Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Carson on Scripture

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Coming July 2010:

D. A. Carson. Collected Writings on Scripture. Compiled by Andrew David Naselli. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.

It reprints and slightly updates five essays and five reviews:

  1. Approaching the Bible
  2. Recent Developments in the Doctrine of Scripture
  3. Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: The Possibility of Systematic Theology
  4. Redaction Criticism: On the Legitimacy and Illegitimacy of a Literary Tool
  5. Is the Doctrine of Claritas Scripturae Still Relevant Today?
  6. Three Books on the Bible: A Critical Review
  7. Three More Books on the Bible: A Critical Review
  8. Review of Jeffrey L. Sheler, Is the Bible True?
  9. Review of Alan G. Padgett and Patrick R. Keifert, eds., But Is It All True?
  10. Review of Roland Boer, Rescuing the Bible

Dr. Carson invited me to compile these essays and work with Crossway to publish them.

John MacArthur on How to Serve Christians Who Are Needlessly Restrictive

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At the 2007 Shepherds’ Conference, John MacArthur answered this question in a Q&A session:

How would you approach a congregation trapped in years of legalistic tradition?

The Shepherds’ Fellowship granted me permission to upload an MP3 of MacArthur’s 5-minute-and-20-second answer.

Here’s a summary. (It’s not a transcript, but it’s close. The headings are mine.)

1. Love them by not needlessly offending them.

  • Advice. “I would not attack legalism. I would not preach on Christian liberty. I would not assault their consciences either by flaunting liberty on a personal level.”
  • Scriptural principle. “I think there is a very important principle that comes at the end of 1 Corinthians 10 . . . . Do you offend the non-believer, or do you offend your weaker brother? The answer in that text is you offend the non-believer, and the message that the non-believer gets is that you love one another. . . . You defer always to the weaker brother.”
  • Definition of legalism. “In many cases when you’re talking about legalism, you’re not talking really about works-salvation. You’re talking, I assume, about an approach to the Christian life that is needlessly restrictive and narrow and artificially constructed around certain behaviors that aren’t even biblical issues.” [Read more…] about John MacArthur on How to Serve Christians Who Are Needlessly Restrictive

Scandalous

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D. A. Carson’s next book comes out this month: Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).

It’s based on five sermons that Carson preached in December 2008:

  1. The Ironies of the Cross (Matthew 27:27–51a)
  2. The Center of the Whole Bible (Romans 3:21–26)
  3. The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb (Revelation 12)
  4. A Miracle Full of Surprises (John 11:1–53)
  5. Doubting the Resurrection of Jesus (John 20:24–31)

Bible Software for iPhone and iPod Touch: Olive Tree vs. Logos

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In my post on iPhone Resources, I mention that Logos Bible Software (more info) is one of my favorite apps. Someone asked this in the comments:

Have you had a chance to use the Olive Tree Bible app at all? Any thoughts on comparisons with the Logos app?

I replied,

I haven’t used the various Olive Tree apps because my understanding is that Logos can do everything they can and more (esp. if you use Logos 4) for free. I may be wrong on that.

Well, I was wrong on that—at least for now.

1. What is Olive Tree Bible software?

Here’s how it describes itself:

Olive Tree Bible Software provides mobile Bible versions and study tools for iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Palm OS, Pocket PC, Smartphone and Symbian cell phones. We currently offer over 500 mobile resources including over 100 translations of the Bible as well as commentaries, dictionaries, devotionals, eBooks, and Strong’s numbering system. The Bible is offered in various languages, including German, French, Spanish, Chinese and many others. Original Hebrew and Greek texts are also available. Additionally, we provide online web and cell phone (WAP) Bible search engines.

2. What does Olive Tree Bible software offer for the iPhone and iPod Touch?

  1. Bibles. Hebrew, Greek, LXX, ESV, NIV, NASB, NET, NLT, The Message, and more.
  2. Study Bibles. ESVSB, NET notes, NIVSB, NLTSB, and more. [Read more…] about Bible Software for iPhone and iPod Touch: Olive Tree vs. Logos

iPhone Resources

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I got an iPhone this month, and it surpassed my high expectations. It’s amazing.

My 3GS model is 16 GB and weighs 4.8 ounces. That means that the little phone I keep in my pocket holds eight times as much space as the laptop I used from college through my first PhD (1998–2006).

If you have an iPhone (or iPod Touch), these resources may help you use the tool more efficiently.

1. iPhone Apps

The iPhone comes with several apps already installed, and over 100,000 apps are available through the iTunes Store.

Here’s a screen-shot of my apps as they appear iTunes (click on the image to enlarge):

Here are some practices I’ve found to be helpful:

[Read more…] about iPhone Resources