Recently, I read Peter Enns' book The Evolution of Adam. I found it to be a rather interesting read, and a helpful addition to the field. One idea that Enns uses in understanding the Bible is the calibration of various parts of the Bible so that we can know what to expect from that particular text. For example, Enns calibrates Genesis 1-11 with Ancient Near Eastern mythologies. He shows similarities and differences and uses these other texts to help us understand what we can rightfully expect from Genesis 1-11. I think … [Read more...] about Scholarship of the Bible and the Church
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Excerpt: On the Dangers of “Using” Scripture
Longtime readers of the blog and members of the Emerging Scholars Network know we have a close relationship with InterVarsity Faculty Ministry. Where ESN helps students and young faculty who are pursuing academic careers, Faculty Ministry serves current faculty, primarily at secular universities, through on-campus gatherings, regional conferences, and The Lamp Post, an email journal edited by Tom Trevethan. In the Lamp Post, Tom published an essay "On the Dangers of 'Using' Scripture," which serves as a … [Read more...] about Excerpt: On the Dangers of “Using” Scripture
Psalm 90: The Wisdom and Way of Dwelling in the Lord (Thomas Trevethan)
I am reprinting this Bible study, originally written by Thomas Trevethan for InterVarsity Faculty Ministry —the original can be found here. Tom is a veteran InterVarsity staff worker who has served at the University of Michigan for many years, now working with faculty on that campus. He is one of InterVarsity's most gifted Bible expositors and has also authored the books The Beauty of God's Holiness (InterVarsity Press) and Our Joyful Confidence: The Lordship of Jesus in Colossians (DILL Press). Tom holds an M.A. … [Read more...] about Psalm 90: The Wisdom and Way of Dwelling in the Lord (Thomas Trevethan)
Who’s Afraid of Angels and Aliens, Alienation and Etcetera?
Socially speaking, as opposed to orations in solipsism, it can be quite alienating to bring up the promises and perils of alien life, especially in the middle of a serious conversation. By aliens, I do not mean our fellow human beings who rarely ever garner the support of rabid nationalists anywhere. Imagine the late Jean Marie Le-Pen breaking a baguette with a North African immigrant, not for the sake of a photoâ€shoot but out of a genuine sense of ubi caritas et amor. It is nearly impossible to persuade an … [Read more...] about Who’s Afraid of Angels and Aliens, Alienation and Etcetera?
Can Christian Faith Sustain the Life of the Mind?
We continue our guest series from Richard Hughes on the vocation of Christian scholars. The following post is adapted from Richard's book, The Vocation of a Christian Scholar: How Christian Faith Can Sustain the Life of the Mind (Eerdmans, 2005). In the first post of this series, I made the point that “those of us who are both Christians and scholars will inevitably live in the midst of a deep and inescapable paradox.” The paradox is this – that as Christians, we are committed to a highly particularistic … [Read more...] about Can Christian Faith Sustain the Life of the Mind?