The Little Friar

There's a painting that has captivated my spiritual attention since 1992.  It's the painting by Matthias Grunewald entitled The Isenheim Altarpiece . The image is of the crucifixion of Jesus and John the Baptist, accompanied by a lamb with eucharistic chalice, extending a long pointy finger toward the Crucified One, with the words (taken from the Vulgate text of John 3.30), " illum oportet crescere me autem minui " ("He must increase while I must decrease").  That image, to my mind, encapsulates everything that can be said about the Christian faith. *** As a pastor, I have struggled with Jesus' words in Matthew:  "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask for bread, would give him a stone?"  It's the question at the heart of theodicy:  If any sinner's final destiny comprises eternal torments, can God in his essence be Justice or Love?  It's the question,  I observe in reading Hart's That All Shall Be Saved , to...

According to Hart: [T]he keener consciences among believers have always recognized that the Christian story of creation, redemption, and cosmic restoration ... is a claim about the revelation of God's nature as a goodness that truly is infinite love, essentially and irreducibly.  Hence, the only defense of the infernalist position that is logically and morally worthy of being either taken seriously or refuted scrupulously is the argument from free will:  that hell exists simply because, in order for a creature to be able to love God freely, there must be some real alternative to God open to that creature's power of choice, and that hell therefore is a state the apostate soul has chosen for itself in perfect freedom, and that the permanence of hell is testament only to how absolute this freedom is.  This argument too is wrong in every respect, but [unlike the Augustinian and Reformed understanding of limited election] not contemptibly so ( That All Shall Be Saved , p. 17...

In The Fire and the Rose I made much in the opening pages about the distinction between a "hopeful" universalism and a "dogmatic" one.  The dogmatic path rests upon two distinct New Testament themes that many find difficult to harmonize:  The theme of Christ's total victory and triumph over sin and death, on the one hand, and that of God's wrath and judgment of sin, on the other.  David Bentley Hart thus points out that, according to the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, these two distinct themes represent "two kinds of absolute statements, both indissoluble in them­selves and each seemingly irreconcilable with the other.  And we are supposedly forbidden -- by piety, by doctrine, by prudence -- from attempting to decide between them" ( That All Shall Be Saved , p. 102).  Evidently, then, we are being asked to hold together two theolog­ical claims, even though they might appear to us as flatly inconsistent; we are to hold them together ...

I've now read David Bentley Hart's That All Shall Be Saved:  Heaven, Hell, & Universal Salvation .  Over the course of the next few days, I want to lay out my response to what he says there. Hart is, first and foremost, an accomplished classicist and expert in the Greek language, one whose previous publications include an important translation of the New Testament.  And one of his purposes in this translation was to restore "certain ambiguities" that, so he believes, are "present in the original texts" but have been lost in later translations.  He thus writes, "I am firmly convinced that two millennia of dogmatic tradition have created in the minds of most of us a fundamentally misleading picture of the claims made in Christian scripture" (p. 3).  He traces much of that misleading picture, most notably the doctrines of limited election and limited atonement, "back to the late Augustine -- a towering genius whose inability to re...

The Guardian have been doing a series on the 100 best books/films/albums/etc of the 21st century.  I thought I'd look at my shelves and offer my 50 best theology books I've read, and in many cases return to a lot, published since the 21st Century.  I limited myself to one book per author (apart from in one case), otherwise there would be more Freeman, Hauerwas, Wells and Williams.  I recognize some of the big names/books are missing -- David Bentley Hart, William Cavanaugh, Katherine Sonderegger, David Kesley, Oliver O'Donovan, Miroslav Volf, Michael Banner, John Barclay, John Milbank, and many others -- but given the criteria, it was hard to include them to the exclusion of the ones that follow.  Some on the list below will be little known, but there books have been important to me.  A fair number are memoirs, and I've come to really enjoy this format.  The list is in no particular order.  (Discerning readers will be able to tell whe...

I ordered my copy of David Bentley Hart's That All Shall Be Saved:  Heaven, Hell, & Universal Salvation today.  It's been about five years since Hart announced that he subscribes to the doctrine of apokatastasis and hoped to write a book on the subject.  The revelation quickly spread through Twitter, Facebook, and the theological world.  Few scholars generate the kind of buzz that Hart does.  And so we waited ... eagerly ... impatiently ... anticipatorily. Finally, Hart has given us the book those of us in the theology world have been anticipating.  That All Shall Be Saved hasn't been touted as the definitive treatise on apoka­tastasis.  You won't find detailed exegesis of the hell passages in the New Testament nor extended discussion of the Church's dogmatic statements that (on the surface) condemn the greater hope. That All Shall Be Saved is, instead, a very timely and personal reflection about a critical topic.  It will bring ...

As a seminary student, I read with a great deal of understanding and sympathy when Tom Oden described the time he had to walk out of a Eucharist.  I've endured my shared of what I call "playing liturgy" over time.  "Playing liturgy" is that experience wherein folks think they're worshipping -- but the reality is far less fulfilling. Recently, I sat as we visited a small church.  The floor gently sloped toward the elevated platform.  The lofty ceiling was held in place by solid cement walls.  Long, skinny windows stretched to the rafters.  A small choir gathered in the balcony behind me, singing a hymn I was not familiar with.  It was a haunting tune, a prayer, reflecting on God's goodness.  The words stirred the air with the gentle reminder of God's care for us. The chapel was an intriguing mixture of music and liturgy.  Words offered in prayer.  Five flautists playing their flutes to a classical music piece.  It was unlike any serv...

As a pastor, one of my favorite parables of Jesus was the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13.  And Robert Capon's Kingdom, Grace, Judgment:  Paradox, Outrage, and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus is perhaps the best commentary on those parables.  My pastoral imagination was shaped by the way in which Capon interpreted the parable. Extravagance.  Without caution, the sower throws the seed wherever it may fall.  Extravagance is the only word that I can think of to describe the scene of the sower.  Slinging the seed without caution, without calculation. There is an extravagance in that act.  Regardless of the soil, the seed is sown.  The seed doesn't always take root.  Yet, the sower casts the seed in anticipation of the harvest.  Extravagance is a good word. Grace is a good word as well.   Unmerited gift.  Like that sower of the seed, God's "seed" is cast wherever it might fall, regardless of the soil it ...

One of my first assignments as a seminary student back in the day was to write a personal statement of ministry.  What follows is that statement.  Keep in mind, this was written by a much younger me, so I might not put things together in just this way.  But in broad strokes, I think I still agree.

I was re-reading from Fred Craddock's Preaching , recently.  It's a very engaging read thus far.  I first read this book as a preaching student, but it has been a long time since I've taken the time to read through the book.  Surprisingly, I only managed to get through the first chapter because it was so thick with great thoughts on the task and art of preaching.  Given that he was an "accomplished" preacher (whatever that might mean), it seems appropriate to let the words soak in and to think carefully through his thoughts. In talking about preaching, Craddock noted the importance of the Spirit's work in preaching.  Craddock wrote:  "The Spirit is of God and not contingent upon our willing or doing.   The truth is, and by this the church sometimes feels embarrassed, there is no agreement among Christians as to the canons for ascertaining the Spirit's absence or presence at the time of an event.   Afterward, of course, the evidences of love, ho...

Don't Blame the Mud , by Marty Machowski, author of The Ology and The Gospel Story Bible , gives a simple story to parents that is illustrative of how sin often occurs.  In the story, Max is on his way home from school, and he hears his mother's voice resounding in his head not to fall into the mud and get dirty.  All he has to do is walk home, change his clothes, and then he can go out and play.  It's pretty simple.  But then he sees a muddy path, and he knows he can just run along the trail next to the creek to skip stones and find frogs.  Why wait when he can do it now?  He won't get dirty. Max gets the mud on him.  Just as Paul personifies sin in Romans 6-7, illustrator Craig McIntosh personifies the mud.  The mud grabs him and covers him.  It gets everywhere.  So Max sneaks in, hides his muddy clothes, puts on new clothes, picks up a book, and jumps in bed as if nothing ever happened.  His mom sees right through hi...

Trinity Without Hierarchy:  Reclaiming Nicene Orthodoxy in Evangelical Theology , edited by Michael Bird and Scott Harrower, is a difficult book to review, much less rate or recommend.  It's a mix of both introductory and advanced essays -- all of which make a clear contribution to the ongoing conversation about the nature of trinitarian faith in the future of Evangelicalism.  For example, Ian Paul writes a detailed but accessible chapter on the trinitarian theology of Revelation (85-107). It's a good introduction, accessible to nearly every reader.  While Tyler Wittman's brilliant essay on Thomas Aquinas and the Trinity (141-164) will require far more advanced familiarity with the history of theological thought. But Trinity Without Hierarchy shouldn't be overlooked.  The book is a clear statement on the shortcoming of the subordination of the Son to the Father that's making its way around Evangelical circles.  Michael Bird's essay rightly points out...

Tim Anderson's Into His Presence:  A Theology of Intimacy with God is a book that I've thought for some time we actually needed.  Right from the introduction, Anderson explores the depth of what this relationship means for us experientially, and the difference that a rich theology can make in that relationship.  The first half of the book comprising four chapters most met the hopes I'd had for this book.  His defining "intimacy with God" forces us to think concretely about all the nebulous thoughts swirling around.  Chapter 2 addresses the subject regarding philosophy and theology with some of that theology being the most helpful to me.  Chapter 3 on linking the fall with intimacy with God was one of the best in the book and did clear up some real questions for me.  The chapter on God as our Father tied in some important information as well and made sense of the role of fathers in our lives that is often written about today. There are some pl...

Fran Pratt's Call and Response:  Litanies for Congregational Prayer is a beautifully poetic text filled with pastorally-sensitive, theologically-rich congregational litanies for a variety of occasions.  This is an excellent resource for liturgists and pastors whose task is to lead the people of God in prayer and praise and lament.  Each of the litanies in this text are meant to be used in the context of public worship, so they're fit for regular congregational use.  Pratt's writing is clear and engaging, and the spirituality in the poetry of these responsive prayers is deep.  There's no facile Christianity on display here.  It's just the sort of resource needed to assist congregations in revitalizing their public faith and the prayers of the people. The book is divided into five sections with three appendices. The sections include, "Litanies for Looking Forward", "Litanies for Looking Outward", "Litanies for Coping", "Litan...

Micah Berteau's Love Changes Everything:  Finding What's Real in a World Full of Fake explores the height and depth and breadth of God's love for us in a refreshing way.  Using the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer, Berteau looks at a question nearly every one of us asks at some point:  Can God love me -- flaws and all? If your mental image of God is as a punisher, or a stern judge, then this book can show, through Scripture, just how much love God really has for all people, no matter what their past is. Love really does change everything.  And in a culture that seeks its affirmation and acceptance in fleeting ways -- on social media, for example -- Berteau explores the difference love makes when its frame of reference is the covenant fidelity and kindness depicted in Hosea.   This is a much needed book.  And one that you need to pick up and read. _____________________ I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my ho...

Some years ago, teaching the introductory Christian theology course around the theme of liturgy as theology, I required students to read Evangelical Is Not Enough .  It's a beautiful little book, that challenges the prevailing distrust of liturgy among evangelicals.  There exist, even in the Anglican tradition, those sorts of folks who believe that repeated exercises rob the exercise of its power.  In psychology, it's known as the Law of Diminishing Returns.  As the novelty wears off, the activity seems to produce less response in our brains.  This is usually understood when it comes to things like addictions, in particular.  But, it can be applied to other areas as well. Yet the aversion to liturgy among Protestants goes even deeper.  Just mention Luther's treatment of the abuses of a Church that had become so enamored with rituals that it seemed to walk away from its Christological center.   Thus, we conclude, rituals are to be avoided bec...

I've been (somewhat) at work on my next book about political theology.  Since I live deep in the heart of a a "red state" (Tennessee), that means I have to come face-to-face with the realities of the political imagination in America.  Not, that is, to switch readers' allegiances from one color to another, but to redraw the map they've inherited; to place a question mark next to its self-evident obviousness, which they treat as if it were the periodic table of elements (with only two to choose from!). So I've been working on a rough draft heuristic that I'm hoping to develop in that book. Most of us come from an array of political spectra, both from political first principles (which we apparently have a more difficult time articulating these days, based on my conversations) and practical, concrete policy decisions (which, if we're honest, seem to be the only place where Americans actually think about these issues anymore).  I think it's a ser...