The full name of the college I teach at is “Moore Theological College”. That word “Theological” says something important about who we are. It reminds us about what we’re on about. Yes, the Bible is at the centre of everything we do. Yes, we seek to train people for ministry. Yes, we’re driven by the worldwide mission of Jesus Christ. Yes, we’re committed to learning together, and having our characters formed in loving Christian community. But our careful study of the Bible, and our pastorally-motivated ministry and mission training, and our encouragement of one another in our community, all matter because of something more basic: theology. Unfortunately, the word “theology” can be misunderstood. It sometimes gets used to mean something like “technical details about spiritual things that experts argue about and isn’t much practical use to regular people”. But that’s just a caricature. It’s not what theology is. Theology is something far more profound, far more life-changing, and far more fundamental—not just for people at a college, but for everyone. In Ephesians 1:17–18, Paul prays for his readers—people who have come to believe in and live for Jesus Christ. It’s a prayer for more theology.
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The biblical meaning of righteousness and justification Part 1, with Chris Thomson @ Moore CollegeMay 29, 2020Martin Luther famously wrote about justification by faith: “if this article stands, the church stands; if this article collapses, the church collapses” (Luther’s Works 40/3.352.3). Justification
FBS Paper: “Every construction”? Ecclesiological Plurality in Ephesians 2:19–22May 27, 2020Here is the video recording of an academic paper I presented at the Sydney Meeting of the Fellowship for Biblical Studies, Online meeting, 22 May 2020.
Jacob: Scoundrel, wrestler and ancestor of Christ, with Philip Kern @ Moore CollegeMay 22, 2020The figure of Jacob, in the pages of the Old Testament book of Genesis, is a fascinating character. The man who became known as “Israel” was in so many ways a scoundrel, yet he received God’s
Is “Church Online” Church? (Lionel Windsor, Mikey Lynch, Andrew Heard)May 17, 2020In this discussion for the Reach Australia network‘s podcast, I join Mikey Lynch (leader of Tasmania’s Vision 100) and Andrew Heard (lead pastor of EV Church on the Central Coast of NSW)
Ecclesiastes and a world in crisis, with George AthasMay 14, 2020What does the Bible have to say to a world in crisis? In my latest Iso-Chat, I speak to my friend and colleague George Athas about the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is about a
The “New Normal” and the Same Old Story: Evangelism in a Virtual WorldMay 12, 2020There are amazing opportunities in online evangelism. And with the “new normal” under COVID-19, people really are listening.
How did the Reformers respond to plagues? Learning from history with Mark Earngey @ Moore CollegeMay 8, 2020I have a chat to Mark Earngey, Head of the Church History Department and lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore College, about his public online lecture “Protestants and Plagues”. Video This
“He is risen! He is not here”: Comfort and hope in absence, with Peter Orr @MooreCollegeMay 1, 2020The words of the angel on that first Easter Day, “He has risen! He is not here” (Mark 16:6) are full of comfort and hope. That is especially true as Christians celebrate Easter in 2020, under- The biblical meaning of righteousness and justification Part 3, with Chris Thomson @ Moore CollegeApril 30, 2020I speak with Dr Chris Thomson about the meaning of "righteousness" and "justification" and how this helps us to understand Romans, imputation and assurance.
God’s judgment and compassion in Jeremiah, with Andrew Shead @ Moore CollegeApril 28, 2020What does it mean for God to be judge? How does this square with the biblical picture of God as compassionate? Sometimes we can adopt a one-dimensional view of God—a view that assumes that either God