This past week, I posted a book notice about Doug Coleman’s fine new book, A Theological Analysis of the Insider’s Movement.[1] Because the book notice prompted some vigorous discussion, I thought it might be helpful to post an excerpt from an essay I am writing on theological method. In the essay, I try to show how significant one’s theological method is for ministry and mission in general. In the excerpted portion, below, I try to … [Read More]
Book Notice: “A Theological Analysis of the Insider Movement”
Doug Coleman, PhD in Applied Theology with Missions from SEBTS, has recently published his dissertation: A Theological Analysis of the Insider Movement Paradigm from Four Perspectives: Theology of Religions, Revelation, Soteriology and Ecclesiology in the EMS Dissertation Series (WICU Press, 2011). His work evaluates the Insider Movement paradigm (IMP)–a proposal that faith in Jesus does not require severing ties with one’s pre-faith religious community–from four perspectives: the theology of religions, the doctrine of revelation, soteriology, … [Read More]
On the Future of the Southern Baptist Convention: A Graduation Meditation
This morning, we’ll celebrate our December graduation at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. This is our smaller of two annual commencements, but we’ll still graduate around 130 students today. The vast majority of them are Southern Baptists who are currently serving in paid vocational ministry, are presently looking for paid church staff positions, or are preparing to be domestic church planters or foreign missionaries. I hope you’ll pray for those who are transitioning to their next … [Read More]
Should All Women Submit to All Men?
Our friend Russ Moore has written a great article for RELEVANT Magazine titled “Women, Stop Submitting to Men.” Dr. Moore has a helpful take on a controversial issue among some complementarians. We commend his excellent article to you for your consideration.
Interview with Heath Thomas: “Great is Thy Faithfulness? Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture”
Here we go again. Southeastern prof Heath Thomas (Old Testament & Hebrew) has committed yet another act of Old Testament theology. This makes, umm, five publications in the past five weeks. Along with Robin Parry, Thomas is coeditor of Great is Thy Faithfulness? Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture (Pickwick). This work seeks an answer to the question: how is Lamentations Holy Scripture for the Church? In order to answer this question, I’ve provided a brief … [Read More]
The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization
Mirabile Dictu. The long-awaited Blackwell Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization finally has been published. The Encyclopedia is a new four-volume hardback reference work on the history and impact of Christianity. Edited by George Thomas Kurian (President of the Encyclopedia Society), The Encyclopedia includes over 1,400 entries on Christianity and its historical, social, and cultural effect on the world. Entries are divided into seven classes: core articles are wide-ranging articles that define a field and include commentary, … [Read More]
Sending Santa to Amazon: Top Sixteen Books to Buy as Christmas Gifts
There are three types of people in our country. There are, first of all, those who are able to read but do not read books. An AP-Ipsos poll recently revealed that 25% of Americans do not read books, while other polls have put the number higher, at around 50%. It is not that these Americans cannot read or that they do not accumulate knowledge. (No country’s citizens—and I mean none—bring more gravitas and enthusiasm to … [Read More]
Q&A 19: What is the greatest strength of the SBC? The greatest weakness?
Question: What is the greatest strength of the SBC? The greatest weakness?
Reply:
I think the answer to these 2 questions is the same: our fraternal and family orientation. We gain great strength by being a family or convention of Southern Baptist churches united by a passion for international missions, North American church planting and theological integrity. Those are the three things that I mentioned in the “Axioms of a Great Commission Resurgence” message which I believe … [Read More]
Q&A 18: What does the spiritual and intellectual makeup of a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate look like?
Question: What does the spiritual and intellectual makeup of a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate look like?
Reply:
The easiest way to answer that question is he or she looks like a Great Commission Christian. In other words, they have a consuming passion to make disciples of all the people groups scattered around the world teaching them to be faithful to all that Jesus has taught. In that context, a Southeastern graduate will hopefully be a person … [Read More]
Old Testament Matters: Some Resources from the Pen of Heath Thomas
For the past two years, we have been publishing book notices, informing our readership about books published by Southeastern’s faculty members, in order to make our readers aware of (1) good books on specific topics in which they might be interested; (2) the fact that Southeastern’s faculty members are writing top-shelf scholarly volumes that are used in many universities and seminaries around the world, and serious-minded books that are helpful for pastors and churches; and … [Read More]
