Categorizing Four Different Reformed Approaches to Gospel and Culture

Continuing our discussion of the relationship between the gospel and culture, here is an interesting article that divides present day Reformed approaches to the question into four camps: (1) neo-calvinism, which focuses on the comprehensive claims of the gospel; (2) two kingdom approach, which stresses the distinctiveness of the church from the culture; (3) neo-puritans, who emphasize the sovereignty of God and the role of the individual in seeking the good of the city; (4) old-calvinism, which contends that cultural engagement inevitably leads to worldliness.

While not the final word on the subject, the article is definitely a helpful (albeit brief!) overview of how different folks in the Reformed family approach a challenging issue.

HT: Kevin DeYoung

The "Evangelical Drudge Report" Changes Address

Most readers of this blog may already know this, but the popular "Between Two Worlds" blog run by Justin Taylor has now moved under the umbrella of the Gospel Coalition. The new address is:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/

Also worth noting is a new blog run by the Gospel Coalition:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/

N.T. Wright Headlines the Wheaton Theology Conference 2010

The topic for The 19th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference has been announced, and it is sure to be an interesting one--Jesus, Paul and the People of God: A Theological Dialogue with N.T. Wright. In addition to Wright, other noteworthy speakers include Markus Bockmuehl, Richard Hays, Kevin Vanhoozer and Nicholas Perrin. You can see the full lineup here.

The conference is not until April 16-17, but given the heavy hitters it may be wise to register early.

Friday Morning Resources

Here are two resources worth your attention:

1. Jim Hamilton, Associate Professor of Biblical Theology, Southern Seminary, recently lectured on “The Orthodoxy of the Text of the New Testament: Reasserting the Obvious.” Here is the abstract:

"The first chapter of Bart Ehrman’s book The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture suggests that our understanding of early Christianity needs to be radically revised, but Ehrman himself acknowledges that the rest of the volume does not provide the kind of evidence that would warrant such a revision. This presentation argues against the revisionist view that the traditional story of early Christianity distorts what really happened because “the victors rewrote the history.” Instead, the geographically widespread, early, abundant, and orthodox manuscript evidence points to an original mainstream of orthodox Christianity from which the heretics deviated. The orthodoxy of the manuscripts can be seen in what can be deduced from the use of the codex form, in the nomina sacra abbreviations used to refer to both God and Christ, in the staurogram, and in the concern of the scribes themselves to make exact copies of their texts."

2. Yesterday At Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Al Mohler hosted a panel discussion on N.T. Wright's view on justification with Dr. Denny Burk, Dr. Tom Schreiner, Dr. Mark Seifrid, Dr. Brian Vickers. You can find the audio here and the video here.

D.A. Carson on "The Good Samaritan"

This past Sunday D.A. Carson preached at Fox Valley Bible Church in South Elgin, Illinois. His text was the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Carson does a nice job of preaching this text in a Christ-centered way. You can listen to it online here or download the MP3 file here.

Gospel-Centered Resources

Timmy Brister has compiled a list of gospel-centered resources that are worth checking out here.

HT: Chad Knudson

Should Evangelicals Use the Term Social Justice?

As a follow up to my two posts on the Kingdom of God and social justice, I want to briefly raise the question of whether we as evangelicals should use the phrase "social justice." Please note that the issue is not whether evangelicals should be involved in social action; my two previous posts should make it clear enough where I stand on that.

But what about the expression "social justice"? While I am not ready to say evangelicals should completely abandon the phrase (though it might be warranted), I want to raise several concerns that we must think through when using the expression.

1. What do we mean by "justice"? Justice is one of those terms that seems self-evident, until we begin to press a bit harder. Whose idea of justice do we mean? What does the implementation of justice look like? Does it mean the redistribution of resources to ensure each has the exact same? What does Scripture say about justice? How much can we expect our efforts at justice in this life to match God's standards for justice.

2. The flexibility of the term. The term is used by so many people from so many different perspectives with so many different agendas that it can be used in almost any cause: ending the global sex trade, poverty relief, debt relief, providing clean water, education reform, healthcare reform, gay rights, abortion, job training, welfare, environmentalism, etc. If you are really curious, check out this link, where there are multiple definitions of "social justice" by various folks. When a term is so broad as to include so much, I wonder just how useful it is.

3. What about mercy? In the midst of an emphasis on "justice" we must never lose sight of mercy. Strict justice in some situations would preclude the opportunity for people to experience mercy. Many of the people who need the kind of ministries that fall under the umbrella of social justice desperately need mercy. They need someone to help them even though they deserve no help because they are in a situation of their own making.

Isn't the beauty of the gospel that justice and mercy meet in the cross (reflect on Rom 3:21-26)? So as believers we should be those who seek to show the mercy of Christ who suffered the justice that was due to us.

So should we abandon the expression "social justice"? Perhaps. In some cases it has the great potential to muddy the waters. I understand the desire to use common expressions as an attempt to build bridges. But at what cost? And can we not continue to work to show mercy and work for justice without using the expression "social justice" with its potential to mislead? At the end of the day what matters is that our actions adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ and are an outworking of the justice and mercy that we have received at the cross

The Kingdom of God & Social Justice – Part 2

Last week I posted the first five of my theses regarding the relationship of the kingdom of God and social justice. Here now are the second five:

6. We must realize that our actions are not self-interpreting. There is absolutely a place for being salt and light in a community through good deeds. But unless those deeds are given an interpretation, people will simply not know why we are doing them. There are plenty of groups who do good deeds in the community. Our actions will not truly adorn the gospel unless people are made aware that the actions flow out of our commitment to Jesus Christ. Again, faith comes by hearing, not simply doing good things before people and hoping they make the connection to Christ.

7. We must recognize the trend towards increasing social action and decreasing evangelism within the church. In many (if not most) evangelical churches today it is easier to recruit people to go do a neighborhood service project than it is to do evangelism. My concern is that a growing number of evangelicals assuage their guilt (if it even exists!) for not sharing the gospel by doing good deeds in the community. While I am not arguing a strict causation, it seems more than coincidental that at a time when evangelical participation in social action is rising rapidly active participation in evangelism falling rapidly.

8. We must think through and articulate the connection between specific social action and the gospel. One of the reasons that social and action and evangelism are hard to marry is that we have often failed to think through the relationship between specific physical needs and the gospel. When ministering to the hungry we can point them to the bread that truly satisfies. When ministering to those who are poor we can help them to see that their physical poverty is a window into the spiritual condition before God, and their need for spiritual riches that cannot be destroyed. When we think through these kinds of connections the relationship between social action and the verbal communication of the gospel seems much more natural.

9. We must not allow people's physical needs to blind us or them to their even greater spiritual needs. This is related but distinct from the previous point. There is a danger in meeting physical needs that we become so engrossed in them that we lose sight of their spiritual needs. By all means we should do what we are able in meeting their physical needs. But if we stop there we are not loving our neighbor in the fullest sense of the term. Regardless of their current situation, they must stand before a holy God on the Last Day, where they will either be welcomed into heaven or banished to hell. Sometimes those who are suffering physically are so consumed by their situation they cannot see the greater spiritual realities; at other times their very neediness in the physical terms opens their eyes to their spiritual condition. Either way, we must remember there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be avoided for everyone.

10. We must recognize the challenges that come with working with others of different beliefs. Who should believers partner with in these endeavors? Should we accept government money (which almost always comes with strings)? What about other churches? How much do they have to agree with you doctrinally? What private social agencies with no spiritual affiliation? Where does one draw lines? These are all difficult questions that do not have simple answers. But they must be considered when engaging in social action.

I still feel as though I have much to learn and think through on these issues, but these ten theses are where I stand today. As always, I welcome your thoughts on these specific theses or the larger issues.

Manuscript of Apologetics Talk Now Posted

This past weekend I spoke at the No Doubt Apologetics Conference in Indianpolis. They have now posted my detailed notes from the session, and should be posting audio and video in the near future. You can download the notes here.

Although I do deal very briefly with textual criticism, the majority of the presentation was on how we got our New Testament canon. You will plenty of resources for further study in the footnotes of the document as well. You are welcome to leave any feedback in the comments here.

CORRECTION: The updated version can now be found at this link.

The Kingdom of God and Social Justice

During the last week of July, I taught a two-day course for the Equip Conference, put on by the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. As the title suggests, the main burden of the not-for-credit course was to explore what the relationship is and should be between the kingdom of God and social justice. I approached the issue by: (1) providing a brief and necessarily selective historical survey of how the church has engaged these issues; (2) exploring the nature of the kingdom of God as revealed in both the Old and New Testaments; (3) revisiting Niebuhr's fivefold typology from Christ and Culture and critiques of it; and (4) noting the vague and nebulous definitions of social justice. I also hosted a panel discussion with three individuals involved in ministries that broadly fit underneath this umbrella to hear their perspective on these challenging issues. It was a very enjoyable experience.

I concluded the class by stating Ten Theses for Further Discussion. I do not intend these as the last word, but rather a statement of key components to this discussion that need to be remembered if we are to be faithful to Christ in these areas. I am posting the first five below; the second five will follow in a later post.

1. We must learn from church history. There is a rich and varied history of the church engaging these issues, and we are fools to ignore this history. By looking at the past we can benefit from the thinking and practice of those who have gone before us, while hopefully avoiding their mistakes.
   
2. We must allow biblical and theological convictions to shape our engagement in social action. There are simply too many individuals and churches that jump into these issues out of compassion devoid of biblical and theological foundations. The responsibility for this rests primarily with the church to provide solid teaching on this area, but also for individual believers to ground themselves in Scripture. Compassion that is not rooted in the gospel will ultimately and inevitably lead to assuming and eventually even denying the gospel in the name of caring for people in this life.
   
3. We must not collapse the already/not-yet tension. However one puts this together, we need to be sure to recognize both. Emphasizing the already to the neglect of the not-yet results in people thinking that our efforts usher in the kingdom, or worse yet that the ultimate goal of God is to improve conditions in the life. Emphasizing the not-yet to the neglect of the already results in people thinking that any engagement in social issues is a waste of time because it is all going to burn. Holding the two together holds the promise of engagement in social action while prioritizing eternal issues of heaven and hell.
   
4. We must recognize that evangelical engagement with these issues will take different forms within different political, cultural and social contexts. While it is increasingly popular to champion individuals like Abraham Kuyper and the goal of transforming culture, large numbers of believers simply do not have that option available. Believers in the Middle East and parts of Asia (just to name a few) have little or no access to the various institutions of a culture to effect transformation. Believers in the United States, by contrast, often do. Thus a one size fits all approach to this issue simply cannot and does not work.
   
5. We must prioritize proclamation of the gospel without neglecting social action. This is the point where our theology really surfaces. If we are convinced that heaven and hell are ultimate realities that each human being must face, then we will prioritize the communication of the gospel message. This does not mean that every kind deed must be accompanied by a gospel tract, but it does mean an intentional effort to share the gospel in the context of meeting physical needs or addressing social structures. Actions are not self-interpreting; there are plenty of nice moral people who do good things for the community and have no interest in Jesus Christ. If we are to distinguish our efforts from them (and at some level we MUST if we are to be faithful to Christ) there must be communication of the gospel. Faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17), not by simple observation of good works.
   

I'd welcome your thoughts on these first five theses.

Interview Posted

This week I was interviewed for a blog run by Nijay Gupta, who recently finished his Ph.D. at the University of Durham. The subject was my experience in getting my dissertation published with Walter deGruyter in the BZNW series. You can find the description of my forthcoming book here, and the text of the interview here.

No Doubt: True Answers to Eternal Questions

On Saturday, August 15 I will have the privilege of speaking at a one-day apologetics conference in Indianpolis entitled No Doubt: True Answers to Eternal Questions. Other speakers include Paul Maier, Greg Koukl and Tommy Mitchell. If you are in the area, I encourage you to stop in. You can register for the conference here.

I will be addressing two interrelated questions: how did we get our Bible (the issue of the canon, with emphasis on the New Testament) and is what we have what the authors wrote (the issue of textual criticism).

Happy 500th Birthday John Calvin!

On this day, July 10, 1509, John Calvin was born in Noyon, France. It is difficult to overstate his significance in shaping a significant stream of the Protestant Reformation. Despite his well-known weaknesses, God used him in countless ways to clearly teach the Word of God and hold out a vision of the sovereignty and beauty of God in Jesus Christ that still compels people today. Between his Institutes of the Christian Religion and his numerous commentaries, Calvin still speaks though he has been long dead.

Take a moment today to thank God for the gift of John Calvin to the church.

CT Compares Piper and Wright on Justification

Over at Christianity Today, Trevin Wax has compiled a succinct comparison between John Piper and N.T. Wright on justification. Whether you are familiar or not with the debate, it is worth the quick read.

HT: Justin Taylor

John Owen on Stirring the Mind to Contemplate the Glory of Christ

In his treatise "Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ," John Owen offers six "directions" for stirring up the minds of believers to contemplate the glory of Christ (chapter 4):

1. Let us get it fixed on our souls and minds, that this glory of Christ in the divine constitution of his person is the best, the most noble, useful, beneficial object that we can be conversant about in our thoughts, or cleave unto in our affections.
   
2. Our second direction unto the same end is, that we diligently study the Scripture, and the revelations that are made of this glory of Christ therein.
   
3. Another direction to this same end is, that having attained the light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ from the Scripture, or by the dispensation of the truth in the preaching of the gospel, we would esteem it our duty frequently to meditate thereon.
   
4. Let your occasional thoughts of Christ be many, and multiplied every day.
   
5. The next direction is, that all our thoughts concerning Christ should be accompanied with admiration, adoration, and thanksgiving.
   

There is a beautiful progression in these five directions. Owen begins by holding out the beauty of Christ as the highest end we could possibly pursue (1), and then directs us where to find that vision of Christ—the Scriptures (2). But he is not content to allow such a vision of Christ to remain in our times in the Word (whether through personal reading or hearing the Word preached and taught); he exhorts us to frequently reflect/meditate on the beauty of Christ that we have seen in the Word (3). Such meditation and reflection should not be limited to devoted time in the Word and prayer, but should spill over into our "occasional thoughts" throughout the day (4). He then concludes with the reminder that such reflections should not be merely an intellectual exercise, but should be joined with our affections (5).

CT Article on Tim Keller

Christianity Today recently posted a lengthy profile of Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City. It helpfully sketches the origins of this influential church in NYC and provides a window into how Keller approaches ministry in the largest city in the United States.

Luther on the Dangers of a “Perfect Record”

In re-reading Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton, I was amused by Luther's comments on the dangers of an impeccable religious record. As counsel to his overly scrupulous friend Melancthon, Bainton says that Luther suggested "that one sin is needed as medicine to cure another. An unblemished record engenders the worst of all sins, pride. Hence a failure now and then is conducive to humility. But the only sins which Luther actually recommended as record spoilers were overeating, overdrinking, and oversleeping. Such controlled excesses might be utilized as the antidote to arrogance" (p. 175). I think Luther said this somewhat tongue in cheek, but his warning about the dangers of pride that can result from our perceived impeccable obedience is wise to heed.

The Dangers of Prosperity

In the final section of his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes:

"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." (4:12)

We often think of the unique challenges and opportunities that facing lack/need presents. In those situations we are faced with the choice of trusting God for provision, or grumbling as the Israelites in the wilderness did (cf. Exod 16–17). But less frequently recognized are the dangers that abundance/prosperity brings. There are at least four that come to mind:

1. Our hearts become more enamored with what God has given us than God himself. The more that we have, the easier it becomes for us to find our greatest joy in those things rather than God. It is this very danger that Jesus warned of when he said "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:19-21).
   
2. We let our guard down against the enemy. We tend to think that Satan is most dangerous when we are facing lack/need, but he is just as dangerous (if not more) when we face abundance/prosperity. Suffering tends to sharpen our spiritual senses, driving us to realize our need for God. But when things are going well it becomes easy to put our lives on cruise control and start to doze off at the wheel. But our abundance/prosperity does not change the fact that "Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Pet 5:8)
   
3. We conclude that our prosperity/abundance is the result of our godliness. There is a sense in which the OT points in this direction. After all, under the Mosaic Covenant God makes it clear to Israel that obedience/faith will lead to blessing, while disobedience/unbelief will lead to cursing (cf. Deut 28). But several qualifications need to be made to encompass the totality of the OT's teaching. First, the Mosaic Covenant functioned on the national level, indicating that the nation as a whole would be blessed or cursed based on their obedience or disobedience to the covenant. Applying this at an individual level is far more complicated. Second, one cannot conclude from a person's suffering or prosperity the extent of their obedience or disobedience. That is one of the major points of the book of Job; his friends were insistent that his suffering was proof of disobedience. God's answer makes it clear that Job's suffering was not the result of sin. Similarly, Psalm 73 describes how the wicked prosper in this life. Third, while there are passages that correlate personal obedience and God's blessing of abundance (e.g., Ps 112:1-6), we must not think of this as a quid pro quo in which man earns what he receives or that God is somehow obligated to bless in response to obedience. God does tend to bring blessing to those who are obedient, but even in those cases it is a gift of his grace since the very obedience in view is a product of God's own work in that person's life (Phil 2:12-13).
   
4. Our trust/confidence is placed in what we possess rather than who possesses us. Paul identifies this as a great danger when he writes to Timothy "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy" (1 Tim 6:17). Those who have abundance are less inclined to place their trust in God, because there is the appearance of security in their prosperity.
   

In Philippians 4:12 Paul claims he has learned the secret of contentment in either lack or abundance. That secret is knowing that our security rests not in our current financial situation but in the one who loved us and gave himself for us (Gal 2:20). No matter what your economic situation is today, whether rosy or bleak, God wants us to find our security in him. Beware the dangers of both lack/need and abundance/prosperity.

A Tribute to my Wife Kate on Mother's Day

On this day that we here in the United States set aside to honor moms, I wanted to offer this public tribute to my wife Kate.

The highest compliment that I can pay to you on this day is that you are the clearest reflection of the servant-heart of Jesus Christ that I have ever seen. The way that you empty yourself to care for our family as well as others is such a tangible demonstration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant (Phil 2:7). The way that you die to your personal comfort to show love to us and others is evidence that Christ is powerfully at work in you (Gal 2:20). The way that you point our children to Christ through his Word is establishing a foundation from which by God's grace they will never depart (Prov 22:6).

Aside from his Son Jesus Christ, you are the greatest gift that God has given to me, Jonathan and Jacob. If there were city gates where we live, we would be running to them today to declare your works (Prov 31:31).

Get to Know D.A. Carson

In this month's edition of the Next monthly wezine, Justin Taylor has written two very helpful and short articles on D.A. Carson. The first is a brief biographical sketch that includes his background and prodigious writing ministry. The second is focused on specific books that Carson has written organized around specific issues. Highly recommended!