Bible and Mission

Engaging the Bible in Mission Theology Scholarship: Scriptural Authority and the Formation of Christian Convictions As the second Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON II) gets underway in Nairobi this October, 2013, the issue of Scriptural authority and the formation of Christian convictions lies at the heart of what needs attention in the Anglican Church—as in various other communions of faith in our day.  This post offers some thoughts on the issue that faces the Church in the West and that requires decisive action in our day.  The crises over Scriptural authority and the formation of convictions that are truly Christian are central for the Church and its mission as it considers its identity and witness in the world. How we form convictions, how we do theology, what we understand by 'revelation', how we get at the meaning of a text--these rather weighty issues all come to bear on the challenges the Church faces today, including its thinking about sexuality....

Engaging the Bible in Mission Theology Scholarship: Christian Mission in the Early Church: Christian - Jewish Dialogue The following is an outline of points from some of the early Christian literature in the first several centuries (scholarship from a very long time ago!). It offers a look at how Scripture was used in Christian dialogue with the Jews. The intention here is only descriptive, although one can see the desperate need for a more narrative theological reading of the Bible, and for a more contextual approach to exegesis. A. Spurious Letter of Ignatius to the Antiochians (uncertain date) This work argues first from Moses and then from the prophets as a twofold witness to Jesus’ identity. 1. Proof from Moses about Jesus (section 2): *’The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimstone from the Lord’ (Gen. 19.24) *’Let Us make man after our image’ (Gen. 1.26) *Jesus’ incarnation: ‘A prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me’ (Dt. ...

Issues Facing Missions Today: 6. Remuneration for Ministry We find in Scripture at least six different views on remuneration for ministers.  These involve different models for ministry, each with a different focus, different metaphors for ministry, different things being opposed, and different values.  What we learn from Scripture in examining these models is not the Biblical practice that we ought to follow today but ways in which to discuss these matters as people of the Spirit in our own contexts.  What is required of us is a good performance in our contexts of the various concerns and values that we find in the various Biblical models for ministry. First Model: The Levitical, Institutional Religion Model Texts: The Pentateuch Focus: Centralized Temple Ministry for All the People Metaphor for Ministry: Wave Offering, Gift, Priests Opposition: Freedom of religion Values: Obedience and loyalty (hierarchical roles), diligence (fulfilling duties in...