Editorial – Issue 84
DJ is the Editor of Foundations. He is also an Elder at Cambridge Presbyterian Church and Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. (Jude 20-21, ESV)
The bi-annual Affinity theological study conference is always a highlight, and the 2023 conference was by all accounts no exception. For those of us (including myself!) who were unable to attend, the next best thing is to read the papers given at the conference, and it is a pleasure to present them in this edition of Foundations.
Under the theme of “A Firm Foundation: Priorities for the rising generation” five papers cover a variety of topics. The first paper is from Peter Sanlon on “Glories that Form and Deform Identity: The Roads Ahead.” Peter considers the live issues which affect us all today, sexual identity, mental health, pornography, abuse and family breakdown. In all of these areas society is bearing down on Christian ideals of person and worth. Manifestations of these problems vary but include consumerism, an attitude of victimhood, and self-love. In contrast to this we are called to “an ecclesiology of the cross” which “holds forth the promise of supernatural power to endure, live and die for Christ”. To understand what this is, read the article!
The second paper by Robin Gray focuses on Jonathan Edwards and his view of conversion, “Divine Light and Holy Love Genuine Conversion in the Works of Jonathan Edwards”. This might seem lacking in contemporary relevance, but surely it is not. On the one hand, in every age, there is a need to seek to understand the monumental transformation from life to death that is conversion. But particularly now with proposed bans on conversion therapy, it is vital to understand what true biblical conversion means. And there are few more helpful guides than Edwards. Robin guides us well through the riches of Edward’s teaching.
The third paper is “Sanctification and Consistent Godly Living” by Phil Heaps. Acknowledging the challenges of contemporary Christian living, Phil takes us to the Sermon on the Mount, and particularly to the Beatitudes convinced that they form “an ideal but underused framework for our discipling.” They do so by dealing with, among other things, “Sexual purity… Anxiety… navigating our increasingly polarised society… hate speech is referred to… The question of social activism and impacting society is covered… marriage and divorce… [and] materialism”. Building out from this, Phil argues that this discipling framework must be taught, practised in community (i.e. with a commitment to fellowship), be Christ centred and be fuelled by prayer. The paper then concludes with reflections on the language we might use to ensure our understanding of sanctification does not become imbalanced. Taken all in, this is a very stimulating paper.
Mark Thomas provides the fourth paper which considers “Pastoring the Twenty-First Century Church”. There is much in this paper to encourage, challenge and instruct. The reminder at the start is important: “Our approach [to pastoring] is not primarily focused on the problems people think they have. Our aim and purpose is to bring men and women to know God through the Lord Jesus Christ, to worship and serve him, and grow to be like him.” This is built on by considering “pastoring as Biblical, Theological, Evangelical, and Analytical and Experimental”. Other key themes are considered by Mark and significant figures from church history are well as contemporary theologians are used as foils. The close of the paper helpfully considers our contemporary situation and the challenges faced today, as well as those faced in every age.
The fifth, and last, paper from the theological conference is from Patrick Fung and considers “Faithfulness Amidst Trial and Persecution”. Patrick seeks to answer three questions: 1) How did the early church persevere and thrive despite persecution? 2) How did the missionaries in the Boxer Uprising in China in 1900 respond to the impact of persecution resulting in the rise of the indigenous church movement? 3) How do Christians today around the world continue to live out their faith in the context of suffering, persecution, and martyrdom? These are vital topics, and they are handled very helpfully.
Finally, in this edition, we present an important extended review article by Sarah Allen. Sarah considers two recent books which have had a significant impact. Kristin Kobes du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation and Beth Alison Barr’s The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth. Sarah’s review is helpful in outlining the shortcomings of these volumes while also acknowledging the need for “Christians committed to a complementarian reading of Scripture to explore history and theology in a yet deeper and more honest manner, and to apply this with even greater care within their church contexts.”
I hope the variety of these articles give much food for thought.
Review Article: Complementarism
Faithfulness Amidst Trial and Persecution
Pastoring the Twenty-First Century Church
Sanctification and Consistent Godly Living
Divine Light and Holy Love: Genuine Conversion in the Works of Jonathan Edwards
Glories that Form and Deform Identity – The Roads Ahead
Editorial – Issue 84