Articles

A Traditional Protestant Formulation of Sola Fide as the Source of Political Unity by Jonathan Leeman

A Traditional Protestant Formulation of Sola Fide as the Source of Political Unity JONATHAN LEEMAN Jonathan Leeman (PhD, University of Wales) is the editorial director for 9Marks, an organization that produces church leadership resources in Washington, D.C. He also teaches in a number of seminaries and is the author of multiple books on the church Abstract: The doctrine of justification by faith alone does not merely have political implications; it is a political doctrine outright. Of course, this claim runs directly against critics of sola fide who claim that speaking of justice “by faith” guts the word “justice” of the very thing it needs–action or works. But this article argues that a classic Protestant understanding of sola fide is history’s unexpected ground of political unity. Objectively, justification is a covenantal verdict that declares someone righteous before a body politic. Subjectively, sola fide robs political actors of the incentives to warfare and domination by giving them that which all people, nations, and armies primarily seek–justification, standing, and the recognition of existence. The person justified by faith must no longer prove or justify him or herself by any earthly measurement: race (“I’m Aryan”), ethnicity (“I’m Serbian”), gender (“I’m male”), class (“I’m aristocracy”),…

Theistic Evolution, Christian Knowledge and Culture’s Plausability Structure by J. P. Moreland
Articles , Philosophy / March 6, 2017

Theistic Evolution, Christian Knowledge and Culture’s Plausibility Structure J. P. Moreland J. P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Biola University Abstract: In thinking about this article, I have decided not to write a technical piece. Over the years, I have done plenty of that on matters relating Christianity and science or the philosophy of science. Instead, as an aging (!) senior scholar, I have decided to reflect on the broader cultural implications of adopting a certain way of integrating Christianity and science, to attempt to offer some wisdom on the matter, and to issue a word of caution to my younger brothers and sisters. That said, here are my central reflections. Key Words: philosophy of science, theistic evolution, Scientism, Physicalism, knowledge, neuroscience, Christianity, plausibility structure Share this on: FacebookTwitterLinkedin

A Critical Review of Irons’ The Righteousness of God by John Frederick
Articles , New Testament / October 7, 2016

JBTS 1.1 Article 4 Critical Review of Charles Lee Irons’ The Righteousness of God Irons, Charles Lee. The Righteousness of God: A Lexical Examination of the Covenant-Faithfulness Interpretation. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament2/386. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2015. 444 pp. John Frederick has a PhD in New Testament and teaches New Testament, theology, and worship arts at Grand Canyon University. He is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America and serves at Christus Victor Anglican Church in Phoenix, AZ. Share this on: FacebookTwitterLinkedin

The Righteousness of God as “The Gate to Paradise” by Joshua Greever
Articles , New Testament / October 3, 2016

JBTS 1.1 Article 3 The Righteousness of God as “The Gate to Paradise”: A Review Article of the Righteousness of God by Charles Lee Irons Irons, Charles Lee. The Righteousness of God: A Lexical Examination of the Covenant-Faithfulness Interpretation. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2/386. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2015. 444 pp. Joshua M. Greever has a PhD in New Testament and teaches New Testament at Grand Canyon University and Grand Canyon Theological Seminary Share this on: FacebookTwitterLinkedin

The Cruciform Shape of Paul’s Kingdom Theology by David Burnette
Articles , New Testament / September 30, 2016

JBTS 1.1 Article 2 David Burnette (Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) works as an editor for Radical, the resource ministry of David Platt Abstract: Unlike Jesus, Paul is not often associated with the theme of the kingdom of God. While some scholars have claimed that the kingdom is insignificant for Paul, most have simply failed to examine it closely. This article highlights the significance of the kingdom by demonstrating that it is a foundational component of Paul’s proclamation of the cross. This thesis is based primarily on a close examination of 1 Corinthians 4:20, a verse in which Paul contrasts the talk of certain leaders in Corinth with the power of the kingdom. Based on the way Paul uses the term power (δύναμις, dynamis) in 1 Corinthians 1-4, this article contends that the power of the kingdom mentioned in 4:20 is a reference to the power effected through the word of the cross. Other Pauline kingdom references are cited to support this kingdom-cross connection, including Colossians 1:13 and Galatians 5:21. As with the Gospels and Scripture as a whole, Paul’s theology of the kingdom is bound up with a message that cuts against the grain of the world’s wisdom—the message of Christ crucified. Key Words: kingdom, cross, Paul, power, and…

Paul’s Doctrine of Justification: Ecclesiology or Soteriology? by Aaron O’Kelley
Articles , New Testament / September 27, 2016

JBTS 1.1 Article 1 Aaron O’Kelley serves as a Pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Jackson, TN and as Director of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jackson Extension Abstract: The new perspective on Paul places the doctrine of justification primarily in the category of ecclesiology, as a declaration of covenant membership that is common to Jews and Gentiles alike. However, Paul’s use of key terms in the realm of “righteousness” terminology, as well as the phrase “works of the law” indicates that Paul’s doctrine of justification belongs in the category of soteriology, referring primarily to the standing of individuals before God. Nevertheless, this traditional Protestant understanding of justification has significant implications for the doctrine of the church, which the new perspective has rightly pointed out. Key terms: new perspective on Paul, justification, righteousness, works of the law, soteriology, ecclesiology. Share this on: FacebookTwitterLinkedin