David McIlroy on Abuse Within Evangelical Churches and Organisations

Cambridge Papers are published once a quarter (or thereabouts) and address a wide range of topics, offering ‘Christian reflection on contemporary issues’.

The latest paper is available online here (from where a pdf can be downloaded here):

David McIlroy, ‘Abuse Within Evangelical Churches and Organisations: Addressing the Vulnerabilities’, Cambridge Papers (April 2025).

Here is the summary:

‘The responses of evangelical churches and organisations to allegations of abuse have been vitiated by five factors: wrong expectations, wrong priorities, a wrong reading of biblical stories, a wrong approach to sin and crime, and a wrong view of love and justice. First, evangelical institutions have fallen prey to the cult of the charismatic leader. Second, when abuse has been exposed, it has been dealt with privately and/or with a focus on rehabilitating the offender rather than vindicating the victims and preventing others from being victimised. Third, the ugly truths of sexual and other forms of abuse with which the Bible deals have been replaced by narratives which protect the powerful. Fourth, the reality that we are all sinners has been used to obscure the truth that some sins are deeply destructive and amount to crimes meriting public action. Fifth, love has been wrongly separated from justice.’

Tim Keller on Galatians

Every month, The Good Book Company make available digital versions of one of their books at no charge. This month (April 2025) it’s Galatians: Gospel Matters, a seven-session Bible study guide on Galatians by Tim Keller, which is available in exchange for an email address here.

Journal of Interpersonal Ministry 1 (2025)

The Journal of Interpersonal Ministry is a new annual publication from Biblical Counselling UK (BCUK), which aims to explore aspects of conversational and counselling ministry.

The first issue contains the following pieces (a mixture of ‘papers’ and ‘insights’):

• A Biblical Counselling Approach to OCD (Andrew Collins)

• Spiritual Perspectives on theExperience of OCD (Steve Midgley)

• Fragmentation, Wholeness and Integrity in a Biblical Counselling Ministry (Nicola Eggertsen)

• Viewing the Menopause through a Biblical Lens (Helen Thorne-Allenson)

• The Subtle Web of Legalism (Amanda Cook)
• An Unwelcome Guest: Facing an Eating Disorder in the Family (Anastasia Kumar)

See here for further information.

In the future, BCUK hope to produce a journal on an annual subscription basis.

However, the first issue is available for free, and can be downloaded as a pdf here.

Center for Pastor Theologians Journal 12, 1 (2025)

The Center for Pastor Theologians Journal (formerly the Bulletin of Ecclesial Theology) is published bi-annually by the Center for Pastor Theologians.

The latest volume carries the below essays on a theology of the word.

These have arisen from the reflections of the community on a theology of the Word and preaching, in which three themes have taken on a central importance in their thinking: (1) The word of God is always God’s word; (2) the preacher as hearer of God’s word; (3) the community of hearers.

The essays are available from here, or the whole journal can be downloaded as a pdf from here.

Coleman Ford

“The Gospel Terrifies Me”: The Role of Scripture in Augustine’s Vision for Pastoral Virtue in Select Sermones ad populam

Aaron Friesen

Aimee Semple McPherson and the “This Is That” Character of Pentecostal Preaching

T. Michael W. Halcomb

Defining, Understanding, and Quantifying Love

Joel Lawrence

Pastors and the Church Struggle(s)

Benj Petroelje

Preaching and the Cross

Book Reviews

C.H. Spurgeon on ‘Secular’ Work

On reading through Chris Wright’s commentary on Exodus, he cites an enjoyable portion of a sermon preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon in 1874, on Paul’s teaching that, in every area of life, we serve Jesus (Colossians 3:24).

As Chris Wright notes, ‘Spurgeon draws heavily on the imagery of the tabernacle and priesthood and applies it to the Bezalels and Oholiabs [see Exodus 31] of today’s world – however humble their calling and labor’.

‘To a man who lives unto God, nothing is secular – everything is sacred! He puts on his workday garment, and it is a vestment to him; he sits down to his meal, and it is a sacrament; he goes forth to his labor, and exercises the office of the priesthood; his breath is incense, and his life a sacrifice; he sleeps on the bosom of God, and lives and moves in the divine presence! To draw a hard and fast line and say, “This is sacred and this is secular,” is, to my mind, diametrically opposed to the teaching of Christ and the spirit of the gospel!

Paul has said, “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself.” … The Lord has cleansed your houses, my brothers and sisters; He has cleansed your bed chambers, your tables, your shops; He has made the bells upon your horses holiness to the Lord! He has made the common pots and pans of your kitchens to be as the bowls before the altar if you know what you are, and live according to your high calling. You housemaids, you cooks, you nurses, you plowmen, you housewives, you traders, you sailors – your labor is holy if you serve the Lord Christ in it, if by living unto Him as you ought to live! The sacred has absorbed the secular! The overarching temple of the Lord covers all your houses and your fields! My brothers and sisters, this ennobles life! … This ensures us a reward for all we do!’

Charles H. Spurgeon, ‘All for Jesus! Sermon #1205,’ Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 20, cited in Christopher J.H. Wright, Exodus, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2021), 544.

Theos Report on Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service

The latest report from Theos has recently been published:

Marianne Rozario with contribution from Esther Platt, Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service: The Role of Churches and Faith Groups in Social Prescribing (London: Theos, 2025).

Here’s a quick summary:

‘The NHS and social care services in England are stretched to breaking point, grappling with record-high demand for GP appointments and secondary care services. Yet, one in five GP appointments are not for medical reasons, but rather requests for help with issues like loneliness, housing, or debt.

‘Lord Darzi’s 2024 report paints a stark picture of the NHS’s current state but also offers a vision for its future: a shift towards neighbourhood-level care, preventing ill-health and tackling health inequalities, a vision echoed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP’s ambition to turn the NHS into a “neighbourhood health service.”

‘Social prescribing – connecting people to community-based activities to benefit their wellbeing – can be part of that preventative solution. Churches and faith groups not only contribute significantly to social prescribing offering networks and resources, but with their focus on community, relationship and holistic wellbeing, they can play a foundational role in preventative healthcare.

‘Our research found that faith groups across the country already host a wealth of friendly, welcoming, and “referrable” activities. These groups act as “anchors of the community” with the ability to network and convene, provide resources, buildings and volunteers, and offer pastoral and spiritual care.

‘However, there are barriers preventing a more integrated approach between faith and health including communication and administrative challenges. Therefore, this report outlines a model of relationship-building through active networking, engaged collaboration, and forward planning, unlocking the full potential of faith-based support.

‘Ultimately, this report highlights the contribution of faith groups in social prescribing and puts forward recommendations for proactive collaboration between faith groups, the NHS and wider healthcare networks at the level of “neighbourhoods”, “places” and “systems”.

A summary blog of the report can be found here.

A pdf of the full report is available here.

A guide for faith leaders looking to engage more deeply with social prescribing, and especially looking to build connections with social prescribing link workers is available here.

A guide for Social Prescribing Link Workers looking to work more effectively with churches and faith groups in order to support the wellbeing of individual is available here.

Mission Frontiers 47, 2 (March–April 2025)

The March–April 2025 issue of Mission Frontiers, published by Frontier Ventures, contains a number of articles devoted to the topic of ‘Spiritual Formation at the Edges’.

Here’s the issue blurb, which sets the scene:

‘In this issue, we dive into formation at the edges of mission. The process of spiritual formation is the same whether we are in our home culture or across the world. Though the timing and experiences will vary, the call to be with Jesus in community in suffering leading to loving our neighbor is the same for all God’s children.’

The issue is available here, from where individual articles can be downloaded, and the entire issue can be downloaded as a pdf here.

Rebecca McLaughlin on Easter

Every month, The Good Book Company make available digital versions of one of their books at no charge. This month (March 2025) it’s Is Easter Unbelievable? Four Questions Everyone Should Ask about the Resurrection Story by Rebecca McLaughlin, a short but excellent exploration of the reality and significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which is available in exchange for an email address here.

Centre for Public Christianity (March 2025)

Among other items, the Centre for Public Christianity has posted a ‘Life and Faith’ interview (here) with Rod Dreher on his most-recent book:

‘Life & Faith kicks off 2025 with an eye-opening interview with journalist Rod Dreher, author of Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age. In this wide-ranging chat, Rod talks about the budding religion of technology worship, the experience of art and beauty as a gateway to enchantment, the possibly malign spiritual forces at work in our world, and his increasing conviction that the world is not what you think it is.’

Christian History Magazine on Oswald Chambers

The latest issue of Christian History Magazine is devoted to Oswald Chambers.

From the blurb:

‘My Utmost for His Highest is one of the most enduring and best-selling Christian devotionals of all time. It has been in print for a century, translated into 39 languages, and has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. You have probably heard of it. But what do you know about Oswald Chambers, the devotional’s author?

‘In this issue of Christian History, meet the Scottish poet, artist, intellectual, and minister whose approachable and sincere faith allowed him to speak effectively to the spiritual challenges of the modern world. Oswald Chambers’s preaching and teaching took him all over the globe, even to the Egyptian warfront of World War I as a YMCA chaplain. You will also meet the woman behind My Utmost: Gertrude “Biddy” Chambers, Oswald’s wife and partner in ministry. This gifted stenographer, typist, administrator, and teacher preserved and presented her husband’s wisdom to audiences worldwide, launching a publishing empire and Oswald’s world-renowned devotional.

‘Discover the dynamic, faith-filled, and inspirational story of Oswald and Biddy Chambers– two believers who truly gave their utmost for His highest.’

The whole magazine is available as a 3.5 MB pdf here.

Foundations 87 (February 2025)

Issue 87 of Foundations: An International Journal of Evangelical Theology, published by Affinity, is now available from here (requiring an email address for a link to a downloadable pdf, though check here) which includes the below essays (abstracts posted where available).

Donald John MacLean

Editorial

Ian Shaw

Slavery, the Slave Trade and Christians’ Theology Part Two: Theological Themes

Stephen Steele

Garnishing the Sepulchres of the Righteous: Textual Criticism in the Free Church Fathers

The continued publication of the “Textus Receptus,” for example, a new edition by Grange Press, the publishing arm of the US Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), provides the incentive to investigate the text-critical principles of the Free Church fathers. How did they view the Textus Receptus? Did they defend it in the face of new manuscript discoveries in their own century? The clear evidence is that they did not hold to a “Received Text” that was “fixed”, indeed, the leading figures among the Free Church Fathers explicitly disowned such a view. Advocates of the so-called “Textus Receptus” have a track record of claiming support from figures in church history who were far from claiming its perfection. Famously, the Anglican Dean John Burgon (1813-1888) would not be admitted to the Dean Burgon Society (founded in 1978). The society named after him exists “To Defend the Traditional Received Greek Text of the New Testament which underlies the King James Version.” Yet while believing the TR to be “quite good enough for all ordinary purposes”, Burgon was “far from pinning my faith to it”. “In not a few particulars”, he wrote “the ‘Textus receptus’ does call for Revision”.

Alison Umpleby

Review Article: She Needs

Nick Meader

Resurrection: Apologetics and Biblical Theology

Mark Roques and Steve Bishop

The ‘Christian’ Mysticism of Meister Eckhart and Terese of Ávila

In this article, we probe the so-called “Christian” mysticism of Meister Eckhart and Teresa of Ávila. We scrutinise the Orphic creation myth and Neoplatonism’s roots. We unpack how these two mystics would answer the six worldview questions. What is God like? What is the universe like? What is a person? Why do we suffer? What is the remedy? What happens after death? We conclude with a critique of “Christian” mysticism and show how it is both world-denying and auto-salvific. Neither option is Christian.

Book Reviews

Lausanne on Polycentric Christianity

As part of Lausanne’s Theological Foundation Paper series, the latest Occasional Paper, ‘Polycentric Christianity: Theological Multiplicity and Unity’, authored by Tite Tiénou, explores ‘how the global body of Christ can navigate theological diversity while remaining anchored in the mission of God. Drawing from voices across traditions and regions, this paper invites us to consider how different theological expressions contribute to a richer, more faithful witness. How can we hold both multiplicity and unity in balance as we engage in global mission?’

Kristi Mair on Dark Spiritual Encounters

Cambridge Papers are published once a quarter (or thereabouts) and address a wide range of topics, offering ‘Christian reflection on contemporary issues’.

The latest paper is available online here (from where a pdf can be downloaded here):

Krisztina Mair, ‘Dark Spiritual Encounters and Hidden Dangers: The Enduring Wisdom of Classical Theology’, Cambridge Papers (January 2025).

Here is the summary:

‘This paper seeks to provide a brief spiritual topography of contemporary dark spiritual practices, demonstrate an historical and theological expectation for encounters with evil, and provide an overview of the benefits of theological retrieval for the life of the Church and her witness. Three contemporary objections to Christian spirituality are considered and possible responses are provided.’

Stephen McAlpine on Being the Bad Guys

Every month, The Good Book Company make available digital versions of one of their books at no charge. This month (February 2025) it’s Being the Bad Guys: How to Live for Jesus in a World That Says You Shouldn’t, by Stephen McAlpine, which is available in exchange for an email address here.

Michael Bird et al. on Paul Within Judaism

Michael F. Bird, Ruben A. Bühner, Jörg Frey, and Brian Rosner (eds). Paul within Judaism: Perspectives on Paul and Jewish Identity (WUNT 507; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2023).

Thanks to a generous grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation, this book (typically very expensive) is freely available here.

The collection of essays is based on an online scholarly conference sponsored by the Australian College of Theology and hosted by Ridley College back in 2021.

According to the blurb:

‘This conference volume features cutting edge research from an international cohort of scholars on the still-controversial debates regarding Paul’s relationship with Judaism. Taken together, the contributions represent a sympathetic but critical assessment of the Paul within Judaism approach to Pauline interpretation. They take up many of the key questions germane to the debate, including different perspectives on Jewish identity, ethnicity, Torah-observance, halakha, the relationship between Jewish and non-Jewish followers of Christ, and the contested character of Jewish identity in antiquity. By combining a broad swath of both German- and English-language scholarship, the volume attempts to bring different perspectives into conversation with each other.’

The Master’s Seminary Journal 35, 2 (2024)

The latest Master’s Seminary Journal has been posted online. According to the Editorial, ‘the focus of the current issue… is the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New’ (152).

A pdf of the journal can be downloaded here.

Iosif J. Zhakevich

Editorial: The Christ of Scripture

Abner Chou

All That Is in a Name: Daniel’s Deliberate Christology and The Concept of the Son of Man

Given the substantial influence of the book of Daniel on New Testament Christology particularly through the phrase the “Son of Man,” scholars have asked numerous questions about the nature and significance of the title, even inquiring why it is used in certain contexts and books and not others. While commentators have attempted numerous responses to these issues, a helpful approach is to go back to the very source of the concept of the Son of Man, Daniel himself. The contention of this article is that Daniel not only spoke of the Messiah but did so with the concept of the “Son of Man” as the unifying center of his Christology. Analyzing Daniel’s Christology in this manner fleshes out the complete nature of the “Son of Man,” which gives answers to questions posed by scholarship. Even more, such analysis explains the very reason why this title is Christ’s favorite, as it expresses the totality of His mission and destiny.

Jamie Bissmeyer

The Heavenly Third Party in Job: A Preview of the Work of Christ

Though the book of Job was written long before the days of Christ, it makes significant contributions to the believer’s understanding of Christology. Job protests his case before God and man, observing the need for a heavenly third party to plead on his behalf. This third party is found in legal metaphor as a adjudicator between God and Job who would bring about Job’s justification. Job realizes the need for this adjudicator because of God’s holiness and righteousness. As this becomes clear to him, Job appeals to the heavenly third party to save him from sin, grant him a resurrection body, and reconcile him to God. This third party previews the work of Christ Jesus, who accomplishes salvation from sin, grants resurrection from the dead, and reconciliation to God for His redeemed.

Jason Beals

The Second Adam and the Necessity for Eschatological Earthly Dominion

The Old Testament’s portrayal of the coming Davidic King demonstrates His successes in the realm in which Adam failed. God tasked Adam with a mandate of dominion, in which he must rule over and subdue the created order such that it flourishes. However, Adam failed to uphold this mandate by disobeying God’s Word, plunging the world into sin. Though mankind’s mandate was not removed, none who followed Adam lived up to the fullness of its requirements before God. Yet the Scriptures make it clear that the Davidic King will not collapse like Adam, nor any other earthly king. He will succeed in the divine mandate. And it is this action that necessitates an earthly kingdom, such that the Second Adam triumphs in dominion as King over all creation.

Jared Moore

Are Your Temptations Like Jesus’ Temptations? Yes and No!

The words of the author of Hebrews, that Jesus “has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin,” stir controversy regarding the nature of Jesus’ temptations. Some utilize this statement as a vindication of the moral difference between the desire to sin and the act of sin, arguing that only the latter is condemned in Scripture. They argue that because temptation comes through our desires, and Jesus was tempted as we are, then desires for sin cannot be sinful because Jesus never sinned. However, this article refutes that claim by demonstrating that none of Jesus’ temptations came from within, that is from a sinful nature. Scripture never indicates that Jesus had a desire to commit sin. Rather, Jesus was tempted by that which was external to Him, by Satan, for good gifts fulfilled through sinful means.

Corey Williams and Iosif J. Zhakevich

An Interview with Iosif J. Zhakevich: The John MacArthur Publishing Group

This conversation between Corey Williams and Iosif J. Zhakevich, director of the John MacArthur Publishing Group, introduces the purpose and plan of this publishing endeavor. They discuss the value of producing biblical books and the actual projects they are currently working on. Zhakevich explains that the ultimate goal is to expound Scripture and to help believers be conformed to the image of Christ.

Mark Zhakevich

Jesus’ Love for His Own: The Remnant in John

Remnant theology in John centers on John’s presentation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and His followers as His sheep. John demonstrates that Jesus declared Himself to be the hope of the remnant – the ultimate Shepherd about whom the Old Testament prophesied. This Good Shepherd offers the promise of eternal life to the remnant, secured by His work of redemption for the remnant. Upon redeeming His own, He regathers them together as one flock under one Shepherd, protecting them, and giving them an eternal purpose – that they would know Him and glorify Him.

Aaron Valdizan

The Significance of the Divine Name in Peter’s Pentecost Sermon

One of the reasons that the personal name of God is usually left out of translations of the Old Testament is its absence in the New Testament. However, the New Testament authors’ application to Jesus of the traditional Greek substitute for the Tetragrammaton (κύριος) reveals that they had a unique theological reason for doing so that is less clear when the divine name is missing from Old Testament translations. Peter’s use of OT Yahweh texts in Acts 2:14–36 exemplifies this unique application of texts about Yahweh to Jesus. This study of Yahweh texts in Peter’s Pentecost sermon reveals that the NT writers used κύριος to refer to two concepts at once in order to emphasize that Jesus is both Yahweh and the Master (κύριος, אדני) who must be obeyed.

Austin T. Duncan

Conversations with Jesus: Jesus and Saul

Though Jesus has ascended to heaven, Acts makes it clear that He is continuing to build His Church. One narrative that depicts this clearly is Saul’s theophanic vision on the road to Damascus. Saul, a murderer, is stopped in his tracks by the Lord of those Saul was seeking to persecute. Saul’s encounter with the resurrected Christ puts Saul on his face, so that Jesus may then put Saul on His mission. This arresting narrative teaches the reader that Jesus is sovereign over His Church, that His grace transforms the vilest of sinners, and that His saints belong to Him.

Jeffrey P. Tomkins

Colossians 1:16–17 and the Theological Implications of Christ as Creator and Sustainer

One of the key passages in the New Testament that proclaims Christ to be both Creator and Sustainer is Colossians 1:16–17. While most published works have treated Colossians 1:15–20 as a complete whole looking at its structure and content as a possible hymn, this present effort focuses on the Creator-Sustainer formula contained within verses 16 and 17. This text articulates this formula by its usage of prepositions combined with variations of πᾶς, its choice and usage of verbs, and the prevailing historical-cultural context. After demonstrating Christ’s role as Creator and Sustainer from Colossians 1:16–17, this paper will explore the theological implications of Christ as Creator and Sustainer that are applicable to the Christian’s daily life and fellowship with the Triune God.

Reviews