The 11th annual Oak Hill School of Theology: A Higher Throne – Evangelicals and Public Theology today was just wonderful.
Praise God for Oak Hill and David Peterson and Dan, David, Kirsten and Garry. Oh, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of his gospel!
Dr Dan Strange argued in ‘Evangelical Public Theology: What on earth? Why on earth? How on earth?’ for a “transformational model” of Evangelical Public Theology, avoiding false dichotomies some “Two Kingdoms” models, of the earthly and the heavenly, physical and spiritual, judicial-covenantal and material, individual and cosmic, civil and religious, God’s law in one realm of life and another. God is sovereign, Jesus is Lord and King over all, the Bible is our ultimate authority and God commands that this be acknowledged by everyone, in every sphere of life. Evangelicals should be “offensive” and “thick” in the Public Square (rather than retreating / defensive or thin / lowest-common-denominator). Jesus is Lord is public and political truth.
Revd Dr David Field’s ‘Samuel Rutherford and the Confessionally Christian State / Covenanted Nation’ advocated the long term goal of rulers and nations obedient to Christ with constitutions that acknowledge him as the King of King and where government is based on the wise application of God’s authoritative and sufficient Word. The only alternatives are idolatry or polytheism. Atheistic secularism is bankrupt and “principled” pluralism is unstable.
Dr Kirsten Birkett spoke on ‘New Living in an Old Creation’ expounding and applying Oliver O’Donnovan’s vision of Christian ethics based on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is God’s vindication of this creation and its transformation. We are to love God and our neighbour in all of life. The greatest need of every person is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dr Garry Williams’ paper ‘Gabbatha and Golgotha: The Cross and the Public Square’ argued that Hugo Grotius is right to use political categories of ruler and judge in understanding the cross and stressing its public vindication of God’s justice. Far from being un- or anti-ethical, the penal substitutionary account of the atonement also has lessons for public life grounding and limiting retributive justice and representation.
We are to make haste slowly as we reflect theologically and prayerfully preach the Word of God in the power of the Spirit, seeking to disciple the nations for Christ and bring every aspect of our personal, family and national lives under his Lordship.
Does anyone know if we can pre-order the book yet?
Next year’s school of theology is on 21st May: Dr Thomas Schreiner – Run to Win: The New Testament Warnings.
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5 comments:
Looks like Oak Hill nails it again.
I am very sorry that I was unaware of this day and unable to get to be there: it sounds like a feast.
David Field's postmillennialism is a little frightening, though, isn't it?
Michael,
(Ken C, Sam A, Becky (?) & Rossanne J were there so they might pass on some highlights,)
I can see its frightening if you're a secularist Prime Minister or a Muslim theocrat, but I'm not sure what you'd have to worry about?
It seems like a glorious patient vision of the power of the gospel being worked out as its prayerfully preached? It gives us confidence if we know that evangelism is not doomed to "fail".
'Cos its long term we can chill out a bit as we play our little 5 mins in the game.
If the infant church stumbles a few times that's only to be expected, but Marxists and secular states can hardly talk.
Field was careful to say that post-millers arent wanting to make beliefs a crime or enforce professions.
'Field was careful to say that post-millers arent wanting to make beliefs a crime or enforce professions. '
Well, now, that's big of them! I am sure the trains will run on time...
I will have a go at Sam A for not telling me about it. Cricket was washed out anyway...
I missed Fieldy as I only got to the afternoon -a shame!
I'm not sure how frightening his views are -presumably we all amill, pre mill, post mill believe that Christ's reign is the only rightful one and that it will be fully acknowledged one day -it's a question of when.
Marc -kind of you to put a summary up.
Michael -maybe you'll be doing the year after nexts?
Nice to see the publicity machine for PFOT out in force -I was half expecting signing sessions in the AC foyer.
Marc will you autograph a book for next years namogongo auction? Louise P suggested we got college authors to do it but I think it would be much more fun to have signed cpies of books people have read rather than written.
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