Dissertation

It has been a few months since I last posted here. And I thought it might be worthwhile, for any who stumble upon this blog to know that Via Emmaus is not closed, but seasonally shut down.

The reason? I am in the writing phase of my dissertation, and for the sake of other, more primary ministries like my family and church, I have decided to stop regularly posting on Via Emmaus, and focus any writing hours on my dissertation.

My hopes are to finish my dissertation, entitled “A Biblical-Theological Investigation of Christ’s Priesthood and Covenant Mediation with Respect to the Extent of the Atonement” in 2013.

In the mean time, if you think of it, please pray for this process, that my writing would above all glorify God, be true to the text of Scripture, and would result in Spiritual fruit.

Hopefully, in less than a year, I will be able to reboot this blog. Until then, I will be working offline here . . .

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

Currently, I am taking a hiatus from my doctoral studies. Having recently moved to a new city, with a baby on the way, and learning what the daily life of a pastor looks like, I thought it best to ‘interrupt’ my studies for one semester. Which means I have less assigned reading, but more opportunity to prepare for the messages at Calvary BC and to read up on the subject that I hope to eventually consider in my dissertation–the power of the cross and the covenantal application of Jesus blood.

With that in mind, I came across a helpful reminder from D.A. Carson on the subject in the introduction to Graham Cole’s new book, God the Peacemaker: How atonement brings shalom — I love that subtitle, by the way! If you are thinking about the cross of Christ, especially at a level where you are trying to explain it to others, Carson’s words are worth remembering.

Even to do justice to this theme [atonement] one must attempt at least five things: (1) The way the theme of sacrifice and atonement develops in the Bible’s storyline must be laid out. (2) Equally, the way this theme is intertwined with related themes (the holiness of God, the nature of sin, what salvation consists of, the promise of what is to come, and much more) must be delinated, along with (3) more probing reflection on a selection of crucial passages. These first three items belong rather tightly to biblical theology. Of course, (4) how therse themse have been handled in the history of the church’s theology must not be ignored. (5) Equally, if [any volume on the cross] is to speak to our generation, it must engage some of the more important current discussion (p.12).

May we labor together to better know, love, and tell the message of the cross.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss