Marcus Borg is the most important Christian theologian

I’m taking a class: Comparative Religion. It is mostly a survey class. We are currently studying Christianity. I recently received the study guide for the test, in which this list of terms is found:

• Gospels
• Epistles
• Translation process
• Incarnation, crucifixion, ressurection
• Pentacost
• Trinity
• Atonement
• Roman domination
• Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots
• Canonization of new Testament
• Issues of authority of scripture
• Ecumenical Councils: Nicea, Ephesus, Chalcedon
• Roman, Eastern, Protestant
• Eucharist
• Baptism (believers versus infant)
• Suffering Servant
• Eschatology
• Gender Issues in Christianity and Feminist theology
• Jesus Seminar
• Marcus Borg, The Heart of Christianity.

One of the first things that stood out to me in this list is that Marcus Borg is the only person referred to directly. Luther, Calvin, Aquinas, Anselm, and Augustine are all missing. And you can certainly forget about Zwingli, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Athanasius, Irenaeus, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, the Apostle Paul, C.S. Lewis, Karl Barth, Philip Melanchthon, B.B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, John Knox, Cornelius Van Til, R.C. Sproul, J.I. Packer, Tertullian, St. Francis, John the Baptist, Pelagius, the Apostle Peter,  Laelius Socinus, Arius, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Alvin Plantinga. None of these made the cut… but Marcus Borg did.

It is John Calvin’s 500th birthday this year, and he happens to have been one of the theologians in an insignificant event know as the Protestant Reformation; he hasn’t been mentioned once in class. Yet we talked quite a bit about the Jesus Seminar. This is an imbalance at best!  Unfortunately, it is no surprise that an extremely liberal “Christian” was the only one to make the list. Awful.

Resolutions for 2009

In light of the past year, I am going to make simpler resolutions for this year. There were times last year when I had forgotten entirely that I had made resolutions. I will once again borrow some from Jonathan Edwards, including the introduction to them:

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

1. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be most to God’s glory.
2. Resolved, to do whatever I perceive to be my duty.
3. Resolved, to accept rebuke with thankfulness.
4. Resolved, to pray believing God is omnipotent and sovereign.
5. Resolved, not to be unnecessarily argumentative.
6. Resolved, never to do anything that I would see fit to despise in others.
7. Resolved, to remember at all times that anything I do well, anything I do that is commendable, any thought that I have that is pure, correct, and right is only by God’s grace and his good pleasure.
8. Resolved, to create, maintain, and preserve peace except when doing so violates another resolution.
9. Resolved, to study frequently and steadily God’s Word and so meditate upon it as to better fulfill these resolutions and to better my love and service to God.
10. Resolved, not to buy a book except if it is a gift, required of me by school or church, or on my reading list (only 5 of which I do not own, and perhaps could borrow).
11. Resolved, to read over these resolutions once a week.
12. Resolved, that when I should stumble or fall in the keeping any part of these resolutions, that I repent of all I remember and submit my will to Christ once more.

Although I have borrowed some from Edwards, there are certainly differences between my resolutions and his (besides the number of them). For instance, Edwards’ resolutions were for life, whereas mine are for 2009. I certainly do not intent to keep number 10 throughout my entire life.

New Year’s Resolutions

I have recently read Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions and have decided to make some resolutions of my own. Several of these convictions have been working in my heart and in mind for some time and several coincide with Edwards’. And though I cannot articulate them as clearly or as eloquently as Jonathan Edwards, I find myself compelled to record them nonetheless. It is not my intention to merely take Edwards’ Resolutions and restate them, but he has influenced the order and phrasing of my resolutions regardless. Furthermore, I find I can write no preface to my resolutions so well as Edwards that I will use his introduction:

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ’s sake.     

1. Resolved, to do whatsoever I see will bring the most glory and pleasure to God without regard to cost, time, and energy. Resolved to carry out my duty to fear God and obey His commandments.
2. Resolved, to desire and find my pleasure and joy in Christ. To thirst after the living God. To delight in the character and nature of God.
3. Resolved, to study God’s Word, to search and meditate on the Scriptures, that I may better fulfill the first two resolutions.
4. Resolved, in my love of Christ, to have and grow a heart for the nations and for my fellow man. To love and serve my neighbors because Christ loved me. 
5. Resolved, in my love of Christ and my love for my neighbors, pursue excellence in the things I set out to accomplish, so as to glorify God, imitate Christ, and further the Gospel. That in my work I may be found approved and above reproach, with no need for shame, but walking in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
6. Resolved, that when I should stumble or fall in the keeping any part of these resolutions, when I am myself and of sound mind, that I repent of all I remember and submit my will to Christ once more.
7. Resolved, never to do anything that I would not do if I expected Christ to return within the hour.
8. Resolved, never to do anything that I would see fit to despise in others.
9. Resolved, to pray earnest, specific prayers, always expecting them to come to pass.
10. Resolved, to create, maintain, and preserve peace except when doing so violates another resolution.
11. Resolved, to battle and discourage heresy by clearly articulating and rightly dividing the Word of God and always doing so in love.
12. Resolved, to act as I think I should wish I had if I am damned in the end.
13. Resolved, when I am in pain, to think of the pains of Christ, of martyrdom, and of hell.
14. Resolved, never to spend money when I think that when looking back in a year’s time I will think it to be rash, foolish, stupid, selfish, dishonest, or imprudent. Yet also, in my giving, to be charitable, generous, and cheerful; always giving gladly when I can.

As I look back over my list, it occurs to me that it only makes sense that, after reading Edwards, I should borrow from some of his phrasing. After all, he, being widely held to be one of America’s greatest theologians (if not the greatest), would surely produce clear, concise, and meaningful resolutions; whereas I am more likely to butcher the use of our language in everything I write. In any case,  I have listed my resolutions and now the daunting task of carrying them out lays ahead. Will I break them? Most certainly. That is why I must rely on Christ and must never break the 6th resolution. And, if in my studying of the Bible, I find that a resolution is contrary to Scripture, then I will either fix or abandon it.