Scripture on Scripture: Part 2
In a previous post I examined how Scripture is described in the doxology of Romans chapter 16, in relation to the sovereign plan of the...
systematic theology
Scripture on Scripture: Part 1
A doctrine of Scripture that arises from the Bible's own teaching about itself can draw on a range of texts beyond the 'obvious' ones...
The wisdom of Tolkien
I've nearly finished my second reading of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy The Lord of the Rings. I first read this mammoth work of fantasy...
A Timely Word: What to say to the grieving?
Last week the world faced the grim statistic: novel coronavirus COVID-19 has now claimed more than 2 million lives. The inescapable...
Religion with benefits
Are Japanese people 'religious'? Almost 50% (49.4%, to be precise) of people in Japan say they have 'no religion' (無宗教). But this doesn't...
Sexual temptation... and the Buddha
Since October, I've been taking a regular class in early Buddhism at the local culture centre here in Nagoya. I should say that 'taking'...
Why Guys Who Move Abroad Lose Weight... and Girls Put it On
I first moved to Japan from the UK nearly twenty years ago, as an Assistant English Teacher (AET) on the Japanese government's JET...
I've already married three Japanese people: I expect there will be more.
I'd better put this up front: I only have one wife. And I've only ever had one. We're very happily married. But a few years ago a...
Why you SHOULD come to Japan as a missionary.
If you read my previous post (Why you shouldn't come to Japan as a missionary), you might be wondering what's left to say on the...
Why you shouldn't come to Japan as a missionary.
This doesn't sound like the kind of blogpost a missionary in Japan should be writing. And I want to put a big caveat up front: God calls...
Be Bible Christians, not system Christians!
Systematic theology doesn't always get a great press. For some Christians I know, it sounds like a process of putting things in...