In recent weeks Dr. Sam Waldron, Professor of Theology and Dean of the Midwestern Center for Theological Studies, has been blogging about Barry Horner's excellent book, Future Israel. In his last two entries on the subject Waldron has expanded his critique to include a paper I presented at ETS in 1999.

I've finished the first of what will probably be three entries on my blog in response. The first one is here at www.narnia3.com/index.html . As always, I would be happy for any comments from anyone here who might be interested.

PS: It is also a good time to begin preparations for the annual seminary Study Trip to Israel. Dr. Mayhue is leading the trip that leaves next week. Next year I'll be handling the trip and I'd love having as many alumni who can come along. You can email me at dswanson@tms.edu for information. The 2009 trip will run (approximately) from May 12-29.

Willow Creek Arts Conference June 11-13

I received the brochure for the Arts Conference at Willow Creek just a few days ago. Our elder in charge of worship suggested I read the brochure. He described how it saddened him. I normally do not give this type of mail much priority in my reading stack. However, at his suggestion, I read it. It is truly a piece of work!

Rather than cite some moving verse of Scripture as the basis for the conference, the brochure headlines with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. I was not surprised to see the conference headed by a woman who would be violating 1 Timothy 2:12-13. Willow Creek follows an egalitarian theology.

I was surprised, perhaps I should not have been, to see that one of the conversationalists speaking would be Gilles Ste-Croix, the Senior VP of Creative Content for Cirque du Soleil. He does not usually frequent Christian circles--much less teach. Perhaps he is a strong evangelical firmly rooted in God's word? I'd be interested to hear if he is. I doubt he is; however, I'd like to know if I'm mistaken.

Imagine my greater surprise to see that Brian MClaren was another of the conversationalists speaking. MClaren isn't sure of much these days except that almost nothing is clear in the Bible and that only he and others of his ilk are capable of clear communication (that puts him a cut above the Author of the Bible that is so unclear). But he's a talented guy! He's humble, too! Just ask him.

Some of the seminars are referred to as "conversations"--no doubt tipping the hat to emergents. Much has been made by some about Willow Creek repenting of its ways... but market share is market share and what one must do to attract customers one must continue to keep customers. Willow Creek must return to its usual path like a dog returning to its---well you get the picture. The more things change the more they remain the same at Willow Creek.

It is sad to see "the church" in decline these days. Egalitarianism aside (as the usual assault on biblical authority), I am somewhat surprised to see such a blatant disregard of 2 Cor. 6:14ff. It appears that at least one unbeliever will be teaching and exercising authority over the participants.

Reading down the brochure, the others speakers are the usual suspects one would expect to see at a Willow Creek enterprise--- with perhaps one or two surprises which may cause us to pause and consider, "what are those guys doing there?"

Can things become more secular at Willow Creek, inc? Maybe, but I hope not. In the mean time let us pray for minimal damage, theological and otherwise, to the attendees, the speakers, and their flocks.

Thank you

I just want to say "thank you" to Robb Brunansky and Ray Mehringer, and to anyone else who helped organize our T4G alumni luncheon yesterday. Thanks for serving us by taking the time to think this through, to reserve the room, and to spread the word to all of us. What a sweet time of fellowship! I was quite surprised to see so many familiar faces at the conference, and encouraged to hear how God has been working in each of your lives and ministries. God has used you to "refresh my spirit" in ministry (1 Cor. 16:18).

TMS Alumni Lunch at Together for the Gospel

Brothers,

A lunch has been planned and scheduled at Together for the Gospel. The details are as follows:

Greetings!  This year TMS will again be hosting a lunch at Together for the Gospel (http://www.t4g.org) in Louisville, KY.  The lunch will be at Buckhead Mountain Grill (707 West Riverside Drive; 812-284-2919) which is a few miles from the Kentucky Convention Center.  It is actually across the Ohio river in Indiana.  Anyway, the lunch will be April 16 from 12:00 - 2:30 pm.  We've reserved a room for 100 people and the cost is $10.99 a person.  If you will let the receptionist, Beth, know if you are planning on attending by April 11th by returning this email with a "yes" or "no" that would help us manage the numbers.  Wives are welcome to join us for this lunch as well. Until I hear from you  . . .

Email bcoley (at) tms (dot) edu to RSVP. Looking forward to seeing you all next week!

TMS Professor Wins Franz-Delitzsch-Award 2008 for . . .

Below is an announcement from "The Master's Dividend":

Dr. Michael J. Vlach, Assistant Professor of Theology at the Master's Seminary, is the recipient of the Franz-Delitzsch-Prize 2008 for his study "The Church as a Replacement of Israel: An Analysis of Supersessionism," Ph.D.-Dissertation, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina, 2004.

During the recent months the jury for the “Franz-Delitzsch-Prize 2008,” composed of faculty members of the Freie Theologische Akademie, Giessen, Germany, evaluated and critiqued all of the entries submitted for consideration.

On behalf of the entire TMS family, we congratulate Dr. Vlach.

For more on Dr. Vlach and his dissertation, go to www.theologicalstudies.org

Congratulations Dr. Vlach!

Together for the Gospel

I'm planning on attending the 2008 Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville in April. Are any other TMS alumni planning on attending? Perhaps we could all get together one evening for dinner or something. If anyone is interested, let me know in the comments. Soli Deo Gloria!

Does Hebrews Speak of the Coming Kingdom?

Hebrews is a book that Covenant theologians love to turn to in order to demonstrate that the OT was all types and shadows and thus all the promises made to national Israel concerning a coming kingdom with Messiah reigning on earth are fulfilled in the NT Church. However, the geopolitical imagery of the OT promises are transformed into strictly spiritual antitypes as fulfilled by the Church and any thought of a national future for ethnic Israel is dispensed with. So goes the strict supercessionist hermeneutic. There is no material aspect to the Davidic kingdom in Covenant theology. Thus, it may come as a surprise to some that the writer of Hebrews speaks of the Messianic kingdom in terms of material and territorial fulfillment.

In Hebrews 1, the writer seeks to set the stage for the superiority of Christ in all things. Apparently the recipients of the letter had a distorted angelogy and a diminished Christology that needed correcting. The writer highlights Jesus as the Son of God superior to angels and worshipped by them. Furthermore, he highlights the Son as also the supreme king and ruler of a divine kingdom. This is brought out in the quotation in verse 8 from Psalm 45. “But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.’” This is preceded by an often overlooked verse 6 speaking of when the Father, “again (palin) brings the first-born into the world.” The term translated “world” here is oikoumene, a rare NT term for the writer to use. Its primary meaning is, “inhabited earth.” Thus, we must conclude that this verse is speaking of the return again of the Son to this present earth as inhabited by post-parousia humanity.

Now all this might not seem significant until we turn to chapter 2. The writer picks up the comparison again between angels and the Son of God in verse 5. Notice carefully what it says, “For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.” The “world” in this verse is once again the rare term oikoumene. These instances are the only 2 times the writer uses this term. Notice the future tense. It is the world to come. It speaks of a material inhabited earth yet in the future. The writer seeks to show that this world will not be subjected to angels but to the Son of God who has an everlasting throne and kingdom (1:8). Verses 6-8 elaborate upon this point:

“But one has testified somewhere, saying, ‘What is man, that Thou rememberest him? Or the son of man, that Thou art concerned about him? ‘Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, and hast appointed him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.”

The NASV treats verse 8 as if it is “man” who has “all things” subjected to him. But the context of the comparison of the Son with angels in chapter 1 continues and the indications of Christ as the subject in the verses following verse 8 (i.e. verses 9-10) militate against this. The phrase “all things” is picked up again in verse 10 as clearly applying to the reign and authority of Jesus, “made for a little while lower than the angels” (vs. 9). However, my attention is drawn to verse 8: “'Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.” In the style of Midrash the author quotes Psa. 8:6 and then comments upon it. The force of the interpretation is that the Father has subjected “all things” to the Son. The Son has inherited a kingdom over which He rules and reigns. He reigns now from the right hand of the Father (see chapter 1, verse 13). But not all things have been subjected to Him just yet. The kingdom has been inaugurated but not quite consummated. When shall “all things” be subjected to the Son-King? I believe verse 5 makes it clear - in the inhabited earth yet to come. This nicely dovetails into Paul thoughts concerning the kingdom of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (consider especially the parallels to verses 27 and 28 where Paul himself quotes Psa. 8:6 and applies it to the reign of Christ).

The writer of Hebrews indeed shows how much of the OT was couched in types and shadows that are now done away with since the first advent of Christ, being fulfilled in Him. However, much of the OT contains straightforward prophecies and anticipations of direct fulfillments of material and territorial promises that cannot be understood any other way than through a material-spiritual kingdom that Christ also fulfills. The writer of Hebrews is aware of both kinds of fulfillment as I believe chapters 1 and 2 of the book demonstrate.

Using illustrations

I recently wrote a post on sermon illustrations on my blog, The Desert Chronicle. Hope you'll stop by and give your input. I'm curious to know how seminary prepared you in this area, and what you've learned since then.