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Walking With Giants

Bible, Theology, Preaching

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  • Bible Study Notes
    • Introductory
      • Types of Literature in the Bible
      • What is the shape of the Bible’s story?
      • The canon of Scripture
    • Old Testament
      • General
        • Historical Difficulties
        • The Old Testament story – chart
      • Genesis (intro)
        • Genesis 1
        • Genesis 2
        • Genesis 3
        • Genesis 4
        • Genesis 5
        • Genesis 6
        • Genesis 7
        • Genesis 8
        • Genesis 9
        • Genesis 10
        • Genesis 11
        • Genesis 12
        • Genesis 13
        • Genesis 14
        • Genesis 15
        • Genesis 16
        • Genesis 17
        • Genesis 18
        • Genesis 19
        • Genesis 20
        • Genesis 21
        • Genesis 22
        • Genesis 23
        • Genesis 24
        • Genesis 25
        • Genesis 26
        • Genesis 27
        • Genesis 28
        • Genesis 29
        • Genesis 30
        • Genesis 32
        • Genesis 33
        • Genesis 35
        • Genesis 36
        • Genesis 37
        • Genesis 39
        • Genesis 49
        • Genesis 50
      • Exodus (intro)
        • Exodus 1
        • Exodus 2
        • Exodus 3
        • Exodus 4
        • Exodus 5
        • Exodus 6
        • Exodus 7
        • Exodus 8
        • Exodus 9
        • Exodus 10
        • Exodus 11
        • Exodus 12
        • Exodus 13
        • Exodus 14
        • Exodus 15
        • Exodus 16
        • Exodus 17
        • Exodus 18
        • Exodus 20
        • Exodus 21
        • Exodus 22
        • Exodus 23
        • Exodus 24
        • Exodus 25
        • Exodus 26
        • Exodus 27
        • Exodus 28
        • Exodus 29
        • Exodus 32
        • Exodus 33
        • Exodus 34
        • Exodus 40
      • Leviticus
        • Leviticus 13
        • Leviticus 16
        • Leviticus 18
        • Leviticus 19
        • Leviticus 20
      • Numbers
        • Numbers 1
        • Numbers 2
        • Numbers 3
        • Numbers 5
        • Numbers 6
        • Number 10
        • Numbers 11
        • Numbers 13
        • Numbers 14
        • Numbers 15
        • Numbers 21
        • Numbers 22
        • Numbers 24
        • Numbers 31
        • Numbers 33
      • Deuteronomy (intro)
        • Deuteronomy 3
        • Deuteronomy 5
        • Deuteronomy 6
        • Deuteronomy 7
        • Deuteronomy 8
        • Deuteronomy 10
        • Deuteronomy 14
        • Deuteronomy 16
        • Deuteronomy 18
        • Deuteronomy 20
        • Deuteronomy 21
        • Deuteronomy 22
        • Deuteronomy 23
        • Deuteronomy 24
        • Deuteronomy 28
        • Deuteronomy 29
        • Deuteronomy 31
        • Deuteronomy 32
      • Joshua
        • Introduction
        • Joshua 1
        • Joshua 2
        • Joshua 3
        • Joshua 4
        • Joshua 5
        • Joshua 6
        • Joshua 7
        • Joshua 8
        • Joshua 9
        • Joshua 10
        • Joshua 11
        • Joshua 23
        • Joshua 24
      • Judges (intro)
        • Intro
        • Judges 3
        • Judges 5
        • Judges 6
        • Judges 11
        • Judges 13
        • Judges 19
      • Ruth
        • Intro
        • Ruth 1
        • Ruth 2
        • Ruth 3
        • Ruth 4
      • 1 Samuel
        • 1 Samuel 1
        • 1 Samuel 2
        • 1 Samuel 3
        • 1 Samuel 4
        • 1 Samuel 5
        • 1 Samuel 6
        • 1 Samuel 7
        • 1 Samuel 8
        • 1 Samuel 9
        • 1 Samuel 10
        • 1 Samuel 13
        • 1 Samuel 15
        • 1 Samuel 16
        • 1 Samuel 17
        • 1 Samuel 18
        • 1 Samuel 20
        • 1 Samuel 24
        • 1 Samuel 25
      • 2 Samuel
        • 2 Samuel 1
        • 2 Samuel 5
        • 2 Samuel 7
        • 2 Samuel 9
        • 2 Samuel 11
        • 2 Samuel 12
        • 2 Samuel 16
        • 2 Samuel 21
        • 2 Samuel 24
      • 1 Kings
        • 1 Kings 6
        • 1 Kings 7
        • 1 Kings 9
        • 1 Kings 11
        • 1 Kings 12
        • 1 Kings 18
        • 1 Kings 19
        • 1 Kings 21
        • 1 Kings 20
        • 1 Kings 22
      • 2 Kings
        • 2 Kings 2
        • 2 Kings 3
        • 2 Kings 4
        • 2 Kings 5
        • 2 Kings 6
        • 2 Kings 10
        • 2 Kings 15
        • 2 Kings 20
        • 2 Kings 22
        • 2 Kings 23
      • 1 Chronicles
        • Introduction
        • 1 Chronicles 3
        • 1 Chronicles 21
        • 1 Chronicles 29
      • 2 Chronicles
        • 2 Chronicles 7
        • 2 Chronicles 31
        • 2 Chronicles 32
        • 2 Chronicles 35
      • Nehemiah
        • Introduction
        • Nehemiah 2
        • Nehemiah 3
        • Nehemiah 8
        • Nehemiah 11
        • Nehemiah 12
        • Nehemiah 13
      • Esther
        • Introduction
        • Esther 1
        • Esther 2
        • Esther 3
        • Esther 4
        • Esther 5
        • Esther 6
        • Esther 7
        • Esther 8
        • Esther 9
        • Esther 10
      • Job – intro
        • Job 1
        • Job 2
        • Job 26
        • Job 38
      • Psalms (intro)
        • Psalm 1
        • Psalm 2
        • Psalm 3
        • Psalm 4
        • Psalm 5
        • Psalm 6
        • Psalm 7
        • Psalm 8
        • Psalm 9
        • Psalm 10
        • Psalm 11
        • Psalm 12
        • Psalm 13
        • Psalm 14
        • Psalm 15
        • Psalm 16
        • Psalm 17
        • Psalm 18
        • Psalm 19
        • Psalm 20
        • Psalm 21
        • Psalm 22
        • Psalm 23
        • Psalm 24
        • Psalm 25
        • Psalm 26
        • Psalm 27
        • Psalm 28
        • Psalm 31
        • Psalm 32
        • Psalm 34
        • Psalm 36
        • Psalm 37
        • Psalm 39
        • Psalm 45
        • Psalm 46
        • Psalm 50
        • Psalm 51
        • Psalm 53
        • Psalm 62
        • Psalm 65
        • Psalm 66
        • Psalm 68
        • Psalm 72
        • Psalm 73
        • Psalm 77
        • Psalm 78
        • Psalm 79
        • Psalm 82
        • Psalm 84
        • Psalm 85
        • Psalm 86
        • Psalm 88
        • Psalm 89
        • Psalm 90
        • Psalm 91
        • Psalm 92
        • Psalm 95
        • Psalm 98
        • Psalm 100
        • Psalm 103
        • Psalm 104
        • Psalm 105
        • Psalm 106
        • Psalm 107
        • Psalm 110
        • Psalm 112
        • Psalm 119
        • Psalm 121
        • Psalm 122
        • Psalm 123
        • Psalm 126
        • Psalm 130
        • Psalm 137
        • Psalm 139
        • Psalm 147
        • Psalm 150
      • Proverbs (intro)
        • Proverbs 1
        • Proverbs 3
        • Proverbs 4
        • Proverbs 5
        • Proverbs 6
        • Proverbs 8
        • Proverbs 9
        • Proverbs 13
        • Proverbs 14
        • Proverbs 15
        • Proverbs 16
        • Proverbs 18
        • Proverbs 19
        • Proverbs 20
        • Proverbs 22
        • Proverbs 23
        • Proverbs 25
        • Proverbs 26
        • Proverbs 26
        • Proverbs 27
        • Proverbs 29
        • Proverbs 30
        • Proverbs 31
      • Ecclesiastes (intro)
        • Ecclesiastes 1
        • Ecclesiastes 2
        • Ecclesiastes 3
        • Ecclesiastes 4
        • Ecclesiastes 8
        • Ecclesiastes 9
        • Ecclesiastes 10
        • Ecclesiastes 11
        • Ecclesiastes 12
      • Song of Songs (intro)
        • Song of Songs 1
        • Song of Songs 2
        • Song of Songs 3
        • Song of Songs 5
        • Song of Songs 7
        • Song of Songs 8
      • Isaiah (intro)
        • Isaiah 1
        • Isaiah 2
        • Isaiah 6
        • Isaiah 7
        • Isaiah 8
        • Isaiah 9
        • Isaiah 10
        • Isaiah 11
        • Isaiah 13
        • Isaiah 14
        • Isaiah 19
        • Isaiah 20
        • Isaiah 25
        • Isaiah 27
        • Isaiah 39
        • Isaiah 40
        • Isaiah 41
        • Isaiah 42
        • Isaiah 43
        • Isaiah 44
        • Isaiah 45
        • Isaiah 48
        • Isaiah 49
        • Isaiah 50
        • Isaiah 51
        • Isaiah 52
        • Isaiah 53
        • Isaiah 55
        • Isaiah 56
        • Isaiah 58
        • Isaiah 59
        • Isaiah 61
        • Isaiah 62
        • Isaiah 63
        • Isaiah 64
        • Isaiah 65
        • Isaiah 66
      • Jeremiah
        • Introduction
        • Jeremiah 1
        • Jeremiah 2
        • Jeremiah 5
        • Jeremiah 6
        • Jeremiah 7
        • Jeremiah 8
        • Jeremiah 11
        • Jeremiah 13
        • Jeremiah 18
        • Jeremiah 22
        • Jeremiah 23
        • Jeremiah 26
        • Jeremiah 27
        • Jeremiah 28
        • Jeremiah 29
        • Jeremiah 31
        • Jeremiah 33
        • Jeremiah 36
        • Jeremiah 40
      • Ezekiel
        • Ezekiel 1
        • Ezekiel 2
        • Ezekiel 3
        • Ezekiel 8
        • Ezekiel 20
        • Ezekiel 36
        • Ezekiel 37
        • Ezekiel 43
      • Daniel
        • Introduction
        • Daniel 1
        • Daniel 2
        • Daniel 5
        • Daniel 6
        • Daniel 7
        • Daniel 11
        • Daniel 12
      • Hosea
        • Hosea 1
        • Hosea 4
        • Hosea 6
        • Hosea 11
        • Hosea 13
      • Joel
        • Joel 1
        • Joel 2
        • Joel 3
      • Amos
        • Introduction
        • Amos 1
        • Amos 2
        • Amos 3
        • Amos 4
        • Amos 5
        • Amos 8
      • Obadiah
        • Obadiah 1
      • Jonah – intro
        • Jonah 1
        • Jonah 2
        • Jonah 3
        • Jonah 4
      • Micah – intro
        • Micah 1
        • Micah 2
        • Micah 3
        • Micah 6
        • Micah 7
      • Nahum
        • Nahum 1
        • Nahum 2
        • Nahum 3
      • Habakkuk
        • Introduction
        • Habakkuk 1
        • Habakkuk 2
        • Habakkuk 3
      • Haggai
        • Haggai 1
        • Haggai 2
      • Zechariah
        • Zechariah 1
        • Zechariah 8
        • Zechariah 13
      • Malachi
        • Malachi 1
        • Malachi 2
        • Malachi 3
        • Malachi 4
    • New Testament
      • General
        • Introduction
        • Pseudonymity
        • Canonical Order of NT Books
        • Historical Difficulties
      • Matthew
        • Matthew 1
        • Matthew 2
        • Matthew 3
        • Matthew 4
        • Matthew 5
        • Matthew 6
        • Matthew 7
        • Matthew 8
        • Matthew 9
        • Matthew 10
        • Matthew 11
        • Matthew 12
        • Matthew 13
        • Matthew 14
        • Matthew 15
        • Matthew 16
        • Matthew 17
        • Matthew 18
        • Matthew 19
        • Matthew 20
        • Matthew 21
        • Matthew 22
        • Matthew 23
        • Matthew 24
        • Matthew 25
        • Matthew 26
        • Matthew 27
        • Matthew 28
      • Mark (intro)
        • Mark 1
        • Mark 2
        • Mark 3
        • Mark 4
        • Mark 5
        • Mark 6
        • Mark 7
        • Mark 8
        • Mark 9
        • Mark 10
        • Mark 11
        • Mark 12
        • Mark 13
        • Mark 14
        • Mark 15
        • Mark 16
      • Luke (intro)
        • Luke 1
        • Luke 2
        • Luke 3
        • Luke 4
        • Luke 5
        • Luke 6
        • Luke 7
        • Luke 8
        • Luke 9
        • Luke 10
        • Luke 11
        • Luke 12
        • Luke 13
        • Luke 14
        • Luke 15
        • Luke 16
        • Luke 17
        • Luke 18
        • Luke 19
        • Luke 20
        • Luke 21
        • Luke 22
        • Luke 23
        • Luke 24
      • John (intro)
        • John 1
        • John 2
        • John 3
        • John 4
        • John 5
        • John 6
        • John 7
        • John 8
        • John 9
        • John 10
        • John 11
        • John 12
        • John 13
        • John 14
        • John 15
        • John 16
        • John 17
        • John 18
        • John 19
        • John 20
        • John 21
      • Acts (intro)
        • Acts 1
        • Acts 2
        • Acts 3
        • Acts 4
        • Acts 5
        • Acts 6
        • Acts 7
        • Acts 8
        • Acts 9
        • Acts 10
        • Acts 11
        • Acts 12
        • Acts 13
        • Acts 14
        • Acts 15
        • Acts 16
        • Acts 17
        • Acts 18
        • Acts 19
        • Acts 20
        • Acts 21
        • Acts 22
        • Acts 23
        • Acts 24
        • Acts 25
        • Acts 26
        • Acts 27
        • Acts 28
      • Romans (intro)
        • Romans 1
        • Romans 2
        • Romans 3
        • Romans 4
        • Romans 5
        • Romans 6
        • Romans 7
        • Romans 8
        • Romans 9
        • Romans 10
        • Romans 11
        • Romans 12
        • Romans 13
        • Romans 14
        • Romans 15
        • Romans 16
      • 1 Corinthians (intro)
        • 1 Corinthians 1
        • 1 Corinthians 2
        • 1 Corinthians 3
        • 1 Corinthians 4
        • 1 Corinthians 5
        • 1 Corinthians 6
        • 1 Corinthians 7
        • 1 Corinthians 8
        • 1 Corinthians 9
        • 1 Corinthians 10
        • 1 Corinthians 11
        • 1 Corinthians 12
        • 1 Corinthians 13
        • 1 Corinthians 14
        • 1 Corinthians 15
        • 1 Corinthians 16
      • 2 Corinthians (intro)
        • 2 Corinthians 1
        • 2 Corinthians 2
        • 2 Corinthians 3
        • 2 Corinthians 4
        • 2 Corinthians 5
        • 2 Corinthians 6
        • 2 Corinthians 7
        • 2 Corinthians 8
        • 2 Corinthians 9
        • 2 Corinthians 10
        • 2 Corinthians 11
        • 2 Corinthians 12
        • 2 Corinthians 13
      • Galatians (intro)
        • Galatians 1
        • Galatians 2
        • Galatians 3
        • Galatians 4
        • Galatians 5
        • Galatians 6
      • Ephesians (intro)
        • Ephesians 1
        • Ephesians 2
        • Ephesians 3
        • Ephesians 4
        • Ephesians 5
        • Ephesians 6
      • Philippians
        • Philippians 1
        • Philippians 2
        • Philippians 3
        • Philippians 4
      • Colossians (intro)
        • Colossians 1
        • Colossians 2
        • Colossians 3
        • Colossians 4
      • 1 Thessalonians (intro)
        • 1 Thessalonians 1
        • 1 Thessalonians 2
        • 1 Thessalonians 3
        • 1 Thessalonians 4
        • 1 Thessalonians 5
      • 2 Thessalonians
        • 2 Thessalonians 1
        • 2 Thessalonians 2
        • 2 Thessalonians 3
      • 1 Timothy
        • 1 Timothy 1
        • 1 Timothy 2
        • 1 Timothy 3
        • 1 Timothy 4
        • 1 Timothy 5
        • 1 Timothy 6
      • 2 Timothy
        • 2 Timothy 1
        • 2 Timothy 2
        • 2 Timothy 3
        • 2 Timothy 4
      • Titus
        • Titus 1
        • Titus 2
        • Titus 3
      • Philemon
        • Philemon 1
      • Hebrews (intro)
        • Hebrews 1
        • Hebrews 2
        • Hebrews 3
        • Hebrews 4
        • Hebrews 5
        • Hebrews 6
        • Hebrews 7
        • Hebrews 8
        • Hebrews 9
        • Hebrews 10
        • Hebrews 11
        • Hebrews 12
        • Hebrews 13
      • James (intro)
        • James 1
        • James 2
        • James 3
        • James 4
        • James 5
      • 1 Peter (intro)
        • 1 Peter 1
        • 1 Peter 2
        • 1 Peter 3
        • 1 Peter 4
        • 1 Peter 5
      • 2 Peter (intro)
        • 2 Peter 1
        • 2 Peter 2
        • 2 Peter 3
      • 1 John (intro)
        • 1 John 1
        • 1 John 2
        • 1 John 3
        • 1 John 4
        • 1 John 5
      • 2 John
      • Jude
        • Jude 1
      • Revelation (intro)
        • Revelation 1
        • Revelation 2
        • Revelation 3
        • Revelation 4
        • Revelation 5
        • Revelation 6
        • Revelation 7
        • Revelation 8
        • Revelation 9
        • Revelation 10
        • Revelation 11
        • Revelation 12
        • Revelation 13
        • Revelation 14
        • Revelation 15
        • Revelation 16
        • Revelation 17
        • Revelation 18
        • Revelation 19
        • Revelation 20
        • Revelation 21
        • Revelation 22

If the church were Christian (Gulley)

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‘If the church were Christian’ – 10

Walking With Giants Posted on December 15, 2018 by adminDecember 15, 2018

And so to the tenth and last chapter of Phillip Gulley’s book.  If the church were more Christian, he says, ‘this life would be more important than the afterlife.’

Too many people, the church offers an alternative reality, an escape from the real world.  A big part of this is its obsession with our ultimate destiny in heaven or hell, contemplated without due regard to living well in the here and now.  And this obsession stems from a need to control – to control who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’. …

Posted in Church, Liberalism

‘If the church were Christian’ – 9

Walking With Giants Posted on December 15, 2018 by adminDecember 15, 2018

If the church were Christian, writes Phillip Gulley, ‘It would care more about love and less about sex.’

The church, apparently, is obsessed with sex.  It frowns on sex outside marriage, divorce, dancing and (especially) homosexuality).  Indeed, it finds the whole subject distasteful.

This anxiety about sex probably has two causes: Victorian mores and ‘the apostle Paul’s obvious aversion to marriage’.  Contrast Paul’s ‘sour assessment of intimacy’ with the delight and joy of the Song of Solomon.…

Posted in Church, Marriage, Sexuality, Singleness

‘If the church were Christian’ – 8

Walking With Giants Posted on December 12, 2018 by adminDecember 12, 2018

If the church were Christian, writes Phillip Gulley, ‘peace would be more important than power.’

A lust for power is found in Christian as well as secular organisations, in small as well as large.  Such power-lust can be deeply injurious.

Those bent on power so often lack the ability to see their own need for spiritual transformation and growth.

Frequently, such people insist on dominating others and yet will not bow to the wishes of those to whom they themselves are accountable.…

‘If the church were Christian’ – 7

Walking With Giants Posted on December 11, 2018 by adminDecember 24, 2018

If the church were Christian, says Phillip Gulley, ‘meeting needs would be more important that maintaining institutions.’

Phillip Gulley has come across people within the church who, while ostensibly meetings the needs of others (for example, by running a food bank), are really putting their own needs first (the need for control, for appreciation, or whatever).  We’ve probably come across such people ourselves.

We must wonder if many Christian organisations and entire denominations are primarily interested in self-preservation. …

‘If the church were Christian’ – 6

Walking With Giants Posted on December 10, 2018 by adminDecember 10, 2018

If the church were Christian, writes Philip Gulley, ‘Encouraging personal exploration would be more important than communal uniformity.’

Professed followers of Christ – from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Quakers – have their ways of disowning those who step out of line.

Such shunning seems far from the character of Jesus (though less so from that of Paul, 1 Cor 5:11; Rom 16:17).  It was Jesus who was shunned, not he who shunned.

Of course, some form of correction may be needed for those who tarnish a group’s credibility, but too often the ‘solution’ is more damaging than the ‘problem’. …

Posted in Church, Liberalism

‘If the church were Christian’ – 5

Walking With Giants Posted on December 6, 2018 by adminDecember 6, 2018

If the church were Christian, then, according to Philip Gulley, ‘inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers.’

Gulley says that he has come across ‘many’ Christians who are content to rest their faith on some decision, made years before, to ‘invite Jesus into their heart’.  They have no desire desire to explore, question, or deepen their outlook beyond that.  They are encouraged in this apathy by intellectually lazy pastors, teaching dogmatic truth as a package that must be accepted in its entirety without demur.…

Posted in Doubt, Liberalism

‘If the church were Christian’ – 4

Walking With Giants Posted on December 3, 2018 by adminDecember 5, 2018

In chapter 4 of If the church were Christian, Philip Gulley contends that in such a church ‘gracious behavior would be more important than right belief’.

This is, of course, the old ‘Jesus versus the Pharisees’ thing.  The Pharisees were sticklers for theological orthodoxy, yet their behaviour lacked grace.  Jesus, on the other hand, was relaxed about doctrinal correctness, but exuded love and compassion.

The valuing of belief over behaviour doesn’t just affect the doctrinally conservative:- ‘It happens wherever and whenever people insist that their way to the Divine is the superior path.’…

Posted in Liberalism, Theology

‘If the church were Christian’ – 3

Walking With Giants Posted on November 30, 2018 by adminDecember 5, 2018

By the time we reach chapter three of Philip Gulley’s book If the Church were more Christian, the procedure is becoming rather predictable: tell a story or two illustrating how bad ‘they’ (other Christians) are, and then tell a story or two showing how ‘we’ get it right.  Throw in one or two references to the Bible (don’t take too much trouble about how you select, interpret, or apply them).  Job done.  Next chapter please.…

Posted in Forgiveness, Sin

‘If the church were Christian’ – 2

Walking With Giants Posted on November 28, 2018 by adminJanuary 22, 2019

Philip Gulley puts it like this:- If the church were more Christian, ‘affirming our potential would be more important than condemning our brokenness.’  (If the Church Were Christian. HarperOne)

The church’s teaching about the sinfulness of human nature, it appears, has done great harm.  It has brought the church into disrepute, and caused individuals to feel damaged and guilt-ridden.  Gulley supports this with anecdotes of horror stories from which every reasonable person would recoil with horror.…

Posted in Example of Christ, Jesus Christ, Liberalism, Progressive Christianity, Salvation, Sin

‘If the church were Christian’ – 1

Walking With Giants Posted on November 26, 2018 by adminFebruary 24, 2019

In his 2010 book, If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus, Quaker pastor Philip Gulley offers a recipe for, well, making the Church Christian.  Richard Rohr thinks that the recipe is ‘superb’.  (Actually, if these two men are on the same page about what a desirable form of Christianity would look like, then I prefer Gulley’s more straightforward approach.  Rohr’s slipperiness is reflected in this wording…

‘Jesus is a model for living more than an object of worship’ (my emphasis)

…whereas Gulley says that if the church were ‘more Christian’:-

‘Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship’ (my emphasis).…

Posted in Jesus Christ, Liberalism, Progressive Christianity, Rohr, Richard

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