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The strategy of God
Doing good: The shape of the Christian life (Part 1): Why we don’t
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Scott Tubman on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (20/08/2008).
Ian Carmichael on Sola Gratia - Tahlia's story (20/08/2008).
Cathy McKay on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (20/08/2008).
Gordon Cheng on An interview with Mark Thompson (20/08/2008).
Martin Kemp on The indivisibility of truth (20/08/2008).
Andrew Barry on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (20/08/2008).
Scott Tubman on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (19/08/2008).
Scott Tubman on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (19/08/2008).
Alex Phillips on A freebie for you: Jonah in the ESV (19/08/2008).
Nicole Starling on "We are poorly dressed" - Part 2 (19/08/2008).
Recent posts
An interview with Mark Thompson by Sandy Grant (1 comment). Today we interview Mark Thompson... Mark, how did you come to Christ? I first heard the gospel … more
Sola Gratia - Tahlia’s story by Lionel Windsor (4 comments). Tahlia was born addicted to heroin, thanks to her mum Shae’s addiction. Tahlia (not her real name) lives with … more
“We are poorly dressed” - Part 2 by Nicole Starling (9 comments). Thanks to everyone who contributed comments in answer to the question that I raised in my previous … more
The indivisibility of truth by Tony Payne (4 comments). This Saturday’s classic Briefing extract is about the indivisibility of truth. It’s from Briefing #8, August 1, 1988: If … more
Dread, joy and Morning Prayer by Tony Payne (5 comments). Standing on the 5th tee at St Michael’s, in Sydney’s East, the golfer experiences a mixture of nervousness and dread. Here … more
A freebie for you: Jonah in the ESV by Gordon Cheng (10 comments). Here at Matthias Media, we read and recommend the English Standard Version Bible, the ESV, as a superior … more
‘We are poorly dressed…’ - Part 1 by Nicole Starling (15 comments). “We are poorly dressed… Be imitators of me.” (1 Cor 4:11, 16) “All her household are clothed in … more
Where’s your ministry ‘AT’? by Ben Pfahlert (11 comments). Christians and soldiers have a lot in common, or at least they should (2 Tim 2:3-4). Firstly they both know that … more
Countering Nowism by Lionel Windsor (2 comments). It’s been interesting to follow the comments on Tony’s post about the … more
The evangelical inferiority complex by Tony Payne (3 comments). It’s Saturday. Must be time for another classic snippet from the early days of The Briefing, this time about evangelicalism’s … more
Tony Payne
Tony is the Publishing Director at Matthias Media; editor of The Briefing; author of Islam in our Backyard, Fatherhood and numerous other Matthias Media resources; husband to Ali; father of five teenagers; and an avid consumer of books and almost any televised sport.
Sola Panellists
- Tony Payne (convenor)
- Peter Bolt
- Gordon Cheng
- Sandy Grant
- Gavin Perkins
- Ben Pfahlert
- Archie Poulos
- Nicole Starling
- Mark Thompson
- Jean Williams
- Lionel Windsor
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Important comment topic:
Which is the odd one out, and why?
Barth was self-consciously standing in the Reformed Tradition, and he sought to write theology that was God-honouring, Christ-centred and true to the word of God. Weaknesses? He wrote too much; will I ever get to the end of it all?
Hang on though, brother Bolt. I haven’t read much Barth either (all of Church Dogmatics Vol IV, and various bits over the years that friends have pointed out, so although it feels like a lot, I realize it isn’t).
But my reading of Barth—and yes, readers who have read Barth—suggests that he refuses to identify the Bible with the word of God, leaves the door open to universalism, and hesitates to remind people of judgement and the need to repent.
Now that may be second-hand scuttlebutt, but it’s scholarly scuttlebutt that appears to be well researched. I read it most recently in this book.
So if it’s true, it hardly stands in the Reformed tradition, does it? Any more than N.T. Wright, at least?
May I add that Peter was a very gracious and thorough doctoral thesis examiner. However, I’m curious as to how a Tasmanian could ever grow to be so tall. I thought most of them were hobbits who ate apples all day long and played cricket without ever winning.
Contra Gordon, I think Wright and Barth are in the “Reformed Camp” although we don’t have to like all the camping gear that they bring with them. Read Barth’s “Evangelical Theology” and his book of collected prayers and you’ll see where Peter is coming from.
we don’t have to like all the camping gear that they bring with them.
That’ll be the ‘plus’ in ‘gospel plus’ then.
I tend to think of Wright as Gospel plus works, and Barth as Gospel minus judgement, but then that’s probably just me.
‘Barth was self-consciously standing in the Reformed Tradition, and he sought to write theology that was God-honouring, Christ-centred’. Are you saying that he was NOT attempting to stand in this tradition? Is the ‘orthodox’ in the ‘neo-orthodox’ not his attempt? It sounds like are saying that he didn’t get there (by your standards), but this is not the same as saying this is not where he saw himself standing, is it?
The ‘refusal to identify the Bible with the word of God’ is a common furphy and caricature—he is protecting the fact that God revealed himself in the Word of God (i.e. The Word became flesh)—a thing that evangelicals who are increasingly a-historical need to keep remembering. He ‘leaves the door open for universalism’, in the same way as John 3:16 does. He ‘hesitates to remind people of judgement’—not so, he reminds people, just like the gospel does, that the judgement of God has already been borne by the Son of God on their behalf, so why take it upon themselves? And ignoring the need to repent?—not so, but perhaps the concept is missed by some when he puts it far more positively (following Scripture’s lead) that God has now invited fallen humanity to live truly as human beings for the first time in the freedom that has been brought by Jesus Christ.
Peter
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