Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Other

The Riot and the Dance: A New Nature Documentary That Honors the Creator

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My family loves watching high-quality nature documentaries like BBC’s Planet Earth. I call them theological documentaries—even when the people who make them don‘t share my biblical convictions that God is the sovereign creator and that humans have a God-given role to rule over the nature that these films showcase.

What would it be like to watch a high-quality nature documentary that honors the Creator? Watch The Riot and the Dance—Part 1: Earth.

After I read Doug Wilson’s take on this new film, I wanted to see it.

My kids enjoyed it so much that they begged Jenni and me to watch it twice in one weekend.

Here’s an 80-second trailer for the 80-minute film:

[Read more…] about The Riot and the Dance: A New Nature Documentary That Honors the Creator

My Seminary Is Now Offering an M.A. in Exegesis and Theology for Women and Men

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My seminary has focused exclusively on training pastors with our four-year M.Div. program.

Now Bethlehem College & Seminary is adding a two-year M.A. program for both women and men.

My colleague Rick Shenk recently announced,

Over the past several years, we have received numerous inquiries from friends who love the vision, theology, and faculty of Bethlehem College & Seminary but could not enroll in our flagship M.Div. program that focuses on training men for vocational eldership. Associate pastors and non-staff elders, women’s ministry leaders, missionaries, and others who desire formal theological education have asked, “What about us?”

I am so excited that we are now offering an M.A. in Exegesis and Theology for women and men! I love this!

This is another way that Bethlehem College & Seminary is spreading a passion for the supremacy of God for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

More info here.

Top Posts in 2017

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Here are 17 top posts from 2017:

  1. How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology
  2. John Piper’s Tribute to Don Carson
  3. Eureka! Discovering Gold in God’s Word
  4. 20 Resources on the Protestant Reformation
  5. Andy and Jason Drive It Home
  6. Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should Not Divide Over the Age of the Earth
  7. No Quick Fix: Where Higher Life Theology Came From, What It Is, and Why It’s Harmful
  8. Carson: 10 Subtle Ways to Abandon the Authority of Scripture in Our Lives
  9. Why Christian Women Marry Losers
  10. Doug Wilson’s New Novel: Flags Out Front
  11. Advice for Students Considering a PhD
  12. 3 Helpful Books on Productivity: Essentialism, Deep Work, and Reset
  13. The Collected Works of John Piper
  14. Is Every Promise “Yes”? Jason DeRouchie on Old Testament Promises and the Christian
  15. My Favorite Two Sentences in the Bible (Romans 11:36) on Canvas
  16. Do Not Love the World: Breaking the Evil Enchantment of Worldliness
  17. Updates to My Article on How I Set Up My Desks for Sitting and Walking

Related:

The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation by Bryan Garner

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I recently finished micro-reading this mammoth reference book:

Bryan A. Garner. The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation. Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. xxvii + 583 pp.

You can survey the contents using Amazon’s “look inside” feature.

Here are three thoughts I had while reading the book: [Read more…] about The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation by Bryan Garner

My Favorite Two Sentences in the Bible (Romans 11:36) on Canvas

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My favorite two sentences in the Bible are Romans 11:36:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Here’s how I trace the argument in Romans 11:33–36:

(I wrote a PhD dissertation on that passage, focusing on the previous two sentences—published in 2012.)

I asked Joe Tyrpak, one of my accountability partners, if he would design Romans 11:36 for canvas so that I could display it over the fireplace in our home and over my desk in my school office. Most people think of Joe as a faithful pastor and gifted preacher (and he is), but he also has an undergraduate degree in graphic design. Here’s what he designed for me:

[Read more…] about My Favorite Two Sentences in the Bible (Romans 11:36) on Canvas

Top Posts in 2016

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Here are 11 top posts from 2016:

  1. Can You Vote for Donald Trump with a Clear Conscience?
  2. 10 Issues I Frequently Mark When Grading Theology Papers
  3. Ask Pastor John
  4. Don Carson on How Knowing the Bible Does Not Automatically Make You More Holy
  5. Read Books of the Bible in One Sitting
  6. Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ
  7. Has God Called You to Vocational Christian Ministry?
  8. Short Animated Videos That Summarize Each Book of the Bible
  9. 15 Accessible Books by Historian Paul Maier
  10. Seven Reasons You Should Not Indulge in Pornography
  11. Endorsements (cf. Resources I Have Endorsed)

Related:

How to Make My Favorite (Healthy) Snack: Popcorn

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File this under under “the things of earth.”

I don’t do much cooking, but I know how to make delicious popcorn. I’ve done this hundreds of times.

This popcorn is far healthier and tastier than microwave popcorn.

Tools and Ingredients

  1. Stove
  2. Popcorn popper (We use this one. It’s not heavy-duty—we’re on our third one—but it does the job.)
  3. Olive oil (We use this.)
  4. Popcorn kernels (We’ve used this for our last several rounds.)
  5. 1/2 measuring cup
  6. Popcorn salt (We use this.)
  7. Big bowl

whirleyoilpopcornsalt

Steps

[Read more…] about How to Make My Favorite (Healthy) Snack: Popcorn

Top Posts in 2014–2015

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At the end of 2011, 2012, and 2013, I shared some of the most popular posts on my site:

Here are the 20 most popular posts from 2014 and 2015:

  1. How I Set Up My Desks: One for Sitting, One for Walking
  2. NIV Zondervan Study Bible
  3. Is It Sinful for Unmarried Couples to Make Out?
  4. Phrasing: My Favorite Way to Trace an Argument
  5. Be More Specific Than “Points” or “Things”
  6. Toolbox for Skillful Shepherding
  7. Doug Wilson’s New Film: The Free Speech Apocalypse
  8. “Here I Stand”: Elsa (from Frozen’s “Let It Go”) vs. Luther (at the Diet of Worms)
  9. Zombie Nouns and Verbs: Why Nominalizations and Passives May Be Killing Your Writing
  10. On Plagiarism: An Interview with Justin Taylor
  11. No Regrets, No Retreat: Episode 8 (China) of Dispatches from the Front DVD Series
  12. 2nd Edition of Gordon Fee’s Commentary on 1 Corinthians
  13. How to Make Your Mac Read Text Aloud
  14. An Interview with Missionary J. D. Crowley on His Commentary on Romans
  15. Re 3 Unusual Tips for Better Bible Reading
  16. Do Complementarians Consistently Apply How Paul Argues from Creation in 1 Cor 11:8–10 and 1 Tim 2:13–14?
  17. Should Christians Drink Alcohol?
  18. Free MP3s: OT Survey by Jason DeRouchie
  19. When You Indulge in Pornography, You Participate in Sex Slavery
  20. Why and How to Memorize an Entire Book of the Bible