Church and Theology

It just happened again. I had to consult “BDAG,” A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (3rd ed.). I don’t own a copy, so every time I have to consult BDAG I think “I really should buy this.” But for the past decade or so, primarily because of BDAG’s cost ($150 on Logos, $130 used on Amazon, $165 new on Amazon) I’ve held off. Nevertheless, I’m seeking to build my “must-have” personal reference library to sustain a ministry as a pastor theologian. So, I think I need to buy BDAG sometime soon. While I’m at it, I might as well get HALOT, the Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament… Logos sells them as a bundle. ...

Just came across this article in New Blackfriars, and it looks helpful, especially in the context of Anglican debates about women’s ordination. Title: “The Four Types of Priesthood in the New Testament: On Avoiding Confusions about What ‘Priesthood’ Means” Author: Geoffrey Turner Abstract: Christian discourse tends to treat the concept of ‘priesthood’ univocally, so that ordained priests are seen to share the priesthood of Christ. But a careful reading of Hebrews shows clearly that the priesthood of Christ is unique to him. There are four (even five) types of priest in the New Testament and each of them is distinct and not to be confused. ...

I became an “egalitarian” in college, before I became an Anglican in seminary. It’s taken some time for me to get used to the different contours of the women’s ordination debate within Anglicanism. Growing up, the debate was all about particular Bible verses and whether or not women could teach and preach. However, in Anglicanism, although those same questions/arguments are present, I hear much more about whether or not women can administer the sacraments as priests. ...

This is the question we’re considering this week in our doctoral seminar on biblical and theological integration. Two of us are theologians and the other four are bible scholars. Should be interesting! (Note: we’ll have to save the difference(s) between systematic, historical, and dogmatic theology for another post!) Here are the articles we were assigned to read for this week: D.A. Carson, “Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology” in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, pp. 89-104. D.A. Carson, “Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: The Possibility of Systematic Theology” in Scripture and Truth, D. A. Carson and J. D. Woodbridge, eds. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983), pp. 65-95. G. Hasel, “The Relationship between Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology” Trinity Journal 5 (1984): 113-27; I.H. Marshall, “Climbing Ropes, Ellipses and Symphonies: The Relation between Biblical and Systematic Theology” in A Pathway into the Holy Scripture, P.E. Satterthwaite and D.F. Wright, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), 199–219. E.A. Martens, “Moving from Scripture to Doctrine” Bulletin for Biblical Research 15.1 (2005): 77-103. Kevin Vanhoozer, “Interpreting Scripture between the Rock of Biblical Studies and the Hard Place of Systematic Theology: The State of the Evangelical (Dis)union” in Richard Lints, ed., Renewing the Evangelical Mission (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2013), 201-25. Other than that, for the rest of the semester, we’re reading at least selections from the following works. The goal is to learn from examples of biblical and theological integration. ...

To start off the semester the other day, we prayed this prayer of confession together as a class. The professor didn’t remember where the prayer was from, so I tracked it down online. According to Justin Taylor, it was written by Bob Kauflin. Holy and righteous God, we confess that like Isaiah, we are a people of unclean lips. But it is not only unclean lips we possess. We are people with unclean hands and unclean hearts. We have broken your law times without number, and are guilty of pride, unbelief, self-centeredness and idolatry. Affect our hearts with the severity of our sin and the glory of your righteousness as we now acknowledge our sins in your holy presence. ...

As a part of my “pedagogical experience” at Wheaton College this semester, I was required to draft a syllabus for an introduction to Christian theology. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. Note: the length of this syllabus doesn’t necessarily correspond to the difficulty of this course Contact Information Email: [REDACTED] Phone: [REDACTED] Office Hours (Buswell Library Carrell): T, W, R, 15:00–17:00. Course Description This course is an introduction to the methods of systematic theology and the major topics within biblical revelation. Special attention is given to the rationale for these Christian doctrines, their systematic interconnections as well as their development within the history of Christian thought, and their contemporary challenges. This class is your opportunity to reinforce why you believe what you believe and to examine how it impacts your life. ...

For my “Pedagogical Experience” requirement at Wheaton, I’m helping to teach a masters-level Christian Theology course. Yesterday, I got to teach a lesson on justification and sanctification. A lot to cover in a 95-minute class session! If you’re interested in what I covered, here are my slides (in PDF format). [Justification and Sanctification Slides ](https://joshuapsteele.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/19.-Justification-and-Sanctification.pdf)[Download](https://joshuapsteele.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/19.-Justification-and-Sanctification.pdf)And here is the handout (Word document). [Justification and Sanctification Handout ](https://joshuapsteele.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/19.-Justification-and-Sanctification.docx)[Download](https://joshuapsteele.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/19.-Justification-and-Sanctification.docx)

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGIES: A LIST I put together the following list, using the 10th edition of John Glynn’s Commentary and Reference Survey (Kegel, 2007) as a starting point. I’ll be updating this list in the future, but I could use your help. If there’s something that needs included, please let me know in the comments! Systematic Theologies Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics, 5 vols. In 14 parts. (T&T Clark, [1932–1967] 1936–1969). Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, ed. John Bolt (Baker, 2003-). Berkhof, Louis. Combined Systematic Theology, 4th ed. (Eerdmans, 1939) and Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology (Eerdmans, 1996). Berkouwer, G. Studies in Dogmatics, 14 vols. (Eerdmans, 1952-76). Bird, Michael F. Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction. (Zondervan, 2013). Bloesch, Donald. Christian Foundations, 7 vols. (IVP, 1992-). Bray, Gerald. God Is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology. (Crossway, 2012). Buswell, James. A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, 2 vols. (Zondervan, 1962-63). Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 vols. (Westminster John Knox, 1960). Chafer, Lewis. Systematic Theology, 4 vols. (Kregel, 1993). Unabridged. Coakley, Sarah. God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay ‘On the Trinity.’ (Cambridge University Press, 2013) Volume 1 of a 4-volume systematic theology. Culver, Robert. Systematic Theology (Christian Focus, 2005). Dulles, Avery. The Craft of Theology (Crossroad, 1992). Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology, 2d ed. (Baker, 1998). Finger, Thomas. A Contemporary Anabaptist Theology (IVP, 2004). Finger, Thomas. Christian Theology, 2 vols. (Herald, 1985, 1989). Frame, John. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief. (P&R, 2013). Fries, Heinrich. Fundamental Theology (Catholic University of America, 1996). Garrett, James. Systematic Theology, 1 vols. (Eerdmans, 1990, 1995). Geisler, Norman. Systematic Theology, 4 vols. (Bethany House, 2002-). Arminian. Gerrish, B.A. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline. (Westminster John Knox, 2015). Grenz, Stanley. Theology for the Community of God (Eerdmans, 2000). Grider, J. Kenneth. A Wesleyan-Holiness Theology. (Beacon Hill, 1994). Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology (Zondervan, 1994). Calvinistic charismatic. Gunton, Colin. The Christian Faith (Blackwell, 2001). Introduction. Guthrie, Shirley C., Jr. Christian Doctrine. (WJK, 1994). Revised edition. Henry, Carl. God, Revelation, and Authority, 6 vols. (Word, 1976-83; Crossway, 1999). Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Hendrickson, 1997). Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology, abridged 1-vol. ed. (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1997). Horton, Michael. The Christian Faith. (Zondervan, 2011). Horton, Stanley, ed. Systematic Theology, rev. ed. (Logion, 1995). Pentecostal. Jenson, Robert. Systematic Theology, 2 vols. (Oxford University Press, 1997-99). Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World, 5 vols. (Eerdmans, 2013-17). Küng, Hans. Christianity (Continuum, 1995). Lewis, Gordon, and Bruce Demarest. Integrative Theology (Zondervan, 1987-94). Three volumes in one. McClendon, James. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Abingdon, 2002, 1986-2000). Anabaptist. McGrath, Alister. Christian Theology, 3d ed. (Blackwell, 2001). McKim, Donald. Introducing the Reformed Faith (Westminster John Knox, 2001). Menzies, William, and Stanley Horton. Bible Doctrines (Logion, 1993). Pentecostal. Oden, Thomas. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Harper, 1987-92; Prince, 2000). Methodist. Olson, Roger. Arminian Theology (IVP, 2006). Olson, Roger. The Mosaic of Christian Belief (IVP, 2002) . Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Eerdmans, 1991,1994, 1997). Rahner, Karl. Foundations of Christian Faith (Seabury, 1978). Idealist Christology. Rahner, Karl. Theological Investigations, 23 vols. (Helicon/Herder and Herder/Seabury/Crossroad, 1961-92). Ratzinger, John. Principles of Catholic Theology (Ignatius, 1987). Rausch, Thomas P. Systematic Theology: A Roman Catholic Approach. (Liturgical Press, 2016). Reymond, Robert. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Thomas Nelson, 1998). Reformed introduction. Shedd, William. Dogmatic Theology, 3d ed. (Presbyterian & Reformed, 2003). Sonderegger, Katherine. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Fortress, 2015-). Strong, Augustus. Systematic Theology (Judson, 1907). Tanner, Kathryn. Jesus, Humanity and the Trinity: A Brief Systematic Theology. (Fortress, 2001). Thiessen, Henry. Lectures in Systematic Theology, rev. ed. (Eerdmans, 1977). Thiselton, Anthony C. Systematic Theology. (Eerdmans, 2015). Tillich, Paul. Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (University of Chicago, 1963). Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology, 3 vols. (P&R, [1679–85] 1997). van der Kooi, Cornelis, and Gijsbert van den Brink. Christian Dogmatics: An Introduction. (Eerdmans, 2017). Translation of 2012 Dutch original. Vos, Geerhardus J. Reformed Dogmatics, 5 vols. (Lexham, 2014-16). Wiley, H. Orton. Christian Theology, 3 vols. (Nazarene Publishing, 1940-43). Arminian perspective. Williams, Rodman. Renewal Theology (Zondervan, 1992). Three volumes in one, Pentecostal. Handbooks, Introductions, and Edited Volumes Allen, Michael, and Scott R. Swain, eds. Christian Dogmatics: Reformed Theology for the Church Catholic. (Baker Academic, 2016). Beinert, Wolfgang, and Francis Schussler Fiorenza, eds. Handbook of Catholic Theology (Crossroad, 1995). Berkhof, Louis. Introduction to Systematic Theology (Eerdmans, 1932; Baker, 1979). Enns, Paul. Moody Handbook of Theology (Moody, 1989). Erickson, Millard. Introducing Christian Doctrine, 2d ed., cd. Arnold Hustad (Baker, 2001). Abridgement of Christian Theology. Grudem, Wayne. Bible Doctrine (Zondervan, 1999). Abridgement of Systematic Theology. Hanson, Paul. Introduction to Christian Theology (Fortress, 1997). Horton, Michael. Pilgrim Theology. (Zondervan, 2013). Distillation of Horton’s Christian Faith. Jones, Beth Felker. Practicing Christian Doctrine. (Baker Academic, 2014). Komanchak, Joseph, Mary Collins, and Dermot Lane, eds. The New Dictionary of Theology (Liturgical, 1987). Latourelle, Rene, and Rino Fisichella, eds. Dictionary of Fundamental Theology (Crossroad, 1994). MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth. (Crossway, 2017). McGrath, Alister. ed. The Christian Theology Reader, 2d cd. (Blackwell, 2001). McGrath, Alister. Studies in Doctrine (Zondervan, 1997). Four volumes in one. Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding. (Eerdmans, 1991, 2004, 2014). Miller, Ed, and Stanley Grenz, eds. Fortress Introduction to Contemporary Theologies (Fortress, 1998). Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, and Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. (Cambridge University Press, 2010). Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth. (Moody, [1986] 1999). Sawyer, James. The Survivor’s Guide to Theology (Zondervan, 2002). Introduction. Schussler Fiorenza, Francis, and John Galvin, eds. Systematic Theology, 2 vols. (Fortress, 1991). Stuhlmueller, Carroll, ed. The Collegeville Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Liturgical, 1996). Thorsen, Don. An Exploration of Christian Theology. (Hendrickson, 2008). Special Studies Brown, Raymond E., Karl Donfried, Joseph Fitzmyer, and John Reumann. Mary in the New Testament (Fortress/Paulist, 1978). Chauvet, Louis-Marie. The Sacraments (Liturgical, 2001). Collinge, William. The A to Z of Catholicism (Scarecrow, 2001). Congar, Yves. Diversity and Communion (23rd Community, 1985). Congdon, David. The God Who Saves: A Dogmatic Sketch. (Cascade, 2016). de Lubac, Henri. The Sources of Revelation (Crossroad, 2000). Dulles, Avery. The Assurance of Things Hoped For (Oxford University Press, 1994). Forlines, Leroy. The Quest for Truth (Randall House, 2001). Non-Wesleyan Arminian position. Grenz, Stanley. Renewing the Center (Baker, 2000). Grenz, Stanley. The Named God and the Question of Being (Westminster John Knox, 2005). Grenz, Stanley. The Social God and the Question of Being (Westminster John Knox, 2001). Kaspar, Walter. The God of Jesus Christ (Crossroad, 1984). Idealist Christology. Kaspar, Walter. Theology and Church II (Herder and Herder, 2001). Küng, Hans. Infallible? 2d ed. (Continuum, 1994). Livermore, Paul, Donald Bastien, and Thomas Oden. The God of Our Salvation (Light and Life Communications, 1995). Wesleyan. O’Collins, Gerald. Christology (Oxford University Press, 1995). Peters, Ted. God: The World’s Future, 2d ed. (Fortress, 2000). Postmodern. Ratzinger, John. In the Beginning (Eerdmans, 1995). Richard, Lucien. Christ: The Self-Emptying of God (Paulist, 1997). Kenosis. Schillebeeckx, Edward. Christ (Crossroad, 1980). Schillebeeckx, Edward. Church (Crossroad, 1990). Tracy, David. Plurality and Ambiguity (Harper, 1987). Van Beeck, Frans. God Encountered, 6 vols. (Liturgical, 1993-). Von Balthasar, Hans Urs. Mysterium Paschale (T & T dark, 1990). Warfield, Benjamin. Works, 10 vols. (Baker, 1991).

This upcoming semester, I’ll be taking a seminar on the Doctrine of Creation from my supervisor Marc Cortez. I’ll also be doing my “pedagogical experience” in a Christian Theology course—also with Marc Cortez. Anyways, in case you’re interested, I thought I’d share what I’ll be reading for each course. Have you read any of these works? If so, what did you think? What will you be reading this semester? Doctrine of Creation Colin Gunton, The Triune Creator: A Historical and Systematic Study. Elizabeth A. Johnson, Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love. Catherine Keller, The Face of the Deep: A Theology of Becoming. Ian A. McFarland, From Nothing: A Theology of Creation. Jürgen Moltmann, God in Creation. Arthur Peacocke, All That Is: A Naturalistic Faith for the Twenty-First Century. Norman Wirzba, From Nature to Creation: A Christian Vision for Understanding and Loving Our World. Christian Theology Beth Felker Jones, Practicing Christian Doctrine: An Introduction to Thinking and Living Theologically. Tom McCall, Forsaken: The Trinity, the Cross, and Why It Matters. Timothy C. Tennent (ed.), Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology. Cornelius Plantinga, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin. Note: some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that, if you click on the link and make a purchase, then, at no extra cost to you, I receive a small commission. I only ever recommend resources that I know will benefit my readers! If you’re interested in these resources, buying them through the affiliate links is a way that you can support my work! ...

While reading Beth Felker Jones’ Practicing Christian Doctrine: An Introduction to Thinking and Living Theologically, I came across the following list of extremely helpful questions to ask while reading theology (on page 29). What are the key Christian teachings being articulated? What is the author’s driving concern or main theme? What counts for the author as authoritative (Scripture, tradition, reason, experience…)? Is the author’s theological method implicit or explicit? How does the author deal with the witness of Scripture? a. Implicitly? Explicitly? b. Does the witness of the Old Testament matter? The New? c. What biblical themes are privileged? d. What interpretive principles are at work? How do these claims relate to other doctrines? How does context (including gender, race, class, culture, and time) shape the theological voice? Is the theologian conscious of this? How does your context shape your evaluation of the piece? Practice reading charitably. What is the best possible interpretation of how the piece reflects an attempt to be faithful to Jesus Christ? How do these theological claims relate to the life of faith? Doe you bring other questions from your experience? If this theological proposal were taken seriously, how would it shape Christian practice? Would it affect our participation in spiritual disciplines? Our understanding of faithful living? Our practice of evangelism? Our life as the church? Add this to my 1 simple trick to read faster, 4 questions to ask while reading a book, and 3 questions to ask while reading the Bible. ...

Kevin J. Vanhoozer, affectionately known by some as “KJV,” has written one of the best, briefest overviews of what theologians (should) do. The entire piece is filled with gems like the following: To become a theologian, you must be willing to bear true witness and call out false witnesses, casting down idols and ideologies. That’s the shadow side of theology, but the best part is speaking light and truth in astonished indications of God’s goodness. I love John Webster’s definition of theology: “that delightful activity in which the Church praises God by ordering its thinking towards the gospel of Christ.” Being a theologian means getting to have not necessarily the last word, but the word about last things, “the end for which God created the world” (to cite the title of a dissertation by Jonathan Edwards). It’s not only a good word but the best of all possible words, namely, that God glorifies humans and all creation, magnifying his own glory and subjecting all things to the Lordship of Christ, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). It’s the privilege of the theologian to bear witness to the length, depth, breadth, and width of the cross and Resurrection. Karl Barth is right: “The theologian who has no joy in his work is not a theologian at all.” ...

Based upon my work over at Rookie Anglican, I was asked by The Telos Collective to write a blog post about the different ways that people are coming into Anglicanism. What’s drawing them in? You can read my full post over at the Telos Collective blog, but here’s a taste: Anglican Christianity, precisely because of its weirdness, can remind us that, in the words of Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger in Exploring Ecclesiology, “The church is a cultural community. It is Christ’s eschatological kingdom community, itself a culture that engages other cultures from Christ’s kingdom vantage point” (p. 207). ...

Previously, I catalogued a bunch of different takes on Jordan Peterson, before giving my own take. Since that post, two other pieces about Jordan Peterson have been written that I’d like to share. “Jordan Peterson, Custodian of the Patriarchy,” by Nellie Bowles (New York Times) Nellie Bowles writes Mr. Peterson, 55, a University of Toronto psychology professor turned YouTube philosopher turned mystical father figure, has emerged as an influential thought leader. The messages he delivers range from hoary self-help empowerment talk (clean your room, stand up straight) to the more retrograde and political (a society run as a patriarchy makes sense and stems mostly from men’s competence; the notion of white privilege is a farce). He is the stately looking, pedigreed voice for a group of culture warriors who are working diligently to undermine mainstream and liberal efforts to promote equality. ...

UPDATE: Read my post, “Two More Pieces about Jordan Peterson.” If I remember correctly, I first heard of and listened to Jordan Peterson on an episode of The Art of Manliness podcast. (Or perhaps it was this episode.) However, I could be mistaken, because Peterson’s been popping up in conversation all over the place in my circles. Blog posts, podcast episodes, conversations with friends – Peterson has been popping up everywhere, so it seems. ...

I was recently privileged to see one of my favorite bands, The Oh Hellos, in concert at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago. I love all of The Oh Hellos’ music, but one song, in particular, has remained poignant to me ever since I first heard it. The song is called “The Truth is a Cave,” and I think it provides a beautiful picture of what I’m calling “the theological journey” – the stages one goes through in one’s knowledge of God. ...