Words are a big deal.  They matter.  But words can be weird. Among many others, here are just a few of the linguistic mysteries (linguisteries?) that furrow my (considerable) brow. Why is it that if I am listless, I may or not have a list?  In fact, I can be both listless and holding in my […]

A few weeks ago I wrote about how we often confuse or pervert Christian relational postures and character traits.  I noted that self-loathing is often regarded as humility. There are many other examples of this, I’m sure, but one that has occupied my mind for some time now is how passive-aggression or self-pity is mistaken […]

Paul’s comments in Galatians 3:11-12 are often read as contrasting the Mosaic Law with the Christian gospel, or Judaism and Christianity.  I’ve noted recently that I think this is a misreading, both of Paul in general and Galatians in particular. In my opinion, Paul is arguing with reference to the specific choice before his Galatian […]

In some of his recent works, N. T. Wright has noted that the historic creeds of the church leave Israel out entirely.  Thinking theologically apart from Israel results in a hollowed-out vision of the church’s identity and mission and tends toward a gnosticized conception of history, salvation, and Christian existence. Wright’s point is largely that […]

As I wrote yesterday, I regard pistis Christou to be a deliberately ambiguous expression whereby Paul captures Jesus’ own saving faithfulness.  That is, God accomplishes the salvation of his people through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.  Further, the phrase points to the self-expending and self-giving of Jesus as paradigmatic for Christian faithfulness.  In this […]

At the conference on Galatians and Christian Theology last week in St. Andrews, John Barclay and Richard Hays had a lively exchange over the pistis Christou formulations in Paul.  Such discussions always begin with the promise that one more time round will settle it for good, and always end with all sides re-affirming their original […]

Twenty years ago today, armed with a diamond ring and two scoops of ice cream, I asked Sarah Davis to marry me on the beach in South Haven, MI. Things haven’t been quite the same since. We’ve learned a lot, not least how to master the family calendar.  We’re celebrating by seeing each other for […]

At several points in the conference on Galatians last week, discussions touched on the relationship between faith and works. It’s fairly typical to imagine that the opposing pair of “faith” and “works” has everything to do with the supposed absolute dichotomy between inward faith and outward action.  Many assume that when Paul commends faith, he […]

I returned yesterday from a week in St. Andrews, Scotland, where I attended the conference on Galatians and Christian Theology.  Mark Elliott and his team of organizers were perfect hosts, providing a wonderful venue for intense exegetical and theological engagement and conversation. I’ll have more to say about some of that down the road, but […]

I’ve titled my paper for the St. Andrews conference, “Reading Scripture in Galatia: Galatians 3:10-14 as a Series of ad hoc Arguments.”  Here’s part of the introduction: In Gal. 3:10-14, Paul makes a series of assertions followed by Scriptural citations.  Various Christian theological traditions have regarded these assertions and citations in terms of fundamental oppositions.  […]