Ephesians 5:23 is a key verse for the Complementarian-Egalitarian debate. In this paper Barry Wilkins, MD, shows how this verse, with its use of the word ‘head’, relates to other key verses, especially Psalm 118:22 with its use of ‘head’. The Interpretation of Kephale in Ephesians 5:23 (277kB pdf)

The Song of Songs, embarrassing to many of us and neglected by most of us, is either an allegory of spiritual things, or an in-your-face sex-manual, or so various parties insist. This paper (and a shorter article) by Barry Wilkins takes a different view entirely, arguing from consideration of context and the Reformation slogan ‘Christ …

What is the Song of Songs doing in the Bible? Read More »

A number of readers have asked if this old paper is ever going to make its way on to the site, so here it is. It was written somewhat tongue in cheek, and so must be read likewise. No green-ink letters from ‘Tetchy of Tonbridge’, please! Bridge over Troubled Waters (436kB pdf)

The Sermon at Baulkham Hills North Anglican Church on Sunday 3rd April, 2011, was the fifth in a series on the early chapters of Genesis. Under the title ‘Noah – a Man of Our Time in a World of His Time’, the sermon covers the text from Genesis 5:28 – 8:22, and explores one particular …

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Yahweh is the covenant name of God, used well over 6,000 times in the OT. But what does the name mean? This paper suggests an answer, but the answer has little to do with the etymology of the word. Rather, it has to do with how the name is actually used in scripture. Yahweh our …

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The Origins Debate is surely one of the most vexed within the twin arenas of science and Christianity. Huge confusion and uncertainty surrounds the issue – except of course in the well made-up minds of the determined proponents of the various viewpoints. After a lifetime’s interest and wide reading on the matter, I find myself …

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The Science and the Bible Origins Debate is certainly one of the most vexed of all discussions in the evangelical Christian arena. In 2008 Christ Church Bromley, UK, hosted a debate on the subject. The .mp3 audio files, the PowerPoint demonstrations used by the two speakers, and an open response from two of us who …

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An exercise in ensuring we read what is actually in the bible rather than what is already in our preconceived notions, this paper looks at the biblical doctrine of God’s gifts of grace. The Giver of Grace and the Gifts of Grace (134kB pdf)

I’m posting this article, written a few years ago but now updated, in response to some current questions arising in the arena of hermeneutical methods (i.e., bible interpretation). It offers a critique of the increasingly popular Lectio Divina showing just what is ancient and what is modern; but it also briefly addresses hermeneutical issues generally, …

Lectio Divina – a critique Read More »

Five distinctives in A – E note form. What is an Evangelical? (276kB pdf)

These 1 Thessalonians study notes have been written to help bible study group leaders, or, for that matter, anyone teaching this heart-warming letter in any context, in their preparation. 1 Thessalonians Study Notes (305kB pdf) See also this note: Spirit and Word (686kB pdf)

New today is a paper by Andy Avery on the book of Ruth in the Bible, with a particular focus on reading it in context. It considers a whole variety of different contexts all of which bear upon how we understand this narrative part of scripture. Ruth in Context (96kB pdf)