Podcasts about Kevin Vanhoozer

I mean, I don't know you. Maybe you didn't grow up in an evangelical Christian subculture. But if you did, there's a high likelihood that the ideas you absorbed about how men and women behave—and what it even means to be masculine or feminine—were influenced heavily by C.S Lewis' famous Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength.On this fascinating episode, Kathryn Wagner (returning guest and medieval lit scholar) and Robin Harris (writer and incoming seminarian) stopped by to evaluate Lewis' takes on gender against both more modern feminist sensibilities and much older writers and theologians in the Christian tradition.You should absolutely join us.★ About Our Guests:Robin Harris is a North Carolina based freelance writer and editor who specializes in Bible curriculum. She is on the board of the Davenant Institute. Her writing has appeared in Mere Orthodoxy, Ad Fontes, and the Theopolis Institute. As of Fall 2025, she will be a student at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (MATS, 2027). She writes at robinjeanharris.substack.com/ and can be reached at robinjeanharris [at] gmail.com.Kathryn Wagner is the Director of Academic Programming at the Center for Christianity and Scholarship at Duke University. She studies the literature and religious culture of the late Middle Ages and teaches courses that aim to form students in virtue through the practices of the liberal arts. She can be reached at kathryn [at] mogkwagner.net.—★ Timestamps(00:00) #62 - Evangelicals' Gender Ideas Came from C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy - with Robin Harris and Kathryn Wagner(04:20) Evangelicals who leaned on C.S. Lewis and the Space Trilogy(13:12) The Space Trilogy tackles gender(24:46) But can archetypes live in the real world?(38:44) God does not have a body: Metaphors in Christian scripture(53:28) Confusion and contraception are tied together(01:00:58) God as our mother?(01:06:39) Lewis's thinking evolution: widening the gender box(01:24:44) Replacing theoretical masculinity and femininity with real friendships(01:33:24) What would Lewis think of today's transgender conversation?(01:40:31) In the Christian tradition on gender, Lewis is the test run—★ Links and ReferencesThese well-read people dropped a lot of names and references. For your ease of Google searching, here are the ones we caught:John and Stasi Eldridge (books: Wild at Heart, Captivating), Jordan Peterson Jungian thinking, Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Elisabeth Elliot (book: Let Me Be a Woman), complementarianism and egalitarianism, Michael Ward (book: Planet Narnia), apophatic theology, platonic forms and Aristotle's hylomorphism, Thomistic/ Thomas=Thomas Aquinas, Pope John Paul II (book/writings: Theology of the Body), Anselm of Canterbury talked about God as our mother, Julian of Norwich said a similar thing; Joy Davidman, Dorothy Sayers, philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe, Sister Penelope Lawson, Ruth Pitter, C. S. Lewis (books: The Four Loves, A Grief Observed), Kevin Vanhoozer (theologian).—★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!Email: communionandshalom@gmail.com | Instagram: @newkinship | Substack: @newkinship | Patreon: @newkinship —★ CreditsCreators and Hosts: David Frank, TJ Espinoza | Audio Engineer: Carl Swenson, carlswensonmusic.com | Podcast Manager: Elena F. | Graphic Designer: Gavin Popken, gavinpopkenart.com ★ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newkinship.substack.com

Episode Notes Reading and interpreting the Bible is more, never less, than applying the correct principles. That's because the Scriptures are unlike any other writing in that they are God's words to his people. In his book Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What it Means to Read the Bible Theologically, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer writes, “Biblical interpreters are answerable not only for the ‘correctness' of their reading but for the way they respond to what they read, and to the one who is saying it.” In this episode, he joins Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss his book and what truly faithful biblical integration looks like.

On this episode of the podcast, we interview one of my most trusted teachers, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer (who also happens to be a world class theologian!) It's a conversation about what it means to read the Bible “transfigurally”: to take seriously the literal meaning of the text but also to make sure we follow the text as it leads us to see and savor Jesus Christ. Among the questions we discuss: How do we take each passage of Scripture on its own terms while also being attentive to the way it points us to Jesus? Is there value in a "step-by-step" method for reading the Bible? What does it mean (and not mean) to take the bible "literally"? What are some of the bad reading habits we've picked up and what are some better ones? What does it mean to be "biblical"? Get the book: https://zondervanacademic.com/products/mere-christian-hermeneutics  More from Dr. Vanhoozer: https://www.kevinjvanhoozer.com/about   

On this episode, Chad chats with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School about his latest book "Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically" with Zondervan Academic. Dr. Vanhoozer explains his thesis of how we ought to read and respond to the Bible through the lens of Christ's transfiguration. He received his PhD from Cambridge University, served as Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh, has written over 20 books, and is currently Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity. His work covers many areas of theology and has inspired and influenced many to study the Bible, including Chad. We're thankful to Dr. Vanhoozer for taking the time to meet and to Zondervan for providing a copy of his book!Stay on the lookout for more episodes coming soon and we hope you enjoy!uy "Mere Christian Hermeneutics"Subscribe to our Patreontwitter: @theologyxianFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahistoryofchristiantheology

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kevin J. Vanhoozer about his recent work in biblical hermeneutics. In our conversation, we discuss Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically (Zondervan). Topics include: What does it mean to be biblical? What is the literal sense? Can biblical interpretation change the world?   Vanhoozer is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His other books that we mention in this discussion are Is There Meaning in this Text, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation, and Biblical Authority after Babel.     This podcast is hosted by Ched Spellman (https://linktr.ee/chedspellman). Thanks for listening! My Most Recent Book: One Grand Story: How the Bible Tells its Story and Why it Matters Substack Series on the Canonical Approach: https://bit.ly/3rht399 Digital Tip Jar ("Buy Me a Coffee"): https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chedspellman Clarifying Note: The views of special guests are their own & do not necessarily reflect my own or the organizations with which I am formally and informally affiliated.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley are joined by Kevin J. Vanhoozer to discuss his new book, “Mere Christian Hermeneutics.”Questions Covered in This Episode:Can you give our listeners a sense of your larger interest? What are you trying to accomplish in your body of work? What's your goal as you write and teach?What is hermeneutics?What is the Bible? What is it meant to do?What is mere Christianity? What's a mere Christian hermeneutic?What is the literal sense?Is a mere Christian hermeneutic composed of biblical insight, theological truth, and/or transformation application? Focused on one over the other? Something entirely different?How does a person, an individual bible reader/studier, look to cultivate this kind of approach? How do we read the Bible well?How would you distinguish historical mere Christian reading from Christian sub-cultural reading of the scriptures?How does the beatific vision of beholding God, shape the way we read and interpret scripture?Helpful Definitions:Hermeneutics: The principles and practices for understanding the Biblical text.Guest Bio:Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer is research professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the author of many books, including but not limited to: Faith Speaking Understanding, Hearers and Doers: A Pastors Guide to Making Discipleship through Scripture and Doctrine, and Mere Christian Hermeneutics. He is theological mentor to the Augustine Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians and Senior Fellow of the C. S. Lewis Institute for Discipleship. He is married to Sylvie (author of The Art of Living in Season and The Art of Living in Advent), has two daughters and one son-in-law.Resources Mentioned in this Episode:John 5:45, 2 Corinthians 3:18“Drama of Doctrine” by Kevin J. Vanhoozer“Mere Christian Hermeneutics” by Kevin J. Vanhoozer“Remythologizing Theology” by Kevin J. Vanhoozer“You are a Theologian” by Jen Wilkin and J T English“Remember and Rehearse” by J.T. English“Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteOur Sister Podcasts:The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny TheologiansSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurchMidwestern Seminary is excited to announce FTC Talks, exclusive conversations with MBTS faculty about ministry related topics. Completely online and FREE, you can sign up for any and all FTC Talks today at mbts.edu/ftctalks to reserve your spot. Join us for talks about women's discipleship, God's heart for the nations, gospel-driven ministry, Spurgeon's pastoral ministry, and how every Christian is a counselor. We hope these conversations will spur you on in your service to the local church and help you connect with even more ministry leaders and friends across the country. Sign up today at mbts.edu/ftctalks.To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page. Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Dr Kevin Jon Vanhoozer is an American theologian and current research professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Deerfield, Illinois. Much of Vanhoozer's work focuses on systematic theology, hermeneutics, and postmodern theology. I've been a fan of Kevin's for many years and was delighted to finally speak to him. I think his work is of utmost importance. For more, please see: https://www.kevinjvanhoozer.com/ Kevin J. Vanhoozer - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) On My Shelf: Life and Books with Kevin Vanhoozer Kevin Vanhoozer (@VanhoozerKevin) / X Amazon.co.uk: Kevin J. Vanhoozer: books, biography, latest update NEW BOOK: Mere Christian Hermeneutics --- Kevin Vanhoozer

“Many Christians wonder how to read the text of Scripture well, rightly, and faithfully. After all, developing a strong theory of interpretation has always been presented by two enormous challenges:A variety of actual interpretations of the Bible, even within the context of a single community of believers.The plurality of reading cultures—denominational, disciplinary, historical, and global interpretive communities—each with its own frame of reference.In response, influential theologian Kevin J. Vanhoozer puts forth a "mere" Christian hermeneutic—essential principles for reading the Bible as Scripture everywhere, at all times, and by all Christians.To center his thought, Vanhoozer turns to the accounts of Jesus' transfiguration—a key moment in the broader economy of God's revelation—to suggest that spiritual or "figural" interpretation is not a denial or distortion of the literal sense but, rather, its glorification.Irenic without resorting to bland ecumenical tolerance, Mere Christian Hermeneutics is a powerful and convincing call for both church and academy to develop reading cultures that enable and sustain the kind of unity and diversity that a "mere Christian hermeneutic" should call for and encourage.”Youtube - https://youtu.be/HxTlkNAkbh4Audio - https://andymilleriii.com/media/podcastApple -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-to-the-story-with-dr-andy-miller/id1569988895?uo=4Check out this book here - https://zondervanacademic.com/products/mere-christian-hermeneuticsIf you are interested in learning more about my two video-accompanied courses, Contender: Going Deeper in the Book of Jude andHeaven and Other Destinations: A Biblical Journey Beyond this World , visit courses.andymilleriii.comAnd don't forget about my most recent book, Contender, which is available on Amazon! Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching - Recently, I updated this PDF document and added a 45-minute teaching video with slides, explaining this tool. It's like a mini-course. If you sign up for my list, I will send this free resource to you. Sign up here - www.AndyMillerIII.com or Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching. Today's episode is brought to you by Wesley Biblical Seminary. Interested in going deeper in your faith? Check out our certificate programs, B.A., M.A.s, M.Div., and D.Min degrees. You will study with world-class faculty and the most racially diverse student body in the country. www.wbs.eduThanks too to Phil Laeger for my podcast music. You can find out about Phil's music at https://www.laeger.net

Is it literally possible to read the Bible literally? Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer joins Derek, Alastair, and Matt as the penultimate guest of 2024 to talk about frames of reference, transfigural reading, how the New Testament uses the Old Testament, and how to create a culture of reading at your church. You will literally love it! Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The Alastair Roberts Endorsement [0:00] Penultimage Delight [1:27] Literally Reading the Bible [2:44] Figural Reading [8:04] Frames of Reference [10:35] Literary Tropes [14:42] Covenant [17:07] Eschatological Meaning [20:48] Lifting the Veil [29:11] The Transfiguration [33:15] The New Testament Model of Reading [38:44] Creating a Reading Culture [44:41]

Kevin Vanhoozer joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his recent book, Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically. Christians across traditions and vocations have wondered what it means to read Scripture faithfully. Are there essential principles for reading the Bible as Scripture everywhere, at all times?  What does it mean to read the Bible “literally”, or to interpret the text theologically? How do we enter the presence of God as we read? All this and more on today's episode!

In this episode, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb (  @tmichaelwhalcomb  ) interviews Dr. Kevin VanHoozer. Tune in as they talk about "hermeneutics, Biblical authority, C.S. Lewis", faith, and more. This is an interview you don't want to miss! ***GlossaHouse resources are available at our website! - https://glossahouse.com/ ✏️ ***Sign up for classes with GlossaHouse U - https://glossahouse.com/pages/classes

Where Dave, Whitney, and Jon dive into the rich tapestry of intergenerational relationships within the church. In this episode of Cabin Conversations, they explore the importance of mentorship, the dynamics of communication styles across generations, and the unique contributions each age group brings to the community. They discuss the challenges and joys of fostering connections between younger and older generations, emphasizing the need for both sides to actively seek out relationships. With insights from personal experiences and a focus on the value of community, this episode encourages listeners to embrace the beauty of diverse generational perspectives in their faith journeys. **Books Mentioned:** 1.  *Mere Christian Hermeneutics by Kevin Vanhoozer 2. *Paul and Time: Life and the Temporality of Christ* by Jervis 3. *Paul and the Resurrection of Israel: Jews, Former Gentiles, and Israelites*  4. *The Interpretation and Inspiration of Scripture: What the Early Church Can Teach Us* Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that highlights the significance of community and the transformative power of relationships across generations!

Kevin Vanhoozer geht der Frage nach, ob der Konsum von Marihuana zur christlichen Ethik und Lebensweise passt.

In this episode, the original Legacy Dad, Lance, joins in for an interview with Dr. Owen Strachan about his new book "The War on Men: Why Society Hates Them and Why We Need Them." Owen is Provost and Research Professor of Theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary (GBTS). Before coming to GBTS, he served as Associate Professor of Christian Theology and Director of the Residency PhD Program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS). Strachan has authored numerous books, including Reenchanting Humanity: A Theology of Mankind, The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (with Kevin Vanhoozer), and the recent Christianity and Wokeness: How the Social Justice Movement Is Hijacking the Gospel—and the Way to Stop it. Strachan is the former president of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, the former director of The Center for Public Theology at MBTS, and he is the president of Reformanda Ministries. He earned his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, his MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his AB from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. He is married and the father of three children. Follow Dr. Owen Strachan here: X (Formerly Twitter) Instagram: @profstrachan Grace and Truth Podcast

What do you need in your relationship with God? I am sure you can think of many things. One thing that has helped so many Christians and churches is developing a relationship with global Christians, and in doing so, you find your vision of God expands, your relationship with God deepens, and your zeal for ministry exponentially increases. Today's guest, Stephen Pardue, takes us on a journey into the global church and how global theology increases our view of God, helps us to join with what God is already doing, and fulfills His mission with our neighbors who are different from us. Stephen T. Pardue (PhD, Wheaton College) directs the ThM/PhD in theological studies and church history at the Asia Graduate School of Theology and teaches theology at the International Graduate School of Leadership in Manila, Philippines. He is the author of Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church and the coeditor of 10 books, including Majority World Theology and Asian Christian Theology. He and his wife, Teri, have four children and belong to Union Church of Manila.Sign up for the class, "God's Greatness | Your Mission" here! Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help water-thirsty souls by partnering with Apollos Watered!A couple of the episodes referenced in today's episode: #150 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1 | Kevin Vanhoozer#151 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2 | Kevin Vanhoozer

In this second part of our conversation, Travis and Tom discuss our political witness, premillennial dispensationalism, bad theology, Christian nationalism, and how the gospel is bigger than we often realize. While the gospel encapsulates our personal salvation, there is much more involved than just that, but the redemption of all creation. Understanding Tom means understanding not only what he is saying, but what he is responding to. Without that as a backdrop, you miss his point. Listen in and hear not only what he says, but what he is responding to, and as if often the case, it's the abuses in mind. N.T. Wright (Tom) is currently Research Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Mary's College in the University of St Andrews and Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He has authored or co-authored over 90 books, and today he joins Apollos Watered to discuss his newest book, "Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies."Other episodes referred to in this episode:#150 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1 | Kevin Vanhoozer#151 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2 | Kevin Vanhoozer#226 | The Church Between Temple & Mosque | Dan StrangeSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help water-thirsty souls by partnering with Apollos Watered!

Preaching is an instance of “speaking into the air” (i.e., oral communication), but how effectual is this form of the ministry of the Word? In this 2023 CPT conference message, Dr. Vanhoozer begins by contrasting bully pulpits (an influential public platform from which to persuade) and “kata-pulpits” (speaking “in accordance with” Scripture) and commends the metaphor of the preacher as curator: one who uses the pulpit as a place to exhibit (to preserve, present, and promote) Scripture as the word of God, taking as his “text” Heinrich Bullinger's claim in the Second Helvetic Confession that “the preaching of the word of God is the word of God.”

In this episode, Caleb discusses the topic of theological interpretation of Scripture with Daniel Treier (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) professor of theology at Wheaton College. The theological interpretation of Scripture (TIS) is not so much a method, but a mode of interpretation; not a neatly defined set of steps, but a set of concerns. In this discussion, Caleb and Dan focus on the three of the central and somewhat defining concerns that animate most advocates of TIS: reaction, retrieval, and rules. Resources: Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a Christian Practice by Daniel Treier https://a.co/d/cC4wmel The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture by Todd Billingshttps://a.co/d/eXWTXRb Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible by Kevin Vanhoozer, Craig Bartholomew, and Daniel Treier, and N.T. Wright. https://a.co/d/4uqr8iY Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LNGZSYH?binding=paperback&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_bs_series_rwt_tpbk&qid=1691323228&sr=1-2

We talk about theology, but we live in a social world of status, slights, and social media. How does the world of the New Testament jive with our modern world? What does it mean to live an honorable life according to our modern culture? Can success be a synonym? Is modern success equivalent to NT honor? Or is it something else? In our world, today, is honor or success going to a great school? Making a lot of money? Having a nice house and car? Where do sacrifice and self-denial fit in? How does that fit with how the Bible talks about honor? What did the social world of the New Testament look like? If we are to fulfill the mission of God, we need to know how to apply the Scripture to our lives, and in order to do that effectively, it helps to understand the social world of the New Testament. When we do that, our understanding, appreciation, and application of Scriptural truth is expanded and strengthened, and we are able to have the Scripture speak to us in our everyday lives and where we really live. Our guide in our journey into the social world of the New Testament is New Testament and Greek scholar Dr. David DeSilva. Travis and David discuss his book, Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking the New Testament Culture, a book that has become a major influence in understanding the world of the New Testament and how it relates to many of our modern honor-shame cultures (cancel culture is all about honor and shame). It's a conversation that will enlighten, challenge, and encourage you to go deeper in your understanding and appreciation of the Bible and God's plan for you. Travis referenced a few episodes on today's show:#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li Lau#107: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 1#108: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 2#150 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1 | Kevin Vanhoozer#151 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2 | Kevin Vanhoozer#122 | Does God Still Do Biblical Miracles in The Modern World, Pt. 1 | Craig Keener

Are we characters in a story authored by God? Can God write himself into the story? Why did God write a story with so much evil and suffering? Where is this story headed? Parker Settecase from the oustanding philosophy podcast "Parker's Pensees"  joins me to discuss all this along with reflections on the work of his mentor Kevin Vanhoozer, understanding the philosophical divide between Continental and Analytic philosophy, and so much more! Subscribe to Parker's YouTube channel at : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA   ____ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon? You're not only supporting this podcast, but you are also supporting my free Substack page and YouTube channel. We need 200 patrons to ensure that my work can continue in 2023. https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast To subscribe to my Substack for essays and articles: https://paulanleitner.substack.com/

On this episode of Weekend Debrief, Dave and Wes discuss questions that came out of 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1. When it comes to non-essential issues: Do we need to have a conversation with others about why we do what we do? Is a Christmas Tree the same as eating meat sacrificed to an idol? What about the use of marijuana? Since God created it should we partake of it (like meat)? Send comments or questions to (971) 301-2414. Recommended Links: Cannabis and the Christian: What the Bible Says about Marijuana by Dr. Todd Miles Should Followers of Christ Use Recreational Marijuana? by Kevin Vanhoozer on The Gospel Coalition Marijuana to the Glory of God? by Jeff Lacine on Desiring God Pastors' Palate Recommendations: Dave's Picks: Burgerville Seasonal Shake & Bo & Vine Burger Bar Wes' Pick: Claim Jumper https://www.claimjumper.com/

Part Deux! In the second part of the conversation, Travis and Kevin Vanhoozer continue their discussion on Scriptural and cultural illiteracy, hermeneutics, secular and sacred imagination, the divine story, and the state of the church today. His insights are like falling rain, ready to water a dry world!Be sure to check out #150: Deep Conversation w/ Kevin Vanhoozer: Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1. Learn more about Dr. Vanhoozer and be sure to check out his site.Be sure to check out his books! Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

We welcome Kevin Vanhoozer to the show! Kevin is one of the leading theologians in the world and talks with Travis about Scriptural and cultural illiteracy, hermeneutics, secular and sacred imagination, the divine story, and the state of the church today. It's a jam-packed conversation with brilliant truths and insights sure to inspire and encourage you to see and apply the Bible as well as fulfill the mission God has for you in your world. Learn more about Dr. Vanhoozer and be sure to check out his site.Be sure to check out his books! Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer, research professor of systematic theology at TEDS, teaches about God's sovereignty (EFCA Statement of Faith, Article 1: God)—"limitless knowledge and sovereign power [and] has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new" at the 2023 EFCA Theology Conference.

In his breakout session at the 2023 EFCA Theology Conference, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer examines what it means to read a culture and how pastors can thoughtfully engage with and exegete the culture in which we live.

Why is work important? How does work look different for men and women? And how can we endure seasons of waiting, and what does it look like to be faithful where we are? Missie Branch joins us to discuss these important questions in today's episode. (The conversation starts at 15:17) Plus, in “Headlines” (2:07), we talk with Luke Rosenberger of The Pregnancy Network about the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. In “On My Bookshelf” (31:30), Dr. Ken Keathley recommends a book from Kevin Vanhoozer. Don't forget to register for our upcoming conference “Exploring Personhood: Human Formation,” which will be on the Southeastern campus on Feb. 2-3. Learn more here: iamgoi.ng/personhood23 Learn more about the Center for Faith and Culture: https://cfc.sebts.edu/ Support the work of the Center: https://cfc.sebts.edu/about/give/

The entire narrative of Scripture reveals a God committed to making Himself known. Just because we cannot know Him exhaustively does not mean we cannot know Him truthfully.  For a gift of any amount to the Colson Center in January, we'll send you a copy of What Does It Mean to Be a Thoughtful Christian? and access to an exclusive collection of videos featuring interviews with teachers such as Alisa Childers and Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer about aspects of the Christian mind. To learn more, go to colsoncenter.org/january. 

To be Christian, especially in this confusing cultural moment, requires the intentional cultivation of our minds. An exemplary model of someone who took this calling seriously is James Clerk Maxwell.         For a gift of any amount this month, I'd like to send you a very helpful and concise book, What Does It Mean to Be a Thoughtful Christian? by scholar David Dockery. We've also developed a video series on the Christian mind, with teachers such as Alisa Childers and Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer. To learn more, please visit colsoncenter.org/January. 

Opération freestyle est le nom de code de notre devoir de vivre en Christ. Une autre façon de le dire, c'est que nous devons imiter Christ. Improviser selon ce que nous sommes en lui. Matt et Raph explorent cela à travers le livre Le théâtre de la théologie, de Kevin Vanhoozer. Dans cet épisode, Raph et Matt répondent aux questions suivantes: • Quelle est la grande métaphore du livre de Vanhoozer, Le théâtre de la théologie? • Quelle est la grande différence entre vivre en copiant, innovant ou improvisant selon le modèle et la pensée de Christ? • Qu'est-ce qui nous est nécessaire pour apprendre à improviser? Vanhoozer propose 3 habitudes/dispositions pour pratiquer l'improvisation. • Finalement, pourquoi est-il indispensable de savoir improviser? • Quels sont les freins à notre improvisation? • Comment vivre Memento Mori nous aide à progresser dans l'impro? Ils ont mentionné: • Le théâtre de la théologie • Leur épisode sur la contextualisation • Leur épisode sur la providence Memento Mori c'est le podcast qui parle du présent en prenant la fin comme point de départ. Ce contenu est proposé gratuitement par le blog ToutPourSaGloire.com dont la mission est d'aider les chrétiens à voir comme Dieu voit pour vivre comme Dieu veut. Découvre aussi: • Le blog de Raph: https://cutt.ly/raphcha • Le blog de Matt: https://cutt.ly/mattgir • Ce podcast sur: Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube, et plein d'autres lecteurs de podcasts. • Notre newsletter: https://cutt.ly/newstpsg • Notre appli mobile: https://cutt.ly/apptpsg Suis-nous sur: • Facebook: https://cutt.ly/fbtpsg • Instagram: https://cutt.ly/instpsg • YouTube: https://cutt.ly/yttpsg • Twitter: https://cutt.ly/twittpsg Nous soutenir: https://toutpoursagloire.com/soutenir/

This week we interviewed Dr. Matthew LaPine about his book The Logic of the Body and the five myths of mental health. Matthew is the Christian Education Director at CityLight Omaha. He holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School under Kevin Vanhoozer. He writes on theology, emotion, and mental health.  Click here to find out more: matthewalapine.com JM's Album of the Week: Dave Matthews Band - Busted Stuff Bradford's Book Club: The Logic of the Body: Retrieving Theological Psychology

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. This week we zoom out a bit to focus on paragraphs within scripture. What should we be looking for?John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here or in-person. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchristResources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. This week we focus in on sentences in scripture. The authors of Grasping God's Word give us several things to look for as we study. John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here or in-person. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchristResources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. This week, John continues the hermeneutics study by looking at questions we should ask when studying scripture. Make sure to listen, because this will be very beneficial! In Grasping God's Word, Duvall and Hays tell us how important it is to understand the historical context with its differences and similarities to us today. The authors view interpretation as a journey, and we should learn how to cross the "river" from the ancient context to us. John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here or in-person. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchristResources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. This week we talk about the interpretive journey. In Grasping God's Word, Duvall and Hays tell us how important it is to understand the historical context with its differences and similarities to us today. The authors view interpretation as a journey, and we should learn how to cross the "river" from the ancient context to us. John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here or in-person. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchristResources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. Have you ever wondered why there are different English translations of the Bible? In week two, we learn about the translation process, and why we have those differences. John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here on in-person. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchristResources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

From the Eagle Community Church of Christ in Mont Belvieu, TX. John Gunter leads us in a Bible class throughout the Summer. Our Wednesday night series this Summer will be on Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible). Throughout this series, we will build a foundation so anyone can learn how to better study scripture. Join us here on in-person. Be sure to click on the video below to understand the conversation in the Bible class. YouTube video of this sermonN/AChurch Websitehttps://www.eaglechurchofchrist.com Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/eaglecommunitychurchofchrist Resources Mentioned Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible - John Mark Hicks Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible - Daniel Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer & Mark Strauss How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition - Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart (Video) Chairs of the Restoration Movement - Rick Atchley

Michael J Kruger, Should you Be a Pastor or a Professor: Thinking Through The Options https://www.michaeljkruger.com/should-you-be-a-pastor-or-a-professor-thinking-through-the-options/ Kevin Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan, The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (Baker 2015) Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock (eds.) T&T Clark Handbook of Neo-Calvinism (T&T Clark, forthcoming) Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock, Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction (Lexham Press, forthcoming) Herman Bavinck, Christelijke wetenschap (Kok, 1904); English Translation Christian Scholarship (Crossway, forthcoming) Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Crossway, 2020)

Co-hosts Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla talk to Dan Treier and Kevin Vanhoozer about the state of evangelical theology and the Festschrift Treier and Sweeney co-edited in honor of Vanhoozer called, "Hearing and Doing the Word: The Drama of Evangelical Hermeneutics." 

As this podcast approaches the 50th episode, I thought it might be interesting to create an episode of highlights, some of the best moments. The guests who were the most surprising, most unexpected, and who had the greatest impact, at least to me -- were the theologians. I expected these scholars and churchmen to have some pushback, even the ones who seemed to have a clear affinity for the arts. We live in a culture drowning in entertainment, amusing ourselves to death, as Neil Postman put it. Surely, these men must have some cautions and concerns for us. But what they gave us was a clear picture of the WHY Christian films are important, and the WHAT'S that Christian films should be. They painted a very noble view of the importance of good Christian filmmaking. These 3 men helped to frame a strategy and glorious purpose for Christian filmmakers. I met Dr. Mark Coppenger when I visited the Franklin branch of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mark helped me form an advisory board for Glorious Films and has become a good friend. More than once he walked me off the ledge when I was close to abandoning Christian filmmaking. Dr. Coppenger was a Professor of Christian Philosophy & Ethics at Southern, where he supervised -- and this is where it gets interesting -- he supervised a graduate program called Christianity and the Arts. And within that program, Mark was responsible for a track called Aesthetic Theology. So Marc has spent a significant part of his career thinking about the relationship between theology and aesthetics, and he wrote a book called “The Skeptic's Guide to Arts in the Church.” Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer wrote a book called Pictures at a Theological Exhibition. The title intrigued me, and I bought it, but it sat on my shelf for some time -- until I had to fly to a shoot for a commercial I was directing, and I threw this book in my bag to read on the plane. I couldn't put the book down. In fact, I couldn't get out of the first chapter. I had to read it, underline it, and then write out what engaged me in this book. When I told Dr. Vanhoozer that he took it as a critique that he had not written well enough. But that wasn't the case. What his book expressed were ideas so new to me, and I wrestled with them to apply the lessons to being a Christian filmmaker. It was like water for a parched filmmakers soul. I knew I had to try to get him on the podcast to engage with him on these issues. Dr. Vanhoozer is a prolific author, and Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. It was an honor to have him as a guest. I knew Dr. Coppenger and Dr. Vanhoozer both had an affinity for the arts, but I wasn't sure where the men at 9 Marks Ministries stood. I've listened to almost every podcast 9 Marks produced, and I wanted to know what they thought about Christian film, so I reached out to them and the editorial director, Dr. Jonathan Leeman, accepted my invitation. Jonathan did not disappoint. He gave me a lot to think about, and he introduced me to the brilliant concept of a right moral ecology. While he is an editorial director, a pastor, and author of a number of books -- he is also an adjunct professor for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Reformed Theological Seminary. So there you have it -- three theologians who believe there is an important role that Christian filmmakers can play in the life of the church.

Parker Settecase returns to Transfigured for a discussion on his recent paper about Jordan Peterson's philosophy and theology and how he has problems raised by the Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (EAAN) first posed by Alvin Plantinga and developed by Thomas Crisp. We also mention Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Bret Weinstein, Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Kevin Vanhoozer, CS Lewis, Soren Kierkegaard, John Walton, Alfred Balfour, Jonathan Haidt, Jonathan Pageau, John Vervaeke, Aristotle, Plato, Stoicism, Epicureanism and more. Parker's Channel is called Parker's Pensees

Doctrine is critical to the role of making disciples. Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer explains why doctrine matters, and how we can find our place in God's story. More from Gospel for Life Read the show notes and transcript Join the Gospel for Life Patreon Subscribe to our newsletter

So you want to read the Bible, but you’re not sure how to do it well. What does it really mean? How is the Bible understood?” As Bill Kynes addresses these questions in this article, he emphasizes that “[t]o read the Bible rightly, one must submit to the Master, who alone holds the key to meaning. Jesus Christ and His gospel must guide our understanding of the Bible, even as our reading of the Bible will refine our understanding of Jesus and His work. To read the full article go to https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/How_to_Read_the_Bible_Part2 Recommended Reading; Robert L. Plummer, 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible (Kregel Academic & Professional, 2010) In 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible, New Testament Professor Dr. Robert L. Plummer tackles the major questions that persons ask about reading and understanding the Bible. https://www.christianbook.com/questions-about-interpreting-bible-2nd-edition/robert-plummer/9780825446665/pd/44666X?event=ESRCG Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Is There a Meaning in This Text?: The Bible, the Reader, and the Morality of Literary Knowledge The introduction of this burgeoning classic into paperback and the Landmarks in Christian Scholarship collection is much welcomed. Kevin Vanhoozer's Is There Meaning in this Text is the seminal contribution of Evangelical scholarship to the field of Hermeneutics. Vanhoozer lucidly and directly critiques trends in postmodern literary criticism (deconstruction) and thinkers (Ricoeur, Fish), while providing Evangelicals with a critical methodology upon which "texts"--and most especially biblical texts--can be confidently interpreted. https://www.christianbook.com/meaning-bible-reader-morality-literary-knowledge/kevin-vanhoozer/9780310324690/pd/324690?event=ESRCG

I've been chatting with the trainees at CBS about preaching recently, and have come up with a slightly different way to describe the preaching task. See what you think …I have a newish definition of preaching to run past you. Or at least, a newish angle from which to view what we're trying to do when we preach. (And by ‘preach' I mean what we normally mean in our circles—the public exposition of a passage of Scripture.)I ended up thinking about preaching more than I expected to while working on the PhD, between 2015 and 2018. My actual topic was all the other word ministry that happens in a Christian community apart from preaching—the ‘one-another edifying speech' that we engage in as Christians, to edify, encourage, exhort, admonish and exhort one another. But this required me to think about preaching as well, in order to understand and differentiate these two broad kinds of speech—the one-to-many communication that teaches and applies the word to the congregation, and the one-another communication that spreads and applies and generally ministers that word to each other in multiple ways. In the course of all this, I found myself dabbling in ‘speech-act theory'. If you're not familiar with it, ‘speech-act theory' is a currently popular way of thinking about how language works. It rests on the insight that all language is a form of action. When we ‘say' something we're never just ‘saying'. We're always doing something through the words that come out of our mouths. We might be explaining, answering, promising, commanding, warning, entertaining, exclaiming, interjecting, declaring, exhorting, comforting, and so on. Speech-act theory goes into some detail to analyse and describe this process. Putting it a bit simplistically, speech-act theory differentiates three main aspects of any utterance:* the action of the speech (the kind of thing you're doing as you speak: promising, telling, asking, explaining, exhorting, and so on);* the propositional content of the speech (what it is you're promising or explaining or asking); and * the hoped-for outcome of the speech (what you're expecting to happen as a result of your speech-action: for your hearers to trust the promise, to understand the explanation, to heed the exhortation, and so on). A number of biblical scholars have picked up on this idea and applied it to Scripture. Perhaps most prominently, Kevin Vanhoozer has argued that the Bible is God's communicative action. When God speaks in the text of Scripture, he is always doing something—declaring, explaining, teaching, urging, commanding, and so on—to fulfil his covenant purposes through the words of the human author. And like all speech, this speech-action that God is ‘doing' has certain content, and certain expected outcomes. God's speech is living and active and purposive. Now, the biblically alert among you might have already figured this out, even without the geniuses of speech-act theory to help you. You might have read and believed these famous verses, for example:For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11)God is intentionally doing something whenever he speaks. Speech-act theory highlights this, and in a basically helpful way it seems to me.What has this got to do with preaching? Well some other clever chaps (most notably the British evangelical scholar, Timothy Ward), have argued that if God's word is an action, then what we are doing when we preach is re-enacting the word for our congregation. A sermon is a bit like re-performing a classic stage play in a new context, with updated language, and a different set, but with the same content and purpose as the original. This brings us to the newish definition of preaching I want to run past you: our goal when we preach is to do for our hearers what God was doing in the passage of Scripture we are expounding. I say ‘newish', because this is just me summarizing the clever insights of others—but also newish because it is only a bit different from definitions you might already have in your mind. Take for example, this classic paragraph from Simeon: My endeavour is to bring out of Scripture what is there, and not to thrust in what I think might be there. I have a great jealousy on this head: never to speak more or less than I believe to be the mind of the Spirit in the passage I am expounding.Or to put this in terms we're familiar with (thanks to Haddon Robinson): our goal when we preach is to let the Big Idea of the passage be the Big Idea of the sermon. All the same, the differences in my newish definition have some advantages, particularly over the ‘Big Idea' approach. Perhaps it's just me, but when I look for the Big Idea in a passage, I tend to focus on the propositional content of the passage (on its key ideas and theological truths and how they fit together). I then draw these ideas together into a main truth or proposition that the passage is teaching (the Big Idea). Then I figure out a good structure for explaining this Big Idea compellingly to the congregation. And then, I cast around (often with difficulty and a sense that I'm being arbitrary) for a Big-Idea-related application that is relevant to my hearers. My newish definition frames the process a bit differently. The goal is not just to identify the main truths or ideas of the passage, but what the speaker is doing with those truths or ideas in the context of the passage, and for what expected outcome or response in the hearers or readers. In other words, what divine transformative action is taking place in the passage itself? And how can I re-enact or re-perform that action in my own context this Sunday?I find this a useful thought process, especially for tackling the ‘application'. Rather than feeling like I need to construct some ‘action step' for the congregation to take in response to the passage, I look for what God was doing in the passage in its original context, and the implied or explicit response that he was seeking. I frame the purpose and ‘landing point' of my own sermon accordingly. Our goal when we preach is to do for our hearers what God was doing in the passage of Scripture we are expounding.What do you think? Is that a definition of the kind of preaching you want to practise, train others in, and listen to? PSThere are some big questions lurking here. For example, it was the contention of the Reformers that when God's word was faithfully and truly preached, then the word of God itself was being spoken by the preacher. (‘The preaching of the word of God is the word of God', as Bullinger put it.) Perhaps we can rephrase this in light of the above discussion: when God does again through us in our sermon what he was doing in the text of Scripture, then he truly is speaking his word through us to his people. Does that work? Another big issue, which my PhD spent some time thinking about: If this is indeed the nature of preaching—a re-presentation or re-enactment of what the text itself is doing—then is the same also true whenever we re-enact or re-do what God was doing in the text of Scripture? If by reading and discussion in a group of three or four, we do for each other in our speech what the text is doing, then is the word of God being spoken truly and powerfully? Is it as true and powerful in the lounge-room as in the pulpit? Hard to see why not. This is a partner post, but please feel free to share it around, especially among your preacher friends.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.twoways.news/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Maxwell and I talk about his work on trauma and reformed theology. He argues that reformed theology conceptually teaches good and true dogma but that the individual experience of this theology among those who have experienced trauma needs to be considered. Maximal control and overly negative views of human nature can affect some people in unhelpful ways. One of the most exciting parts about hosting a podcast like this is that I can learn from those with whom I disagree. Here, that is partially the case. But I learned more about reformed thinking and trauma and was challenged to think self-reflectively. I hope the same thing is true for you too when you hear Paul speak. Paul Maxwell is a theologian from Hyde Park, New York. He has his BA in biblical languages from Moody Bible Institute, his M Div from Westminster Theological Seminary, and his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he studied under Kevin Vanhoozer. Paul is currently a marketing coordinator for a SaaS company in the financial technology sector.

Co-hosts Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla introduce the address Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer gave for Sweeney's installation service as dean on Jan. 28, 2020 during Opening Convocation.

In last week's edition, we discussed the advantages of thinking about Christian disciples as ‘apprentices'—that is, as the kind of learners who devote themselves to learn a new knowledge-based practice from their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. In this week's edition, we're going to bring the idea of ‘apprenticeship' to bear on the question of how to read and apply the Bible to our lives. And (eventually) we will cycle back briefly to the issue of church and ‘worship' that started this train of thought running. Two things, though, before we go further. Firstly, I do recognize that the ‘worship' issue is not the most pressing question in the world, especially at this moment. And to be truthful, it doesn't quite get my juices flowing as it once did. But it does serve as a convenient illustration for a larger and more important point that is the real subject of this week's post. And secondly, the larger issue (of how to apply the Bible) is indeed a very large issue, and I have struggled to keep the length of this week's edition down, without really succeeding. It's a longer than usual Payneful Truth this time around. Happily, though, I am on holiday next week, and won't be posting anything next Monday—so you have two weeks to chew your way through the exciting adventure that is … Apprenticeship to ScriptureBeing ‘biblical' in our thinking and action is a bit like ‘healthy eating'. Most Christians would like to think that they are at least trying, but it's not always clear what qualifies. For example, is a practice or concept ‘biblical' if it fits within the bounds of what the Bible permits, or is at least silent about—or is that too low a bar? Is something only ‘biblical' if the Bible explicitly commands or positively endorses it in some way? Or is acting in a biblical way more about the theological vibe that you get from putting together the various teachings and themes of Scripture? Or is it some combination of all of these? How does one start with all the various things that the Bible asserts, teaches, describes or exemplifies, and then conclude (in any particular situation) what would be the good or right or ‘biblical' thing to do? It's not always straightforward. With regard to church and worship—as an illustration—is it perfectly reasonable and biblical to use the category of ‘worship' as a primary way of describing our gatherings, and in particular the singing we do in our gatherings, as many churches do? (As in, ‘welcome to our service of worship this morning'; or ‘please join us now as we worship our God together in song'.) Or would it be more helpful to avoid ‘worship' as a primary category for understanding our church gatherings and/or singing, on the basis that the New Testament doesn't command us to, and in fact hardly ever does so itself? How does the Bible direct us towards an answer on this, or for that matter any, contemporary issue? Now, in thinking about this question we are about to traverse some deep and complicated waters, in which theologians and ethicists much smarter than me have been thrashing about for centuries. To name-check just three historically massive debates for those who are up on such things: we are in the same waters as the regulative-versus-normative principle discussion at the time of the Reformation; and the hermeneutical debate that has been raging for most of the past hundred years about whether and how ancient texts can speak to modern cultures; and the contemporary controversy within Christian ethics about the place of the Bible as a source of authority in ethical thought. I have been swimming in these waters quite a lot over the past several years, but I don't intend to take you with me on a deep academic dive. We will be sticking fairly close to the surface, and I apologise in advance for the various things I will no doubt miss out or treat simplistically in what follows. (For those who do wish to think deeper and further, I'll mention some things to read below.)I want to outline two good but inadequate approaches to ‘being biblical' about our circumstances and decisions, and then suggest a third approach that is very useful, and that (unsurprisingly) has something to do with apprenticeship. Focus on commandsThe first common approach to applying the Bible to our lives is to focus on the Bible's explicit commands. And this is of course a great and godly thing to do because, after all, to be a disciple (or apprentice!) of Jesus is to learn to keep all his commands (Matt 28:20). Not only are God's commands as sweet as the honey comb, they are jolly useful in lots of circumstances, especially for people like us. Very often, we don't have the need, the time or the ability for a complicated thought process about what to do. We need a short, sharp, simple word that simply says, ‘Be angry but do not sin', ‘Don't commit adultery' or 'Flee from idols'. But as useful as commands are, they have some inadequacies, especially if they are the sum total of our biblical thinking. The first problem is that we still have to figure out whether the command applies in this situation in front of me, and that is not always clear. ‘Flee from idols' is pretty straightforward if you are faced with an actual statue in a pagan temple, but what if you're spending too much time obsessing about golf (hard for some of you to imagine I know, but this is an issue that a ‘friend of mine' struggles with). Is golf becoming an idol to be fled from? How would we know when it has acquired this status? Or is another command more applicable—like ‘do not love the world or things of the world' or perhaps (more positively), ‘everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving'? The commands themselves don't help us with this. We still have some thinking and discernment in front of us, and on what basis are we to do this? What if you quote ‘flee from idols' to me in my golf obsession, but I counter with ‘Whatever is noble and good and excellent, think about these things'? How can we avoid a proof-texting stalemate? There's another problem with commands on their own—and that is simply that not every situation is covered by a command specific enough to be useful. Our issue about church and worship is in this category. There is no specific scriptural command to describe our church gatherings as ‘worship services', nor one forbidding it. In fact, there is no command to call our church services anything. We might conclude that we could therefore describe our church gatherings in any way that we like, but that also doesn't seem right. If Pastor Jim welcomed the congregation on Sunday to ‘our full-tilt, foot-washing, fashion show of spiritual inspiration', we might reasonably object that something about the nature and purpose of the gathering is not really being expressed. (Mind you, it would not take too much creativity to proof-text every single expression in Pastor Jim's description if we wanted to.) How we describe and frame our church gatherings would seem to be important, but there is no simple biblical command to help us out. Focus on theologyHere's where the second common approach comes in. It quite rightly recognizes that the Bible isn't just commands—among other things, it is also full of theological truths and principles that are the basis for those commands. And so rather than just looking at the end point (the command), we can also soak up the Bible's theology, its teaching about God and everything, its grand narrative about God's purposes, and then bring that to bear on the issues in front of us. We can draw out various biblical doctrines and principles, organize them into some kind of coherent order or argument, and thus reason our way to a ‘biblical' conclusion. Like the focus on commands, a focus on the themes and categories of theology is excellent, necessary and a great gift from God. It is part of the renewal and transformation of our minds, so that we might discern and live out the good, pleasing and perfect will of our heavenly Father. And so, with respect to the question of how we should label or frame our church gatherings, we could draw together a number of key biblical themes or doctrines, and draw some conclusions. However, as soon as we start to do this, we come across an often unacknowledged difficulty. There are lots of theological truths or principles to choose from in the Bible, and it's not only difficult to know exactly which principles are relevant and should be focused on, but what order or priority they should be arranged in. For example, here is a list of various theological truths (each of them perfectly valid), and what we might conclude from them about the nature of the church gathering (in fact, what various people in Christian history have concluded about church):* God is infinitely holy and good, and a consuming fire—therefore the emphasis in our church gatherings should be on transcendence, reverence, worship and awe.* God is love, and love is the chief Christian virtue—therefore church is primarily a ‘love feast', in which mutual service and affection is paramount.* God is building his church in Jesus Christ—therefore church is mainly about building people up (or edification). * God is a missionary God who welcomes the stranger and the alien—therefore church is actually about the people outside the church, not our own in-house club. * God's nature and excellence is spiritual, and far beyond our human understanding—therefore church is not so much about intellectual knowledge but is an experience of God's presence and power. * God is a trinity of eternal relationships — therefore church is really about community and relationship above anything else.And we could go on. Which of these excellent theological themes should we employ to understand and frame our church gatherings (not to mention a bunch of others we haven't mentioned)? And what order or priority should we place them in, with what emphasis? What conclusions should we draw? And how can we avoid doing all this arbitrarily or lopsidedly, particularly to justify whatever it is we want to do anyway? Thinking theologically about what to do is completely necessary. But it's not easy. In fact, it exposes our limitations. And here's where the idea of ‘apprenticeship' becomes very useful.Apprentices to the BibleAs disciples to Jesus Christ, we should approach the word of Christ in Scripture with a posture of apprenticeship—that is, humbly seeking to learn from Christ's word how to read and apply Christ's word. This idea—that Scripture helps us to interpret Scripture—is hardly new. It has long been a Protestant principle that more difficult or obscure passages should be read in light of clearer ones. However, as David Starling notes in his excellent recent book on this subject, the ‘Scripture principle' does not only operate as a kind of tie-breaker in difficult cases, but is an important Reformed principle of interpretation. He quotes Luther: “I do not want to be boasted of as more learned than all, but Scripture alone to rule: nor for it to be interpreted by my spirit or by any human spirit, but understood through itself and by its own spirit” (cited by Starling, 9-10, emphasis mine). Starling goes on to build on this idea—that Scripture itself should guide us as we read Scripture; that it teaches us not only what is there but how to read and hold together what is there. Whenever we practice ‘biblical theology', we are doing this—learning from how the Bible itself reveals Jesus Christ to be the centre and key to understanding the sprawling, unfolding complex set of books that is Scripture.However, we can take this ‘apprenticeship' idea further. Scripture also teaches us—if we are humble enough to sit at its feet—how to think from theological principle to practical application. Scripture constantly does the very thing that we often struggle to do—to reason its way from some significant doctrinal truth to some moral imperative or situational command. We can learn, then, not only from the moral conclusions of Scripture (e.g., its commands), and not only from its doctrinal truths and themes (i.e., its theological principles), but from the way that the biblical authors connect the two. We can learn from how they choose and order theological truths in order to address different kinds of situations and issues. Like an apprentice carpenter, we can learn not only the truth about hammers, but (pretty crucially) when to use a hammer and when a screwdriver might be more useful. For example, from all the ways in which Paul could have addressed the mess that was the Corinthian church, we can learn from how he did so—how he constantly draws on the wisdom of Christ crucified to address the undisciplined, self-focused arrogance of the Corinthians. A good apprentice would take on board not just Paul's theological teaching about Christ crucified, nor only his commands to the Corinthians, but learn from how he chooses the cross as his theological lamp, and then navigates his way through the various Corinthian problems by its light. If all this sounds pretty unobjectionable and non-controversial, well I guess it should. What we have seen and heard in the apostles—including in their faith and theological reasoning—we should follow and imitate. As Paul himself says, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:9; cf. 2 Tim 3:10-14). But apprenticing ourselves to Scripture in this way has a number of very significant and challenging implications for how we apply the Bible's theology to our issues. I will mention two. The first is that it helps us know where to start and where to look. Apprenticing ourselves to Scripture disciplines us to begin our theological thought process where the biblical authors do and to focus on what they focus on. So, for example, if we were trying to think biblically about the nature and significance of our everyday secular work, a good apprentice would go to those places where his Master actually teaches on this subject (e.g., many places in Proverbs, Eph 4:28; Col 3:22-25; 1 Thess 4:9-12; 2 Thess 3:6-12, and so on). And then place we would place those significant passages within the wider context of the whole Bible's Christ-centred teaching. We would learn from this process what theological themes the Bible itself thought were most significant for thinking about work, rather than what themes or passages we find most interesting or striking. Secondly, and relatedly, apprenticing ourselves to Scripture helps us to get our emphasis right. It's almost impossible to over-emphasize how important emphasis is. Many heresies arise from taking something that is good or true in itself and then giving it too central or important a place, so that the structure of our thinking gets lopsided, wobbly and ultimately dysfunctional (one thinks of the Roman Catholic heresy of Mary). Likewise, many mistaken or foolish applications of Scripture to our lives arise from not learning to keep things in a Scriptural proportion and order—to major on what the biblical authors major on, to recognize as secondary or peripheral those truths or principles that lie on the margins, and to observe how the Bible's teaching on a certain subject unfolds throughout the canon, and is fulfilled in the teaching of Christ and the apostles. Emphasis is important not only in considering particular issues or problems, but in putting all issues and circumstances in their right context or frame. The overall emphasis of the New Testament is on God's plan to bring eternal glory to the crucified and risen Jesus Christ by gathering a redeemed people for himself (who are eager for good works) through the prayerful speaking of the gospel Word by his people. No doubt you could improve this little summary in multiple ways, but the point is this—apprenticing ourselves to Scripture means learning what is central and of first importance, and keeping it there in our own thinking and practice. ConclusionNone of all this means that every issue will now be easily solved, or that we won't disagree with each other about what following the biblical thought-process means for us in particular circumstances. It could be that our circumstances are different enough to warrant different conclusions. And it's certainly the case that we are all flawed, fallible and kind of stupid, each in our own way. We need each other for mutual sharpening, correcting and encouragement. But if we can agree that ‘apprenticeship to Scripture' is the right posture in which to approach the issue—any issue—then perhaps we can help each other learn how to bring the mind of Christ to all things (1 Cor 2:15-16). We can begin the process of thinking biblically and theologically about any issue or circumstance not only with an agreed authority (the Bible), but with a shared starting point and criteria (to seek to think about this issue the way the Bible itself thinks about it, with its starting points, key principles, emphasis and trains of thought). And perhaps in this way we can avoid a battle of flying proof-texts (when we only focus on the Bible's commands or conclusions), or a struggle between competing theological constructions that begin with valid premises but finish with wildly different conclusions. And what about the church gathering and ‘worship'? I will say only this. If we were to start with those passages where the apostles themselves draw various conclusions about the church gathering based on theological principles (e.g. 1 Cor 3:10f; 5:3-4; 11:17-14:40; Heb 10:19-25); and if as good apprentices, we disciplined ourselves to emphasize what they emphasized, and to employ the main theological categories and ideas that they employed—would we conclude that ‘worship' was a primary or even significant theological category within which to understand and describe our regular church gatherings, and in particular the singing we engage in together?If not, then let us as good apprentices think and act likewise.PS.For those who want to dig deeper into these ideas about how we read and apply the Bible, here are three books worth exploring. David Starling's book (mentioned above) is Hermeneutics as Apprenticeship: How the Bible Shapes our Interpretive Habits and Practices (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2016). Starling suggests that good reading and interpretation of Scripture ‘is like a craft or trade that must be learned if we are to draw the right connections, make the right intuitive leaps, and bring to bear on the task the right dispositions, affections, and virtues. Among the various exemplars from which we might learn the habits and practices that are necessary for wise and faithful interpretation, Scripture itself is supreme and uniquely authoritative' (p. 17). He then proceeds to take 14 soundings from across Scripture (from Deuteronomy to Revelation) and to show how each part builds on the others to teach us how to read Scripture. It really is a fine piece of work.Starling writes primarily as a biblical scholar. From the standpoint of ethics, Oliver O'Donovan writes very insightfully about the importance of tracing the relationship between the Bible, its theological narrative and principles, and the ethical thought process we must all undertake when we encounter situations in the world. The book to read is Self, World and Time (Ethics as Theology Vol 1; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2013), particularly chapter 4. Like all O'Donovan's work, it's a stretching read, but very much worth the effort. From the side of systematic theology, Kevin Vanhoozer also recommends a stance of apprenticeship towards the Bible: ‘Good theological judgement is largely, though not exclusively, a matter of being apprenticed to the canon: of having one's capacity for judging (a capacity that involves imagination, reason, emotion, and volition alike) formed and transformed by the ensemble of canonical practices that constitute Scripture'. This is from the very stimulating chapter 10 of The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox, 2005), p 331. And this week's tenuously connected image is … a starling. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.twoways.news/subscribe

Co-hosts Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla talk with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer about the current state and future of theological education.

Bible Study Magazine Podcast host Mark Ward talks with theologian Kevin Vanhoozer about the problem of biblical illiteracy—and about solutions to that problem.

Kevin Vanhoozer joins the team for a conversation about his latest book Hearers and Doers: A Pastor's Guide to Making Disciples through Scripture and Doctrine. Kevin is the Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a prolific author. In Hearers and Doers, Kevin draws the connection between doctrine, discipleship and pastoral ministry for spiritual wholeness.Is discipleship an optional part of Christianity? Tune in for this fascinating conversation about the cultural secularization of the idea of wellness (as opposed to the biblical definition), and its relationship to discipleship.Show NotesC.S. Lewis institute - http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/Is There a Meaning in This Text? By Kevin VanhoozerBiblical Authority After Babel by Kevin VanhoozerThanks to our friends of Lexham Press, we're giving away copies of Hearers and Doers. Register for the opportunity to win one!

Howdy! Listen in to hear Pastor Wilson talk about Trump as the notorious negotiator man. He then plods on to talk about Kevin Vanhoozer's book "Biblical Authority After Babel". Finishing things off with another look at hamartano and hamartia. Happy Plods! Show Notes:   Trump: Negotiator Man Trump knows how to negotiate Trump is not on a debate team trying to be consistent He is being inconsistent for the sake of being a better negotiator We've had ugly flights and smooth landings with Trump   Biblical Authority After Babel Written by Kevin Vanhoozer Cool kids these days are saying the Reformation was a bad idea Vanhoozer does a great job of showing the five solas that describe the Reformation Very packed book, read in short bits   Hamartano & Hamartia Hamartano: John 5:14, 8:11,9:2,3 Hamartia: John 1:29, 8:21,24.34,46, 9:34,41, 15:22,24, 16:8-9, 19:11, 20:23