Announcement of an Exciting and Important Theological Debate

I'm excited to pass on word of an October 2008 debate between four excellent theologians on the Trinity. Below is the announcement of the debate, originally posted on the blog of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding (bookmark this link if you haven't already!). I added the bit at the end about the Henry Center, which is the academic center that I manage at TEDS. Hope to see you at the free debate in October--should be very stimulating and worthwhile as four theologians tackle the matter of how the persons of the Godhead relate to one another.

Here's the formal announcement (feel free to spread word of this as you can):

"The Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is excited to announce that on October 9^th, 2008 at 6:30pm, it will host a Trinity Debate at the TEDS Chapel in Deerfield, IL featuring Drs. Bruce Ware (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Wayne Grudem (Phoenix Seminary) versus Drs. Tom McCall (TEDS) and Keith Yandell (University of Wisconsin-Madison) on the question:

“Do relations of authority and submission exist eternally among the Persons of the Godhead?”

This debate follows current argumentation in the academic sphere between the two sides. Though a theological exchange between expert scholars, this event will prove beneficial for Christians of all backgrounds. The doctrine of the Trinity is at the heart of the Christian faith and takes into account questions of scriptural interpretation, theological synthesis, and philosophical reasoning. Determining the identities and roles of the persons of the Godhead is thus of great importance not only to the academician, but to the pastor, the layperson, the student and all who would seek to probe and comprehend the beautiful complexity of orthodox Christianity.

The Center anticipates that the debate will be lively, informative, charitable, enjoyable, and, we trust, helpful to a wide variety of Christians and even non-Christians who wish to better understand one of the central realities of the faith. This event is not intended to be intramural, but rather to stimulate discussion that clarifies the Word of God in the life of Christ’s church. All should consider themselves invited and welcome to this free evening of debate and dialogue over theological issues that matter.

***

About the Henry Center: Led by Director Doug Sweeney, professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought at TEDS, the Center seeks in the spirit of its namesake, theologian Carl F. H. Henry, to bridge the gap between the evangelical academy and the Christian church through conferences, lectures, and events. The Center focuses on the concerns not only of the Western church but of the international Christian movement. It is committed to the exchange of biblical wisdom, the authority of Scripture, and the advancement of kingdom work among diverse groups and peoples for the greater glory of God."

Books of Note: Bob Kauflin's "Worship Matters"

I have recently come into possession of a number of new Crossway titles, several of which are well worth reading. The first is pastor and musician Bob Kauflin's book on worship, Worship Matters (Crossway, 2008). Here's a synopsis of the book from the foreword: "In Worship Matters, Bob leads us skillfully through the Scriptures and through his experiences to better understand the why and how of biblical worship, regardless of the style or form." (11) The point, then, is not to cover the exact shape that biblically informed worship will take, but the reasons for its existence.

The book breaks down into four main parts: the leader, the task, healthy tensions, and right relationships. There are all kinds of helpful points to be found in these sections, as one would expect from a book written by a former professional musician who has a great passion for God-exalting congregational musicality. On one page Kauflin gives suggestions for chord progressions; on another he writes about the proper balance between tradition and innovation. On relevance, for example, he writes that "we need to ask whether the songs, words, arrangements, visuals, expressions, and traditions we're using are saying the things we want them to say--and whether people actually understand what we're saying." (191) After all, Kauflin notes, "we want to proclaim the unchanging gospel in ways our culture can comprehend, ways that will make it easy for people to perceive who Jesus Christ is and how he has changed us." (191) This is an excellent point to highlight, for it shows how Kauflin combines freshness--which we desperately need--with faithfulness, which is obviously our greatest concern as worshippers of the living God.

I think that you should buy the book. Read it and get a better taste of what biblical worship stems from and looks like in the life of the local church. Learn from a man who has sung in the popular Christian a capella group GLAD, who leads thousands of worshippers each week at Covenant Life Church, one of my favorite churches, and who blends humble piety with wise reflection. If you're in a church, give it to your staff. Wayne Grudem, for his part, notes that "The next time I teach on worship, I plan to make this the required text." Bruce Ware says that "Kauflin provides an array of insights and instruction...all of which are wrapped in an overarching theology of the triune God, the gospel of grace, and the centrality of the cross."

Read it for the edification of your own spiritual life, and for the edification of the body whose central task is nothing other than worship of our majestic God.

The Week-est Link, February 29, 2008: Biblical Training Galore

1. If you have not ever checked out the site called "Biblical Training", you must. It has a treasure trove of theological resources, including full-length classes taught by a number of eminent scholars. For example, you could take a class on systematic theology from my father-in-law, Bruce Ware. Here's the thing: it's all free! And more than that, you won't have to take one of Dr. Ware's excruciating quizzes like I did. (I'm not sure which is better between the two.) In all seriousness, this is an incredible way to attain excellent theological training from your home without paying a cent. Check out the site, and pass along the word.

2. Did you know that actor Brad Pitt was raised a Southern Baptist? I personally was not aware of this. This is about the most celebrity gossip I'll ever dig into on this blog, but I did find this article interesting. Pitt's comments reveal a heart that is sadly turned against the idea of God as sovereign and worthy of His sovereignty. Anyway, the article provides an interesting factoid and a reason to pray for the actor and for the health and vibrant witness of Southern Baptist churches.

3. Another very helpful and challenging piece by theologian Russ Moore, this one on a "theology that bleeds". Dr. Moore evinces an Edwardsean ability to marry rich theology with expressive, moving language, and I think that this piece shows both of those traits and motivates its readers to become more passionate about the gospel. His focus on evangelism as the heart of theology is commendable and challenging, and I would encourage you to read the short piece.

4. An interesting conversation between 9Markers Jonathan Leeman and Greg Gilbert on social restoration and its relation to the ministry of the local church. They present the subject by means of an Instant Messenger-like conversation, which makes this thought-provoking piece fun and easy to read.

5. Have you heard of Fernando Ortega? If not, you should have. He makes rich music and uses it to express beauty and powerful theological truth. You could order just about any one of his cds and find it spiritually nourishing and musically enjoyable.

Have a great weekend, everyone.