How Conservative Is Your Hermenuetic?

This link was sent to me earlier in the week. It's a 20 question quiz to determine how you approach Scripture. For those curious, I scored a 44, but I'm not sure the numbers mean much. As much as the terminology pains me, I would want to have a conversation about why a particular choice was made before even attempting to label the choice.

Now, I love the little quizzes like this. Anyone taken the "What kind of sports car are you quiz?" (HT: Craver) But that is more of a fun thing. How we interpret Scripture is important, and I'm not sure a number based on 20 questions can determine if we are conservative, moderate, or progressive. Some of the questions, I think at least, are not conservative versus liberal, like the question of prophecy (number 7). It is a very interesting question in thinking about how we interpret Scripture, but I'm not convinced how we answer it says anything about whether that interpretation is conservative or progressive.

So thinking about our hermeneutic and discussing how we reach conclusions when reading Scripture is a great idea. I'm just not sure the ranking is helpful. But with that said, just what was your score? :)

Civility

I've always benefited from reading Os Guinness. The Call is one of the best books I've read and I've given out several copies. According to the Discerning Reader review of A Case for Civility it is a must read for me as well. In this election year, it might just be a good read for all of us. A brief blurb from the review:

Much of the answer to whether or not we’ll learn to live with our deepest differences depends on rejecting two erroneous responses to the culture wars. First, we must say no to a “sacred public square”—a situation where one religion has a position of privilege or prominence that is denied to others. As he refutes the sacred public square, Guinness laments the state of the Religious Right and the damage it has done to faith in America. We must also say no to a “naked public square”—the situation where public life is left devoid of any religion. This is what is advocated by the new atheists. Both of these responses to the culture war are in contradiction to the Constitution.

The alternative to both is a “civil public square.” “The vision of a civil public square is one in which everyone—peoples of all faiths, whether religious or naturalistic—are equally free to enter and engage public life on the basis of their faiths, as a matter of ‘free exercise’ and as dictated by their own reason and conscience; but always within the double framework, first of the Constitution, and second, of a freely and mutually agreed covenant, or common vision for the common good, of what each person understands to be just and free for everyone else, and therefore of the duties involved in living with the deep differences of others.” If we are to have a civil society, we must first have a civil public square.

Owen and Paul on the Trinity and Salvation

In January a small group started meeting monthly to read and discuss Communion with the Triune God, John Owen's classic work edited by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor. In January we reviewed the historical context and biography of John Owen and we had our second meeting this morning and discussed Chapter 1. Owen specifically aims in the book to discuss how we have communion with each member of the Trinity distinctly. In fact, his original title for the work was Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Each Person Distinctly, in Love, Grace, and Consolation: or The Saints Fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Unfolded.

This evening, Pastor Williams preached on Ephesians 2:11-22. I've always thought of Ephesians as a very Trinitarian epistle. Primarily this was based on Paul's discourse in the 1:3-14 about the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in salvation. But look at Ephesians 2:18-22:

for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (NASB)

Twice in these five verses Paul elaborates on how some aspect of our salvation is through each Person of the Trinity acting on our behalf. We have access through Jesus and His flesh. The access is to the Father but it is in one Spirit. It is the Spirit who applies the work of Christ so that we might enter into the presence of the Father.

We are also becoming a temple. This building occurs as we are united to Jesus and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Paul sees not just Jesus but also the Father and Son working in our lives and restoring us to fellowship (communion) with God. Owen recognized this emphasis in the Bible and sought to convey this great truth to his readers.

Do we know this? Do we spend time dwelling on how God is for us as believers? That the Father has set forth the plan of redemption? That the Son humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross for our redemption? That the Spirit has applied the work of the Son and indwells us to secure our redemption? May God shine the light of this truth into your heart and mine.