The Jesus Seminar Revealed – Part Two

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Jesus Seminar Revealed

In part one of our report, we looked at The Jesus Seminar and its impact on other “seminars” conducted as part of the Westar Institute.

I admit to being slightly amused at this statement on the Westar Institute website –

“Westar is not affiliated with any religious institution and does not advocate a particular theological point of view.”

That’s an interesting statement in light of their stated point of view about Christian theology, as you read in our previous report.

In part two, we will look at the founder of The Jesus Seminar and Westar Institute and his stated purposes for “rewriting” the history of Christianity.

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Books Review: Christian Worldview

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One of the chief topics of study and discussion among Christian apologists is “worldview.” Our book review today will include two books, so we’ll call it a “books” review.

The first is a new book (2017) and the second is a recent update (2017) of an older book (2003). IVP Academic is the publisher of both textbooks.

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The Jesus Seminar Revealed – Part One

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Jesus Seminar Revealed

The Jesus Seminar was a group of “scholars and specialists” interested in renewing “the quest of the historical Jesus.” The name Jesus Seminar would imply that this group had good credentials and would reveal something important about the real life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. That didn’t happen.

According to The Jesus Seminar –

“Among the findings is that, in the judgment of the Jesus Seminar Fellows, about 18 percent of the sayings and 16 percent of the deeds attributed to Jesus in the gospels are authentic.”

Another way of understanding that statement is that 82 percent of the sayings and 84 percent of the deeds attributed to Jesus in the Gospels are NOT authentic.

Let that sink in for a minute ….

The Jesus Seminar would have us believe that the vast majority of what’s written about the sayings and deeds of Jesus Christ in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are NOT authentic – not true – never said – never done.

Was The Jesus Seminar right?

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Book Review: New Dictionary of Theology, Second Edition

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The full title of this excellent reference book is New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic, Second Edition  (IVP Academic, 2016). The title informs us that there was a first edition. Here’s how the editors explained the need for a second.

“Many students and readers have expressed their appreciation for the New Dictionary of Theology (1988). As the second of the dictionaries produced by IVP (the first being the New Bible Dictionary in 1962), it has been a trustworthy and informative guide. After almost thirty years, however, there are many new writers, issues and themes on the agenda, for theology does not stand still, and this second edition therefore has over 400 new articles. Many of the existing articles have been expanded and amended, and almost all have additional bibliographical references.”

The editors (Martin Davie, Tim Grass, Stephen Holmes, John McDowell, T.A. Noble) mentioned that they tried to give more attention in the mainly British publication to theological writers and themes in North America and around the world. The editors also pointed out that because of the publication of IVP’s New Dictionary of Biblical Theology in 2000, the New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic, Second Edition, would be more specifically a dictionary theology from a systematic and historical perspective.

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Book Review: The Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon

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Charles Haddon Spurgeon is one of the first authors I read as a new Christian. Spurgeon, along with Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, John Bunyan, Thomas Watson, Francis Schaeffer, A.W. Tozer, and C.S. Lewis helped me get a good grounding during my first year out of atheism.

“The Treasury of David” three-volume set by Spurgeon is still one of my favorites after 40 years. His insights into Scripture and his writing skills were truly extraordinary.

That’s why I was so excited to hear about The Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon published by B&H Academic. Volume I was released in 2016 and Volume II in 2017. Volume III is scheduled for release this summer (2018).

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Life of an Apologist – On the Importance of Prayer, Part 1

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Life of an Apologist

A Christian who determines to spend their life as an ‘apologist’ is committing to a life-long ‘defense’ of the Christian worldview. That includes the existence of God, reliability of Scripture, and reality of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Our first look at the Life of an Apologist addressed the importance of love. We now turn to the importance of prayer.

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