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GUEST PIECES

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Mere Orthodoxy

How to Think About American Politics (by a British Observer)
Some reflections upon the dynamics of the American political situation. See my further thoughts here.

The Dangers of Appealing to Personality Types
A sceptical look at the use of Myers-Briggs in Christian circles.

Lent, Individualism, and Christian Piety—An Email Conversation
A conversation with Jake Meador on Lent and contemporary religious subjectivities.

Twitter is Like Elizabeth Bennet’s Meryton
On healthy thought in a hyper-connected age.

Evangelicals Need to Read Richard Hooker
I interview Brad Littlejohn about his new book on Richard Hooker.

Moral Sentimentalism and a Mechanized Society
Jake Meador and I have another wide-ranging conversation, this time on the subject of ethics in a mechanized society.

Trumped Up? Is The Donald’s Support Really Driven by Racist Xenophobia?
I try to unearth the real roots of Donald Trump’s appeal.

Davenant House, Christian Community, and the Work of Study Centres
An interview with Brad Littlejohn and Jake Meador about the work of Davenant House.

Why We Should Jettison the ‘Strong Female Character’
Why this trope does a disservice to both women and men.

Brexit and the Moral Vision of Nationhood
The Brexit vote as a window onto a growing class division in British society.

The Treachery of Narratives
Learning lessons about the danger of our narrative instinct from the downfall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos.

A Truth Above All Contexts: Daniel Kirk, Whiteness, and the Theological Interpretation of Scripture
A defence of reading Scripture according to the Rule of Faith against the hyper-contextualization of interpretation.

Freeing Speech: Free Speech, Milo, and the University
Why the obstacles to free speech are primarily structural in character.

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Theopolis Institute

Sexual Difference, Liberal and Christian
Why sexual difference matters.

Christians, Liturgy, and the Past: Part 1, Part 2
Keeping faith with tradition and Scripture, while being attentive to our own time.

Before Obergefell: Some Thoughts on How We Got Here
What led to the Supreme Court’s decision in favour of same-sex marriage?

The Falls of Man
The Fall outworked and unworked through  Scripture.

Hero’s Theme
An argument for a figural reading of the story of Rahab.

The Levite, the Concubine, and Israel’s Story
An exploration of biblical themes in the narrative of Judges 19.

Exodus in 1 Kings
King Solomon as Adam and Pharaoh.

The Scriptures Made Strange
Why we need to attend to the material—and digital—forms of our Bibles.

Navigating and Celebrating the Complexity of Scripture: A Conversation with Richard Hays
I interview Richard Hays about his work on the figural reading of Scripture.

Twin Nativities
Observing the parallels between Christ’s birth and his death and resurrection.

What Pastors Could Learn From Jordan Peterson
Some thoughts on Peterson and what the response to him reveals.

Why We Should Jettison the ‘Strong Female Character’
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Yoram Hazony and the Deception of Isaac
I explore Hazony’s principles for the reading of biblical narrative and bring him into conversation with James Jordan’s interpretation of Genesis 27.

Boat Stories
Exploring themes of boats, fishing, and the sea in Scripture

Learning Wisdom from the Serpents
A response to Dr David Field, discussing how Christians should engage wisely with non-Christian scholars.

The Invisibility of the Church
Debating the doctrine of the invisibility of the Church with Peter Leithart.

The Reopened Wounds of Jacob
Exploring the tragedy of David’s life following his sin with Bathsheba.

The Rite of Circumcision: A Response to Dru Johnson
I explore the meaning of the rite of circumcision, interacting with Dru Johnson’s thesis on the relation between rites and ethics.

True Hospitality and the Immigration Debate
I discuss the ethical principles that should inform our approach to the question of immigration.

Welcoming the Stranger: A Final Immigration Response
Responding to the responses to my initial piece on immigration.

Rethinking Israel
Responding to Gerald McDermott on the place of Israel.

The Rhetoric of Race
Responding to Vincent Bacote on the subject of the race debate.

The Christian Art of Dying Well
Responding to Kimbell Kornu on a Christian attitude to medicine and death.

Exegetical Rules
Responding to Peter Leithart on the important place of articulated rules and principles in our reading of Scripture.

The Virtues of Dominion
Responding to Aaron Renn on the importance of men’s exercise of dominion and the failure of the Church to speak to this.

The Dignity of the Laity: Protestant Politics and Papal Pretensions
A response to Pater Edmund Waldstein’s integralist engagement with the new nationalism.

Renewing Our Media Ecosystem
A responses to Jeffrey Bilbro’s discussion of online community and discourse.

Investigating Sexual Identity
Opening a conversation on the subject of sexual identity.

Reality Beyond Ourselves
My closing piece in the sexual identity conversation.

Trinity in Creation
Reflections on how the New Testament sees the Trinity in the story of creation.

A Response to Douglas Farrow
Responding to Douglas Farrow on government-imposed COVID measures.

The Church’s Book
A review of Brad East’s treatment of the relationship between ecclesiology and bibliology in The Church’s Book.

Ecclesiologies and Bibliologies
Responding to Brad East and discussing the relationship between the Church and the Scriptures.

Our Patient and Peaceable Work
What the agricultural imagery of the book of James might teach us about faithful Christianity in a hostile society.

The Death of the Queen and a Christian Understanding of Sovereignty
Some political reflections on the occasion of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

You Shall Call His Name Joshua
Judah and Tamar, Rahab, Joshua, Achan, and Salmon, and the reason for the name of Jesus.

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Baptism and the Body

1. Sealed for Resurrection: Baptism and the Objectivity of the Body
The first of a three part series on the importance of baptism to our understanding of the body’s place in Christian faith.

2. Presenting Limbs and Organs: Baptism and Sacrificial Ethics
The presentation of our bodies to God in their objectivity provides the basis for a sacrificial understanding of Christian ethics.

3. Embracing Embodiment: Baptism and the Nuptial Meaning of the Body
As human beings we aren’t just agents that have bodies, but embodied persons and, in baptism, God relates to us as such.

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A Musical Case For Typological Realism

1. Music as a Conceptual Metaphor
I discuss the importance of conceptual metaphors and the possibility of thinking theological through music.

2. Directionality and Transience
How music can reveal the shape of the created order.

3. The Unity of Time and Typological Realism
How the musical unity of time grounds typological realism.

4. Typological Realism and Salvation
How we are caught up in the music of God.

This series is now available in e-book format as a free download.

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The Gospel Coalition

Five Principles of the New Sexual and Relational Morality
Understanding liberal sexual morality on its own terms.

Review of God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth
Thoughts on Greg Beale and Mitchell Kim’s book on the theme of the temple in Scripture.

Review of Jonathan Grant’s Divine Sex

Review of Nate Pyle’s Man Enough: How Jesus Redefines Manhood

Brave New World, 85 Years Later
Thoughts on the continuing relevance of Aldous Huxley’s dystopian vision.

On My Shelf: Life and Books with Alastair Roberts
Matt Smethurst interviews me about my reading and the important books in my life.

Lessons from the Collapse of American Protestantism
Reflecting on the consequences of the loss of the mainline churches.

Why Christians Should Refuse to Celebrate Women Fighting
Some reflections on Ronda Rousey and the rise of women in UFC.

Artificial Wombs and the Abolition of Woman
An exploration of ectogenetic technology and the threat it might pose to human nature.

Review of Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female
My review of Ashley McGuire’s recent book.

A Sexuality of Hope for the Bruised and Confused
A review of Todd Wilson’s Mere Sexuality: Rediscovering the Christian Vision of Sexuality.

Sex in Zero Gravity
A review of Mark Regnerus’ Cheap Sex: The Transformation of Men, Marriage, and Monogamy.

Why American Elites Support Same-Sex Marriage
A review of Darel E. Paul’s From Tolerance to Equality: How Elites Brought America to Same-Sex Marriage.

Rightly Dividing the Red Sea
Understanding the story of the Red Sea Crossing.

Reading Scripture ‘Like a Berean’ May Look Different Than You Think
How the early Church encountered the Scriptures.

Two Stories of Manhood
A review of It’s Good To Be A Man and The Men We Need.

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Reformation21

The Refugee Crisis and Christian Hope
Reflections upon the refugee crisis and Europe and the Church’s response.

Review of John Barclay’s Paul & the Gift

Infant Baptism and the Promise of Grace
Reformation debates about grace and baptism and baptism as a promissory seal.

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Transfigured Hermeneutics

1. Introduction
The structure of Luke’s gospel reveals the importance of the Transfiguration for his narrative.

2. Transfiguration and Exodus
Luke’s account of the Transfiguration is significantly framed by an Exodus motif.

3. Transfiguration as Theophany
How Jesus is the unveiling of God’s Glory-Face.

4. Jesus as God’s Glory Face in John’s Gospel
How John develops the theme of Jesus as the revelation of the Father’s glory.

5. The High Priest and the New Temple
Temple and priestly themes in the Transfiguration account.

6. The Climactic Word
Christ as the glorious fulfilment of divine revelation.

7. The Bright Morning Star
The Transfiguration and the Parousia.

8. Moses’ Veil
Reflection upon the significance of the veil worn by Moses.

9. With Unveiled Faces
The transfiguration of the reader of Scripture in 2 Corinthians.

10. Transfigural Interpretation
Reading Scripture in the light of the Transfiguration

This series is now available in e-book format as a free download.

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The Eternal Subordination of the Son Controversy

1. The Debate so Far
I briefly narrate the principal events and arguments within the recent discussion.

2. Survey of Some Relevant Material
I discuss some of the recent literature on the question.

3. Subordination
Unpacking and questioning a key term at the heart of this debate.

4. The Need for Trinitarian Clarity (Part 1)
Some Trinitarian problems at the heart of the eternal subordination position.

5. The Need for Trinitarian Clarity (Part 2)
Orthodox Trinitarian theology and the eternal subordination position.

6. The Tension Between Bible and Doctrine
How a lack of healthy interaction between systematic theology and biblical studies has exacerbated the debate surrounding the Trinity.

7. Reconciling Scripture and Dogma
Reflections on a healthier relationship between biblical scholarship and systematic theology.

8. κεφαλή in 1 Corinthians 11:3
Exploring the meaning of the contested term κεφαλή in the context of 1 Corinthians 11.

9. Indivisible Divine Authority in Mutually Defining Relations
Christology and the relationship between the economic and immanent Trinity.

10. Concluding Reflections (Part 1)
Some of the issues thrown up by the debate: questions of the meaning of authority, the fact of complementarian diversity, and the crosswinds of the gender debates.

10. Concluding Reflections (Part 2)
Some of the issues thrown up by the debate: the quest for a deep structure for complementarianism, accommodation, and structural defects in evangelical theology.

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The Calvinist International

Why Arguments Against Gay Marriage Are Usually Bad
Responding to Dr Peter Leithart on the subject of natural law in debates on same-sex marriage.

Can Arguments Against Gay Marriage be Persuasive?
A follow-up to the previous piece.

Natural Complementarians: Men, Women, and the Way Things Are
A case for a more descriptive complementarian theology.

Men, Women, and the Nature of Christian Teaching: Two Responses to Aimee Byrd
Eric Hutchinson and I respond to Aimee Byrd’s response to my earlier article.

Hugh Hefner, the Logic of Porn, and the Homosexualization of Sex
I reflect upon a 2003 article by Read Mercer Schuchardt, arguing that he correctly recognizes that porn feminizes men, masculinizes women, and homosexualizes sex.

nd homosexualizes sex.

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The Biblical Mind

The Sabbath as a Key to Understanding Biblical Law: Part 1, Part 2
The fourth commandment unpacked in Scripture.

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Christ and Pop Culture

Can Evangelicals See Themselves in the LGBT Movement?
How evangelicalism’s construction of the subject shapes its response to LGBT issues.
Republished in a slightly different version here.

Evangelicalism’s Poor Form
Has inattention to institutional and cultural form compromised evangelicalism’s content?

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Desiring God

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Smartphone Usage
Discerning whether smartphones occupy an unhealthy place in our lives.

Going Deep on Our Smartphone and Social Media Habits
The first half of an interview with Desiring God on Christian ethics and social media.

Where is the Trinity in the Old Testament?
A piece reflecting upon the Old Testament doctrine of God and how we can see the Trinity within it.

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The Davenant Institute

Does Creedal Orthodoxy Require Traditional Sexual Ethics?
A short booklet discussing the controverted relationship between sexual ethics and Christian orthodoxy.

How Did We Get Here?
Understanding how Western society moved to accept same-sex marriage.

Justice Discourse in the Internet Age, Pt. I: Introduction
Introducing a discussion of the character of social justice in the Internet Age.

Justice Discourse in the Internet Age, Pt. II
I discuss social justice discourse as a means of legitimation for contemporary elites.

Justice Discourse in the Internet Age, Pt. III
The Internet and the abstraction of justice.

Being Biblical™: When the Bible Becomes a Brand
How believing the Bible can become an -ism.

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First Things

God’s Wrath
A review of Paul Copan’s Is God a Vindictive Bully?:
Reconciling Portrayals of God in the Old and New Testaments.

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Plough

Decoding the Bible’s Begats
What Matthew’s genealogy can teach us.

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Christianity Today

Why It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye to Google Reader
Reflections on reading in the context of a rapidly changing technological environment.

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The Behemoth

Call of the Wilderness
The wilderness as a site of cultural and biblical meaning and formation.

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The Huffington Post

10 Sets of Questions to Ask Before Voting for Donald Trump
The importance of a challenging conversation with one’s conscience on Election Day.

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The Big Bible Project

Exodus: A Story of New Birth?
Exploring the theme of new birth in the Exodus from Egypt

Lessons from Leviticus
What Leviticus has to teach us about the place of the body in our faith.

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The Good Men Project

Dump the Rom-Coms and Get Yourself Some Jane Austen
An appeal for romance that educates the emotions.

The Emasculation of Walter White
Thoughts upon the twisted masculinity of Breaking Bad’s lead character.

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Threads UK

Millennials & Church: Why We Need To Question Our Questioning
The importance of opening ourselves up to being questioned.

The Virginity of Jesus
How we should understand the relationship between the virginity of Jesus and Christian thought on sexuality.

Call Me Caitlyn?
Reflections on Bruce Jenner’s Transition.

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CBMW

Jordan Peterson and the Evangelical Man
Trying to discern some of the reasons for Jordan Peterson’s appeal to young evangelical men.

Reimagined and Revised: A Review of Vindicating the Vixens
I review a book seeking to recover the biblical portrait of various women, edited by Sandra Glahn.

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Premier Christianity

Christian Clarity on Human Nature Has Never Been More Needed. That is Why I Signed the Nashville Statement on Sexuality
A defence of the controversial Nashville Statement and an explanation of my reasons for signing it.

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Three Things

Opened Eyes on an Unveiled Word
Seven principles for the reading of the Scriptures.

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Political Theology Today

The Politics of the Child
A reflection upon the politics of Isaiah 9:1-7.

The Politics of the Impossible
A reflection upon the politics of Ezekiel 37:1-14.

The Politics of Word of Mouth
A reflection upon the politics of John 1:35-51.

The Politics of Exposure
A reflection upon the politics of John 4:1-42.

The Politics of a Misunderstood Kingdom
A reflection upon Jesus’s appearance before Pilate in John 18:28-38.

The Politics of the Mob
The scapegoat mechanism in the trial and condemnation of Jesus by Pilate in John 19:1-16.

The Politics of the Empty Tomb
A reflection upon the risen Christ’s appearance to Mary Magdalene in John 20:1-18.

The Politics of Commission
A reflection upon the commissioning and gift of the Spirit to the disciples in John 20.

The Politics of the Unknown God
A reflection upon the task of speaking to political idolatry.

The Politics of Pentecost
A reflection on the challenge of Pentecost to the empires.

The Politics of God’s Plenty
A reflection on the societal vision of Isaiah 55:1-5

The Politics of Sacrifice
A reflection on Exodus 12:1-14 and the founding myths of political order.

The Politics of Privilege
A reflection on Philippians 3:4a-14 and a Christian posture towards privilege.

The Politics of Hospitality
A reflection on Matthew 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.

The Politics of Polarization
A reflection on Luke 2:22-40, the encounter with Simeon and Anna in the temple.

The Politics of the Individual
A reflection on Mark 1:4-11: how the individual can be the one through which the body politic is renewed.

The Politics of Eschatological Imminence
A reflection on 1 Corinthians 7:29-31.

The Politics of Abraham’s Foreskin
A reflection on Genesis 17:1-16, on the connection between sex, family, and politics.

The Politics of New Covenant Vision
A reflection on Jeremiah 31:31-34, and the politics of the new covenant.

The Politics of the King’s Shepherd
A reflection on Psalm 23, on YHWH’s shepherding of the king.

The Politics of the Death of the Nation’s Beloved
A reflection on David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan and the eros of politics.

The Politics of Transformed International Relations
A reflection on the Apostle Paul’s vision of the Church in Ephesians 2:11-22.

Planned Parenthood Videos Urge Us To Reframe Abortion Debates
On the pressing need for practical reason in the abortion debates.

The Politics of Making a Prophet
A reflection upon the meaning of the events of the Day of Pentecost.

The Politics of Extraordinary Ordinariness
A reflection upon Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 and what it meant for Israel to be a great nation.

The Politics of Service
A reflection upon Mark 10:35-45 and the meaning of servant leadership.

The Politics of Hannah’s Opened Womb
A reflection upon 1 Samuel 1:4-20 and 2:1-10 and the unseen origins of God’s great works.

The Politics of Continual Thanksgiving
A reflection upon Colossians 3:12-17 and the centrality of Christian thanksgiving.

The Politics of Representational Rule
A reflection upon 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and the importance of representation in rule.

Religious Violence and the Logic of Sacrifice
A brief Moshe Halbertal inspired reflection upon the relationship between religion and violence.

The Politics of Spectacle
A political reflection upon the account of the Transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36.

The Friendship and Civility Between Ideological Antagonists on the Supreme Court Is Model for Politics Today
Justices Scalia and Ginsburg’s friendship and recovering civility in our public discourse.

The Politics of the King’s Donkey
A reflection upon Luke’s account of Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

The Politics of the Memorial
A reflection upon the significance of the Passover, the Last Supper, and the establishment of the memorial.

The Politics of Wisdom and Folly
A reflection upon Proverbs 8 and the foundation of political wisdom.

Conquest Narratives in Islam and Christianity
A discussion of the prominent themes of conquest in Matthew’s gospel and the caution required when handling Islamic uses of similar themes.

Brexit Throws Down the Gauntlet For Confronting Deep Social Divisions
The differences exposed by the Brexit vote and how to respond to them.

The Politics of Christ, the Beginning
A reflection upon Colossians 1:15-28 and the truth at the heart of political theology.

The Politics of Divine Judgment and Mercy
A reflection upon Genesis 18:20-32 and Abraham’s intercession for Sodom.

The Politics of the Mist
A reflection on Ecclesiastes 1 and 2 and the vapourous character of human politics.

The Politics of the Table
A reflection on Luke 14:1; 7-14 and how a new political habitus is instilled at the table.

The Politics of Dishonest Wealth
A reflection on Luke 16:1-13 and the moral dangers of wealth.

The Politics of Being on the Wrong Side of History
A reflection on the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

The Politics of Sentinels
A Christmas reflection on Isaiah 52, Luke 2, and how the patient expectancy of Advent is answered in the sign of the infant Jesus.

The Politics of Cosmic Praise
A reflection upon Psalm 148 and the place of politics in the cosmic liturgy.

The Politics of Premature Rule
A reflection upon Genesis 2-3 and the danger of grasping power before we are ready for it.

The Politics of the Blessing of Abram
A reflection upon Genesis 12:1-4a, the particularism of election and universalism of divine grace.

The Politics of the Stumbling Stone
A reflection on 1 Peter 2:2-10 and Christ as the eschatological stone.

The Politics of Solomon’s Dream
A reflection on 1 Kings 3:5-12 and the importance of wisdom for just rule.

The Politics of the Watchman
A reflection on Ezekiel 33:7-11 and the responsibility of the watchman.

The Politics of the Vineyard of Israel
A reflection upon Isaiah 5, Psalm 80, Matthew 21, and the nation as a self.

The Politics of the Communication of the Truth
A reflection on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and the power of the truth in the founding of society.

The Politics of the Day of the Lord
A reflection on 2 Peter 3:8-15a and Christ’s seeming failure to return.

The Politics of the Shepherd’s Sign
A reflection on Luke 2:8-20 and the sign of the swaddled babe in a manger.

As One Having Authority
A reflection on Mark 1:21-28 and the fearful liberating power of the authoritative word.

The Authority of the Book
The importance of attending to the material form of Scripture when considering questions of its authority.

The Habitation Made Desolate
A reflection on Acts 1:15-26 and the suicide of Judas.

A Gift Received in the Giving
A reflection on 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 and the distinctiveness of Christian charity.

The Land Is Not Silent
A reflection on Joshua 24:1-18 and the enduring witness of the earth.

Devilish Diversions
A discussion of Luke 4:1-13 and the temptations of Christ in the wilderness.

Hearing the Story Again for the First Time
Considering the events of Palm Sunday as if we didn’t know the end of the story.

Political Hypocrisy and True Ritual
A reflection on the condemnation of performative religiosity in Isaiah 1:1-20.

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Elsewhere

A Biblical Theology of Clothing
Some thoughts on the clothes in the Bible. The PDF link mentioned in the post is here.

Discovering the Absence of God
Some personal reflections on God and suffering

Scripture as Performance: Part 1, Part 2
Thoughts on the reading and interpretation of Scripture

Mediations in Mediations
Pornography and the Song of Songs (now available here).

Elegy For Google Reader
Another piece on the significance of the passing of Google Reader.

Males and Their Friends
Understanding gendered differences in friendship tendencies.

Smartphones and How They Change Us: An Interview With Alastair Roberts
Reflections on the effect of technology upon our lives and relationships with Tony Reinke.

Davenant House: Retrieving the Reformation in the South Carolina Foothills
An interview with Shane Morris about the work of Davenant House.

Ruskin and the Illusion of Value
In conversation with John Ruskin, I explore how misperceptions of value harm us all.

Virtue Ethics in a Virtual Age
Reflections on the self on social media.

10 Things You Should Know About the Exodus
The significance of the Exodus theme in Scripture.

How Is The Exodus Theme Expressed Throughout the Bible?
An interview with the Bible Gateway blog about Echoes of Exodus.

Man and Woman in Creation (Genesis 1 and 2)
A discussion of a theology of the sexes in Genesis 1 and 2 for 9Marks.

How Has Modernity Shifted the Women’s Ordination Debate?
A North American Anglican piece arguing that the plausibility structures for women’s ordination depend heavily upon peculiarly modern conditions.

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ARTICLES AND REVIEWS

Ecclesia Reformanda

Review of Peter Leithart’s 1 & 2 Kings Commentary

Review of Barry Danylak’s Redeeming Singleness

The Case Against Same Sex Marriage
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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Themelios

Review of Richard Hays’ Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels

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Primer

The Music and the Meaning of Male and Female (PDF)

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Ad Fontes

Pentecost as Ecclesiology (from 1.4)