Timothy George, the distinguished theologian and leader of Evangelical-Catholic dialogue, is the newest fortnightly web columnist for First Things . His first piece , which contrasts the spiritual outlooks of Pope Francis and Katharine Jefferts Schori, calls on Christians to take seriously spiritual combat:
Like the robust faith of the New Testament, this kind of affective Christianity embraces the charismatic, the visionary, and the apocalyptic. These are all held in deep suspicion by those who still find spiritual warmth in the dying embers of rationalist religion. As Kenya’s Musimbi Kanyoro wrote, “Those cultures which are far removed from biblical culture risk reading the Bible as fiction.” . . .
Near the end of his life, Karl Barth declared that the next great theological frontier would be the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The pontificate of Pope Francis makes this task an urgent necessity for all who love the Church and wish to see her united in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and giver of life. Those of us in the Northern climes can begin to take this work seriously by learning to read the Scriptures alongside those on the front lines of spiritual combat.
More here . George, a Southern Baptist, joins a growing list of regular Protestant contributors including Peter Leithart, Russell Saltzman, James R. Rogers.
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