Practical Theology

Ask Pastor John

July 26, 2016 by Andy Naselli

I just caught up listening to all the Ask Pastor John episodes (900+ now). John Piper and the host, Tony Reinke, serve us well. I benefit especially from the well-reasoned rubber-meets-the-road practical theology.

Here’s a sampling of 13 episodes that stand out:

Choosing a Seminary (Episode 89) [Cf. What, how, and why we teach.]
On Ghostwriters (Episode 129)
Bible Memory as Ministry to Others (Episode 131) [Cf. Why and How to Memorize an Entire Book of the Bible.]
Should Christians Use the Pill? (Episode 230) [Cf. Should Christians Use Contraceptives?]
Tattoos in Biblical Perspective (240)
Six Reasons to Skip Tattoos (241) [Cf. “Should you get a tattoo,” in Conscience, pp. 73–75.]
Ghostwriting and Research Assistants (Episode 245)
Pornography and Resisting the Power of Temptation (Episode 291) [Cf. The Best Book on Sexual Purity.]
Should Christians Watch ‘Game of Thrones’? (Episode 368) [Cf. Piper’s article.]
How John Piper Writes Books (Episode 582) [Cf. “Window into Piper’s Writing,” a 6-minute DG video with shots of Piper’s home and study—embedded below.]
How Do You Use Your iPhone and iPad in Christian Growth? (Episode 828)
Ten Principles for Personal Productivity (Episode 839) [Cf. posts I’ve tagged as “work.”]
A Short History of Bible Clutter (Episode 888; Paauw—not Piper) [Cf. Re 3 Unusual Tips for Better Bible Reading.]

https://vimeo.com/168993041

Why Angry Men Often Seek Out Conservative Churches

July 19, 2016 by Andy Naselli

Doug Wilson explains why in “An Open Letter to an Angry Husband.” Spot on.

Chris Moles, The Heart of Domestic Abuse: Gospel Solutions for Men Who Use Control and Violence in the Home (Bemidji, MN: Focus, 2015).
Must a Wife Always Follow Her Husband’s Leadership?

When people are skittish over complementarianism, apologizing for it, I know they are probably thinking about authority in a wrong way.

June 21, 2016 by Andy Naselli

Below is an insightful excerpt from Mark Dever, Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, 9Marks (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 101–3. I bolded the most punchy paragraph and underlined the sentence that made me laugh out loud. So true.

7. Encourage Godly Authority [Read more…] about When people are skittish over complementarianism, apologizing for it, I know they are probably thinking about authority in a wrong way.

Don Carson on How Knowing the Bible Does Not Automatically Make You More Holy

June 14, 2016 by Andy Naselli

D. A. Carson, “I Am the Truth,” in The God We Worship: Adoring the One Who Pursues, Redeems, and Changes His People, ed. Jonathan L. Master (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2016), 157–58:

Knowledge of the Word does not sanctify us by mere education. I have now lived long enough and have belonged to enough professional biblical societies that there are not many front-rank New Testament scholars in the world whom I have not met. Some of them are very brilliant minds indeed. [Read more…] about Don Carson on How Knowing the Bible Does Not Automatically Make You More Holy

Resources I Have Endorsed

June 7, 2016 by Andy Naselli

I added a new page on my website titled “Endorsements.” (It’s on the dropdown menu under “Publications.”)

This list helps me (a) keep track of what I’ve endorsed and (b) point people to resources I’ve endorsed.

10 Issues I Frequently Mark When Grading Theology Papers

May 24, 2016 by Andy Naselli

1. Omit needless words, and be clear.

Avoid passives and nominalizations.
Avoid convoluted sentences and paragraphs.
“Don’t try to dress up your writing.” Don’t try to sound smart.
Everything from your paper’s title to its introduction, thesis, headings, and conclusion should clearly indicate what and how you are arguing. Is your approach inductive, deductive, or a mix? (See Don Carson’s advice about two ways to approach writing a dissertation.)
Be more specific than “points” or “things.”
Correct typos. Read your draft aloud, and then make your computer read it aloud. Sometimes your ears will hear errors your eyes miss.
Place only in the right spot (usually right before what it modifies).
See “Six Useful Books on Writing.”

Should Seminaries Require Students to Write So Many Academic Research Papers? John Frame Says No

May 17, 2016 by Andy Naselli

John Frame stirred the pot about how a seminary should train church leaders in “The Academic Captivity of Theology,” John Frame’s Selected Shorter Writings: Volume Two (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2015), 59–76. He follows up with a new essay: “What Seminaries Can Do Without,” in John Frame’s Selected Shorter Writings: Volume Three (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2016), 145–56. He provocatively elaborates on seven items he thinks seminaries can do without: [Read more…] about Should Seminaries Require Students to Write So Many Academic Research Papers? John Frame Says No

Ten Things You Should Never Do in a Theological Research Paper

May 10, 2016 by Andy Naselli

That’s the title of Appendix A in this book (pp. 93–96):

Michael Kibbe. From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2016.

Kibbe lists “the kinds of errors that are most likely to make your professors pull their hair out—what will really drive them nuts!” [Read more…] about Ten Things You Should Never Do in a Theological Research Paper