Comments on: Vanhoozer’s Ten Theses and the Pastor-Theologian as Evangelicalism’s Default Public Intellectual http://www.saet-online.org/va/10/ The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:33:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dr. Eric J. Bargerhuff http://www.saet-online.org/va/10/comment-page-1/#comment-1895 Dr. Eric J. Bargerhuff Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:44:28 +0000 http://www.saet-online.org/?p=888#comment-1895 Well this certainly is the heart and soul of where we need to be in light of the cultural/intepretive battles that are waging today. Truly Kevin captures the heart of Titus 1:1, where the faith and knowledge of God is always that which leads to godliness, the practical living of everyday Christian life. The Word of God is alive -- breathing the breath of God that is not static by dynamically speaking today, with one timeless meaning and multiple, ever-changing applications. And of course we understand Vanhoozer's use of "catholic" to mean the primary universal understanding that has been held throughout most of church history and not simply "Roman Catholic." His emphasis on the triune nature of revelation is especially helpful. We have far too long neglected the significance of seeing God in Triune activity and fashion not only in our theological interpretation of Scripture but even further in our understanding of church practices. For example, in the practice of church discipline, we see God's "Fatherly discipline and love" being expressed in reconciliatory fashion within the "Spirit-filled community" who acts redemptively instead of punitively thanks to the penal substitutionary atonement achieved by the "Son." Therefore the Trinity is intimately connected to church practice. I owe much of this insight to Dr. Vanhoozer, and his profound influence in calling the pastor-theologians of today to consider the Trinity in the "divine life we participate in" has done nothing but enrich my preaching and teaching so that I am truly communicating the "whole counsel of God." Well this certainly is the heart and soul of where we need to be in light of the cultural/intepretive battles that are waging today. Truly Kevin captures the heart of Titus 1:1, where the faith and knowledge of God is always that which leads to godliness, the practical living of everyday Christian life. The Word of God is alive — breathing the breath of God that is not static by dynamically speaking today, with one timeless meaning and multiple, ever-changing applications. And of course we understand Vanhoozer’s use of “catholic” to mean the primary universal understanding that has been held throughout most of church history and not simply “Roman Catholic.”

His emphasis on the triune nature of revelation is especially helpful. We have far too long neglected the significance of seeing God in Triune activity and fashion not only in our theological interpretation of Scripture but even further in our understanding of church practices. For example, in the practice of church discipline, we see God’s “Fatherly discipline and love” being expressed in reconciliatory fashion within the “Spirit-filled community” who acts redemptively instead of punitively thanks to the penal substitutionary atonement achieved by the “Son.” Therefore the Trinity is intimately connected to church practice. I owe much of this insight to Dr. Vanhoozer, and his profound influence in calling the pastor-theologians of today to consider the Trinity in the “divine life we participate in” has done nothing but enrich my preaching and teaching so that I am truly communicating the “whole counsel of God.”

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