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Should the Global Methodist Church have new Articles of Faith?
Global Methodists are talking about doctrine and theology. That's a good thing. Twentieth century mainline Methodism didn't leave us a strong theological legacy, and I'm grateful to see us working through important questions of belief. As you might expect, questions have come up about the proposed Articles of Faith. Why are we considering such a proposal? What's the process for considering them? Why might we need a fresh statement of our beliefs? And then there are questions
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Penal Substitution as Trinitarian Love: A Response to Frederick W. Schmidt
Rublev’s famous icon depicts the other-oriented love of the God who is triune. Is God a violent monster? If you think Jesus embraced the...

Matt O'Reilly
4 min read


Eternally secure; provided that
“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men...

Matt O'Reilly
1 min read


Written Before the Foundation of the World? Translation Matters
The ESV renders Revelation 13:8b like this: “everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of...

Matt O'Reilly
2 min read


Substitution not Abandonment: A Response to Dan Wallace
Dan Wallace thinks so as well, if not more so, and recently wrote a response to Hsu criticizing him for going soft on a penal...

Matt O'Reilly
3 min read


A Narrative Theology of Penal Substitution
“For an instant, Barabbas seemed to comprehend that this innocent man would be nailed to the cross in his place. Barabbas would be the...

Matt O'Reilly
1 min read


Theory or History? The Difference is Important
It’s one thing for this to be the language of professional academic guilds, but I hope this language doesn’t work it’s way into the...

Matt O'Reilly
2 min read


Penal Substitution: Theological Innovation or Ancient Doctrine?
Is the penal substitutionary understanding of the atonement a novel idea held mainly by the Reformers and their theological offspring?...

Matt O'Reilly
5 min read
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