Category Archives: Biblical Interpretation

The Lion’s Den: A Q&A with Criswell College Professors

Four Criswell College professors recently got together for a Lions Den panel where they answered difficult practical or theological questions submitted by students. Topics included prophetic dreams and visions, singleness and marriage, gluttony, and eschatology. The Panel: Dr. Barry Creamer, President and Professor of Humanities Dr. Everett Berry, Professor of Theology and Editor of the Criswell Theological Review Dr. Kevin Warstler, Associate Professor of Hebrew & Old Testament Professor Kirk … Continue reading →

Emerging Theological Issues for Evangelicals in the Days Ahead

*By Dr. Everett Berry. This piece originally appeared at All Things New. Evangelicals are always engaging one another over various theological issues, many of which are longstanding in the history of Christian thought. Examples include debates about the meaning of biblical inerrancy, the relationship between divine sovereignty and free will (especially as it relates to election), the legitimacy of complementarianism vs. egalitarianism, variances of opinion regarding church government and the … Continue reading →

Making the Psalms Personal

*Posted by Winston Hottman David Playing the Harp (1611) by Gerrit van Honthorst At HBUs School of Christian Thought blog, Dr. Peter Davids offers some advice on making the Psalms a part of our daily life: C. S. Lewis wrote hisReflections on the Psalms, and he is no exception, since many spiritual writers have done the same. Yet for years I appreciated the Psalms as Hebrew poetry and also appreciated … Continue reading →

Herman the Eunuch

*Posted by Kirk Spencer Many years ago, while editing transcripts of W. A. Criswells sermons, I noticed that the transcriber was obviously not familiar with the word hermeneutics (the science of interpretation). Every time Dr. Criswell said hermeneutic the transcriber transcribed Herman the eunuch. It must have seemed strange to have this odd eunuch named Herman suddenly appearing amid discussions of literary criticism and biblical exegesis. The herm part of … Continue reading →

Mystic Eunuch

*Posted by Kirk Spencer Sometimes I feel like the Bible was written just for me. I know its crazy, but when its words speak to the very thing Im facing at that particular moment, I cant help it. There have even been times when, in desperation, I have opened its pages longing to hear from God and I am not disappointed. It wasnt until I began to hang out with … Continue reading →

Did Adam & Eve Actually Exist?

*Posted by Winston Hottman The most recent edition of the Criswell Theological Review is devoted to this question. With contributions from five scholars, the journal considers the historicity of Adam and Eve and fleshes out the implications of affirming or denying this traditional Christian belief. It promises to be a great read: As we will see in this compilation of articles, there are numerous issues that are contributing to this … Continue reading →

Book Review: Reading the Gospels Wisely

* Book review by Michael Cooper. Michael serves as Assistant to the President at Criswell College where he is also studying Biblical Studies and Languages. Jesus once told a story about a wise man and a foolish man. In the story, the wise man builds his house upon the rockwhile the foolish man builds his house upon the sand. Now the distinguishing element in the story is that the wise … Continue reading →

Avoiding the Hermeneutical Whirlpool

*Posted by Barry Creamer Lets get the basics out of the way. Hermeneutics is about how to interpret texts. Interpreting texts is about finding (a deliberately ambiguous term) meaning in a text. For many people, the meaning of a text is exactly the intent of the author in constructing that text. Because of the nature of expressive errors, I dont agree that authorial intent and textual meaning are equivalent. I … Continue reading →

The Future Kingdom Conference Live-Stream

*Editors Note: Brandon Smith will be live-blogging this event. Thank you for joining in with us! Follow along all day for the quotes and arguments from our Future Kingdom Conference. Use the hashtag #FutureKingdom if youd like to talk about this event on Twitter. These quotes are mostly close paraphrases during a live event, and you are encouraged to listen to the audio that will be posted soon. Refresh your … Continue reading →

What Does it Mean Not to “Judge” Others?

*Posted by Joe Wooddell Definitions or meanings of words are important. Lets talk about definitions and meanings regarding the idea of judging others. We live in a culture (both within the Church and without) where judging others is often condemned, but seldom do advocates of non-judgmentalism tell us what, exactly, it means not to judge others. The Bible says not to judge, claim such advocates, but further explanation is usually … Continue reading →