"Calvin's Comeback? The Irresistable Reformer (Cover Article on 'The New Calvinists')," The Christian Century (December 1, 2009), 22-25.

Who are "the New Calvinists," and in what sense is their theology really Calvinist or Reformed? This article gives a brief assessment of the movement, with a critique of its use of the TULIP as a summary of Reformed theology.

“What Makes a Church Missional? Freedom from Cultural Captivity Does Not Mean Freedom from Tradition,” Christianity Today (March 2008), 56-59.

Underneath the title “missional church” are varied – and often conflicting – notions of what the church is. This article gives an account of some of this conflicting usage, and suggests a way forward for the missional church discussion.

“On Giving and Receiving: How Can Christians Live Out the Commands of Matthew 25 – Without the Pity,” Sojourners Magazine (April, 2007), 48-51.

This article explores how acts of Christian love can avoid the condescension that so often accompanies giving to those in need.

Selected Articles for Academic Audiences:

“Milbank’s Theology of the Gift and Calvin’s Theology of Grace: A Critical Comparison,” Modern Theology 21:1 (January 2005): 87-105.

This article examines John Milbank's constructive proposal for a theology of grace in relation to the "gift-giving" discourse. After giving Milbank's account and rehearsing his implicit and explicit criticisms of Reformational theologies of grace, I offer a critical comparison and response to his criticisms in terms of John Calvin's theology of grace.

“‘Incarnational Ministry:’ A Christological Evaluation and Proposal,” Missiology: An International Review 32:2 (April 2004):187-201.

This article gives a evaluation of the implicit christology of "incarnational ministry" proposals in missiological circles, with a focus on the work of Orlando Costas in particular. After pointing to the theological and missiological problems with this view, it draws upon the work of Karl Barth for a constructive proposal that addresses the key theological and missiological issues raised.

...for a listing of academic articles, click here, though most are not available on this website because of copyright limitations.

Books:

Calvin, Participation, and the Gift: The Activity of Believers in Union with Christ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).

This book explores John Calvin’s theology of salvation as “participation in Christ” by the Spirit. Engaging contemporary theologian who claim that Calvin has a coercive view of God, this book gives a fresh reading of Calvin’s theology in light of his underappreciated theology of participation as it is displayed in his account of the sacraments, the Christian life, and ethics.

The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture, Eerdmans Press, 2010.

This book develops a trinitarian theology of salvation as the context for a hermeneutic to read the Bible as Scripture for the church. In doing so, it provides a bridge for students and pastors to key aspects of the contemporary discourse on the theological interpretation of Scripture, and the revival of interest in premodern hermeneutics and exegesis.

Calvin’s Theology and Its Reception: Disputes, Developments, and New Possibilities, co-edited with I. John Hesselink. Under contract with Westminster John Knox Press (forthcoming).

This collection of essays focuses on five significant theological topics in Calvin's thought and does three things: it gives a contextually sensitive account of this topic in Calvin's own thought; it traces significant points in the history of reception of Calvin's writings on this topic; finally, Calvin's thought on this topic is evaluated in terms of its promise and limitations for contemporary theological retrieval.

Selected Articles in Popular Periodicals:

Selected Articles for Academic Audiences: