theology Archives -

Honor and Shame as (New) Covenant Language

By HonorShame Posted on June 3, 2020 Posted in Bible, salvation, Shame, Theology 4 Comments

The removal of shame is a new covenant reality. When God (re)makes his covenant, he removes the shame of his people. This covenantal context, I believe, is crucial to properly understanding the nature of biblical shame, and, thus, salvation as …

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Tagged with: bible, covenant, salvation, theology

Visualizing the Resurrection

By HonorShame Posted on April 17, 2019 Posted in Bible, Christology, Honor No Comments

Christians throughout history have used art to communicate theology. Most paintings are rather straightforward in their depiction of a gospel scene. But the scene of the resurrection of Jesus is an enigma. The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection was not directly …

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Tagged with: art, easter, history, resurrection, theology

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

By HonorShame Posted on March 20, 2019 Posted in Christology 2 Comments

From an honor-shame perspective, why did Jesus have to die? This is a common question people ask, and is worth exploring. Reflecting on this topic exposes some cultural assumptions and helps us to better understand biblical salvation. The Issue The …

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Tagged with: atonement, atonement christ, Jesus, theology

What is “God’s Glory”?—Jonathan Edwards’ Theology

By HonorShame Posted on March 6, 2019 Posted in Theology No Comments

What is “the glory of God”? And, why is God’s glory so important? Jonathan Edwards (1703-58), perhaps better than any other theologian, explains the meaning and significance of God’s glory. His book, The End for Which God Created the World …

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Tagged with: edwards, glory, God, historical theology, theology

New Article: Theology of Honor & Shame (by J Wu)

By HonorShame Posted on August 29, 2018 Posted in Bible, Resources, Theology No Comments

The recent edition of Themelios journal (The Gospel Coalition) published Jackson Wu’s article “Have Theologians No Sense of Shame? How the Bible Reconciles Objective and Subjective Shame.” This article clearly sets forth a biblical theology of honor and shame. I recommend …

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Tagged with: biblical, theology

The Meaning of Romans 3:23

By HonorShame Posted on October 4, 2017 Posted in Bible, Honor, NT, Shame, Theology 16 Comments

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That is how most English Bibles translate Romans 3:23. Western Christianity typically interprets these words as, “Every individual person has done something wrong and not lived up to God’s …

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Tagged with: glory, hermeneutics, morality, NT, Romans, theology

Communion, from an Honor-Shame Perspective

By HonorShame Posted on June 14, 2017 Posted in Bible, Honor, Jesus, NT, salvation, Shame, Theology 2 Comments

God is the “King of Glory.” God does not have honor. He is honor. Glory radiates from his very being. He is the One who bestows and grants honor upon us. God is the only source of honor. David says, …

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Tagged with: communion, Corinthians, Eucharist, Lord's supper, NT, theology

Stetzer, Moreau, & Kärkkäinen at the Honor-Shame Conference

By HonorShame Posted on February 24, 2017 Posted in Communication, Culture 2 Comments

Three leading missiologists will join us at the Honor-Shame Conference (June 19-21) at Wheaton. Ed Stetzer is the Billy Graham Professor of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, Executive Director of the Billy Graham School of Evangelism, and blogs at The Exchange …

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Tagged with: conference, missiology, theology

Unthankfulness = Sin. So, Happy Thanksgiving!

By HonorShame Posted on November 24, 2016 Posted in Honor, Sin, Theology 1 Comment

The English word “thanksgiving” means food and football. The biblical concept is far different. In honor-shame cultures, the ideology of patronage structures most relationships. This means clients are morally obligated to express thankfulness and gratitude to patrons. The failure to properly reciprocate …

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Tagged with: gratitutde, patronage, sin, theology

Shame & Honor—Are They “New” Ideas?

By HonorShame Posted on November 22, 2016 Posted in Bible, Theology 4 Comments

Sandra Freeman has served with her husband in Botswana since 2001 doing discipleship and business mentoring. She blogs at “Edge of the Kalahari.”Someone recently expressed concern about honor and shame, saying they are normally cautious about new ideas. I agree it …

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Tagged with: church, history, Honor, theology

New Book: Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures (IVP)

By HonorShame Posted on October 5, 2016 Posted in Bible, Honor, Ministry, Missiology, NT, OT, Resources, Shame, Theology 1 Comment

My latest book Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures: Biblical Foundations and Practical Essentials (InterVarsity Press) is now available.This 270-page book equips Christians to proclaim and embody the gospel in honor-shame contexts. Our aim was simple: to show how honor-shame is central …

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Tagged with: book, ministry, missiology, NT, OT, resource, theology

Sarah & Hagar: A Struggle for Honor

By HonorShame Posted on September 21, 2016 Posted in Bible, OT, Theology 4 Comments

Dr. Marvin J. Newell is Senior Vice President of Missio Nexus, a network that connects evangelical mission agencies, churches and training centers across North America. He served over two decades in Indonesia and teaches at Moody and Western. This article …

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Tagged with: Abraham, God, OT, Sarah, story, theology

The 3 Kinds of Honor

By HonorShame Posted on August 31, 2016 Posted in Communication, Culture, Evangelism, Honor, Theology 7 Comments

The three types of honor are bad honor, good honor, and eternal honor. People use the same word “honor” for all three, and this causes confusion. Failing to note the three kinds of honor affects our discipleship and theology. So here …

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Tagged with: culture, definition, Honor, theology

How Honor Baffled (& Awed) C. S. Lewis

By HonorShame Posted on July 27, 2016 Posted in Culture, ethics, Honor, Theology 1 Comment

C.S. Lewis preached “The Weight of Glory” in 1942. In this sermon he speaks personally about his understanding of the biblical promises of honor and glory. Here are 4 phases of his theology.1. C.S. Lewis saw honorOne can hardly read the …

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Tagged with: CS Lewis, culture, history, Honor, theology

Honor-Shame Devotional Video (2-min)

By HonorShame Posted on July 18, 2016 Posted in Culture, salvation, Shame 2 Comments

“Honor // Shame” is a powerful devotional video. Since it is just 2-minutes long and well-edited, it could nicely introduce a Bible study or sermon. Broaching the topic of shame can be uncomfortable, so why not outsource the dirty work with a quality video!Produced by Ricky Diaz and Luis Espino, …

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Tagged with: ministry, resources, shame, theology, video

Honor & Shame in God’s Revelation (1 Kgs 22)

By HonorShame Posted on July 13, 2016 Posted in Bible, ethics, OT, Theology No Comments

Martin Munyao (Th.M., Daystar Academy of Nairobi) was a pastor and theology teacher in Kenya. He is earning his Ph.D. at Concordia Theological Seminary.How did God use Israel’s cultural dynamics of honor-shame to reveal himself? As an example, we take the …

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Tagged with: bible, culture, OT, revelation, theology

How OT Sacrifices Saved

By HonorShame Posted on June 29, 2016 Posted in Bible, Christology, Honor, Jesus, salvation, Sin, Theology 10 Comments

What happens during a sacrifice? How do sacrifices work? What was killing an animal in the temple supposed accomplish?Malachi 1:6-2:9 explains the logical underpinning of temple sacrifices. Basically, the priest’s defective sacrifices failed to honor God. The priests’ unclean animals have shown …

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Tagged with: atonement, OT, sacrifice, theology

How Self-Righteous Judaizers Boasted

By HonorShame Posted on June 22, 2016 Posted in Bible, Culture, Evangelism, Theology 1 Comment

The Problem with “Self-Righteousness”The term “self-righteous” is not a biblical term. Yes, the Bible does speak about a type of righteousness that is not of God, but the nature of this false-righteousness is rather different than commonly assumed.Romans 10:3 speaks about this …

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Tagged with: boasting, evangelism, sin, theology

How Honor-Shame Cultures Confess Sins

By HonorShame Posted on June 15, 2016 Posted in Communication, Culture, Ministry, Missiology, Relationships, Shame, Spirituality, Theology 6 Comments

How should people confess their sin? What form should confession take?I was raised Catholic, so the the word “confession” means reliving those experiences as a mischievous little boy shuddering in a confessional booth saying, “Forgive me father for I have …

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Tagged with: confession, relationships, repentance, theology

Redemption. From What?

By HonorShame Posted on June 8, 2016 Posted in Bible, Honor, salvation, Theology 2 Comments

What does redemption mean? What are we redeemed from? The biblical term denotes “release from bondage.” Because of our own weaknesses (social, physical, or spiritual), a stronger patron-like Savior must enact our release.HOW do redeemers redeem?In the Bible, people are redeemed …

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Tagged with: bible, OT, redemption, theology

Tag: theology