10 boys names starting with J and ending with N

I was trying to remember someone's name - was it Justin or Julian. Turns out it was Jason. A lot of boy's names begin with J and end with N, it seems. Here are ten

1. John
2. Justin
3. Julian
4. Jason
5. Jordan
6. Jonathan
7. Jaden
8. Jefferson
9. Jackson

10. Jocelyn

Currid on Calvin

Somehow I missed this volume last year - Hebrew teacher John Currid's Calvin and the Biblical Languages. A straightforward book of only about a hundred pages it neatly sets out the facts concerning Calvin and the biblical languages. The thesis is that though Calvin was not an outstanding scholar in Greek or Hebrew he did use the languages and encouraged others to use them. Indeed he did more than many to encourage the use of the bibklical languages. Currid's argument is that use of the original languages is really a Reformation principle and one that we neglect at our peril. He has a compelling case and I for one felt a little ashamed of my laziness in this area. Details here.

John Owen Centre Conference Day 01

It was good to be one of around 150 present at the John Owen Centre, Finchley, to hear this year's Dr Lloyd-Jones memorial lecture by Philip Eveson on Gospel and Creation - the significance of a theology of creation for preaching. A very full paper, it considered what a theology of creation should include (making some 12 points including the fact that there can only be one universe, that creation is the work of the triune God, who is also a relational God and insisting on the distinction between Creator and creation, creation and providence); the message of the gospel; the centrality of Christ and the significance of all this for preaching. Relying heavily on the work of Herman Bavinck, both creation and the gospel were expounded and asserted in the face of Muslim, Hindu, atheist and other deviant views to the contrary. It closed with an alliterative admonition to adore our Maker, appreciate his creation, understand the ache or groan that we presently know, anticipate the new creation and being active in making the message known.

The lecture came at the end of a busy first day of lectures and discussion under the title of Creation, the Bible and Science. About a hundred, mostly men and most of them ministers, had listened to three papers. The first was by Dr John Currid from RTS, Charlotte, Virginia, on Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2. This focused almost exclusively on Genesis 1 and was perhaps rather narrow as it simply sought to show that Genesis 1 is not poetry. Other interesting matters were raised in the paper and in discussion, however, and it was good to hear and discuss this paper.

Dr Robert Letham from WEST spoke next. Billed as Genesis 1 & 2 - the History of Interpretation this was inevitably boiled down to a history up until the Westminster Assembly and so did not interact at all with post-Darwin reactions. Indeed we may get through the whole conference saying very little about Darwin or Darwinism. Dr Letham's agenda was to suggest that there has never been much of a consensus on anything beyond the fact that the Bible teaches an ex nihilo creation by the triune God. He made a great deal of the popularity of Augustine's idea of instantaneous creation for hundreds of years.

The third paper of the day was Genesis 1 & 2 - a Scientist’s Perspective. Because Professor Stuart Burgess was the chosen speaker this was really an engineer's perspective. This was the most conservative, the warmest, the easiest and perhaps the most interesting paper of the day. He spoke of God's power, skill and goodness in creation and then spoke briefly in favour of "a young Adam" and a "young earth" and against the possibility of extra-terrestrial forms of life.

The day was a very stimulating one with lots of good questions and good answers and many expressions a genuine desire not to demonise fellow believers, seriously grappling with the biblical text and the scientific data but coming to differing conclusions to our own but within the biblical requirements. As ever, it was good to talk over the meals about these issues and others.

Hopefully tomorrow will be an equally stimulating day.

JOC Conference

Guy was just ahead of me - so I'll nick his page to remind you of this upcoming conference. (If anyone is into redaction criticism this good be a good place to start).

It's a two day conference at the John Owen Centre and the programme is as follows:

Monday 15th September

Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2 - Dr. John Currid

Genesis 1 & 2 - the History of Interpretation - Dr. Robert Letham

Genesis 1 & 2 - a Scientist’s Perspective - Prof. Stuart Burgess

7.45 pm The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture:

The Gospel and Creation - the significance of a theology of creation for preaching - Rev. Philip Eveson. This lecture will be held in Kensit Evangelical Church and is open to everyone.

Tuesday 16th September

The New Testament and Creation - Dr. Stephen Lloyd

Design Arguments - stepping stones or stumbling blocks? - Prof. Paul Helm (*)

Authority: the Bible and science - Dr. Jason Rampelt

Looks very interesting. More info here.

* Prof Helm's paper is available in draft form here