In comparison to many modern exegetes, the Reformers had a broader hermeneutical lens when reading the Old Testament, and were more open to finding types, figures, and applications for their particular contexts in the Old Testament. This can be seen in the interpretation of Ezekiel 34:1-31, where Lutheran theologian Martin Chemnitz (1522-1586), like many of…

This third year of the Creation Project is focused upon theological anthropology, with consideration given to questions of the origin, nature, and ultimate purposes of human life. In his 1993 award-winning book, The Contemporary Christian, John Stott writes: Millions of people do not know who they are, nor that they have any significance or worth. Hence…

The final chapter of John Stott’s classic text, Between Two Worlds, is devoted to two personal characteristics which he judged to be essential to the task of Christian preaching: courage and humility. It is through the balance of these two traits that Christian preachers can faithfully execute their stewardship as ministers of the Gospel. He writes,…

  “Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.” Psalm 10:17–18   Stop Child Witch Accusations (SCWA) was formed in 2012 and is a coalition of predominantly Christian,…

I recently received a phone call from a fellow pastor asking for help. “I’m preaching through Genesis 1­­­–11,” he anxiously explained to me, “and I need some advice on the whole creation and evolution thing.” The sound of his voice let me know he was worried about how this might go down in his congregation….

This past weekend, a group of pastors, researchers, and educators who work with and alongside emerging adults gathered together for two days of conversation and professional development. This gathering included leaders in churches, parachurch organizations, and institutions of higher education. Though we came from different backgrounds and ministry contexts, we shared a common commitment to…

For the past few months, I have been rather perplexed by the juxtaposition of two songs on one of my playlists. I downloaded the first because of how both its lyrics and musicality depict reality of pain in human relationships. I downloaded the second because of how it captures a sense of hope. While attending…

Someone once said, “The seeds of change are planted in the questions that we ask.” If the statement is true, then we need to pay close attention to the questions themselves since they may give us a window into the world of people that we care about. Where do I belong? What is my purpose…

Combining his pastoral experience and scholarly interest in Jonathan Edwards, Pastor Josh Moody of College Church delivered a timely and practical message for the TEDS community drawing from the life, work, and ministry of Edwards. As part of the Jonathan Edwards & the Church series, Moody presented The Theocentric Vision of Jonathan Edwards: A Hands-On…

In 2014’s final Scripture and Ministry lecture, Cornelius Plantinga examined the virtue and craft of forgiving others who have wronged us. Beginning by theologically situating the forgiveness of sins, Plantinga explored how the doctrines of justification and union with Christ in his death and resurrection form the basis for our understanding of the forgiveness of…