Inbox: The Church as Institution vs. Sect (II)

The non-sacral sect model views culture as something that is at best inevitably corrupt (and thus to some degree a thing indifferent), and at worst a subversive danger to the Kingdom. This must be juxtaposed with the sacral-institutional model that views culture as something to be mastered, shaped, and controlled. When I say 'indifferent', this is not to suggest that it can be used expansively or with abandon. On the contrary our interactions with it must be marked by caution and even cynicism - and yet without fear. Such wisdom and occasionalism prove difficult and thus many have (in the spirit of the Pharisees) erected the Legalist Wall as a means of protection - a move that is ultimately corrosive in that in addition to being unbiblical it has the tendency to shut down the spiritual faculties of discernment instead relying on a kind of checklist spirituality wed to a (fundamentally flawed) cultural narrative.

Inbox: The Church as Institution vs. Sect (I)

What of those who insist it's wrong for the Church to be viewed as a sect? Is it an institution? Is it right for us to think of it in such terms?

Over the past several years I've heard more than one statement or discussion regarding the question of the Church needing to function as an institution or fixture within society and not fall into the category of being a sect and it connotations of marginalisation, exclusivity, and even extremism. The acceleration and amplification of the culture wars and the perceived marginalisation of the Church has fueled this discussion.

Inbox: Can an Unbaptized person take Communion?

It seems like this subject is coming up a lot lately as I've encountered it in churches, in conversation, and even in podcast discussions. Sadly, the understanding of this question is often lacking.

Inbox: Christian Kids in State Colleges (II)

For as 'woke' as the environment supposedly is – he's been appalled at the Establishment-friendly narratives (that while sometimes critical of the United States) in the end defend it and justify American policy and conduct in such contexts as Vietnam and its other more recent wars. And so while a Right-wing adherent would be critical of what's being said, a New Testament Christian is left offended by what is in the end a defense of the Establishment regime and its countless episodes of imperialist theft and murder. And it would only be worse in the context of a Christian college.

Inbox: Christian Kids in State Colleges (I)

After having stated on repeated occasions that I don't believe Christians should send their children to public school, how can I justify sending my son to a state or public college? Isn't this the same thing?

Inbox: Protestantism as Progress

I was asked to elaborate a bit on the question of proto-Protestantism's relationship to Magisterial Protestantism and the question of conservative vs. progressive movements.

Inbox: Romans 9 and Paul's Affection for Israel as a Justification for Patriotism

I was asked concerning Romans 9 and Paul's affection for the Jewish people. Apparently this passage is used by some Dominionists to justify ethno-nationalist agendas or forms of patriotism, suggesting that Paul effectively endorsed such thinking by his expressions for the Jewish people.

Inbox: Paul, Timothy, and the Case for Christian Rulers

Does 1 Timothy chapter 2 assume that Paul looked for Christian magistrates?

Inbox: The Glory of the Nations in Revelation 21 and the Question of Eschatological Continuity (II)

*updated 9 April 2022

Even the Old Testament casts doubt on the continuity reading of Revelation 21. Ecclesiastes, a book that is so problematic for modern Evangelicalism and Dominionism has its message spun. The end result of their exegetical machinations is that the world is not given to vanity and corruption even though Paul forcefully and explicitly reiterates this point in Romans 8 and elsewhere argues that this world in its state of curse is subject to temporality. This is in contrast with the eternal (and thus ultimately true) nature of the eschatological Kingdom. That which is temporal is impermanent. This is not Gnosticism opposing matter or the material world or suggesting that it is illusion. It's a state of existence resulting from the Fall of Man and the curse God has placed on the world – not matter as matter, but this world which includes its fallen matter subject to decay and death, a matter sundered from its spiritual moorings as it were.

Inbox: Utilising the Decalogue

I have paraphrased the question(s) below:

If the Decalogue is technically defunct in the New Covenant era and yet still expresses the Eternal Law of God albeit in its specific Mosaic and Pre-Christ form - can it nevertheless be utilised by Christians to point out and expose sin?

Inbox: A Gospel Tract

The Gospel of Scripture vs. Today's Gospel

The gospel message is simple enough. But to present it in a few paragraphs? Well, that's not so easy especially if you want the presentation to be contextualised to our contemporary audience. Well, here's an attempt and given the nature of the exercise I'm not going to saturate it with Scriptural quotations – though I hope many will recognise it as Scriptural and as something that employs a great deal of Scriptural language. This is the message in summary – in a kind of tract or written-preached form:

Inbox: An Elaboration of Biblicism (I)

What is meant by Biblicism? Like so many terms this can be confusing because people mean different things by it and define it in different ways. I am constantly arguing that Sola Scriptura is largely meaningless when it's restricted to just questions of soteriology, or when it's divorced from the doctrine of Sufficiency or even when it's separated from a concept such as the Providential Preservation of the Holy Text.

Inbox: Why the Focus on Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics? (Part 1)

I've received more than a few questions along these lines. To some it almost seems like an obsession or to others a waste of time.

Inbox: Daniel and the Beastly Magistrate

I was asked a question regarding Daniel serving in government. Clearly Daniel was willing to serve (as a slave) in the governments of Babylon and Persia and yet stood his ground regarding overt idolatry. If he refused to worship idols, why didn't he refuse to work for the Beast power? If (as I argue) working for the state was and is truly the wrong thing for a believer to do, why didn't Daniel refuse service altogether just as he and his friends refused to bow down to the king?

And obviously by implication the question suggests that my Christians should not participate in government argument may be flawed.

Inbox: The Social Justice Controversy (Part 1)

The controversy was generated in 2018 when a group of men led by John MacArthur issued a document (sometimes referred to as the Dallas Statement) condemning the recent spate of 'social justice' movements at work within US political culture and in particular Evangelicalism.

Christians and Tattoos: Wading Through the Bad Arguments (Part 1)

It's a strange issue to have to discuss, all the more because it wasn't that long ago that this issue was unheard of. Tattoos were pretty rare and almost unheard of among Christians. Additionally the idea of Christian-themed tattoos would have been viewed as something not only bizarre but something laughable, absurd, an oxymoronic suggestion to be sure.

And yet culture changes and values shift and just because generations saw something as wrong, doesn't mean that they were always right. Maybe centuries of tradition on this point were mistaken and not only is it okay to get a tattoo but maybe Christians should do so as an act of devotion.

Inbox: The Right and Wrong of NT Wright

His Critics and Some Comments

http://theaquilareport.com/n-t-wrights-long-farewell/

Earlier this summer I offered a few comments on this Aquila Report article in a discussion with a friend. This is slightly edited version of them here...

Inbox: Neo-Evangelicalism within the Framework of Evangelical Development

What's the difference between Neo-Evangelicalism and regular Evangelicalism and when did it arise?

It's not an easy question because no one can agree on what these terms mean. That said, though it's hard to be precise many seem to know almost intuitively what is meant.

If I were to provide a generalised narrative that is so broad as to be inaccurate and easily criticised, but still provides a starting point...

I propose three phases:

1950s-1970s

1970s-1990s

1990s-present

There won't be another phase.

Inbox: Finance Capital and Why I Don't Have a 401K or an IRA

This is not meant to condemn those that do or those who invest in the market. You must form your own convictions but I will briefly explain why I do not own investments or a retirement account.

Inbox: Why are you taking so much time to write about Turkey, Syria, ISIS, spies, guerilla groups and other strategic issues? Isn't this just a waste of time?

This is a composite of several emailed questions.

I get these emails from time to time and even though I've addressed these issues before it warrants the occasional review.