Protestant fundamentalists aren’t the only ones who practice separation.
Three Related Book Reviews
I contributed three related book reviews to the latest issue of Themelios.
1. Review of The Story: Read the Bible as One Seamless Story from Beginning to End. Themelios 34 (2009): 106–7.
“The Story is an edifying tool for a variety of situations: a supplemental textbook for students (junior high, high school, or college), an introduction to the Bible’s storyline for non-Christians or young Christians, and a creative refresher for mature Christians.”
2. Review of The Books of the Bible: A Presentation of Today’s New International Version. Themelios 34 (2009): 108–9.
“The Books of the Bible is ingenious. The way it presents the Bible as a library of literature is unique, simple, and elegant, and it naturally encourages better Bible reading.”
3. Review of Christopher R. Smith, The Beauty Behind the Mask: Rediscovering the Books of the Bible. Themelios 34 (2009): 109–10.
“Smith clearly and persuasively argues that visually presenting the Bible in a single column without chapter or verse references encourages reading that is more informed and engaged.”
Themelios 34:1
The latest issue of Themelios was released this morning. It is available as a 155-page PDF or in HTML.
- Editorial | D. A. Carson
- Minority Report: A Lesson from Peter the Barber | Carl Trueman
- The Embattled Bible: Four More Books | Robert W. Yarbrough
- How Far Beyond Chicago? Assessing Recent Attempts to Reframe the Inerrancy Debate | Jason S. Sexton
- Divine Retribution: A Forgotten Doctrine? | Andrew Atherstone
- Calvinism and Missions: The Contested Relationship Revisited | Kenneth J. Stewart
- Pastoral Pensées: Power in Preaching: Decide (1 Corinthians 2:1–5), Part 1 of 3 | Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.
- Book Reviews | 38 reviews
- Old Testament | 5 reviews
- New Testament | 10 reviews
- history and historical theology | 6 reviews
- systematic theology and bioethics | 10 reviews
- ethics and pastoralia | 2 reviews
- missions and culture | 5 reviews
“Every Christian is as guilty of putting Jesus on the cross as Caiaphas”
D. A. Carson makes this introductory observation to Matthew 26:57–68 in his 1984 Matthew commentary:
Few topics have caused more tension between Jews and Christians than the trial of Jesus. Those who have committed abominable atrocities against the Jews have often based their actions on the ground that Jews are the murderers of their Messiah, or God-killers, and have all too frequently turned to Matthew 27:25 for backing. (p. 549)
Carson proceeds in six steps, and the first half of his sixth step is moving:
From a theological perspective every Christian is as guilty of putting Jesus on the cross as Caiaphas. Thoughtful believers will surely admit that their own guilt is the more basic of the two; for if we believe Matthew’s witness, and Jesus could have escaped the clutches of Caiaphas (v. 53), then what drove Jesus to the cross was his commitment to the Father’s redemptive purposes. While this does not excuse Caiaphas and his peers, it keeps Christians from supercilious judgment of the Jews. (p. 552, emphasis added)
MP3s of TGC’s Plenary Sessions
Audio from the ten plenary sessions at The Gospel Coalition’s 2009 National Conference is available here.
I benefited most from these five sessions:
- Session 1: Tim Keller: “The Grand Demythologizer: The Gospel and Idolatry” (Acts 19:21-41) [See notes.]
- Session 2: John Piper, “Feed the Flame of God’s Gift: Unashamed Courage in the Gospel” (2 Timothy 1:1-12) [See Piper’s manuscript.]
- Session 8: Panel Discussion: Tim Keller, John Piper, Ligon Duncan and Crawford Loritts (chair: Stephen Um)
- Session 9: Ligon Duncan, “Finishing Well” (2 Timothy 4:6-22)
- Session 10: Don Carson, “That By All Means I Might Win Some’: Faithfulness and Flexibility in Gospel Proclamation” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Video for all the plenary sessions and audio from the workshops are coming soon. (TGC’s website has shut down at least twice in two days because it has exceeded its bandwidth limit.)
Gospel-Fellowship
One of the most underemphasized blessings of attending a gospel-centered conference is gospel-fellowship with so many brothers in Christ. It’s an invigorating means of grace! (Pictured here is my cancer-surviving friend Matt Hoskinson, whom my daughter appeared to find rather fascinating!)
BTW, audio and video from The Gospel Coalition’s 2009 National Conference is being made available here (just click on the titles of hyperlinked sessions).
Mike Bullmore: The Pastor and Preaching
Tony Reinke: “Audio and PDFs from the 2009 Sovereign Grace Ministries Pastors Conference (April 6-8) are now available for download.”
This includes the following seminar by Mike Bullmore: “The Pastor and Preaching: How to Start a Sermon, End a Sermon, and Prepare the Middle of a Sermon” (MP3 | PDF).
