Comments on: Four Year Old Theology

By: Rodney McCarty

Rodney McCarty — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 21:34:27 +0000

I’m reading through The Training of the Twelve by A.B. Bruce. Read ch. 6 Lessons of Prayer yesterday. He presented a rather lengthy footnote discussing the practice of prayer from the pulpit in his day. Basically, should the pastor read a prepared, written prayer, or pray extemporaneously. He makes a similar point – mature believers should be able to take a text (in this case – a form of prayer), allow it to change them, then tell others about it using their own language. Sounds a lot like Osborne.

I guess I’ve not thought much about the 3rd aspect applying to ALL disciples of Christ – pastors, definitely should, but everybody else…… All of us are called to be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks. Suppose we should all be stepping through all 3. Thanks for making my head hurt some more Joe!

By: Joe Thorn

Joe Thorn — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 19:05:48 +0000

You are right Marty. Among pastors, it’s step one to step three.

But for the rest, for those who are genuinely trying to follow Christ and maintain a devotional life; it’s often one, two and then… nothing. I see/hear it a lot.

By: Tim Etherington

Tim Etherington — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 18:45:16 +0000

I know in class some of Osborne’s hermeneutics were making me dizzy so I guess it is a good name for his book! :)

I’ve never read this book and the only person who teaches hermeneutics at TEDS right now is Osborne. I shouldn’t be critical if I haven’t read it but some of his hermeneutics in Johannan Lit & Gen Epistles pressed some buttons with me. I need to give him a fair shake. He really is a nice guy.

By: Marty Duren

Marty Duren — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:26:52 +0000

Joe,
Sometimes I think we skip step 2 as or more often that we omit step 3. It is so much easier just to figure out what it means and tell others that they need to get right than to deal with our own inadequacies, failures and sin.

Persistence in skipping step 2 leads to the awful arrogance that fills the pulpits of many churches today.

By: Tim Etherington

Tim Etherington — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:32:59 +0000

It seems to me that we Baptist-types need to do a better job articulating a theology of children. I think we do a wonderful job with our kids by and large but we have yet to adaquately explain where they are in God’s redemptive plan. Paedos say they are part of the church and the covenant community and claim that credos consider them like pagans. Credos say that they are not covenant members but treat them better, with more hope than they do the lost around us.

We do it, I just wish we had a way to articulate it.