Connect Apologetics

Australian Christian casemaker/apologist. Just a bloke who loves Jesus and good books. Christian school teacher. Nathan.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JJ_Richards2 Seems he might. Although a scroll of his timeline makes me wonder if he enjoys much of anything.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

Randal Rauser used to have some interesting things to say, but I don't find much of his recent work very convincing. Mining ancient biblical texts for graphic content and then interpreting it in the light of modern ethical understanding is not good scholarship.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

The hole in this thinking is that if it was mere rhetoric, then there is no reason for the Israelites not to apply it to all Canaanites in all places. Yet only a few specific cities are placed under cherem. A good explanation has to make sense of specific data such as this.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

Probably stopped being interested when he wasn't able to give a very convincing response to Heiser's observation that the cherem commands in Joshua were reserved for places where Rephaim were present. He presents this as mere rhetoric, a way of dehumanising Canaanites.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@RyanPeterWrites Sorry, I can see how my tweet might be misunderstood. Intellectual assent - not a work
Relational trust - not a work
Embodied allegiance - works, but not meritorious of salvation

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

The Greek word pistis, often translated as "faith" in English undoubtedly has a works element given its common usage in ancient sources, including the NT.

Pistis entails elements of intellectual assent, relational trust and active embodied allegiance - works!

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

Michael Heiser and Timothy Keller. It's been a sad couple of months. Definitely people I'd want a conversation with in the new kingdom.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

Hello folks, I have not tweeted much lately. I hope you are all well. My apologetics ministry mostly happens in a high-school classroom setting at the moment, where I am teaching a worldviews course to Year 10 students. It's amazing and difficult.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@johnpauldickson I'm using a (the?) previous version with my Year 10 class later this year. Sounds like I may need to work towards a new class set at some stage. Thanks for this great resource 🙏

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 Thanks for the references regarding kephalē. I'm aware of what Gruden and others have written and also the problems with their arguments. The concept of kephalē "head" meaning authority is not established in literature contemporary with the NT. Using it as such is an anachronism.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 I'm an egalitarian, yes.
I twist scripture? No. I submit to it, and look at all it has to say about women, including their radical equality with men in creation: Eve is Adam's flesh! Husbands are to nourish wives as their own body. You may need to remove a log.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 Seeing as Greek texts contemporary with the NT never use it this way, and also never on texts regarding men and women, that's an uphill battle. This is a classic case of eisegesis and reading one's presuppositions into the text. We need to start with what [kephalē] meant.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 I didn't ignore Gen 2, I interpreted it in its proper context alongside Gen 1. As for your argument from 1 Cor 11 (I agree the NT is inspired commentary) the major issue you have is demonstrating that [kephalē] carries the connotation of authority, as you have assumed.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 Jesus did have female disciples! Luke 8 documents Jesus moving town to town by the 12 and a group of women who are literally following Jesus around, supporting his cause and listening to his teaching. Like disciples do.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 "Try reading the Bible" - Genesis 1:27-28 was what I was alluding to. Man and woman together are given dominion over every living thing and are told to be fruitful, multiply and subdue creation. Enough silly cheap shots please, they weaken your argument. Just stick to the text.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 That humans entwined in the consequences outlined in Genesis 3 haven't perceived equality until recently should be of no surprise. Jesus reformed his culture by having female disciples, the NT reformed culture by giving women full participation in communal life. It continues.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JohnCarpenter64 @davidlogannash @mbird12 Genesis is brimming with egalitarian imagery and notions. Adam is shown that Eve is his flesh, literally his other half, and therefore his equal. They are given a mandate to rule creation together. Male dominance is presented as consequence of sin.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@davidlogannash @mbird12 I'm interested in that last bit David. How does that link function? I see scripture as presenting an egalitarian picture overall, while also convinced about the consistent sexual ethic of Jesus, Paul and the OT. It's not obvious to me how egal leads to progressive sexual views.

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

@JK_Riki @ProvisionistP I forget that this point requires clarification for some folks 😅

[Connect Apologetics @ConnectApx]

Humans are infinitely valuable to God - as proved by the fact that Jesus died for us.

Humans are inherently sinful and broken - as proved by the fact that Jesus died for us.

I try not to fall off either end of the see-saw on this issue.