Not quite back from my Summer break yet. Another week or two to go (because in the H.E. world nothing at all happens during the month of August). Nonetheless, beginning to prepare for the start of a new academic year and will gradually get back into blogging with several posts over the next couple of weeks. Apologies, but somewhat belatedly realised I should have informed readers there would be no posts for a couple or three weeks in August. Anyway...
Thought I'd start by pre-announcing the forthcoming joint conference organised by King's Evangelical Divinity School and Chosen People Ministries. The conference title is Israel and the Church: A Common Heritage and an Uncertain Future, to be held at London School of Theology on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th October. Speakers are Darrell Bock (Dallas Theological Seminary), Barry Horner (author of Future Israel), Mitch Glaser (Chosen People Ministries, New York), Jules Gomes (London School of Theology), Richard Harvey (All Nations Christian College), and myself. The Friday night session includes a meal. This promises to be an interesting academic conference drawing on a range of well-known speakers. Myself and Mitch Glaser are already working on editing a conference volume, to include several additional contributions from well-known scholars in the field. More details about the conference to be posted here in a few days.
In the meantime, you can book your place now (please note there are a limited number of places available on a first-come first-serve basis). Book and pay for your place here.
4 comments:
Oh that conference sounds absolutely fabulous!
Really missed your blogging recently....
Thanks for letting us know.
Dear Calvin,
The conference sounds great!! I have been thinking how, in Acts 15, James uses the following to include the gentiles –
" 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, in order that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' that have been known for ages.”
See the graciousness of God here!! The gentiles are included in a passage which affirms the restoration of Israel! Like when Luke, the most universal Gospel, also has the clearest references to God’s promises to Abraham and David, and it is the Apostle to the gentiles who tells us that all Israel will be saved. Equally, it is the ingathering of the fullness/abundance of the gentiles which heralds in the salvation of all Israel (Romans 11:25-6) – see the mutual interdependence here, how God wants each to delight and hope in the other, how each blesses the other.
More than this, the quote itself suggests that Israel is restored in order that the remnant of men may seek the Lord – that Israel is restored to bless the gentiles (as per Zechariah 8:22-23, Isaiah 2:1-4 and Romans 11:12, 15).
On the flip side, if God does not restore Israel, then the basis of our inclusion into the people of God is forfeit.
God bless,
Colin
A very useful comment Colin. But surely James and the apostles in Jerusalem interpreted the Amos message to imply that they were the ones given the task of rebuilding David's fallen tent, i.e. fulfilling the destiny of Israel as they built the 1st C Messianic community that was then extending to Gentiles. Surely they saw themselves as the faithful remnant of Israel that was obedient to the Messiah.
That doesn't mean that the present day State of Israel cannot have a place in God's plan, but I would argue that it must be through reconcilliation with God in Jesus the Messiah.
"That doesn't mean that the present day State of Israel cannot have a place in God's plan, but I would argue that it must be through reconcilliation with God in Jesus the Messiah."
Which will be dependent on God's grace alone, not Israel's efforts, and so we pray for this day.
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