Miscellanies

From today’s Washington Times review of The Reason for God.

Perhaps next week, I’ll be posting the full interview I was privileged to conduct Thursday night with Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III. Duncan is a patristics scholar and pastor so it was an interesting opportunity to connect the value of patristics (the church fathers) to the life and ministry of a pastor (especially a busy one).

Here is an excerpt to the question: Why should a busy pastor read patristic literature in the first place?

“When we go back to the church fathers we see them defending the important Christian doctrines that are very basic to us, those doctrines that—if we’ve been Christians for a long time—we may well take for granted, doctrines we don’t question, or have any qualms about. Sometimes as important as they are, we don’t think about them much, and we don’t weave them into our teaching, nor do we express the passion for the importance of them to our people as we ought. When we go back to the patristic period and we see the church fathers defending the reality of, for example, the incarnation of Christ and showing the importance of it, we may—who have fully embraced the incarnation of Christ and never questioned it in our Christian experience—suddenly have a new sense of the significance and the absolute essentialness of the doctrine of the incarnation in a way we hadn’t before.”

And the questions I asked Dr. Duncan …

1. Define for us “patristics” or “patrology.”
2. Why should a busy pastor read patristic literature in the first place?
3. What hurdles do pastors face in reading and benefiting from patristic writings?
4. For the beginner, recommend a few specific patristic titles covering history, biography, and primary sources.
5. What contemporary debates align themselves with controversies addressed by the patristic authors?
6. Our culture seems to be growing increasing secular (some would say increasingly secular with a corresponding increase in robust Christian faith in some circles). If this is growing secularism is true, what can we learn from the church fathers on how to engage a “pagan” culture?
7. In reading the patristics a pastor will be faced with thoughts or practices of the early church fathers that were incorrect. What concerns do you have for a pastor getting his feet wet in the patristic writings?
8. Would you agree that in patristic writings we see a stress on ethics over and above the gospel?
9. Dr. Duncan, you are a gifted patristic scholar, have been pastoring at First Presbyterian in Jackson for over 12 years now, and preaching on a regular basis. How do your preaching and pastoral ministry reflect the impact of patristic authors?

I’ll keep you posted when the audio is ready for download.

- Tony

“The best preaching is, ‘We preach Christ crucified.’ The best living is, ‘We are crucified with Christ.’ The best man is a crucified man. The best style is a crucified style: may we drop into it! The more we live beholding our Lord’s unutterable griefs, and understanding how he has fully put away our sin, the more holiness shall we produce. The more we dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard, where we can view heaven, and earth, and hell, all moved by his wondrous passion—the more noble will our lives become. Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior. Get you close to Christ, and carry the remembrance of him about you from day to day, and you will do right royal deeds. Come, let us slay sin, for Christ was slain. Come, let us bury all our pride, for Christ was buried. Come, let us rise to newness of life, for Christ has risen. Let us be united with our crucified Lord in his one great object — let us live and die with him, and then every action of our lives will be very beautiful.”

-C.H. Spurgeon, sermon “To Lovers of Jesus” (#1834) delivered by C.H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on Nov. 2, 1884

LOVE (III)
by George Herbert (1593-1633)

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack’d anything.

“A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here”;
Love said, “You shall be he.”
“I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.”
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
“Who made the eyes but I?”

“Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”
“My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat.

Slate Magazine gives us a very interesting read: “Happy Crossmas! Why Easter stubbornly resists the commercialism that swallowed Christmas” (by James Martin).

It was a joy to attend my first Ligonier Conference in Orlando this past week. The conference is well organized and very enjoyable and it was great meeting so many TSS readers. Thanks for the encouragement.

I want to pass along several highlights from the conference.

The first note I wanted to pass along was from a message by Dr Sinclair Ferguson. He said John Owen’s book, The Doctrine of Justification By Faith, Through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ; Explained, Confirmed, and Vindicated, is one of the best treatments on the topic of justification (vol. 5 of Works).

Ferguson especially centered his attention on chapter 15 (“Of Faith Alone”). Owen here makes the following observations about the nature of saving faith:

1. That faith whereby we are justified is most frequently in the New Testament expressed by receiving.

2. Faith is expressed by looking.

3. It is, in like manner, frequently expressed by coming unto Christ.

4. It is expressed by fleeing for refuge.

5. It is a leaning on God, or casting ourselves and our burden on the Lord.

I would recommend reading the (surprisingly short) chapter here.

I’ve been enjoying Robert Kolb and Charles Arand’s new book, The Genius of Luther’s Theology: A Wittenberg Way of Thinking for the Contemporary Church (Baker Academic, 2008). Especially noteworthy is Luther’s awareness that God acts through his word. God speaks and his words create, change, and transform. God creates by his word (Genesis 1). In the same way God created light by his word, God illuminates and transforms sinners by his word (2 Corinthians 4:6). God enters into this world by his word (John 1). In general, the word of God is active in impacting human existence (Isaiah 55:11). Of course, the antithesis to God’s work is Satan—the father of lies (John 8:44).

In Luther’s theology, God determines reality through his word.

This efficacy of God’s word forms the thrust of chapter six (“The Functions of the Word”; pp. 131-159). Kolb and Arand break Luther’s understanding of the power of God’s Word into the following subsections:

1. The Word Creates.
2. The Word Re-Creates.
3. The Word Establishes the Relationship of Conversation Between God and His Human Creatures.
4. The Word Elicits Faith.
5. The Word Simultaneously Reveals God and Hides God.
6. God’s Word Kills and Makes Alive.

Though obviously I don’t agree with all of Luther’s application of the doctrine, this chapter (and the book in general) does shed light on a number of important theological categories.

God’s word and justification

Near the end of chapter six, the authors wed the efficacy of God’s proclamation to God’s declaration of a sinner’s justification. God’s words literally determine the reality of justification. Listen to how Kolb and Arand state this (and notice Luther’s practical use of the doctrine).

Although one might misunderstand the concept of “pronouncing sinners righteous” as a divine shell game, Luther found the concept helpful in reassuring those who still found evidence of sinfulness in their hearts and minds, as well as in their actions. It assures them that God’s love trumps their sinfulness. When hearers were concentrating on their sinfulness, Luther emphasized that God considered them righteous, or counted and reckoned them free from sin through his verdict of “Innocent!”—no matter how they felt about themselves. …

Those who see this form of forensic justification as merely a legal fiction do not share Luther’s understanding of the power of the Word of God. The reformer knew that from the beginning of the world, God determined reality by speaking. Therefore, he was certain that God’s word of forgiveness created a new reality in the life of the sinner. The reformer could not explain the mystery of evil and sin continuing in the lives of those God had claimed as his own in baptism. But he did not doubt that when God said, “Forgiven,” the reality of human sinlessness in God’s sight was genuine and unassailable. God’s children must live with the mystery of the continuing sin and evil in their lives as they engage in the battle against their own sins. But they have no warrant to doubt that God has established the mightier reality of their innocence in his sight. And what he sees is real because he determines reality. (pp. 154-155)

This excerpt ministers to my soul. It reminds me that in wrestling with sin there is a greater, God-spoken reality that transcends the struggle. Through the perfect sacrifice of the Son I have been justified! I stand guiltless and blameless before a holy God, not because some distant judge slammed the gavel and signed a paper. My blamelessness comes from God’s spoken declaration. He spoke “Innocent, guiltless, righteous” and by declaration effectively created the reality of my justification.

When we see the profound power behind God’s words in shaping reality, our justification transcends “legal fiction” and—as Luther fully understood—becomes strength to endure trials, overcome circumstances, live fruitful lives, and find hope with the struggle with sin. May God give us the conviction of our justification so we may plant our feet in this divine amnesty and speak with the boldness of Paul, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33). May I see what Luther saw, the indestructible foundation for our justification is directly connected to the declaration of God.

Luther has given us a great reminder that we can apply to all of Scripture—God’s words are not relevant today because they accurately align with reality, but because God’s words determine reality.

TSS readers have a track record of supplying rare biographical and bibliographical information. So here goes another request.

Today, a seminary student contacted me who is pursuing a PhD and wants to study the homiletics of Octavius Winslow (1808-1878). Here’s what’s needed:

(1) Biographical details of Winslow’s life and ministry (beyond the short summary in his books).

(2) Access to Winslow’s original sermon manuscripts (if they exist).

If you know of where to find these details, or have possible leads, please leave comments.

Thank you!

Tony

Having blogged for a few years on a blog generating over a half-million hits, I’ve enjoyed one of the great fruits of the labor–building relationships with readers. A number of readers have become friends of a sort. They interact on the blog to challenge my arguments, clarify my fuzziness, correct my errors, provoke ideas, and build with encouragement. I have a number of these readers and many I’ve been blessed to meet in person. Thank you for your input!

I must say that one of the my favorite readers is Tom Bombadil (a curiously Tolkienian username). Tom has posted a number of comments over the past year. He has wisely challenged me (on the value of patristic authors), entertained me (by reminding us of the ever-valuable Calvinus beer website), shocked me (by out-weighing the new 100-ounce Works of Andrew Fuller with his shelf-splintering, 126-ounce Bauer/Danker lexicon), and encouraged me with consistent kindness.

But I think it’s his last comment that I consider his most valuable. In the last post on cross-centered books, Tom posted the lyrics to two hymns by Hallgrímur Pétursson, a 17th century Lutheran poet, hymnwriter, priest/pastor, from Iceland. I pulled the quotes out of the comments in case you missed them.

Tom cites the origin of these quotes from Pétursson’s, Hymns of the Passion: Meditations on the Passion of Christ (1666 edition translated by Arthur C. Gook, 1978). The book is long out of print, rare, and expensive.

So, Tom, I know you’re reading. Thanks for these excerpts. Keep posting comments. I learn from the correction, I’m humored at the funny-business, edified by your cross-centeredness, and blessed by your kindness.

Here are the excerpts posted by Tom.

—————

‘Arise, my soul, my heart, my mind,
And all that I within me find,
Come, help me, tongue, my Lord to own
And make His wondrous passion known!

Paul, the Apostle, chose the theme;
To preach it was his task supreme–
The Passion of the Crucified,
That sinners might be justified.

Since Jesus gave His latest breath
To save me from eternal death,
Should not the powers He thus renewed
Show forth to Him my gratitude?

At last repentance rends my heart,
How poorly have I played my part!
What Jesus suffered in my place
I oft forget, –to my disgrace!

My soul, behold the sacrifice
which paid our trespass’ awful price,
Restored the rebel sinner’s state–
What joy on this to meditate!

—————

In sin’s dark dungeon lying
A helpless captive I,
My conscience crucifying,
Heave sigh on weary sigh.
My mortal wound no balm can find,
No help I see around me,
Or solace for my mind.

The Law with heavy lashes
Chastised me for my sin,
Brought me to dust and ashes
With cruel discipline.
No hope I saw; my case was lost,
My heart was bowed with sorrow;
My spirit tempest-tossed.

But Thou dist hear my groaning
And hasting to my aid,
For Thy poor child atoning
Thy sacrifice was made.
The spotless soul was chastened sore
That I should be delivered –
Reclaimed forevermore.

My pains by Thee were taken,
That healing might be mine.
In darkness Thou, forsaken,
Gav’st light on me to sine.
The chastisement on Thee was laid,
Wounded for my transgressions,
And thus my debt was paid.

My heart with grief is stricken
When I survey Thy woes.
Oh! That my love may quicken
To guage how much it owes!
The grief I caused Thee I lament,
My sin has brought Thee sorrow.
Oh! How I now repent.