Monthly Archives: January 2014

Observing the Sabbath … in creation

Posted on 15/01/2014 by Jon Garvey

One of the common mistakes made about Genesis 1 is that it teaches a six-day creation, the seventh day being a day off for God. But in fact it teaches a seven day creation in which the seventh day is the aim and culmination of the first six. I want to concentrate on this seventh day today, and argue that it presents a theology of the present state of the world that ought to be foundational for Christians, but often isn’t. 

Posted in Creation, Theology | 3 Comments

Lessons from ancient Egypt

Posted on 11/01/2014 by Jon Garvey

Worldviews are, almost by definition, taken for granted – we only see those of others. But for all that they’re human choices, even when unconscious, and result from metaphysical commitments, not from evidence. Which is interesting given that they determine how we see ourselves in the universe.

Posted in Creation, History, Science, Theology | 43 Comments

Caring for Creation as Mission – 1

Posted on 08/01/2014 by Peter Harris

Peter Harris was a friend of Jon’s at Cambridge many years ago. He is President and Founder of A Rocha, an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. This article, and two following, are from a paper prepared for The Lausanne Movement’s Theology Working Party in Beirut, Lebanon in February 2010, under the chairmanship of Dr Christopher J H Wright. It also appeared in the July 2010 Evangelical Review of Theology (Vol 34 No 3), but is posted on The Hump as an introduction to yet another important aspect of the Christian doctrine of Creation.   Abstract: Evangelical theology has already made great progress in re-discovering the doctrine of creation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Peter Harris, Science, Theology | 9 Comments

Bringing Mathematics to Theology

Posted on 05/01/2014 by Merv Bitikofer

Since I am a math teacher rather than a theologian, I bring tools to the table that must be subject to the scrutiny and criticism of the real theologians already there.  So what does a hammer-wielding math teacher see in current popular theological discourse that looks to him like his proverbial mathematical nail?

Posted in Merv Bitikofer, Science, Theology | 16 Comments

The (barely hidden) teaching of Jesus on hidden providence

Posted on 02/01/2014 by Jon Garvey

Tony is an executive at JB Enterprises. One day he opens his morning post to find he’s been given a week’s notice of termination of his contract. Hurrying to the office he collars Chris, JB’s PA, who is a friend. “What’s going on, Chris? Have I been given notice because I’ve upset JB in some way?” Chris looks embarrassed. After hesitating a little he says, “Tony, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this yet, but that’s not the case at all. You’ve actually received notice because JB is planning to make you a partner in the firm.” And they all lived happily ever after.

Posted in Theology | 5 Comments