Father Mercer: The Story of a Baptist Statesman

Just today I received my copy of Tony Chute’s new book, Father Mercer: The Story of a Baptist Statesman (Mercer University Press).  Tony’s doctoral work and first book (A Piety Above the Common Standard) were on Mercer, and I have previously discussed here (and here) my appreciation of the previous book. Tony is a good …

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Serious, Lively Teaching

I was struck by the following quote which I came across in Bartholomew and Dowd’s Old Testament Wisdom Literature: Theological Introduction.  The original quote seems to have in view primarily classroom teaching. Bartholomew and Dowd use it in well drawing out the implications of biblical wisdom. The truths here apply well to those of us …

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The Reformers & Paul the Pastor

Yesterday I received my copy of Gerald Bray’s inaugural volume on Galatians and Ephesians in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture Series. It looks great! In his introduction Bray makes the point of the pastoral emphasis of the Reformers and how Paul was a key example to them. “They [the Reformers] were also determined to imitate …

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T. S. Eliot on Wisdom and Our Lack

“…the values which we most ignore, the recognition of which we most seldom find in writings on education, are those of Wisdom and Holiness, the values of the sage and the saint….Our tendency has been to identify wisdom with knowledge, saintliness with natural goodness, to minimize not only the operation of grace but self-training, to …

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Melvyn Bragg, The Book of Books: Biography of the King James Bible

KJV400: Legacy & Impact, the King James festival hosted by the Center for Biblical Studies at Union University will get underway tomorrow with viewing of the Bible exhibit in the afternoon and the actual program beginning in the evening with bagpipes, dinner and an address from Timothy George. Here is what I thought was a …

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Andrew Blackwood on the Public Reading of Scripture

In my last post I mentioned Andrew Blackwood’s book, The Fine Art of Public Worship.  He has a good chapter on the public reading of Scripture, a historic part of Christian worship rooted in Scripture which is sorely neglected today. Much needs to be said on this aspect of worship, but here I will simply …

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Andrew Blackwood on Singing the Psalms

One of the voices from the past which I have come to appreciate is Andrew Blackwood (1882-1966), pastor and professor for many years at Princeton. He wrote much on pastoral ministry which remains quite helpful today. Because he wrote in a different day some of his points are dated, but also he often exposes blind …

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The Psalms as Christian Worship, by Waltke & Houston

My copy of this book, The Psalms as Christian Worship: A Historical Commentary by Brucke Watlke and James Houston, just came today, and already I am hooked. This is a significant book in so many ways.  In general Waltke provides exegesis of key psalms and Houston provides a history of reception and interpretation. Together they …

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Chrysostom, Benefit of Psalm Singing

“Nothing, in fact, nothing so uplifts the soul, gives it wings, liberates it from the earth, looses the shackles of the body, promotes its values and its scorn for everything in this world as harmonious music and a divine song rhythmically composed.” “From profane songs, you see, harm and damage and many dire consequences would …

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Why a festival honoring the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible?

On September 15-17 the R. C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University will host the festival, “KJV400: Legacy & Impact.” Some today may wonder why celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James version. This festival is not a call for everyone to use only the KJV or an exercise in mere dusty …

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