Coming very early 2027…

Theology 101: When I think carefully about the recited words of most prayer books and liturgies, I’m often moved by their profundity; but when I think carefully about the sung words of some praise and worship songs, I’m often troubled by their stupidity.

Theology 101: Generally speaking, the “whos” and “whats” of the gospel are the objects of faith; the “hows” and “whys” of the gospel are the subjects of reflection.

Some people on here: “I’m a German Lutheran.” 😊 ✅ “I’m Greek Orthodox.” 😊 ✅ “I’m Anglican.” 😊 ✅ “I’m Dutch Reformed.” 😊 ✅ “I’m a Coptic Christian.” 😊 ✅ “I’m Roman Catholic.” 😊 ✅ “I’m Scottish Presbyterian.” 😊 ✅ BUT… “I’m a Jewish Christian.” 😡 ❌

Theology 101: This is your periodic reminder that full preterism is heresy and those who hold it or teach it are not to be regarded as Christians. They deny an essential element of the work of Christ—the future bodily resurrection and restoration of creation upon his return.

Theology 101: The Christian tradition already has a place for both benevolent and malevolent super-celestial beings occupying the heavens. Traditional angelologies of misty, winged, elf-like sprites don’t do justice to the data, and domesticating Genesis 6 didn’t help.

Theology 101: Theological truths must often be expressed with “and also,” not always with “yeah, but...”

It’s a scientific fact that no substance in the known universe can survive more than a few seasons in the Texas climate except Texans themselves.

Canvas? More like Can’tvas.

Thesis: Very few ideas are too stupid or dangerous to be heard, read, and discussed. Ideas defeated by force and not by fact, by power and not by persuasion, will keep coming back, often with a vengeance. If truth is really on your side, you have little to fear in the hearing.

Theology 101: “Poor is the knowledge gathered from the books of the heathen when compared with the knowledge of Scripture.” (Augustine)

Theology 101: Too many in ministry are unaware of the gem that is Ignatius’s early second century pastoral epistle to Polycarp. Read it for timeless pastoral encouragement and advice.

Theology 301: What was Irenaeus of Lyons' actual view of the rapture (assumption) of the church? It's probably not what you think, not what you believe, and will likely make few people happy...but history is what it was, and it can't be changed. fathersonthefuture.com/__static/a2d...

Theology 101: Party politics is a poor substitute for personal piety.

Theology 101: Too many pastors confuse brutal lambasting with bold leadership.

Theology 101: Any “gospel” that fails to confess Jesus as the incarnate God-Man is a gospel about nobody that accomplishes nothing.

Some people who never thank God for good things in their lives are the first to blame him for the bad.

Theology 101: Churches and ministries should have nothing to cover up with a non-disclosure agreement and no reason to blow whistles.

Theology 101: Actually, “episkopos” in the second century really was the title for the presiding elder of a local church. He wasn’t the boss of the other elders, but a prime among equals. He was also only the presiding elder of a single city/village church, not a region.

Theology 101: Yes, Jesus miraculously and instantaneously turned water into grape juice. Fermented grape juice, also called “wine.”

Theology 101: Some things are simple and need to be embraced and stated plainly; some things are complicated and need to be nuanced and asserted tentatively. The ability to tell the difference is a mark of theological maturity.

Theology 101: In naturalistic evolution, humanity is a mere comma in nature’s endlessly rambling run-on sentence...

Theology 101: If your theological position, dogmatic declaration, or church confession would alienate 100% of second-century Christians and exclude them from your fellowship, you need to chill.

If you haven’t read these, you’re missing out. www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDDWV55N

Theology 101: Believing in the inspiration and complete truthfulness of Scripture does not make me a fundamentalist. It makes me a classic Christian in agreement with the patristic, medieval, and Protestant churches on the nature and authority of Scripture.

Theology 101: I think date-setters should be required by law to buy back all their books when they get it wrong.

Theology 101: One of the greatest apologetic challenges in a post-Christian world is just getting unbelievers to imagine that the world could possibly be otherwise.

Theology 101: Art and science are to God’s revelation through creation what exposition and exegesis are to God’s revelation in Scripture.

Theology 101: If you think miracles ought to be proven scientifically, you understand neither science nor miracles.

Theology 101: The main reason for doing your own exegesis of a text in the original languages is not to come up with a final interpretation to end all discussion, but to equip yourself for critical discussion with other interpretations.

Theology 101: “Confessional” scholars and “non-confessional” scholars differ only in that the former are actually honest and open about their presuppositions.

Theology 101: Many times, God has sent me places I’ve said I’d never go and called me to do things I’ve said I’d never do. It usually starts with me laughing at the idea.

Theology 101: “There is one physician, both fleshly and spiritual, born and unborn, God in man, true life in death, both of Mary and of God, first subject to suffering and then free of suffering, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Ignatius of Antioch, To the Ephesians 7.2, c. AD 110)

Hey, could someone up there please unplug the Matrix so we can all wake up?

Theology 101: “The soul must know its creator to live as surely as the body must breathe. For the soul must know God or die.” (Basil of Caesarea)

Finishing up final edits on “The Story of the Future,” a general-audience eschatology book with Hendrickson, due out in January. Next step: typesetting.

Theology 101: Without controversy, the burden of proof is on anyone who wants to make something other than the person and work of Christ the center of CHRISTian theology.

Theology 101: "It is a human right, a privilege of nature, that every man should worship according to his own convictions." (Tertullian)

Theology 101: Stop lamenting the small voice the church has in the world; start repenting for the loud voice the world has in the church.

Theology 101: Two inconvenient historical facts: 1) the early church couldn’t be categorized as “cessationist” by today’s common definition of that term; 2) the early church couldn’t be categorized as “continuationist” by today’s common definition of that term.

Theology 101: John Henry Newman’s theory of doctrinal development, which validates the legitimacy of doctrinal development, was itself a development that can only be validated by assuming the validity of its own development.

Theology 101: Before pushing “Post,” ask yourself: does this statement reflect and promote faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?

Theology 101: Do the math. Reacting to wickedness with wickedness does not bring righteousness but double wickedness.

Theology 101: Cherry-picking evidence to uphold my sin is a sin. Willful ignorance of evidence to uphold my sin is a sin. “Yeah-but-ing” arguments to uphold my sin is a sin.

Theology 101: Cherry-picking evidence to uphold my sin is a sin. Willful ignorance of evidence to uphold my sin is a sin. “Yeah-but-ing” arguments to uphold my sin is a sin.

The AItheist 3.0 is out. If you missed the first two, get them. Read them. You’ll thank me later! Trust me. a.co/d/042GVuC2

Theology 101: Them: “I like Jesus’s teachings.” Jesus: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Them: “Not that teaching.”

Theology 101: In orthodox theology, we must strive to avoid dogmas opinionized and opinions dogmatized.

He is risen!

Theology 101: At times I get the feeling some Christians love what they or others say about God’s word more than they love God’s word.