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Wade Burleson: Advocate for Egalitarianism in the Southern Baptist Convention

Since Wade Burleson forfeited his month long fast from blogging six days into it, he's busily been about his strange idea of advocating gender egalitarianism in the Southern Baptist Convention. His latest "oil and water" post positions the two prevailing gender views among evangelicals today--egalitarianism and complementarianism--by profiling two well known evangelical think tanks >>> For egalitarianism, Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) hones out fresh arguments that advocate a Biblically-based understanding of gender issues with a decided commitment toward evangelical feminism. The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, (CBMW) the... Read more →

Frank Cox: An Interview with the Next President of the Southern Baptist Convention

Last Thursday, I met up with Dr. Frank Cox, Senior Pastor of the North Metro First Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia. One thing I recall from my first encounter with Dr. Cox is the immediate likableness of this man. His comfort at talking instantly puts one at ease >>> During the "small talk" as I was setting up the recorder for the interview, Dr. Cox mentioned his tenure at North Metro Church--28 years. Indeed this is his one and only Church since graduating from New Orleans seminary in 1980**. Most Pastors... Read more →

Wine, the Bible and the Believer: Crossing the Threshold to the New Testament

It's been an interesting journey thus far in our attempt to host a view on drinking wine that is characterized as tradition-driven rather than Biblically rooted in revelation. It's also been instructional to me observing the howls of protest. Accordingly, I have employed "pure equivocation" and interpreted "verses contradicting other verses I've used". My position makes me a "moral legalist" and even a "blasphemer" of God Almighty. Whoa, boy >>> In addition, the hermeneutic I use is a "hyper-fundy blind literalism method of exegesis" which leads to "errant legalist doctrine".... Read more →

Wisdom & Drinking Wine: A Brief Exposition of Solomon's Proverbs: Part 4: An Extended Metaphor Based on Proverbs 9: 1-6

Village streets fill with Wisdom's Virgins. Joyously go they forth with Wisdom's purpose, fully armed with Wisdom's plea. Scattered throughout the city, crowds appear. Curious minds inquire what the commotion must be. It is rumored an invitation is offered >>> From each direction young women hail to those far and hail to those near. Calling to the highest place but even to the lowest, the Virgins' voice, as one heavenly chorus, is direct yet clear: "Come to the house of seven pillars, come you to dine and drink, Come to... Read more →

Wisdom & Drinking Wine: A Brief Exposition of Solomon's Proverbs: Part 3

Perhaps the most familiar text concerning wine in the Old Testament, at least in the Wisdom literature, is Proverbs 23.29-35. Following is the entire passage in the NASB: >>> "29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30Those who linger long over wine [yayin], Those who go to taste mixed wine [mimsak]. 31Do not look on the wine [yayin] when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; 32At the... Read more →

Wisdom & Drinking Wine: A Brief Exposition of Solomon's Proverbs: Part 2

In part one of this exposition of Solomon's Proverbs pertaining to wine, we noted two Hebrew words unevenly employed: tiros, used one time only in Proverbs (3.10), which, after an extended survey of its possible roots in other Semitic languages in cultures surrounding ancient Israel, Dr. Teachout concludes that "its sole usage [elsewhere] fits very well with the uniform Hebrew usage of tiros as a harvest commodity." (Teachout, p146). His analysis moves him to summarize: >>> 1) Tiros uniformly refers to fresh, pure grape juice 2) Tiros is the one... Read more →

Wisdom & Drinking Wine: A Brief Exposition of Solomon's Proverbs: Part One

The series on Wine, the Bible and the Believer has very honestly been a satisfying piece of work. Not that I’m speaking of my own personal contribution. Instead, I’m satisfied with the engagement it has solicited both here and elsewhere >>> I spent a little time at one site where a snippet of what I posted here became fodder for their own engine to run. And, run it did--unfortunately, on a few missing cylinders. Their meager attempt at being ’philosophical’ rather than dealing in a straight-forward manner with the issue... Read more →

A Prologue to Wisdom & Drinking Wine: A Brief Exposition of Solomon's Proverbs

We've come a long way since I first started this series. Fruitful discussion surely no one denies. I especially liked the last thread. Personally, exploring analogies are not only beneficial, they are usually a lot of fun. And, we had substantial challenges from both sides. Not to mention the encouragement when someone logs on who's not entered the thread before. Always exciting >>> To date in this series, I've offered views from stellar scholars in times past. Eliphalet Nott, F.D. Lees, G. W. Samson, Taylor Lewis and a more contemporary... Read more →

Wine, Sex and the Bible: A Moral Analogy Explored

I want to explore an analogy in moral reasoning to test precisely how much mileage I may get. It could be that it runs out of fuel rather quickly. On the other hand, it may gain a surprising bit of traction and continue on going. Ever the probability exists, however, analogies--if they possess any beneficial potential at all--which are tested through vigorous dialog can be strengthened through critique and resubmission with 'new and improved qualities' which may not be so easily refuted >>> This particular analogy was suggested in a... Read more →

To Drink or Not Drink: A Great Teaching Resource on Drinking Wine

The series of posts I've offered thus far pursue the subject of wine and the Bible from the position of the temperance theologians leading up to Prohibition in the United States. This movement was not a 'grassroots' movement from the bottom up. That is, led by Pastors, then Churches, then mass endorsement, etc. Rather, organized temperance was led by the academy. Intellectuals from various academic disciplines--Linguistics, Oriental Studies, Theologians, Greek and Hebrew scholars, Classics, Historians Viticulturalists, Medical Doctors among others--held a sophisticated, comprehensive understanding that not only drunkenness was an... Read more →