NRH2013
- Nicene orthodoxy
- Agreement with the ecumenical councils of the undivided church
- Threefold orders of deacon, priest, and bishop
- Sacramental theology
- Valid apostolic succession
- Deuterocanonical books used liturgically
- Requiring or forbidding the veneration of icons and saints (adiaphora)
- Papal infallibility (error - this is neither supported by Holy Scripture nor substantial church tradition)
- Exclusive claims to being "the one true church" (error - other churches preach the Gospel, adhere to the creeds, and stand in apostolic succession)
- Recognizing 7 sacraments (adiaphora)
- Liturgy not in the vernacular of the people (error - worship that is impossible to understand on a deep level cannot form the congregation spiritually; the early church worshiped in common languages)
- The filioque (adiaphora)
- Very specific theologies of election (adiaphora)
- Mode of baptism (adiaphora)
- Beliefs about Mary like her immaculate conception, her dormition, her perpetual virginity (adiaphora)
Church Should Be An Oasis
Church should be an analog oasis in the midst of a digital desert. A community and place where one can rest from the demands of Facebook likes, instant at-replies, and false-front Instagram lives. Where not everything is designed to sell something via spectacle. The values of our culture are skimming the information overflow, pixel-perfect check-ins, and sensory bombardment. We know that this produces materialism, shorter attention spans, and a culture of shallowness.
Maybe we need a place where can take a break from it all…where we can leave our phones at the door, and drink deeply of Living Water without the distraction of a social stream. Maybe we need silence and renewal of communal contemplation in our shared worship experience. Perhaps a thoughtful, theologically-meaningful engagement of the senses is called for over the brute-force light and sound often hurled at us with all the subtlety of the stereotypical steam engine.
Perhaps this kind of “disconnected” worship could actually allow for a deeper communion with God, and with each other. We could begin to look beyond the over-saturated internet persona of our brothers and sisters, and better bear with one another as we strive toward perfect union with Christ.
Founding Fathers
I’ve noticed that many Christians are quick to quote the Founding Fathers of the United States. Many look to these wise men for guidance today on how to best establish government…the idea is that if we get too far off base from what these men intended, we’re losing touch with our heritage, our roots, even what our nation was created to be. Knowledge of these men is essential for correctly interpreting and applying our Constitution as a rule of life. There are no shortage of Christians who passionately affirm the vital importance of understanding the Founding Fathers in order to fully appreciate the history of America, accurately assess its present situation, and effectively discern positive paths into the future.
Astoundingly, however, few that I come in contact with have anything but the most rudimentary knowledge of the Church Fathers…those theological giants that built upon the foundation of the Apostle’s work in the establishment of the organized community of faith. How is it that we can ascribe so much importance to the thoughts of a few men (some Christian, some not) regarding the establishment of a secular government, but can all but dismiss the teachings of those that preserved, defended, and developed Apostolic doctrine for the Undivided Church?
It is possible for governments to stray from their original design and actually get better…but not the Church. Governments are designed by men (used by God, yes, but designed by men) whereas the Church is the Bride of Christ. The Church is a not an organization created by men, but rather a people chosen by God. Her order and doctrines are founded on the very teachings of Jesus, given to his Apostles, and preserved in Holy Scripture.
What better way to discern the original design of the Church (and the right interpretations and applications of her constitutional document, the Bible) than examine the teachings of earliest leaders in the Church and those close to them?
Pour: A poem about death and life
We are called to pour out ourselves
for the lost and forgotten,
the broken and the marred.
That is what Christ did for us.
Although it is not something
we accomplish by our own strength,
he graciously enables us
through his Spirit
to take part in the redemption
of all creation.
We live in the already-but-not-yet,
but God’s Kingdom is coming,
and the Body of Christ is the vessel
that will usher in a new era.
Our actions become prophetic utterance,
reflecting, enacting, anticipating the second, final
coming of our Lord
to rule the world.
This is the best study bible on the market
The ESV Study Bible from Crossway is my tried and true companion for delving into Scripture. This review explains why.
The English Standard Version First, the basics on the translation used. The English Standard Version is a revision of the classic Revised Standard Version (RSV), which itself was an attempt to update the language of the venerable King James Version. The RSV updated most of the language, but kept the “Thee’s” and “Thou’s” for addressing the person of God. The ESV removed the remaining archaic language and changed just a few elements of style in certain places, however it remains remarkably similar to the RSV.
Like the the RSV, the translation philosophy is an “essentially literal” one. That means that when possible, the text is translated word-for-word into English from the original languages. Sometimes a word-for-word translation into English wouldn’t make sense, so in these cases the translators take a freer approach to convey what they perceive to be the plain meaning of the text. In keeping the the King James tradition, classic phrases like “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23) are for the most part retained and only slightly updated from the KJV/RSV. Key theological terms like “propitiation,” and “justification” are also present in this translation.
The issue of gender-neutral language has come up quite a bit in regards to the ESV. I think the editors chose a sensible approach, and–although not perfect–it generally produces both an accurate and understandable rendering. From the preface of the ESV:
“In the area of gender language, the goal of the ESV is to render literally what is in the original. For example, “anyone” replaces “any man” where there is no word corresponding to “man” in the original languages, and “people” rather than “men” is regularly used where the original languages refer to both men and women. But the words “man” and “men” are retained where a male meaning component is part of the original Greek or Hebrew. Likewise, the word “man” has been retained where the original text intends to convey a clear contrast between “God” on the one hand and “man” on the other hand, with “man” being used in the collective sense of the whole human race.”
For more on the ESV translation see Why I Chose the ESV
Notes, Study Articles, and Features I personally find the Old Testament to be particularly difficult to understand, and I find myself consulting the the notes in the ESV Study Bible often in order to gain clarity on a particular cultural issue or a passage has me theologically stuck. The maps help me to understand the geographic context, and the diagrams of Old Testament structures like the Tabernacle and the Temple are absolutely fantastic. Of course the notes are equally helpful the New Testament as well when it comes to difficult passages in the Gospels and Paul’s letters.
Clearly, the notes and study articles are what make any “study bible” unique. The comprehensive nature of the study notes and the many articles in the ESV Study Bible is simply unparalleled. The 20,000 exegetical notes provide key insights into understanding the text in its theological and cultural context. They are lucidly written and for the most part very accessible to the layperson. In addition to these comprehensive notes, 50 study articles examine Christian ethics, basic theology, the basis for biblical authority and more. Taken together, these articles make up a small library themselves! Combined with the detailed maps and diagrams, as well the standard ESV cross-references (which are themselves a fantastic resource for study), and you’ve got one of the most power resources studying and understanding the Bible today.
Theological and Denominational Bias While the ESV editors did make some effort to adhere to the “classical” Christian viewpoint and are not affiliated with any one denomination, some bias is clear in both the notes and the articles on Christian ethics. The article on Christian pacifism, for instance, represents the viewpoint without addressing the best arguments (in my opinion) and concludes that Just War Theory is the most correct solution. When it comes to the issue of ordaining women to ministry, the same thing applies–although the article does detail both positions, it clearly comes down on the side of men’s only ordination. On some of these issues that are not foundational to the Christian faith, I wish the writers had left more to the reader to decide based on the merits of the arguments themselves, without necessarily forming an explicit conclusion. It is also fair to say that the notes and articles are written from a evangelical, Protestant point of view, with certain Reformed or Calvinistic leanings. Although I am not a Calvinist, I do not find the articles on the doctrine of election, etc to be overbearing. Despite these small issue of bias, the information in the articles and notes is overwhelmingly useful, and the scholarship is top notch.
Many Editions Another thing I love about the ESV Study Bible is the wide variety of editions available, from a fantastic Digital Ebook version (available on Kindle, etc), to the standard hardback (the one I own) to nice genuine leather, to the new, smaller, personal-size edition. The totally online version is super-nice, as well.
Conclusion Over the years this affordable, single-volume work has become my most-used resource when it comes to understanding the Biblical text. Obviously, no single source should be your sole reference, but if you can only buy one book right now, or are just beginning to build your theology library, the ESV Study Bible is a great tome to start with. I think it would also be fantastic gift for occasions like confirmation, baptism, and ordination.
Get it on Amazon.
What Kind of Person is God?
We know what kind of a person someone is primarily by what they do.
God created the world. He is powerful.
God has never tolerated sin. He actively wages war against it. He is holy.
God did not abandon us to evil. First he clothed us, then he sent his prophets and the law, and finally he gave us Jesus. He is faithful.
God poured out himself at great cost on our behalf. He is love.
Though we do not deserve salvation, he offers it to us and to those that believe the right to become sons of God. He is a merciful father.
He sent us his Spirit to intercede for us, to witness to Jesus, and to sustain us. He is with us.
He gives us wonderful gifts, not the least of which are the preaching of Gospel, the sacraments, and fellowship of the saints. He enjoys giving grace.
God’s personhood is absolutely vital in how we relate to him. It seems we get into trouble when we begin to relate to him a person he is not: the demanding taskmaster, the pushover dad, the distant diety, etc. We know, from his actions in history and in us, that he is a loving father full of mercy and grace, and that we may approach him as such.
Yet he is powerful and holy and will not be contained by finite creatures, and so we must also relate to him as what we are: small creatures desperately in need of redemption.
Stress & fear are the same thing
I’m convinced that stress is ultimately nothing less than a form of fear. What if I don’t leave the house on time and we’re late I make a horrible first impression? What if I just can’t do everything I think I need to do? What’s going to happen if I can’t pay that bill?
These are sometimes legitimate concerns when they have to do with something that is within our ability to control. Often, though, the things that cause us fear are simply unable to be affected by us. If this is the case, we have to let them to go. There’s no question that this isn’t easy.
Letting go of the fear is one of the most difficult things I can do, but it’s also a response that is demanded of me as I respond to the message of Jesus. So many times we hear in the Scriptures, “Fear not!” (John 14:27, for example). And we can’t forget Jesus' words, “Today has enough worries of it’s own.” (Matt. 6:34)
If I really believe that God is holding this world together with nothing but his word…then surely the least I can do is let go of the false belief in my heart that something could happen that he can’t handle.
Life is a Sacrament
A sacrament is commonly described as an outward sign of an inward grace. It is the physical manifestation that accompanies a spiritual reality. A glorious thing about Christianity is that although we readily acknowledge that there are special sacraments set aside for specific purposes (Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, Marriage, etc.) it becomes readily apparent that God has never limited himself to one or two or seven channels of his unmerited favor (grace).
I have become convinced the whole of the Christian life may viewed as sacramental in the sense that it entails both external and internal realities, intrinsically linked together for the purpose of bestowing all kinds of spiritual blessings. Religious ritual aside, consider what happens when we receive a warm embrace from a friend during a time of need.
The very privilege of our existence is given to us in both physical and spiritual form, simultaneously.
Why An Anglican Christian?
Friends have recently asked me why I am an Anglican–instead of a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox–Christian. Given the similarities between the traditions (Creedal orthodoxy, liturgical worship, sacramental theology), I think it’s a fair question.
I have certainly felt the tug toward Constantinople and a draw to “swim the Tiber” as well. When a church is so ancient–and has compelling claims as a result to the “fullness” of the truth–I think one must seriously consider those claims. I look forward to a day when our three churches are in full communion. I am encouraged by recent dialog between Anglican Church in North America, the Pope, and Orthodox Church in America. I have Anglican friends who have ended up going to both churches, and friends that have come to Anglicanism from both churches.
Nevertheless, I am very nearly convinced that classical Anglicanism is in doctrine and practice the most consistent with the apostolic faith as it was understood by the early (first 500 years) and undivided church. When Anglicanism is most true to those roots as they were formally articulated during the English Reformation, it seems to maintain catholicity while avoiding what seem to me to be the most egregious errors of the Roman and Eastern expressions.
Basically, Anglicanism adheres to catholic (universal, undivided) doctrine, practice and order, without elevating adiaphora (important, but secondary doctrines) to dogma (essential beliefs), and without requiring beliefs that simply cannot be proved from Holy Scripture as it has been historically interpreted by the faithful.
Examples of catholicity include:
Examples of adiaphora and errors include:
As much as I have in common with my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, my rejection of Papal Infallibility automatically places me outside the boundaries of acceptable Roman Catholic beliefs. Similarly, my desire to remain in communion with churches that ordain women, are capital “R” Reformed, and that do not recognize all seven sacraments isn’t a viable position for a faithful Orthodox Christian.
So if I want to be truly catholic, Patristic, and submissive to a church that teaches what the Apostles and the early church received as “the faith once delivered,” Anglicanism is my only spot to land.