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William Ward (1769-1823) printed the Bible into multiple Indian languages and kept the Serampore Mission organized between 1799-1823. Before becoming one of the pioneering personalities of the modern missions movement alongside William Carey, Ward used the medium of the English provincial press to voice evangelical values throughout the English Midlands and Yorkshire. One of his … Read more
The startling reality of Paul’s apocalyptic discourse in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is that its purpose is comfort (vv 1-2). While much of scholarship attempts to identify the man of lawlessness, the question that this passage begs is how this apocalyptic teaching is comforting. I propose that Paul refers to the prophetic image of oppressive, non-Israelite … Read more
In this paper, I will examine some early sources that hint at the Nicene Creed. Two such sources include amulets from the fifth and sixth centuries. First is P. Haun. III 51. SM 1.23:63-66 (5th cent.) “Christ was begotten, Amen; Christ was crucified, Amen; Christ was buried, Amen; Christ arose, Amen. He was awakened to … Read more
It is not hard to catalogue accounts of the complaints against the Creed’s brevity regarding pneumatology. Many believe the Creed is pneumatologically deficient, or perhaps more politely, it has made an unfortunate pneumatological oversight. It had Christological fish to fry, and the Spirit would have to wait. I want to suggest that this apparent inattention … Read more
Despite widespread growing interest in Theological Interpretation of Scripture (TIS) and the commitment of leading scholars in the field to a centred yet broad construal of evangelicalism, one voice which is not readily engaged in TIS is feminist interpretation. For example, a search of article titles across 34 issues and 17 years of the Journal … Read more
This paper asks whether the disputed Pauline letters in the New Testament should be used in forming a Pauline theology if they are truly pseudonymous. Increasingly, some evangelicals affirm that you can. However, this paper’s thesis is that you cannot form a Pauline theology from pseudo-Pauline letters. First, you cannot form a Pauline theology from … Read more
There is a long-standing pattern of interweaving Jesus’ Last Journey to Jerusalem found in the Synoptics (Matt. 16:13-20:34; Mk. 8:27-10:52; Lk. 9:18-19:28) with the events of Sukkot (Jn. 7:1-10:21), Hanukkah (Jn. 10:22-42), and the raising of Lazarus (Jn. 11:1-54). This is done without any parallel verses between the Synoptics and John. It also creates numerous … Read more
Modern scholarship has persistently wrestled over whether the so-called “Christ-hymn” in Philippians 2:6-11 is primarily ethical/paraenetic or soteriological/kerygmatic. Though, the most nuanced proposals have avoided driving a wedge between the two. Much of the debate turns on the significance of verses 9–11 and their relationship to the obedience required of believers (2:12) and their future … Read more
Church historians know little about nineteenth-century Scottish Baptists. This presentation will further acquaint hearers with the preaching of the Scottish Baptist, Peter Grant (Pàdraig Grannd), during the 1800s. Peter Grant, the hymn writer, is well-known, but his preaching is unfamiliar to most, although he was an able expositor and experienced significant revivals in Scotland under … Read more
“Israel and the Church” is an apologetic response to the dispensational idea that God has two parallel tracks with two distinct peoples. The line of argumentation follows the kingly and priestly duties given to Adam and then Israel but fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and the quintessential High Priest. Since … Read more