Theopolis Institute

The heavenly city of God resurrects the cities of men.
Tweets on Bible, Liturgy, and Culture.
President: @pleithart

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

"It was not Jesus’ garment that was ripped in distress, but God the Father’s.

It was he, the heavenly Father, like so many distressed fathers in the Old Testament, seeing his only begotten Son breathe his last, who tore his clothes.

The temple veil was the fabric that had covered him from our eyes; it shielded us from his Holy of Holies, his throne room, and his presence."

https://t.co/kyA3ygnuEb

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Hospitality in our Lack
by: Mark Brians

Our new conversation on hospitality begins with the feeding of the 5,000.

https://t.co/IiyZdt5zbS

[Peter Leithart @PLeithart]

I see there's a discussion of Christian horror afoot. Check out this Theopolis Conversation on the subject.

https://t.co/Vam0VnFQjN

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Episode 902:
Deborah’s Song: Singing the Lord’s Victory
(Judges 5:1–5)

Does the church’s singing put kings on notice?

Deborah’s song proclaims God’s victory to the nations and summons His people to battle.

https://t.co/juPsU6K8Za

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

What if the fault lines in Protestant politics aren’t where we think?

https://t.co/IVBs8QKgh8

[Peter Leithart @PLeithart]

Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, Paul says. If you don’t, you give room for the devil to move in.

The devil is a slanderer and accuser, and the more anger and resentment you bottle up, the more satanic you become.

Eventually, you lose every ability except the ability to accuse. Any pastor who has tried to untangle a broken marriage has encountered this hell.

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Christians shouldn’t be afraid of horror.

But what makes a horror story worth our attention?

With the debate stirring again, revisit our seven-part Theopolis Conversation, beginning and ending with Justin Lee, on horror’s dangers and gifts.

https://t.co/zje0Usk4ma

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

@MattWalshBlog Yep.
https://t.co/zje0UskCbI

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

A New Taxonomy of Protestant Political Theology
by: Miles Smith

Christians debating politics may disagree less about policy than about the church itself.

Is the church one institution alongside the state, or the society that sets the pattern for the nations?

A closer look at the divide shaping Protestant political theology.

https://t.co/KXlw0wK6NB

[Peter Leithart @PLeithart]

The church is inherently political. She bears the destiny, and manifests the destination, of all nations.

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

What's Wrong with CCM?
with John Ahern

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Serpents slither and writhe their way into hiding places. They use camouflage to look like solid ground or a healthy tree. A snake does this to prolong life and kill his victims.

Christians in our day need to pair serpentine traits with the warnings in Proverbs about the dangerous woman.

The adulteress of Proverbs is a forbidden woman, and men are to keep their way far from her, lest they go down into death. What is she like?

She is beautiful. Her lips drip honey as she speaks smooth words (5:3, 2:16). She wanders to and fro on the earth leading many to death. This paradigmatic dangerous woman is always on the prowl, and while proverbial threats in Solomon’s day were mostly external, with modern technology this lady is now potentially sitting in the palms of our hands for many hours of the day. She's omnipresent on screens and in modern music's idols.

She lurks on social media, as porn bots and seductresses slither into the feeds of countless men. Many a pop songstress slink around on stages and screens with her smooth words. Their music, like their lips, is like honey. The songs are delicious; there's "talent"; the music sounds good - but it leads to death. The snake has found his way into our ears and hands, and he’s ready to strike 24/7.

This is not a call to abandon the glories of modern technical life, but rather a proverbial reminder of the enemy at the gate.

Don’t be a fool. Be vigilant, both you and your progeny. Defeat the serpent by walking in the Spirit of the Serpent Crusher. Flee temptation.

Be patient and delight in the wife of your youth. Give yourself to lady wisdom, found in the bride of Christ and her holy book.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,
for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are a mighty throng.
Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 7:25-27

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Grieving fathers in Scripture tore their garments.

At the cross, Jesus’ tunic remained whole, but the temple veil was torn.

Erin Joslyn explores this connection:
https://t.co/JM3waCtXZr

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

James Jordan on initial and final glorification.

[Peter Leithart @PLeithart]

Why sing Psalms?

Jesus is the Word incarnate.

Being Word, all Scripture's words cohere in Him.

The Psalter provides much of the scaffolding for NT Christology. The Psalter's words are words about and of Jesus.

Singing Psalms, the Psalter impresses its shape into our souls, which is the shape of Jesus the Word.

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

“Jesus has blazed the trail through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and where he goes, we go.”

From Adam’s deep sleep to Christ’s resurrection, Jonah Barnes traces Scripture’s pattern of death, awakening, and glory in “The Sleep of Death.”

https://t.co/xka8A2F4jJ

[Peter Leithart @PLeithart]

Sign up now for my Theopolis Workshop on Gift and Gratitude, coming in November.

https://t.co/PHtruQK4GJ

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Episode 901: Jael and the Fall of Sisera (Judges 4:17–24)

Sisera commands his 900 iron chariots.
Meanwhile, Jael has a tent peg and a hammer.

On the latest Theopolis Podcast, Peter Leithart, Jeff Myers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts explore Jael’s victory, faithful motherhood, and the ordinary tools of the Lord’s warfare in Judges 4:17–24.

https://t.co/8g0nhqtnX5

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

God is Shouting, “Baptism Saves!”

https://t.co/B11fBcmCYM

[Theopolis Institute @_Theopolis]

Why was Jesus’ tunic left intact while the temple veil was torn?

Erin Joslyn explores the biblical pattern of torn garments and what the rending of the veil reveals about the Father.

https://t.co/JM3waCtXZr