Thoughts on faith, culture, and public life.
The Marrow Controversy and the “Marrow Men” are frequently confused with the theological work The Marrow of Theology, but the two are historically and conceptually distinct, despite sharing the word “marrow” in their titles. The confusion is understandable because both emerged from the broader Reformed and Puritan world and both sought to articulate the essential substance …
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The Marrow Controversy was one of the most significant theological disputes in eighteenth-century Scottish Presbyterianism. Although it emerged within a specific ecclesial and historical setting, its underlying questions remain deeply relevant: What is the relationship between grace and obedience? How should the gospel be preached? Can assurance of salvation coexist with serious holiness? And what …
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Below is a list of resources for the study of aphorisms in biblical texts. If you know of others, I would appreciate hearing about them. Allison, Dale C., “A plea for thoroughgoing eschatology,” Journal of Biblical Literature 113 (4), 1994, 651-668. Allison, Dale C., Constructing Jesus: Memory, Imagination, and History (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010), ch. 4. Aune, David …
Rev Dr Rod Benson, General Secretary, NSW Ecumenical CouncilFifth Theology Symposium: Nicaea at 1700: A Council for the Ages?St Andrew’s College, Redfern, Sydney, 23 August 2025 Introduction In 1914, Princeton theologian Archibald B. D. Alexander claimed that ethics was the crown of theology which “ought to be the end of all previous study.” He lamented a …
Bertrand Russell on how to be a philosopher: It is important to learn not to be angry with opinions different from your own, but to set to work understanding how they come about. If, after you have understood them, they still seem false, you can then combat them much more effectually than if you had …
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