Author Archives: admin

Eternal submission: Liam Goligher says “No”

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In the middle of 2016, Liam Goligher fired the first volley in a skirmish prompted by Wayne Grudem’s and Bruce Ware’s advocacy of the doctrine of the Eternal Subordination of the Son (ESF).

I offer some extracts from Goligher’s piece, along with a few comments of my own.

‘Is the Trinity no more than a social program for the world and the church? Is the eternal life of the Trinity hierarchical or egalitarian? Are there three minds, three wills, and three powers within the Godhead?

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Some theses on the Father and the Son

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Fred Sanders, a systematic theologian with a special interest in the Trinity, has jotted down 18 Theses on the Father and the Son.

I found the following extracts helpful, particularly in relation to discussions about the ‘eternal subordination of the Son’.

The reason we know the Father-Son-Holy Spirit distinction is because the Father sent the Son and the Holy Spirit. The distinctions among the three persons were revealed in the act of the Son and Spirit coming to be among us for our salvation.

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The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax

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Some choice extracts from this precious work by Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)

In time of temptation, misgiving consciences look so much to the present trouble they are in, that they need be roused up to behold him in whom they may find rest for their distressed souls.

What a support to our faith is this, that God the Father, the part offended by our sins, is so well pleased with the work of redemption! And what a comfort is this, that seeing God’s love resteth on Christ, as we pleased in him, we may gather that he is as well pleased with us, if we be in Christ!…

5 reasons why I’m not keen on reverential capitalization

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‘Reverential capitalization’ refers to the practice of capitalizing, for reasons of reverence or respect, the initial letters of words that refer to the deity.

Capitalization of nouns, in written English, does not convey respect or reverence.  Rather, it conveys specification.  We capitalize both Churchill and Hitler, both Pol Pot and Gandhi.

But what about capitalizing personal pronouns that refer to God?

Well, I think it is unnecessary and unhelpful, here’s why.

1. There is no biblical mandate for it

Biblical Hebrew does not distinguish between upper-case and lower-case letters, and the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament were written in all capital letters.…

9 things you didn’t know about the Star of Bethlehem

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Well, actually, you know all this stuff already if you’ve read my various notes and articles.

But here’s a convenient summary from Colin Nicholl, whose book The Great Christ Comet explores the topic in much more detail.

I here reproduce Nicholl’s article from The Washington Post in its entirety.

1. The Star was historical

Some have claimed that the Bethlehem Star is nothing more than a myth invented by the early Christians. But the latest scholarship suggests that Matthew’s Gospel is a biography that strives for historical accuracy.

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A chilling appointment

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It seems that most people (apart from his admirers and appointees) think that Donald Trump’s recent behaviour is absurd.  Delusional, even.  Everyone else can see that he has lost the Presidential election fair and square.  Just calling an election ‘fake’ and ‘corrupt’ doesn’t make it so.

But, in popular thinking, for every villain there must be a good guy.  So, step up, Joe Biden.  You have handled yourself with dignity and restraint, and have been quietly getting on with appointing new people for the new administration.…

Luke 2:14 – ‘On earth peace, Good will toward men’

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Christmas, as everyone knows, is ‘the season of goodwill’.

It’s a lovely thought, and captures so much of what we all long for.  What’s not to like about ‘peace on earth’ and ‘good will toward men’?  It’s ‘the true meaning of Christmas’, isn’t it?  If only we could do ‘peace’ and ‘good will’ all year round, the world would be a much better place.

But, attractive as the sentiment is, it is not quite what the angels said.…

The sad irony of celebrity pastors

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Carl Lentz is the latest of a rather long line of celebrity pastors to fall off his pedestal.

Lentz, until very recently, lead pastor of Hillsong Church NYC, has apparently had a string of extramarital affairs.

Prompted by this sad turn of events, Ben Sixsmith (not a professing Christian) has written a thoughtful article about the perils involved with the cult of the celebrity pastor.

Lentz seems to have deliberately nurtured his celebrity image.  Not only has Hillsong NYC tended to put celebrities (such as Justin Bieber) front and centre of stage, so has the pastor himself:

‘Lentz turned himself into a brand.

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Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10 – The unpardonable sin

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Mt 12:31f “People will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Mk 3:29 “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin”

Lk 12:10 “The person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”…

Luke 2 – Was Joseph from Nazareth, or Bethlehem (or both)?

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It is generally supposed that Joseph, like Mary, came from Nazareth.  At the time of the census, he travelled, with his wife-to-be, to Bethlehem, his ancestral home.  After Jesus’ birth he took his little family to Egypt, in order to escape the threat of Herod.  And then, after that threat subsided, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth.

Stephen Carlson argues that Bethlehem was Joseph’s actual family home, and not just his ancestral home.  Two reasons: (a) the is no record of a census requiring a man to return to his ancestral home; (b) Lk 2:39 (‘…to a town of their own’) implies that Joseph and Mary made Nazareth their home after the birth. …