Encountering Jesus, Encountering Scripture: "Part bombshell, part pastoral epistle"

I sat down to craft a post about my friend David Crump's fantastic new book, Encountering Jesus, Encountering Scripture: Reading the Bible Critically in Faith (Eerdmans, 2013) because it's a book you should read.  But then I realized that all the things I want to say about it are already said in my Foreword to the book.  So I've embedded that below.

Reformed Gifts for the Church Catholic: My Response to Todd Billings

Since folks had inquired about the text of my response to Todd Billings' inaugural address as Girod Professor of Reformed Theology (noted yesterday), I have uploaded a pdf of my remarks for those who might be interested.  I believe that Todd hopes to publish his lecture in some format.

"Reformed Gifts for the Church Catholic: Five Books I Want Todd Billings to Write"

Reformed, Catholic, Evangelical: On J. Todd Billings

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of participating in the installation of my friend, J. Todd Billings, as the first Gordon H. Girod Research Professor of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI.  It was a marvelous celebration of Todd's work and future promise (and comes in the midst of Todd's battle with cancer).

The folks at Western Seminary have shared video from the event that might be of interest to a wider audience.

You can learn more about Todd's story, and the story behind this endowed chair, in this clip:


The Gordon H. Girod Chair of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary from Western Theological Seminary on Vimeo.

Todd's (fantastic, manifesto-like) inaugural address, entitled "Rediscovering the Catholic-Reformed Tradition for Today":


Girod Event Inauguration Address from Western Theological Seminary on Vimeo.

Matthew Levering, a brilliant young scholar from the University of Dayton, was the Roman Catholic Respondent:


Girod Event Response: Matthew Levering from Western Theological Seminary on Vimeo.

And I brought up the rear with a response titled, "Five Books I Want Todd Billings to Write":


Girod Event Response: James K. A. Smith from Western Theological Seminary on Vimeo.