Artifacts of a Life Once Lived

Research Topic Cont.: My case is essentially this: Modern Evangelical method of interpretation as a result of adopting a scientific approach to scripture rejects (not outrightly, but the proof is in the pudding)the reading, and thus interpretation, of scripture with predisposed confessions to doctrinal statements in hand(such as creeds or confessions which were the result significant church councils). In my case for maintaining a confessional/creedal interpretation of scripture the point will surely be made that the Reformers attempted to free us from the bondage of Tradition for after all, it is that Tradition which empowered the abuses and disasters of the Catholic church. What about the reformation? Were the Reformers set on freeing the people of God from the "Church" and thus its tradition because they had found their method of interpretation to lead elsewhere, away from the "Church's" traditions? Or said differently, were the Reformers rejecting Tradition o...

What is the good life? In America it generally means one or a combination of the following: money, career, success, influence, power, prestige, luxury, affluence, etc. Here is A MUCH NEEDED REMINDER on the current ideal of the American dream contrasted to a biblical portrait of the "good" life.

Research Topic Cont.: Does maintaining Sola Scriptura negate the appropriation of the confessions/creeds in exegetical study? Did the reformers have methodology in mind when they stated Sola Scriptura ? Said differently, Does 'proper' exegesis require the setting aside of confessional allegiances of faith in the act of interpreting the text? If no, then to what confessions or creeds do exegetes/interpreters alike confess? There are so many creeds and confessions today! Just pick up John Leith's "Creeds of the Churches" and you will find several hundred pages of creeds and confessions. That is the question I will engage next. But for the moment, take creeds/confessions to mean that which has been agreed upon at Nicaea and in the Apostles Creed/Rule of Faith . How does contemporary evangelicalism generally view the creeds/confessions? My own encounters and experiences with evangelicals over the years have confirmed that most people (in non-denominational/independ...

Research Topic: Methodology has replaced the confessions within the broader evangelical community's hermeneutical pursuit. The evangelical community will not deny that it carries with it the long standing tradition of Christian history, however it has denied the rightful place of the confessions as being a lens through which the scriptures are read. Fascinations with "objectivism" and "empiricism" has diluted the strength of modern scholarly interpretation. (Though much of that can be attributed to the fact that many modern "interpreters" are unbelievers without the eternal Spirit of God.) The interpretation of scripture in the evangelical community must embrace the confessions in its dialogue with the text as normative. "We have, however, the catholic faith in the Creed, known to the faithful and committed to memory, contained in a form of expression as concise as has been rendered admissible by the circumstances of the case; the purpose of which...

Non Fui, Non Sum, Non Curo Somtimes I wish it were true.

IN RESPONSE TO: What Is A Submissive Wife, Anyway? http://drjimwest.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/what-is-a-submissive-wife-anyway/ English Versions which include “cooperate” in the NT: 1. The Message (Mt. 5:9) - “cooperate” for “peacemakers” This word is not semantically related to “upotasso.” 2. Amplified Bible (1 Cor. 16:16; 2 Cor. 1:11; 3 Jn. 1:8) *** HIGHLY IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE:1Cor. 16:16 is interesting because it contains “submit” and “cooperate” in the same verse (NET). Submit translated from “upotasso” and cooperate translated from “sunergeo”. “Sunergeo” has the idea of “to engage in cooperative endeavor, work together with, assist, help, etc” (BDAG). This verse might demonstrate that Paul (even though he was a first century ignoramus, misogynist, sexist pig) knew the distinction between submitting and cooperating. Jim, you might want to check this one out. The same author (we think, at least I do) who wrote Ephesians (St. Paul) had a keen awareness for the usage of words as i...

Crazy for God Some reflections on the book. I'm glad to have read it, if nothing for the fact that Franky found what I am looking for and came to despise it. Greatness. Fame. Influence. Popularity. He had it all. He came to realize that mainstream evangelicalism is not a faithful body, but a fruitful business. He found that politics drove the "evangelical engine" more than sincere life-in-in-your-face faith. He points out some significant sweeping generalizations. Evangelicals are money driven. Evangelicals are independence driven. Evangelicals are activist driven. Evangelicals are make-me-feel-good-about-myself driven. If these are true (and I am sure they are to an extent) does he not need to face them? Do I not need to face them? Am I not "socially engineered" to a degree by the communities that I have run in? His story of his life is stunning. He finds freedom to share, with unashamed honesty, the brokenness of his family. How his father Francis beat his mo...