It’s a genuine honor to have Dr. Nathan Finn, Assistant Professor of Church History at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, as my guest today at InternetMonk.com. Dr. Finn is one of the new academic voices in SBC life speaking strongly for a renewal of serious church membership among Southern Baptists.

Dr. Finn has an A.A. from Waycross College, a B.A. from Brewton-Parker College, and the M.Div. and Ph.D from Southeastern Seminary. He has been teaching at Southeastern since 2006.

His areas of interest include Baptist Studies, American Religious History, Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism and the History of Missions. Dr. Finn’s recent podcast at the Insight blog should be of real interest to IM readers as well.

Dr. Finn has distinguished himself as not only one of the clearest thinkers on the current SBC landscape, but as someone who understands the importance of the blogosphere. He’s a superb writer, and one of the few people in the establishment to be unafraid to have critical engagement with contemporary SBC life.

I want to tell the IM audience that I am more excited about this interview than almost any I’ve conducted. Dr. Finn’s answers on the historical background of the demise of church membership in the SBC and especially his comments on child baptism in our convention are absolutely pure gold. [Continue reading]

In their ongoing series of previews of the ESV Study Bible Crossway has posted online a 10-page PDF containing 5 of the 50 articles that will be in the back of the Study Bible.. This section is on “Reading the Bible” (pdf):
· Reading the Bible Theologically, by J.I. Packer
· Reading the Bible as Literature, by Leland Ryken
· Reading the Bible in Prayer and Communion with God, by John Piper
· Reading the Bible for Personal Application, by David Powlison
· Reading the Bible for Preaching and Public Worship, by R. Kent Hughes

I’m privileged today to be able to interview Dr. David Powlison on “Reading the Bible for Personal Application.”

David Powlison, M.Div., Ph.D. is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and is the editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. He holds a Ph.D. in History and Science of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary.

Dr. Powlison has been counseling for over thirty years. He has written many books and articles on biblical counseling and the relationship between faith and psychology. Dr. Powlison is an adjunct professor at Westminster Theological Seminary and has taught across the world. David and his wife, Nan, have a son, two daughters, and one granddaughter.

I want to thank Dr. Powlison for answering a few questions about his outstanding essay in the ESV Study Bible, “Reading the Bible for Personal Application.” [Continue reading]

UPDATE: Thanks for the good response and discussion. If you would like to read an excellent defense of the Baptist view of church membership, John Piper has written an excellent article on Church Membership and Accountability. A very good survey of the basics.

This post begins several posts on the subject of the church and church membership. I have two interviews in the works, at least two related posts and we’ll see what else may appear on the docket.

My concern is simple: Is the concept of local church membership viable- even essential- today or should it be abandoned?

This is a critical question; one that many in the IM audience struggle with as they sojourn in the evangelical wilderness or look toward finding a church that is a Jesus shaped community.

This series will have particular reference to the discussion on church membership that is now going on in the Southern Baptist Convention, where a resolution (non-binding) on Integrity in Church Membership Reporting was a major item passed at this year’s national convention gathering.

Today, I’ll be interviewing someone who deals with the issue of church membership through academic study and through his part in one of the most influential para-church ministries in evangelicalism: 9 Marks. [Continue reading]

One of the communicators and writers that has really fed my mind and soul this year is Ian Cron, founding pastor of Trinity Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. Ian is a unique and gifted person who incorporates so much of what I am attracted to when I talk about a “Happy Enough Protestant” and a “Post-Evangelical” journey. His podcasted sermons are just tremendous, but are only available on site for a couple of weeks. I’ve reviewed his book Chasing Francis and recommend it as well.

Ian comes at you from a lot of places. He’s not going to be forced into the box of anyone’s convenient theological labels very easily. Some of our TR friends will find his list of influences too far beyond the predictable for them, but many of you will be inspired to look into how Ian brings it all together in his preaching and church. I believe Ian is showing many of us the way to bring a lot of things together that have many of us have been told should be kept apart.

I’m extremely honored to have someone I have come to respect as a mentor and guide on board for the IM Interview: Ian Morgan Cron. I hope he quickly becomes part of the journey of many IM readers. [Continue reading]

My guest today is C. Michael Patton, President of Reclaiming the Mind Ministries and one of the best theology teachers you will ever hear. He also does several podcasts and writes at Parchment and Pen blog. Michael is one of the sanest, most helpful voices in the Christian blogosphere and I’m honored to have him at IM today.

(You are looking at the only existing photo of Michael. I almost posted one of the thousands of pictures of former Faith No More lead singer, Michael Patton.)

Thanks for being with us today, Michael. First, tell the IM audience a little bit about yourself, your family and your Christian journey.

Thanks for having me Michael. I am a 35 year old husband and father of four children. I live in Norman Oklahoma (the football capital of the world!) and am the President of Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. When I am not profoundly thinking about some theological issue I can be found wasting my time thinking about some theological issue. But, you might also find me watching Smallville, 24, Ghosthunters, collecting super hero figures, or playing Wii with my 4 year old son. [Continue reading]

How much does Crossway want to get Tim Challies’ new book on the New York Times bestseller list? Apparently, not much, because they’ve sent him down here for a blog-tour interview. The change of atmosphere from teampyro to here must be pretty stressful, but Tim’s a hardy Canadian and can handle the transition.

Seriously, Tim’s book The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment is a unique, thorough and practical look at a topic that increasingly is creating controversial discussions among evangelicals. Blogosphere readers will know that Tim is a serious and conservative reformed Baptist, but his work on discernment is even-handed and useful to more than just those identifying with reformed Christianity.

Those of you looking for an argument can move along. I’m sure Tim and I disagree on many things, but scripture tells us that it’s a good thing when brothers dwell together in unity. Our agreement on the Good News of Jesus outweighs our disagreements.

Tim’s a fine writer, much in the style of Jerry Bridges. I appreciate his willingness to field a few ground balls from me. Support Tim and The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment. So here’s the interview: [Continue reading]

Want to know what Phillip Pullman himself has to say about the Golden Compass and his books that inspired the film? Christian film critic and blogger Peter Chataway interviews Phillip Pullman and asks all the questions you’ve been wondering about. No more need to wonder what Pullman had on him mind in the books or what he thinks of the movie, Lewis, LOTR, etc. It’s all here. A great interview.

The idea of Christians and atheists talking civilly like this will certainly upset some people, but I much prefer it to the usual screech and screed.

This is the only interview you will ever read with the phrase “I’m a Church of England” atheist in it. Someone tell Mr. Pullman that he may hate Lewis’s writing, but he’s apparently one of the characters in The Great Divorce.

Read: Chataway’s interview of Phillip Pullman.

For another approach, here’s Bill Donahue of the Catholic League on a recent CBS station clip.

Here’s the last in our “Lutheran Theology and God’s Sovereignty Series.” I appreciate all the work Josh put into this and the good comments from those of you involved in the discussion.

How would Lutheran theology speak about God’s role in a tragedy like the I-35 Bridge collapse? Would you say God ordained it for his glory?

The important thing to remember in any question like this is that questions don’t happen in a vacuum, and neither is theology something floating around in a platonic realm of ideals. Generally, these questions are posed to pastors by real people, so what we always have is a pastoral situation. Even if you’re just a layman, you still have to deal with the person. But this is complex, so you’re going to get a long answer.

Abstractly, in the “ultimate reasons” sense, I don’t have any satisfying answer. Luther’s idea of being a theologian of the cross, which he develops in his Heidelberg Disputation, is hugely influential in the Lutheran tradition. You could probably add the theological part of the Disputation to the Confessions and no one would object. [Continue reading]

Good to know some reader thinks that after 7 years of basically reformed-leaning blogging, 4 Lutheran posts qualify as somehow unfair treatment of Calvinism. And the main complaint: “cheap shots.” If you could die from irony, we could really thin out the population on the blogosphere.

When Josh is teaching, there’s a lot to learn. Enjoy the post and keep it on topic in the comments please.

4. How would a Lutheran answer the question, “How can I know I am saved?” and where would election come into the picture?

I think by this point, people know what I’d say. I’d answer by saying, “Listen to what God says to you in the Word, and believe in what he gives you in the Sacraments.” Obviously, most Christians aren’t taught to believe that the minister has any kind of divinely established mandate to forgive sins, and they mostly look at the sacraments as impositions of obligation, memorials, or divine ordinances you obey in order to testify of your own faith. We believe that God is the one testifying in the sacraments, and he’s testifying to you and to the world that your sins have been nailed to the Cross. [Continue reading]

In this question, Josh deals with the sensitive subject of assurance. Can a believer know they are saved? This is bound to be controversial and informative.

3. Adam O’s piece on “Why I Am Not A Calvinist” centers on the issue of assurance. Can Calvinists know they are elect or are they in a
similar situation to Roman Catholics?

In terms of systematic theology, I suppose it depends on the Calvinist. In terms of practical reality, I’ll just say that Holy Spirit isn’t beholden to filter the Gospel of Luke through Reformed systematics when and if it’s read publicly in a Reformed church. If a Calvinist hears Jesus say “Man, your sins are forgiven” in the story of the paralytic and walks home realizing Jesus was talking to him, so much the better.

Even theologically speaking, I have to be careful here. There are a lot of versions of Calvinism, and not all are equally committed to limited atonement. Calvin himself said, “He is no believer, I say, who does not rely on the security of his salvation and confidently triumph over the devil and death” (I.19). [Continue reading]

How does Lutheranism present the sovereignty of God in pastoral care?

2. How would the difference between Lutheran and Reformed views of God’s sovereignty be evidenced pastorally?

Since Calvin borrowed a lot from Luther, there are obviously going to be similarities. And since Calvinism is a pretty diverse tradition, I think that in some contexts, Calvinism looks pastorally quite similar to Lutheranism. On the other hand, in other contexts it can be radically different. In the more common versions of TULIP, justification is an instantaneous, one-time event done by God alone based solely on his eternal, sovereign will and thus ceases being relevant after your conversion. In other formulations, justification is a decree made by God after a lifetime of sovereignly directed covenant-keeping. So already, the idea that the pastor’s actions have anything to do with justification is taken out of the picture.

So what is there for the pastor to do? Without justification, things can become extremely Law-driven. For example, there are some Reformed pastors who envision the Church as a home-school cult where even suggesting that there are benefits to the local public school gets you excommunicated. That simply doesn’t happen in Lutheranism. I know secondhand of a woman from a Reformed church that got excommunicated for not articulating baptism exactly right, and for the Reformed, excommunication means being driven out of the community. I’m not saying there aren’t any obsessive nutballs in Lutheranism, far from it. But our crazies tend to be overprotective shepherds chasing off perceived wolves rather than inquisitors rooting out the impure. [Continue reading]

UPDATE: Read Don Matzat’s excellent essay on “Martin Luther and Predestination.”

A perpective on the Biblical view of God’s sovereignty that’s seldom heard- at least by me- is that of our Lutheran brothers. Lutheran blogger Josh Strodtbeck is a outstanding expounder of Lutheranism, so I’ve invited him to answer some questions. From the first time I ever heard Josh talk about this, it seemed to me he was saying something very Biblical, helpful and important.

I’ve got several questions for Josh, and I’ll do each one as a separate post.

1. What’s the difference between Lutheranism and Calvinism on the place of the Sovereignty of God in theology?

If you look at Calvin’s Institutes, he begins by defining God philosophically, much like Thomas Aquinas does in his Summa. That is, he defines God in terms of various attributes. That in itself makes Calvinism more prone to seeing theology as the development of an abstract system of thought. Again, the similarities to Thomas should be obvious. Of course, just listing attributes of God gets kind of dull after a while, so you have to begin discussing his actions at some point. But since the system itself begins with philosophically defined and described attributes, the theologian is naturally going to gravitate toward discussing things in terms of the attributes. I think the nature of the human mind is such that one, maybe two or three more, of the attributes will become dominant, and for Calvinists, this attribute is divine sovereignty, especially because Calvinism as a theological tradition quickly became defined partly in terms of opposition to synergism and a strong emphasis on the ontological transcendence of God. This is manifested most sharply in the Westminster Standards, which in both the Confession and the Catechisms define God in terms of his attributes and derive the rest of Christian doctrine out of God’s decrees. [Continue reading]

Peter Matthews was raised Methodist, ministered as a Baptist pastor for ten years and now pastors a vibrant growing Anglican Mission in America congregation in Lexington, Kentucky. When it comes to evangelicalism and liturgical church, Peter is the man. He blogs at Guitar Priest, but you need to visit his church or catch his preaching on the web.

Peter’s insights into some of the questions I’m dealing with in recent blog posts will be appreciated by IM readers.

1. You were once a Baptist, now you’re an AMiA Anglican, but you aren’t a Roman Catholic. Can you tell us a little about that trajectory, particularly what moved you out of being a Baptist, but what specifically kept you from becoming Roman Catholic?

I was a Southern Baptist pastor for 10 years. However, I grew up Methodist. So some of the liturgical and sacramental piety of Methodism still hovered in my soul during my SBC years. There was always a longing to get back in touch with the church calendar, liturgy and a greater use and appreciation of sacraments than I was experiencing in an SBC context. Therefore, while still a Baptist pastor I explored the liturgical traditions by reading more than I should have — especially the early church fathers. I found what I was looking for in Anglicanism. Here was a tradition that was overtly liturgical and sacramental but retained the key insights of the Protestant Reformation. I spent a lot of time looking at the Roman Catholic Church and I found much to commend it. Nevertheless, at the end of the day Anglicanism is where I found my home. [Continue reading]

Wyman Richardson has served as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dawson, Georgia, since 2002. He previously pastored churches in Woodstock, GA, and Burneyville, OK. He is the author of Walking Together: A Congregational Reflection on Biblical Church Discipline, which was published in book, Leader’s Guide, and Student Workbook formats by Wipf and Stock publishers earlier this year. The material is designed to help churches approach the issue of church discipline in a preemptive and preparatory fashion, to lead them to understand what church discipline is before they find themselves in disciplinary situations. Further information and resources can be found at Wyman’s website: www.walkingtogetherministries.com

Wyman is a former BHT fellow and a person whose work on church discipline needs to be part of every church leader’s library. As a Southern Baptist contributor at Reformed Catholicism, Dr. Richardson is a good person to talk to on issues of Baptist identity, the Lord’s Supper, church discipline and tradition. [Continue reading]

UPDATE: I have gotten more mail on this than any recent piece. I just can’t individually answer these letters. So sorry. I need an assistant.

The reason Scot Mcknight is such an amazing gift to the church is that he is humble enough to make his formidable skills as a New Testament scholar available to bloggers like me.

I’ve been doing some study on the subject of Roman Catholic Marian dogmas, and Scot was kind enough to answer some questions for me on very short notice. Since I have many new Roman Catholic friends on this blog, I wanted to share a few of our genuine differences so we can respect and appreciate what we have in common.

Scot, best known for The Jesus Creed book and blog, is a professor of New Testament at North Park University near Chicago. He has written The Real Mary, a book that seeks to recover a thoroughly Biblical view of the real first century mother of Jesus. Mcknight’s work was part of a big year for books on Mary, including Tim Perry’s Mary for Evangelicals. I asked Scot some questions that were on my mind about the inevitable differences between those of us who confess the Apostle’s Creed, but disagree deeply over the continuing role of Mary.

1. You’ve done great scholarly and popular work helping Protestants to recover a Biblical view of Mary. Assuming that all Christians can ride the “Mary Bus” together for some distance, where do you believe evangelical Protestants have to get off? [Continue reading]