UNPACKING THE DANCE--after Jones: Beliefs, Desires, Practices, and the Ends of Theological Education

Questions

• What does it look like to integrate formation beyond mere homework assignments?
• In a university-based seminary setting, what can the seminary do to positively influence undergraduate and other graduate schools without causing offense?
• Given that seminary is higher education, how does study influence affections and behavior? How might this influence be leveraged to produce better Christian leaders?
• What does a church-based academy look like? Who are its teachers? What is the relationship with the seminary? What forms of governance would function most effectively? What sorts of subjects would be taught? Might this be combined with a Christian college preparatory academy?
• In seminary, how might various teaching/learning methodologies be leveraged to prioritize formation over information-transfer?
• What might educational psychology bring to the table?
  

Added ideas drawn from:
"Beliefs, Desires, Practices, and the Ends of Theological Education"
by L. Gregory Jones
in Practicing Theology
Ed. by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass

Tag(s): spiritual formation spiritual practices

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Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org/

Wordle - 2 Peter 1:5-7

Wordle - 2 Peter 1:5-7
based on my translation from UBS4

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NEW TESTAMENT WORDLES

Marked by Faith has Wordled some NT books...very cool.

Here's links to three on the recent-current-next Sanctify study list:
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude

ht to the blogger whose name just flew out of my brain right after the tab was closed...sorry.

Tag(s): wordle new testament

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

UNPACKING THE DANCE--Pauw: Attending to the Gaps between Beliefs and Practices

The belief mix is composed of both true and untrue beliefs. True beliefs are those that correspond to the way things actually are. Untrue beliefs do not.

The behavior mix is composed of both good and ungood behaviors. Good behaviors fulfill their divinely intended function, are characterized by beauty and elegance, and lead to excellence. Ungood behaviors do not.

The belief mix and behavior mix influence one another. The belief mix nurtures the behavior mix and the behavior mix stimulates the belief mix. *

Affections provide the force* of influence. Affections include values, desires, dispositions, and emotions. They influence and are influenced by both belief and behavior.

Praxis is the complex of influences involved in the process of reflective action. It can be intentional or unintentional (or both).

QUESTIONS

• What does Pauw mean by nurture and stimulus?
• How is the affective dimension changed?
• How do communal and individual contexts influence this process?
• What is the role of the Holy Spirit in this process?
• How far can/should we take the analogy of force in describing the function of the affections in praxis?
  

Ideas drawn from:
"Attending to the Gaps between Beliefs and Practices"
by Amy Plantinga Pauw
in Practicing Theology
Ed. by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass

Tag(s): spiritual formation spiritual practices

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

THIS PRACTICED DISPOSITION

Splat after Matthew 1-21

God, help this practiced disposition,
our own things so large,
yours and others' fade away.
Into this you came.
Into this you come.

Into this you are coming
to us
for your glory,
with us
for your glory,
teaching us
for your glory,
healing us
for your glory,
calling us
for your glory,
sending us
for your glory.

You,
Promised One,
Prophesied One,
Kingdom-Bringer,
Decision-Forcer.

Tag(s): new testament poetry

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

UNPACKING THE DANCE--Dykstra and Bass on a theology of Christian practice

Idea for Dancing on the Monkey Bars: The dance is lived theology, the indivisible intermixing of theoria and poiesis that is summed up in praxis (reflective action). Theoria informs poiesis and poiesis informs theoria. In the living of it, the dancers, when honest to the true dance, increasingly become like Jesus, the Master Dancer.

Ideas drawn from:
"A Theological Understanding of Christian Practices"
by Craig Dykstra and Dorothy C. Bass
in Practicing Theology
Ed. by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass

Read the underlying chapter summary on Stuff I've Read.

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

HEART TROUBLE

Reflections on TFB's June 15, 2008 Sunday sermon.

Anger is not sin. Our response is another thing altogether.

"anger" and "angry" in Proverbs

Proverbs 14:29
Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath,but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 16:32
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes one slow to anger,and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 20:2
The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.

Proverbs 21:14
A gift in secret averts anger,and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

Proverbs 22:14
The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit; he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.

Proverbs 22:24
Make no friendship with a man given to anger,nor go with a wrathful man,

Proverbs 24:18
lest the LORD see it and be displeased,and turn away his anger from him.

Proverbs 25:23
The north wind brings forth rain,and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

Proverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,but who can stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 29:22
A man of wrath stirs up strife,and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Proverbs 30:33
For pressing milk produces curds,pressing the nose produces blood,and pressing anger produces strife.

Tag(s): sermon responsibility

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

PEOPLE OF THE CAME AND COMING ONE

first written
last written
proclaim:

The One who came
is
The One who is coming.

We his people
share his life,
share his work,
share his love.

We are the people
of the Came and Coming One.

==========

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

...


"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Tag(s): bible reading poetry theology

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

QUESTIONS RAISED--unChristian pp 153-180

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
by David Kinnaman. Baker Books (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages

• Rather than merely focusing on right-left/conservative-liberal politics, what would it look like to emphasize deeper politics, focusing on the basic, biblical-theological truths behind and under our politics?
  

Tag(s): unchristian david kinnaman church

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IS THIS ALL THERE IS TO BIBLICAL FEMININITY?

In a sermon summary titled, The Importance of Gender Roles, Part I, the following definition of "biblical femininity" is given.

Biblical femininity is a disposition of affirming, receiving and nurturing the strength and leadership of worthy men. The Bible does not teach that God created men and women as duplicates, but as complimentary to one another. The cultivation of good male leadership benefits women. (excerpted from summary of a Mark Dever sermon [apparently quoting Piper] on the CBMW blog)

According to the site, the sermon used Genesis 1:27 as its launching pad.

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

I have a few questions:

• How is this definition of "biblical femininity" related to the biblical passage cited as the basis for the sermon? [From hearing the sermon, I realize the definition is from the Piper/Grudem book, but the quote was used, I would assume, in support of Dever's homeletical idea, so the question remains.]
  
• Since the definition relates femininity only to worthy men, what of a woman's relation to God, the world, other humans, ministry, family, etc.? How does femininity reveal itself in these other areas?
  
• Assuming the author meant "complementary" rather than "complimentary," how are masculinity and femininity mutually completing?
• If the author meant "complimentary" (which, given the three-fold activity of femininity-- "affirming, receiving and nurturing the strength and leadership of worthy men"--sounds possible) what is the biblical basis for this conclusion? If this is not the case, the webmaster ought to fix the typo.
  
• How do women image God? How do men and women together image God? (I do not ask about men, because the author gives his understanding of how men image God.)
• Given a biblical understanding of the nature of humanity in general and women in particular, what ought to be added to, changed, or removed from the above quoted definition of biblical femininity?
  

Sermon mp3 here.

Tag(s): theological anthropology men and women in ministry biblical equality complementarianism


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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

QUESTIONS RAISED--unChristian pp 121-152

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
by David Kinnaman. Baker Books (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages

My Christian bubble is fairly complete. I live in a Christian household, minister in a Christian church, work at a Christian university, and commute in a Christian travel-bubble called homework. I want to want to break out, yet I do not yet want to break out. What holds me back? I am not sure, but some of it feels like fear and some like misplaced priority.

• What is the extent of your bubble?
• What is keeping you from breaking out?

Tag(s): unchristian david kinnaman church

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

WHAT'S MY ISAAC?

Reflections on TFB's June 8, 2008 Sunday sermon (the Kamper Kamp version).

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

Three days
knife in hand,
son at side,
servant and donkey,
he walks,
this man of God,
listening.

Up the mountain,
knife and son and fire,
this offering,
this deepest cut
into the soul of a long-waiting father,
yet he walks,
this man of God,
obeying.

At the altar,
son now bound,
knife raised,
ready to plunge and sacrifice,
stayed by The Voice,
redeemed by a thicket trapped ram,
now he walks,
this man of God,
declaring.

Genesis 22

Who or what is my Isaac?

Tag(s): sermon responsibility

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

AVOCADO SALAD

Disclaimer: I don't measure. Deal.

Ingredients

• Avocados, cubed
• Bananas, cubed
• Grape Tomatoes
• Cilantro, chopped (to taste)
• Pasilla Chilies, roasted and chopped
• Dubliner Cheese, cubed
• Bronco Bob's Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce
  

Process

• Roast Pasilla on over coals (can be done on stove burner, if no coals) until skin is charred and bubbling. Placed roasted chilies in sealed bowl to steam.
• Chop/Cube remaining ingredients.
• Peel chilies and medium chop.
• Mix all ingredients.
• Enjoy
  

What I Would Change

• I may try blending the cilantro and a bit of the sauce to make it pesto-esque.
• For my taste, it could stand the addition of another, hotter, chili (not sure which).
• Honestly, not much else, as it was darn tasty.
  

This also worked well the next morning, blended with scrambled eggs.

Tag(s): avocado salad recipes

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OUR DESPERATE NEED FOR COMMUNITY

Last week in Hartford, Conn, a 78-year old man was struck in a hit and run. That is not the worst of it. For over one minute, passing cars and pedestrians looked at his paralyzed body in the street and passed by. No one called 9-1-1. No one. Not one person took responsibility, behaved as a member of their community, and helped this injured man.

Back in 1992 (a few weeks before the LA Riots, another story in community responsibility), riding my bicycle home from work, I was struck by a car. I flew backwards off the bike, landing in the street on my rear and injuring my spine (in fact, the first lumbar vertebrae was slightly crushed). It could have been much worse. Thank God it was not. Like this man, I sat in the intersection, terrified of moving as cars passed by, some barely missing me. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, one driver asked if I needed help and called 9-1-1. All the while, the uninsured motorist that hit me stood on the sidewalk, telling me I really should get out of the street.

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COMMENCEMENT PICTURES

I grabbed some screen shots from the Biola graduate commencement video (since I forgot my camera...drat). So, here goes.

The Processional


Board Chair


President Corey


Commencement Speaker


Provost Miller


Talbot Dean Dirks


Shaking President Corey's hand after being called by Th.M. Program Director, Dr. Moyer Hubbard (he's the one in the nifty blue and red Oxford outfit)


Cheerfully leaving the stage


Recessional in the rain.



Tag(s): commencement seminary

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

QUESTIONS RAISED--unChristian pp 67-90

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
by David Kinnaman. Baker Books (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages

• If biblical proclamation is neither "reeling them in" nor "waiting for them to jump in," then what is it?

Tag(s): unchristian david kinnaman church

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

RESPONSIBILITY--who are you going to trust?

Reflections on TFB's June 1, 2008 Sunday sermon.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Notes:

• Yahweh is the covenant-making God
• the heart is the decision-making center
• trust is a decided act
• our screwy perspective misunderstands much, so we are NOT to rely on our own understanding
  
• acknowledging Yahweh is behavioral knowledge NOT mental ("ways")
• THEREFORE, God levels our path

There is a ton packed into the name "Yahweh." This is the name God signs at the bottom of his covenants. This requires two decisions on our parts. First (and easiest), is to know the contents of his covenant (former--TaNaKh--and new--in Messiah). Second (and difficult for us), is to know him as a person. This is difficult because it requires our time. It requires us setting aside the distractions and self-imposed commitments that suck up all our time. It requires us to spend time even when there are no warm fuzzies. It requires us to prioritize him above all else--even above very good things.

When we truly know him, we will trust him. It is not something we need to work up or struggle at. Trusting is a natural outflow. Knowing him--that's tough.

Tag(s): sermon wisdom responsibility

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

BLOODTHIRSTY? I THINK NOT!

There is an unfortunate opinion that ravages many a soul: the opinion that the God of the OT is bloodthirsty and the God of the NT is warm and fuzzy. If you are of this opinion, you have some reading and thinking to do.

• First, read these 196 OT verses citing "steadfast love" to get some perspective on the alleged "bloodthirsty" God of the OT.
• Second, read Revelation in one sitting to get some perspective on the alleged "warm and fuzzy" God of the NT.
• Third, chew on that for as long as it takes.

God has always been and will always be gracious.
God has always been and will always be just.
He has never been and will never be just one or the other.

Tag(s): hesed divine judgment divine judgment

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/