CATCHING UP In the first post of this series, we learned that “theology” is simply learning to embrace good and right ideas about God. C. S. Lewis compared the study of theology to holding a map of the world—a much needed help if you are interested in serious exploration. In the second post, we saw that not all ideas about God—or…
If God sets rules, we are called to keep them. “If you love me,” says Jesus, “you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). “Here’s how we can be sure that we know God in the right way,” writes John: “Keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3 MSG). It’s even possible to speak of “loving” God’s rules, since they give us peace,…
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14) “In other words, Theology is practical: especially now. In the old days, when there was less education…
In the history of Christian thought, some have assumed philosophy has nothing to do with Christianity. Writing in the 3rd century, Tertullian put it this way: For philosophy it is which is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy. From this source came…
In Paul’s final letters to young preachers Timothy and Titus, he urges them to “teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1 NIV), because “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3 NIV). When I was growing up, this phrase was actually used as “code:” if a church advertisement said it…