his savings and bought an idol made out of wood. He name it Urdoon.

Last year there was a man by the name of Henry. He was a basic man, but had been recently laid off from a manufacturing job. He went to church every Sunday and considered himself a Christian. Henry was anxious that he wouldn't find a job so he spend some of his savings and bought a book that would help him increase his faith in God. It was to be a God of his mind.

Ganran went to his wooden idol Urdoon and prayed that it would rain. That year it rained. Ganran had a good season and ate well. He thanked Urdoon for answering his prayer. Ganran's faith in Urdoon increased.

Henry prayed to his God that he could find a job. A week later he was able to find a job. Henry was able to pay all his bills and was able to pay down most of his credit cards. He thanked God for answering his prayer. Henry's faith in God increased.

In the next growing season, Ganran prayed again to Urdoon. This time it didn't rain. So Ganran prayed again. It still didn't rain. So then Ganran thought that maybe he had made Urdoon angry. So he began to think of how he had maybe disappointed Urdoon. So he performed an animal sacrifice to Urdoon. Maybe it would cause Urdoon to bless Ganran with some rain. But it didn't rain, so he thought to himself that maybe he should be a nicer person. Eventually after three weeks of trying to be a nicer person, it rained. Ganran thanked Urdoon for blessing him and for teaching him to be a more religious person. Ganran's faith in Urdoon was very high.

Henry was soon laid off from his new job, so Henry prayed to God again. Henry went to many job interviews for several weeks but couldn't land a job. So Henry prayed some more. He still couldn't find a job. So then Henry thought that somehow God was not pleased with something about him. So he gave a rather large offering at church one week. Maybe it would cause God to bless him with a job. But he still didn't find a job, so he thought to himself that maybe he should be more friendly with the people in his life. Eventually after three weeks and dozens of interviews, he found a job. Henry thanked God for blessing him and for teaching him to be a more religious person. Henry's faith in God was very high.

How much of our faith is based on our own imagination of what God is thinking? How much is it based strictly on what God's Word says?

Quiz Time! The Trinity

Rebecca periodically posts theology quizzes on her blog, and I hope she won't mind my pasting her latest here (after all, not everybody follows links). C'mon, give it try: answer each question true or false according to the Bible and historical doctrine of the Trinity:

1. There is one God.
2. God is one person.
3. God is one being.
4. There are three persons in the Godhead.
5. The three persons in the Godhead are related eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
6. Each of the three persons of the Godhead is one-third of God.
7. The Father is fully God.
8. The Father has the whole fullness of God’s being in himself.
9. The Father is eternal.
10. The Father is not the Son.
11. The Father is not the Holy Spirit.
12. The Son is fully God.
13. The Son has the whole fullness if God’s being in himself.
14. The Son came into being at the time of the incarnation.
15. The Son was brought into being in eternity past.
16. The Son is eternal.
17. The Son is not the Father.
18. The Son is not the Holy Spirit.
19. The Holy Spirit is fully God.
20. The Holy Spirit has the whole fullness of God’s being in himself.
21. The Holy Spirit is eternal.
22. The Holy Spirit is not the Father.
23. The Holy Spirit is not the Son.
24. The persons of the Trinity are distinct.
25. In their nature, the Son and the Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.
26. The Son and the Spirit are subordinate to the Father in their essence or nature.
27. The Trinity is unique.
28. There is both unity and diversity in the being of God.
29. The persons of the Trinity have distinct primary roles.
30. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are simply different names for the one person of God showing himself to us in three distinct roles.
31. A right understanding of the Trinity is vital to right worship of God.
32. A right understanding of the Trinity is vital to a right understanding of redemption.
33. Any analogy used to explain the Trinity will not represent it completely accurately.
34. The doctrine of the Trinity cannot be derived from the Biblical text.

In my view, there are seven incorrect statements, with a small qualification. (I like the direct simplicity of this quiz, but sometimes simplicity is just too simple.) I'll post my take in a comment, so don't go to comments before you take a crack at the questions yourself.

J. I. Packer on Inerrancy

When evangelicals call the Bible "inerrant", part at least of their meaning is this: that, in exegesis and exposition of Scripture and in building up our biblical theology from the fruits of our Bible study, we may not (1) deny, disregard, or arbitrarily relativize, anything that the biblical writers teach, nor (2) discount any of the practical implications for worship and service that their teaching carries, nor (3) cut the knot of any problem of Bible harmony, factual or theological, by allowing ourselves to assume that the inspired writers were not necessarily consistent either with themselves or with each other. It is because the word "inerrant" makes these methodological points about handling the Bible, ruling out in advance the use of mental procedures that can only lead to reduced and distorted versions of Christianity, that it is so valuable and, I think, so much valued by those who embrace it.

HT: evangelical outpost

Pastor Joel's Smooth Things

Found this at whatum.com, and it's unbelievable. That this man is leading so many astray is tragic. That so many Christians who have been taught the actual gospel continue to buy his books is an outrage.