Strange Lyre: Conclusion
A good theologian once drew me a diagram of the progress of Christian doctrine and Christian history from the apostles to our day. He drew… Read More »Strange Lyre: Conclusion
David de Bruyn
David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.
Cessmaticism: The Strange Hybrid of Contemporary Christian Worship
We began this series by making the claim that Pentecostalism has quietly (or not so quietly) colonised Protestant worship, even in those churches and groups… Read More »Cessmaticism: The Strange Hybrid of Contemporary Christian Worship
Strange Lyre: Nothing But Feelings
Pentecostal worship places great emphasis on intensity. By intensity, they mean a strongly felt experience of emotion, intimacy, joy, wonder, or happiness. Indeed, this is… Read More »Strange Lyre: Nothing But Feelings
The Idols of Intensity and Extemporaneity
A polarized debate goes on between different stripes of Christians over the place of experience in Christianity. One side asserts that experiential faith (what the… Read More »The Idols of Intensity and Extemporaneity
Pentecostal “Praise and Worship”: A Radical Departure from Historic Worship
Christian worship has often had a remarkably similar shape across traditions. Bryan Chapell showed in his work Christ-Centered Worship that corporate worship (sans communion) in… Read More »Pentecostal “Praise and Worship”: A Radical Departure from Historic Worship
Early Beginnings of Pentecostal Worship
An easy error for a historian to commit is to equate or link events or movements in history that are similar, while ignoring or underplaying… Read More »Early Beginnings of Pentecostal Worship
Strange Lyre: The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship
It’s hardly disputable that global Christianity has been overwhelmed and colonized by the Pentecostal and charismatic movements. After Roman Catholicism, the Christianity identified variously as… Read More »Strange Lyre: The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship
Imagination, Illumination and Faith: a Proposed Connection
We have already showed the importance of imagination for shaping on overall Christian outlook and sensibility. Still, for many Christians these things seem abstract and… Read More »Imagination, Illumination and Faith: a Proposed Connection
Discerning the Christian Imagination: Consensus and Canonicity
Determining if a poem, hymn, musical piece, novel, devotional work, painting or other work should be considered a helpful work of Christian imagination is mostly… Read More »Discerning the Christian Imagination: Consensus and Canonicity
Discerning the Christian Imagination: Analogies and Proportion
If Christians should grow in their ability to discern superior Christian works of imagination, how should they do this? Must every Christian pursue some kind… Read More »Discerning the Christian Imagination: Analogies and Proportion
Shapers of Christian Imagination
How is Christian imagination shaped? A true but not very helpful answer would be to say, “everything shapes imagination”. Visits to the doctor, watering the… Read More »Shapers of Christian Imagination
Christian Imagination Fleshed Out
What does the Christian imagination look like when it is fleshed out? We can imagine it as a spectrum, beginning with Scripture itself and working… Read More »Christian Imagination Fleshed Out
Imaginative Knowledge
If Christian imagination is the best way of referring to how Christians know and perceive the world, does thinking of it in this way have… Read More »Imaginative Knowledge
Imaginative Knowing
If “Christian imagination” is really another way of saying Christian knowing, or Christian knowledge, why persist in calling it imagination? Why not simply call it… Read More »Imaginative Knowing
Imagination and Understanding Reality
Should Christians persist in referring to “Christian Imagination”? Since we are concerned with truth, should we not avoid terms that have connotations of what is… Read More »Imagination and Understanding Reality
Christian Imagination is Not Imaginary Christianity
Christian imagination is not a term that will immediately draw approving responses. These days, Christianity is on the back foot anyway, and anything that sounds… Read More »Christian Imagination is Not Imaginary Christianity
Conclusion: Beauty as Love
In this series, we have considered the meaning of beauty, objections to beauty, and how beauty is to be sought. We’ve answered the objections that… Read More »Conclusion: Beauty as Love
The Practices of Correspondent Love
The practices, or disciplines of the Christian life function to nurture correspondent love. The disciplines are not themselves the sum and substance of communion with… Read More »The Practices of Correspondent Love
The Process of Correspondent Love
Love for God’s beauty is known not only by imagination and through changed nature, but also by exposure. The writer of Theologia Germanica wrote, “And… Read More »The Process of Correspondent Love
The Position of Correspondent Love for God
One’s nature determines much of one’s desire for God. What is inherited from Adam and from biological ancestors, partly determines what one desires. Unless the… Read More »The Position of Correspondent Love for God