I remember well a special meeting we had in seminary when our wives were invited to join us for a discussion of marriage. One of the speakers was Walt Kaiser, one of my favorite profs at Trinity. Dr. Kaiser is among the most winsome people I’ve ever met. His lectures and preaching were always filledContinue reading “Paul Zahl: Humor in the Pulpit”
Category Archives: IM Recommended Reading
Ancient-Future Faith (4): Worship in a Postmodern World
As a young student in Bible college, newly awakened by the Spirit and called to pastoral ministry, I never had a single class on the subject of worship. So when I graduated and went into my first church armed with a guitar and accompanied by a wife who played the piano, we did what weContinue reading “Ancient-Future Faith (4): Worship in a Postmodern World”
Ancient-Future Faith (3): The Church in a Postmodern World
During my seminary education, I never felt we really addressed the question: “What does it mean to be a member of the church” Later, when I turned to the early Christian tradition and began, for the first time, to understand what it meant to be a member of the body of Christ, it was likeContinue reading “Ancient-Future Faith (3): The Church in a Postmodern World”
Ancient-Future Faith (2): Christ for a Postmodern World
For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. – Ephesians 1:9-10, RSV For in him allContinue reading “Ancient-Future Faith (2): Christ for a Postmodern World”
Ancient-Future Faith (1): Faith in a Post-Modern World
Introduction This week we will discuss portions of a classic book by Robert E. Webber: Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World. In conjunction with these posts, you might want to review a series we did back in August, 2010 called, “Three Streams in the Post-Evangelical Wilderness.” One of those streams we identified asContinue reading “Ancient-Future Faith (1): Faith in a Post-Modern World”
Church: Not Where We “Find God”
Geoffrey Hill: What is there in my heart that you should sue so fiercely for its love? What kind of care brings you as though a stranger to my door through the long night and in the icy dew seeking the heart that will not harbor you, that keeps itself religiously secure? – from “LachrimaeContinue reading “Church: Not Where We “Find God””
Disgust Psychology in the Church
Yesterday, we were talking about Richard Beck’s book, Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality. In the comments I promised I would give some real-life instances of how I’ve seen the “psychology of disgust” play out in Christian communities. Let me reset the theme by quoting something Beck writes early in the book: I wasContinue reading “Disgust Psychology in the Church”
Why “Hate the Sin/Love the Sinner” Doesn’t Work
Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” – Matthew 9:13 Mercy and sacrifice reliably come into conflict due to the reciprocal nature of love and disgust, the psychological dynamics governing exclusion and embrace. Consequently, the church cannot sidestep the tensions in Matthew 9 as a mere logical error or falseContinue reading “Why “Hate the Sin/Love the Sinner” Doesn’t Work”
What Was a “Pharisee”? (and what might it mean to act like one?)
UPDATE: I edited the post by adding a paragraph near the end of the post. It begins with the words, “That is not to say they all acted with equal zeal…” [11:10 am] * * * N.T. Wright notes that “Paul stands where three great roads converge.” Beginning with chapter two of Paul and the FaithfulnessContinue reading “What Was a “Pharisee”? (and what might it mean to act like one?)”
“Slow Church” Article & Book Excerpt
Chris Smith and friends are hosting the Slow Church Conference here in Indy this week, and I know at least one faithful Internet Monk reader who will be attending. I hope to catch up with David, author of yesterday’s post, for some conversation on Saturday. At any rate, Chris’s book will be coming out thisContinue reading ““Slow Church” Article & Book Excerpt”
The Internet Monk Archives 