Religion - Doctrine & Practice

DOCTRINE - GENERAL

"A Brief Doctrinal Statement" uses a trinitarian format, or God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to emphasize from a biblical perspective what is important to Christian faith and life.

"The Fundamental Doctrine, The Cross of Christ" (Gospel Advocate, April 1981) highlights the death of Christ as essential for Christian faith and life.  "The Heart of the Good News" briefly emphasizes the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as what was integral to early Christian preaching and teaching.

"Sanctification and Fellowship in the New Testament" (written originally in the mid-1980s and revised July 2014) applies the biblical concept of growing in holiness or sanctification to New Testament occurrences of koinonia or fellowship.  It is argued that sanctification is a key to true Christian fellowship.

"Written Revelation and Inspiration" is a brief outline of scriptures with notes that highlight the need for written revelation and the inspiration of the Bible.

DOCTRINE OF GOD, CHRIST, HOLY SPIRIT

"Person of Christ in the Bible" is adapted from the outline for Dr. Jack Cottrell's "Person of Christ" Course at Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Cincinnati, OH; Spring 1979).  It provides an outline of scriptures, with minimal comments, from both Old and New Testaments that highlight the divine and human nature of Jesus theChrist.

"God Is Your Creator, So What?" looks at Paul's sermon to philosophers at Athens (Acts 17:24-31) in light of biblical teachings about God as creator.  Published in the Firm Foundation (January 1979) and revised in February 2011.

"The Goodness and Severity of God" develops and harmonizes seemingly opposite attributes of God, based on Paul's writing to the Romans (chapter 11).  Published in the Firm Foundartion (April 1979) and revised in February 2011. 

First written in November 1982 and revised in March 2011, "Is Modalism A Viable Trinitarian Concept" examines three basic fallacies of the modalistic view of the trinity.

"Some Thoughts About the Holy Spirit" (revised August 2021) is a collection of brief articles about the work of God's Spirit in the lives of believers.  "Holy Spirit Bibliography" (Summer 2022) is a brief annotated list of books about God's Holy Spirit.  "On Tongue Speaking" (January 2022) is a few reflections about this New Testament gift of the Holy Spirit.

ETHICS

"Increasing Ethical Awareness in the Local Church" (Summer 1981; revised Fall 2019) gives a basic statement for a biblical approach to ethical decision-making with a twenty-six lesson outline at the conclusion for church groups.

"Marriage, Adultery, and Sexual Purity in the Old Testament" was written in the mid-1970s, revised for the gathering mentioned below, and revised again in October 2019.  "The Meaning of Adultery in the New Testament" was discussed during a gathering of Church Of Christ preachers in Nashville, Tennessee, during the Fall of 1982 and revised October 2019.

"Environmentalism, Renewability, and New Covenant Perspectives for the Telos of God's Kosmos" (2024) identifies six competing models, based on a few key eschatological and apocalyptic texts from the New Covenant, that relate to God's concern for his kosmos and its ultimate telos ("end, goal, completion").  The argument is made that we should, like God, work to take care of the kosmos that we inhabit.

ESCHATOLOGY

"The Second Coming of Christ--Past or Future" examines the preterist view of Christ's second advent in light of the "ambiguity" in New Testament texts about the time of the Lord's return.  Published in the Gospel Advocate in August 1981, in La Vox Eterna in July-August 1982, and revised February 2011.