“In preparation for this conference, I asked a number of church leaders if they were familiar with Paul’s “rule in all the churches.” Notably, not a single leader who responded to my ad hoc survey was aware of such a rule. Based on this response and my general familiarity with ecclesial theology, I think it is likely that Paul’s “rule in all the churches” has become a “rule in few of the churches” today. While many would probably be content to see this state of affairs continue, especially those who do not like church rules, there remains the nagging question, “Should a teaching that Paul considered important enough to be a universal rule be almost universally neglected by contemporary Christians?”

The aim of this paper is to introduce Paul’s rule to those who are unfamiliar with it, and to make the case that Paul’s rule is a lynchpin that sustains the church as a body of Jews and Gentiles. In part one of the paper, I will discuss Paul’s rule as it relates to Jewish continuity, the apostle’s indifference to Jewish difference (1 Cor 7:19), and the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). In part two, I will address the effects of the church not keeping Paul’s rule, the Jew-Gentile ekklesia, and whether Paul’s rule can be implemented today.”

You can read the rest of the article online here.  David teaches at the Messianic Jewish Theological Institute, and blogs here and here.

The most important truth about sin is the one least recognized in our day. It is this: all sin is primarily sin against God. Where sin is understood as merely a moral concept rather than mainly a religious one, where it is seen primarily as a person-to-person problem rather than as primarily ‘theocentric,’ motivation for fighting sin is decreased and confusion about the character of God is increased. While recognizing the ‘horizontal’ (person-to-person) nature of sin, the Bible consistently presents sin as mainly a ‘vertical’ (person-to-God) offense. My purpose in this article is to promote a God-centered understanding of sin by outlining the biblical evidence for the vertical nature of all sin and then reflecting on the manifold pastoral implications of this view. If we are to understand the seriousness of sin and to help ourselves and others think about and fight sin the way we ought to, we must have this God-centered view of sin.

A great perspective here, particularly the second half of the article where Stephen shows how the vertical aspects of sin trump its horizontal aspects. I encourage you to read the whole thing. A great example of ecclesial theology. Stephen is a pastor at Pepperell Christian Fellowship in Pepperell MA, and blogs regularly at the Pastor’s Blog.

In the Fall of 2010 they’ll be offering three courses: Bible Study Methods, Old Testament Survey I, and Introduction to Discipleship Counseling. In Spring 2011, they plan to offer three additional classes: Old Testament Survey II, Old Testament Backgrounds, and New Testament Survey.

Looks like a good program. Click through to see a video for more information.

Online Classes at Eternity Bible College from Eternity Bible College on Vimeo.

The point above regarding diverging social locations is aptly illustrated by a recent exchange between SBL and a disgruntled former member, Ronald S. Hendel. Hendel accuses SBL of becoming too cozy with faith perspectives. The response from SBL is revealing:

“Although SBL invites vigorous discussion of all relevant topics, proselytizing activity is neither welcome nor permitted in SBL-sponsored events and publications and is inconsistent with the SBL’s core values: accountability, inclusiveness, collaboration, leadership in biblical scholarship, collegiality, productivity, commitment, responsiveness to change, communication, scholarly integrity, efficiency, and tolerance. Consequently, any instances of proselytizing activity should be reported to SBL staff. Further, we are unaware of any RBL reviews that even “hint” that anyone is “going to hell.” If any SBL member can point us to such a review, we will immediately remove the review and disavow its sentiments.”

Clearly the rules of engagement governing SBL do not lend themselves to the sort of theological task historically prosecuted by  the church’s most influential theologians. The church’s task is, explicitly, a proselytizing one. Indeed, a significant bulk of the church’s reflection is driven by, and born out of, the duty of proselyting.

I’m glad believing, orthodox scholars like Michael Bird and others are present and moving in the SBL environment. The Christian community needs a voice there;  we have both things to learn and to teach. But given the stated aims of SBL, it should be clear that the agenda of SBL — reflective of the wider academic context –  represents an entirely different sort of agenda than what must once again come to constitute the core of orthodox, theological reflection. We are in need of a rebirth of the ecclesial theologian — the kind of theologian whose primary vocation is pastoral, and whose intellectual center and theological agenda is constituted by the church.

Yet in drawing a contrast between academic theology and ecclesial theology, an important words needs to be said here about the mutually dependent nature of the church and academy. As my vision for ecclesial theology has unfolded, I’ve become increasingly aware of the need for a robust partnership between believing academic theologians and pastor-theologians. Doug Sweeney (himself a respected academic historian), helped crystallize this for me at the close of the 2009 Fellowship Symposium of the Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology (SAET). Sweeney suggested:

“We will not always need academic, systematic theologians to do all the heavy theological lifting for God’s people. We are not often explicit about this, but systematic theology, insofar as it is distinguished from biblical, historical, philosophical, psychological, and intercultural theology, is the work of generalists, people who synthesize the findings of those in the other scholarly disciplines and neither have nor require a methodology of their own. They put the big picture together and apply it to our lives. They don’t require the resources or the structures of the academy to do this kind of work (though they do need very good libraries). In fact, the people best suited to synthesize our knowledge of God and His ways in the world, applying this knowledge to the empirical realities people face, are pastor-theologians.

We should work toward a day when professors view themselves as handmaids serving pastor-theologians, and pastor-theologians play an important public role in guiding people theologically. Professors should continue to offer specialized instruction in ancient languages and history, exegesis, church history, social science, and philosophy. They will continue to raise up future generations of pastors. But we should work to raise up the kinds of pastors who can synthesize, exposit, and apply the knowledge of God to the lives of all God’s people with authority.”

We no longer live in a pre-critical context, and thus the pastor-theologian can no longer go it alone. The modern research university—with all of its blessings and challenges—is here to stay. Thus academic theologians and pastor-theologians must work in tandem, each bringing a strength to the theological task the other lacks. As a general rule, the academic context will push professors toward specialized research, while the ecclesial context will push pastors toward multi-disciplinary synthesis. Consequently, the pastor-theologian, even though widely read, will likely lack narrow expertise in the sub-fields of the various theological disciplines. He is thus in need of the believing research professor to help him sort through the myriad of secondary literature, and to serve as a guide to the wealth of resources housed within the academic community. And believing professors need pastor-theologians who can partner with them in thinking through the ecclesial relevance of their academic work, providing professors with a more robust understanding of how the various theological/intellectual paradigms of the academy intersect with the situation on the ground.

Too many popular theologians are forced to build their popular theology on the foundation of academic theology. And too many serious theologians don’t bother with popular theology at all. The ecclesial theologian writes in both directions, always with a view to the Church.

In the picture above, from left to right: Jonathan Cummings, Micky Klink, Jeff Hubing, Eric Bargerhuff, Gerald Hiestand, Doug Sweeney, Matt Kim, Todd Wilson, Matthew Mason, and Jason Hood. (Not pictured is Michael Lefebvre, who left before the group shot).

Thanks everyone for a great couple of days — look forward to our first real symposium in June, 2011!

This video made the rounds awhile back, but if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s worth watching. I think Piper is mostly correct here. Pastors don’t need to be doing academic theology; someone needs to, but not pastors. But more pastors do need to do PhD’s, with a view to ecclesial theology. I’m not sure Piper fully appreciates the distinction between academic theology and ecclesial theology.

Frankly, I’m not convinced most pastors need to bother with a PhD unless they plan to engage in some sort of theological writing ministry. An MDiv or a ThM is generally sufficient for what most pastors will face in the context of parish ministry.

HT: Dane Ortlund

Matt has served as the senior pastor of Logos Central Chapel in Denver, Colorado, since September 2006. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in the suburb of Palatine. He received his B.A. from Carleton College, his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his M.Th. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Edinburgh in practical theology and homiletics. He is the author of two books. His dissertation was published as Preaching to Second Generation Korean Americans: Towards a Possible Selves Contextual Homiletic (New York: Peter Lang, 2007). He has recently written My First Year in Ministry: 7 Lessons for New Pastors (St. Louis: Chalice Press, Spring 2011). In January 2008, he was invited to teach as the Sams Visiting Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell on the topic of Preaching in the Asian-American Context. Matt and his wife Sarah are the parents of two boys, Ryan and Evan. He is a member of the Academy of Homiletics and serves on the executive committee of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. His hobbies include working out, reading, writing, playing basketball, and watching various sports.

Welcome Matt!

Jeff is a part-time Teaching Pastor at Rock Church, in Rockford, IL, and an Affiliate Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He holds an M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity from Loyola University Chicago. Jeff has a deep burden for training leaders for Christian ministry and for building vibrant local churches. A central of focus in his ministry and scholarly study is the concept of Spiritual formation as a holistic process, integrating intellectual growth through careful study of Scripture, the shaping of the soul through the dynamic experience of the Spirit, and the cultivation of practices that embody the love and power of the gospel. Jeff and his wife, Carol, were married in 2000, and have four children.

Welcome, Jeff!