Between Two Worlds

William Willimon--United Methodist bishop of the North Alabama Conference--reviews Bart Ehrman's God's Problem in the latest issue of Christian Century. Here's an excerpt:

Being subjected to the puerile theodicy of undergraduates while he was teaching courses in religion at Rutgers was the coup de grâce for what was left of Ehrman's faith. So the professor ventured forth on the journey that he apparently considers heroic, even though it has been made by millions in the West before him: the journey of taking God less seriously and himself more so. While this is now an old story, Ehrman seems invigorated by the telling of it—I presume because it his own story. The radical subjectivity and narcissism of evangelical pietism must be tough to shake.

While reading God's Problem, I kept asking myself, why bother? There are no new insights or discoveries here. All of this is common knowledge to anyone who has taken a few Bible classes in any first-rate, state-funded, secular department of religion. And if one no longer believes in God, why attempt theodicy in the first place—who cares whether the God who isn't is just or unjust, caring or uncaring? Any argument against the goodness of God that begins with the announcement that God probably doesn't exist is a strange argument. Why beat a dead horse?

The answer to that question probably lies in Ehrman more than his subject matter. Ehrman proves the dictum that old fundamentalists never die; they just exchange fundamentals and continue in their unimaginative, closed-minded rigidity and simplicity. It's just too confusing to imagine that God's alleged omnipotence might be something other than what we think of as omnipotence or that God's love might be other than what we conceive of as love.

Ehrman appears to have a low tolerance for intellectual ambiguity of any sort. He demands logic as he defines it, and finding the God of Jews and Christians to be caught in a web of contradictions and irrationality, he therefore dismisses God. Ehrman showed this inability to tolerate ambiguity or interpretive dissonance in his book Misquoting Jesus as well. Trouble is, ambiguity, dissonance and conflict are the usual way that scripture presents its peculiar truth. Ehrman seems to want to read scripture as argument, defense and apology when many of the texts he cites are testimony, praise and narrative.

Read the whole thing.

Philip Brown, one of the co-editors of A Reader's Hebrew Bible, has posted onto his blog the glossary of words occurring over 100 times.

You can print it out as a double-sided booklet, or get the full-page version.

HT: Scott Anderson

Ligon Duncan:

Because I have a congregation that loves me more than I deserve, I am often asked by them: "how can I pray for you?" I've tried to put some thought into how I answer that question. So, maybe these ideas will help you pray for your pastor, or tell others how they can pray for you.

My suggestion: copy this list into a file, and replace "[pastor]" with your pastor's name, then put it in a place that you can refer to it often.

HT: Challies

I know it could get a tad embarrassing that I link to everything Carl Trueman writes at Ref21, but I find it consistently challenging and edifying, even when I disagree here and there. His latest--on the evangelical fascination with culture--is in the same category.

Here's the closing:

I could become less obsessed with particularities and more concerned with universals. I could engage less with the accidents of culture and more with the substance of nature. I might even spend less time training people who don't know the Apostles' Creed to watch movies that would have made grandma blush and more time teaching them the basic elements of scripture and doctrine. Horribly modernist, I know; in fact, boringly passé. But it might, just might, prove more relevant in the long run than being able to understand the sacramental significance of Sharon Stone or playing 'Spot the Redeemer Figure' in the latest Jim Carrey movie.

If you're okay with having your toes stepped on here or there, you really should read the whole thing.

On January 2 Peter Williams faced off with Bart Ehrman on the UK's Premiere Christian Radio program, Unbelievable, debating the reliability of the New Testament manuscripts. You can listen to the whole program online. (Denny Burk has more links: You can sign-up for the podcast or download the mp3.)

Peter Williams is the Warden (=President) of the Tyndale House at Cambridge (an international center of biblical research), previously serving as Senior Lecturer in NT at Aberdeen. You can also listen to Mark Dever's interview with him (and Simon Gathercole), and read my blog interview with him.

While I'm on the subject of Pete Williams and Tyndale House, let me encourage you to consider supporting them with a tax-deductible gift through American Friends of Tyndale House. It's a crucial ministry--many of the commentaries we benefit from were written there--that needs our support.

Here are some commendations of the ministry:

"Tyndale House, Cambridge, is unique: A gathering of international biblical scholars committed to historic Christianity, resident around a first-rate biblical studies library, right in the middle of one of the world’s greatest Universities. There is quite literally nothing else like it in the world. The American Christian community in particular has benefited immeasurable from the work of Tyndale House and holds a major stake in helping to keep it strong. I take every opportunity to urge Americans to stand behind Tyndale House in every way possible."

Duane Litfin,
President, Wheaton College, Chicago, IL

"I wrote my PhD dissertation at Tyndale House and have returned for research and writing on other books over the years. Every time I begin working there, I sense an excitement of once again being back in this ‘scholar’s heaven’. I thank God for this wonderful treasure that he has entrusted to the evangelical world, and for the faithful and visionary leadership of its excellent staff."

Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Bible and Theology, Phoenix Seminary, Scottsdale, AZ
Past President, Evangelical Theological Society

"Tyndale House has played a remarkable role in promoting and enabling fine scholarship in biblical studies, partly by virtue of its excellent library, partly as a setting for interaction between scholars either resident or working there. Many important books have been written there and many an important idea first blossomed there."

Professor Richard Bauckham, Professor of New Testament Studies and Bishop Wardlaw Professor, St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews

Leen Ritmeyer (the architect-archaeologist who did the research for the ESV Study Bible illustrations) is partnering with a firm to produce computer visuals of the Temple in Jesus' time. You can view a trailer below. It looks like a very impressive project:

If you want to listen to some good talks on Calvin, Martin Downes has collected a helpful list of talks by John Piper, Robert Godfrey, David Calhoun, and Michael Haykin.

Jonathan Edwards's resolutions--at least in the circles I run in--are frequently cited and praised this time of year. With others, I find this example of Edwards's pursuit of holiness challenging (and amazing, especially considering that he wrote them as a teenager!). But mingled with my appreciation is also a bit of unease.

In the latest issue of Tabletalk, Sinclair Ferguson and Gene Veith each independently comment upon Edwards's resolutions. I think they combine the right sense of admiration with a touch of warning.

Ferguson writes:

Doubtless the resolutions display the marks of relative youth — references to God are frequent, while references to Christ and to grace are noticeably infrequent. Edwards’ sense of the need for radical consecration was then greater than his ability to show how such devotion would need to be resourced in Christ over the long haul. While this is not wholly lacking, there is no doubt that introspection dominates over divine provision. That notwithstanding, the “Resolutions” provide a very powerful illustration of an often-repeated divine pattern: those the Lord means to use significantly he often deals with profoundly in early years.

Here are the three lessons from the Resolutions that Ferguson goes on to highlight: (1) life is for the glory of God; (2) life should be lived in the light of eternity; (3) life is lived best by those who guard the heart. You can read the whole thing.

Veith contrasts Edwards's God-seeking resolutions with Benjamin Franklin's attempts at moralistic resolutions. But here's his warning:

But even conservative Christians can sometimes fall into the trap of paying too much attention to themselves. “Am I really saved?” we can sometimes wonder, looking at our inner lives and hidden sins and finding all too little evidence of our holiness.

We have to admit that our own resolutions to improve our lives, however well-intentioned and sincerely meant, often have little effect. We cannot even keep our resolutions to lose weight or work out at the gym, much less eliminate our sins of lust and cruelty.

Surely Edwards would agree with Martin Luther, who, in his spiritual counseling, would urge tormented souls to stop looking at themselves. Instead, they should look outside themselves to Christ on the cross.

Salvation, both would insist, is extra nos (outside ourselves), founded on the unshakable grace of God and on the objective work of Christ. When we look inside ourselves we see our sin and our weakness, leading us only to despair. But when we look outside ourselves to the promises in God’s Word, we can find joy, confidence, and assurance.

You can read the whole thing.

Again, I think that both articles, read in conjunction, offer a good way to approach this with critical appreciation.

Just a reminder that the Ref21 blog on the Institutes starts today. Derek Thomas kicks things off with a look at Calvin's 1559 "Note to the Reader."

If you're a pastor or in pastoral ministry, you should seriously consider picking up a copy of Brian Croft's short, practical, biblical book: Visit the Sick: Ministering God's Grace in Times of Illness, with a foreword by Mark Dever.

Here are some of the endorsements:

"In this little volume, Brian helps us to think straightforwardly and faithfully about God’s truth and God’s people. His advice is as sound as it is simple. . . . Read this book, and let Brian help you in helping others."

Mark Dever
Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church,
(From the Foreword)

"What do pastors do when visiting the sick? Such visits are crucial both eternally and pastorally. Brian Croft has written a marvelous piece to assist us. His work is theologically grounded, gospel centered, and full of practical wisdom. I recommend it enthusiastically."

Thomas R. Schreiner
James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Teaching Pastor, Clifton Baptist Church

"I read Brian Croft’s Visit the Sick with glad thanksgiving! Visitation is a timely and much-needed topic for pastors and Christians in our day. And Croft addresses it with sound thinking and very helpful suggestions. Visit the Sick sets out to provide sensitive, God-honoring, and gospel-driven counsel to pastors and Christians. And it hits the mark. If you’re like me, someone who feels ill-equipped to say the right words or do the right things at someone’s sick bed, you’ll delight in this book and give God great praise for moving Brian Croft to write it. May the Lord be pleased to move us to visit our people and by that means awaken legions!’

Thabiti Anyabwile
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman Island

"Every pastor—and many other church leaders as well—will visit the sick. Some feel that their visits are fruitful times of ministry; others feel very awkward. Very, very few, however, have the intuitive people skills and the pastoral expertise to do this successfully without some training. Brian Croft’s book provides concise, wise, and practical instruction for this important aspect of ministry. Read it for yourself, study it as a staff, or use it as a training resource for all those in your church who regularly visit the sick. It can help turn a routine responsibility into a time of effective ministry.’

Donald Whitney
Associate Professor of Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
President, The Center of Biblical Spirituality

"Visit the Sick is an excellent and much needed resource today when the actual practice of 'shepherding souls' is so often neglected. Many younger pastors (and not so young ones as well) have never received the sort of very practical guidance which Brian Croft gives in this book. This book has the potential to be a great blessing to pastors and those they shepherd. It will now be a recommended text in my Pastoral Ministries class and I heartily commend it to others.’

Ray Van Neste, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Christian Studies; Director, R. C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, Union University
Elder, Cornerstone Community Church

"Seldom does one encounter pastoral resources of a practical nature that are richly biblical and theologically grounded. But Brian Croft's excellent guide to pastoral visitation of the sick and ailing does just this. By placing his wise and perceptive practical counsel within the framework of key biblical teaching and central theological conviction, he provides more than a mere 'how to' guide for pastoral visitation. Gratefully, he offers also the gospel of grace and power needed for the kind of practical help that truly brings honor to God and leads people to Christ. Filled with wisdom and rooted in theology, this resource offers the blend so needed in the church today."

Bruce A. Ware
Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Yale has made available the text for Jonathan Edwards's famous "Blank Bible" (a section from Proverbs is pictured to the right).

You can view and search the text here.

Scott Clark has a brief and helpful annotated reading list about Calvin and his writing.

The number of abortions performed in the US since 1973 is approach 50 million. An easy number to read, and a hard one to comprehend.

The Mississippi Baptist Convention has sought to put together a visual reminder: the Memorial to the Missing (pictured to the right), being filled with 50 million pennies.

Here's another way to try to get your mind around the number. If you add up the populations to the following states, they equal about 50 million.

• Kentucky
• Oregon
• Oklahoma
• Connecticut
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Arkansas
• Kansas
• Utah
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• West Virginia
• Nebraska
• Idaho
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Hawaii
• Rhode Island
• Montana
• Delaware
• South Dakota
• Alaska
• North Dakota
• Vermont
• Wyoming

Proverbs 24:10-12:

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?

Eric Schumacher has put together a helpful schedule for reading through all the articles and introductions in the ESV Study Bible this year. Without a plan, it won't get done.

If you want to keep abreast of All Things Calvin in 2009, the Calvin 500 Blog is the place to go. Their goal is "Fostering a healthy discussion for an international community about events, conferences, tours, reviews, studies, discussions, and developments related to the 2009 quincentenary of Calvin’s birth."

Here is the recommended reading list from Professor Brooks Landon, who teaches the writing course in the previous blog entry:

Virginia Tufte, Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style

Easily the best book on sentence style currently—or for that matter probably ever—in print. This book is indispensable for the serious student of the sentence. Not only does it contain much wisdom about writing sentences, but it also contains the best collection of striking individual sentences ever assembled.

Richard A. Lanham, Style: An Anti-Textbook

A must read for anyone interested in prose style, in the teaching of writing, or just in the writing in the world around us. This is Lanham’s argument that the stress on clarity in American writing instruction has largely worked to banish pleasure from writing.

John Trimble, Writing With Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing

This wonderful little writing guide has been reprinted more than 20 times since it was first published, and the reason for its popularity is clear: it offers wonderful, clear, easy-to-use advice.

Edgar H. Schuster, Breaking the Rules: Liberating Writers Through Innovative Grammar Instruction

This book confirms what we've all along suspected—that many of the "rules" concerning writing are pure hooey!

Matthew Clark, A Matter of Style: On Writing and Technique

A contemporary look at style by a classics professor, it retains much of the feel of older approaches to style, going back to Aristotle.

Richard A. Lanham, A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms

The authoritative contemporary look at the schemes and devices of classical rhetoric.

Jay David Bolter, Writing Space: The Computer, Hypertext and the History of Writing

The pioneering introduction to the ways in which electyronic textuality—writing made possible by computers—changes our understanding of writing in ways no less sweeping than did the invention of the printing press.

William H. Gass, A Temple of Texts

This collection of William Gass's essays is a stunning introduction to the possibilities and power of prose style.

John D’Agata, ed., The Next American Essay

The essay has been rapidly evolving in recent years and now takes forms many will have trouble recognizing as essays. This forward-looking collection shows where the essay is going, not just where it has been.

A great way to continue your education is through the materials put out by The Teaching Company.

And if you want to improve your writing, you might want to consider the course, Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft. It's 24 lectures (30 minutes each) on DVD, taught by Professor Brooks Landon of the University of Iowa.

It's usually $254.95 for the DVDs, but if you enter the code 32318 you can get it for $44.95.

Trevin Wax--who kept a Challiesque pace this year and read 100 books and reviewed 74!--points to a book I hadn't heard of, though it was published in early 2008: The God Who Smokes: Scandalous Meditation on Faith (NavPress), by Tim Stoner.

You can read Trevin's review. He says it's "thoroughly enjoyable on a number of levels.

First, it is very well-written. Secondly, it uses humor as a way to communicate serious truths. And best of all, Stoner uses personal stories to help him make his case.

Trevin then followed up with a two-part interview (part 1, part 2).

You can also read a sample chapter online.

I had to hold off on blogging about this new children's book from Reformation Trust until after Christmas, as we got a couple for gifts and didn't want family members who read this blog to go out and buy one first!

Here's the description for Susan Hunt's new 50-page hardcover book for kids, entitled Sammy and His Shepherd: Show Me Jesus in Psalm 23:

In Sammy and His Shepherd, Susan Hunt offers families a delightful story, built around the Twenty-third Psalm, that will help children grow in their understanding of what it is to live among a community of redeemed people guided by a loving Lord.

Sammy the sheep lives a happy life as part of a flock that is well cared for by a kind and good shepherd. But when he strikes up a friendship with a sheep in the next pasture, he begins to understand that not all shepherds are so loving. Eventually, Sammy's kind shepherd purchases Sammy's friend for himself, and from that point Sammy takes delight in helping his new "sister" sheep get to know their shepherd and his ways.

Delightful illustrations engage and hold the attention of young readers while the eleven brief chapters unfold the Twenty-third Psalm phrase by phrase. Discussion questions and activities help parents guide their children into a deeper understanding of the biblical text.

This is a great book--I've been enjoying reading it to my 5-year-old daughter at night.

Here are some other endorsements:

"Susan Hunt leads children through Psalm 23, one verse at a time, looking in detail at a shepherd's care through the eyes of his sheep. Sammy and His Shepherd explains important doctrines in simple and concise terms and points out how those doctrines about our Shepherd should impact the everyday lives of His sheep. This is a visually attractive book that sets forth the beauty of our Lord."

-Starr Meade, Author, Keeping Holiday and Training Hearts, Teaching Minds

"Sammy and His Shepherd is a delightful book for children. Written as an imaginative story narrated by a young lamb, this book does a skillful exposition of Psalm 23. It even includes some great talking points for each chapter. Susan Hunt's skills as a writer and rich theological insights are beautifully crafted into this story. Here is a book children will grow into and never outgrow."

- Tedd Tripp, Pastor, conference speaker, and author, Shepherding a Child's Heart

"I gave Susan Hunt's latest book the real test: I began reading it out loud to my rambunctious five-year-old. He was immediately charmed by her storytelling ability and would not let me stop. Sammy and His Shepherd combines rich, theologically informed understanding with sanctified creativity to reveal the green pastures of God's sovereign grace in all its loveliness."

- Douglas Bond, Author, Crown & Covenant series, and Faith & Freedom trilogy

"In this lovely book on the best-loved psalm, Susan Hunt engages the attention in a delightful way. I would encourage families to use this book and take advantage of the clear teaching, which points to the Good Shepherd who loves children and demonstrated that love so gloriously at Calvary."

- Carine Mackenzie, Author, Bible Time series and Bible Wise series

In addition to Ref21 blogging through the Institutes (which starts Jan 5), Princeton Seminary is doing the same. You can check out their page for a reading schedule, audio podcast, readings for your mobile device, weekly reflections, etc.

HT: Doug Wilson, who will be posting an ongoing study guide to the Institutes.

Someone asked about getting the ESV audio daily as a podcast to coincide with the reading schedules. Here's how to subscribe to this in iTunes:

1. Go to the ESV Reading Plans page.
2. Right-click (Ctrl-click on a Mac) the “RSS” link of the feed you want.
3. Choose “Copy Link Location” or “Copy Shortcut.”
4. Start iTunes.
5. Choose Advanced > Subscribe to Podcast
6. Paste the URL from step three into the box.
7. Click OK.

Don Whitney writes:

Have you ever read a few chapters in your Bible, closed it, and then realized, "I don't remember a thing I've read"? When this happens, don't blame your age, IQ, or education, for they're not the cause. Nearly all Bible readers frequently experience this forgetfulness. In most cases, however, the problem has more to do with the method of engaging God's Word than anything else. For if you merely read the Bible, don't be surprised if you forget most—if not all—of what you've read.

What's the simple solution? (And I do believe that benefiting from the intake of God's Word must be fundamentally simple since the Lord expects it of all His people, regardless of age, IQ, or education.) The solution is not only to read the Scriptures, but to meditate on them. Reading, of course, is the starting place. Reading is the exposure to Scripture, but meditation is the absorption of Scripture. And it's the absorption of Scripture that leads to the transformation of our lives.

But how do you meditate on God's Word so that we are not "forgetful hearers" (James 1:25)?

At his website Dr. Whitney has a helpful outline of methods for meditating on Scripture. Here they are:

Repeat the verse or phrase with emphasis on a different word each time.

E.g., John 2:5:

• Whatever He says to you, do it.
  
• Whatever He says to you, do it.
• Whatever He says to you, do it.
• Whatever He says to you, do it.
• Whatever He says to you, do it.
• Whatever He says to you, do it.

Rewrite the verse or phrase in your own words.

Look for applications of this text–what should you do in response to it?

Pray through the text.

Ask the Philippians 4:8 questions.

When meditating on an event, an experience, a thing, an encounter, etc., and especially on a story or event in Scripture, ask:

• What is true about this, or what truth does it exemplify?
• What is honorable about this?
• What is right about this?
• What is pure about this, or how does it exemplify purity?
• What is lovely about this?
• What is admirable, commendable, or reputation-strengthening about this?
• What is excellent about this (i.e., excels others of this kind)?
• What is praiseworthy about this?

Ask the “Joseph Hall” questions.

In his book The Art of Divine Meditation (1606) the English Puritan Joseph Hall listed a number of questions to ask of a Scripture passage for meditation:

• What is it? (Define and/or describe what it is.)
  
• What are its divisions or parts?
  
• What causes it?
  
• What does it cause (i.e., its fruits and effects)?
  
• What is its place, location, or use?
  
• What are its qualities and attachments?
  
• What is contrary, contradictory, or different to it?
  
• What compares to it?
  
• What are its titles or names?
  
• What are the testimonies or examples of Scripture about it?

Discover a minimum number of insights into the text (set the number in advance).

Find a link or common thread between all the chapters or paragraphs you’ve read.

Use Meditation Mapping

• Put the verse(s), phrase, word, or topic to be meditated upon in the middle of the page. (When possible, this should be done in picture form.)
• Allow insights, ideas, and thoughts to come quickly and freely.
• Use key words to represent your ideas.
• Connect your key word ideas to the central focus with lines.
• Use as few words per line as possible.
• Print all words for easier reading.
• Use color for emphasis and recall.
• Make frequent use of symbols and pictures in addition to words.

(For general books on mindmapping, see Tony Buzan, The Mind Map Book, and Joyce Wycoff, Mindmapping.)

Don Whitney:

Here’s a list of questions designed for self-reflection at the start of the new year, or on your birthday. They are also useful for family conversations, accountability partners, and small groups.

Read it online or download it as a bulletin insert (.doc, .pdf, A4.)

N.T. Wright has written a re-articulation of his view of justification and a response to his critics (notably Piper's The Future of Justification). Entitled Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision (192 pages) it will be published in the UK by SPCK (February 2009) and in the US by IVP (July 2009).

Michael Bird reprints an endorsement from Howard Marshall's endorsement:

This book is a magisterial response to the recent spate of criticism directed at Tom Wright for his theology of justification. He introduces readers to the debate and outlines his position without engaging in polemic against his opponents. This sprightly and gracious, yet robust, work is Tom Wright's carefully argued and scripturally based response to those who think that he has deeply misunderstood Paul's doctrine of justification. . . . This is definitely one of the most exciting and significant books that I have read this year. . . . Strongly commended!

Michael Bird writes:

I've been privileged enough to have a copy of the proofs. This book is a response to many of Wright's North American critics and to John Piper's The Future of Justification in particular. It is not a point for point reply to Piper but a general articulation of what Wright really thinks about justification with some hand-to-hand combat with Piper (as well as others such as Carson and Seifrid) along the way. Wright gives a very forthright defence of his position, but is certainly not acrimonious or uncharitable towards Piper. I'm not going to offer a review or even quote it at length here since the proofs might still be tinkered with before publication and I don't want to spoil the surprise for everyone.

Read Bird's post for the book's outline and why Bird thinks the book has value.

Last year David Powlison wrote a guest post for me on New Year's Resolutions. It's worth reading again. Here's an excerpt:

For starters, what is a resolution? What does it mean for me to resolve something? (We can dispense with the “New Year’s” part as merely arbitrary, not necessary.) This use of the word resolution means coming to a firm and determined decision to do something, to behave in a certain manner, to abide by certain principles. That sounds decidedly Christian. Considered from this angle, the Nicene Creed is one sort of resolution. And “I am Your servant . . . I promise to keep Your words” (Ps 119:124, 119:57 ) is another example of resolve. When you resolve_____, it means you formally express what you believe, will, or intend. It is a stand you take, a direction you choose. After thought and decision, you commit yourself to take steps along a trajectory which changes the destination of your life. Put that way, the entire Christian life might be conceived as a lifelong determination to make and walk out “New Creation Every-Day Resolutions.”