Author: Jonathan Dodson

New Article at Donald Miller's Burnside

Posted on November 5, 2007

The Burnside Writer’s Collective is “an online magazine presenting an alternative to franchise faith.” A Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) creation, BWC offers articles on “issues relating to social justice, novels relating to humanity, music expressing reality and books strengthening our understanding of God’s heart for the world, for equality and whole morality.”

Today they published my article “Pulp Fiction Faith or Universal Faith?” You may comment/interact with the article there. Comments are welcome!

Read an alternate, more robust ending to the article here.

Limitations of Evangelical Theology

Posted on November 2, 2007

Limitations of Evangelical Theology

1.      Unawareness of culture-boundedness of Western theology that leads to an ethnocentric assertion of unswerving rightness.

2.      Over attachment to those forms of Scripture that are most familiar.

3.      Highly academic and disconnected approach to theology and praxis.

4.      Philosophical presuppositions unbalanced.

5.      Theocentric to the exclusion of human experience. High Christology, weak anthropology.

 

Contributions of Anthropology

1.      Provides a better understanding of the culture(s) in which and for whom theology is done.

2.      Provides a better understanding of language in general affecting translation work.

3.      Provides insight into the meaning and relevance of cultural forms.

4.      Provides clarity in what should be considered absolute vs. relative.

Adapted from Charles Kraft, Culture, Communication, and Christianity 

A Quest for More: Tripp

Posted on October 31, 2007

“Have you ever wanted to invest yourself in something worthwhile? Have you ever wondered why your life seems to lack meaning or purpose? … If so, this book is for you. This book is about having a life that counts for something. It is about living to make a difference. Admit it. You’re a glory junkie. That’s why you like the 360o, between-the-legs, slam dunk, or that amazing hand-beaded formal gown, or the seven layer triple-chocolate mousse cake. You were hardwired by your Creator for a glory orientation. It is inescapable.

It’s in our genes. We’ll flock to a museum to see the Salvador Dali masterworks. We’ll wait in a ninety-minute line or a ride on the ultimate roller coaster. We’ll dream for days about the glory of the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. And we’ll work like crazy to achieve one glory moment in some area of our lives. We were simply made for glory, but not just the shadow glories of the created world. We were made for the one glory that is transcendent—the glory of God. When you rasp this, your life begins to make a difference.” – excerpt from A Quest for More, Paul David Tripp

“Arguably Tripp’s best work yet!”– Jeremy Lelek, President, Association of Biblical Counselors

Read chapter 1.