The Emerging Scholars Blog

Maybe I shouldn’t have been spending so much time thinking about Hell, see Deep Shift: Hell? (no doubt a natural extension to our discussions regarding resurrection), when Religion of hatred: Why we should no longer be cowed by the chattering classes ruling Britain who sneer at Christianity by A. N. Wilson has been such a great surprise and encouragement to many.  What are your reactions/thoughts regarding the article and A.N. Wilson’s story?

Note:  Two other recent pieces by A.N. Wilson which I found of interest:

Why I believe again

Can you love god and agree with Darwin?

Yesterday, most Christians around the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus (for Orthodox Christians, Easter isn’t until this coming Sunday).  On Facebook, Nicholas Kristof asked “How literally do you think most Christians today interpret the Resurrection? And if one doesn’t accept it literally, then is one still a Christian?”  Though I’ve been convinced of an answer to that question for many years, N. T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church addresses the question of the resurrection (both Jesus’ and our own, future resurrection) in the context of current Biblical scholarship, the contemporary church, and our (post)modern culture.  I highly recommend the book, but if you’d like a sneak preview, you can listen to Wright answering the question “Why does Jesus’ Resurrection Matter?” at a Veritas Forum last year at Emory.  Part 1 and part 2 of the talk can be downloaded from the Veritas Forum website. They’re less than 90 minutes together, and well worth the time.

Response:  Truly, He is Risen!

First, as we read the Easter stories, we note the strange absence of Scripture in them. When you read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ last days — of his arrest, his trial, and his crucifixion — you find Old Testament echoes, quotations, and allusions all over the place. The Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and other books have provided material that has then been woven into the structure of the narrative. … Read the rest of this entry »

In between Good Friday and Easter, I’m taking time to prayerfully consider Bart Ehrman on the Colbert Report and the Twelve Voices of Easter (audio files).  Ever had a conversation which seemed to have the assumption that the Bible is a big fat lie and if you believe the Bible you’re an idiot?  If so, how did you respond (or desire to respond when faced by such an opportunity)?

The question of the death and resurrection of the Son of God, one which we share with the early disciples, stands at the center of the Biblical story.  We have the privilege of knowing the end of the story, from a number of angles.  In addition to the Gospel records, we have a number of testimonies and helpful tools including:

1. the outline of the whole Biblical story (provided by the Word of God)*
2. the additional insights provided by Jesus on the walk to Emmaus
3. a hymn giving praise to the humbling/exaltation of Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God
4. I Corinthians 15, Romans 6:1-14

But these only testify to us and provide a framework for everyday living, if we choose to trust the Word of God.  And what does that mean?  I’ll add a digging deeper into a consideration of the Word of God to the list of future posts. … Read the rest of this entry »

Today is Good Friday for most Christians (for Orthodox believers, Good Friday is a week from today). Eugene Peterson, in Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness
recommends that all Christians read the Psalms daily on a monthly schedule, so I have been endeavoring to do that for the past 6 months, using the Book of Common Prayer as my guide. Fittingly, today’s readings for morning prayer included Psalm 51 and Psalm 52.
Read the rest of this entry »