The Fire and the Cloud: A Biblical Christology

“Churches should hand pew-sitters red cards to raise up and hand over whenever a preacher slips into advice-giving mode.” Here’s a conversation Johanna and I recently had with Chris E.W. Green about his new and wonderful book, The Fire and the Cloud: A Biblical Christology.

You can find the book HERE.

Chris’s Substack is also an essential read.

Show Notes

Summary

In this conversation, Chris Green discusses his book The Fire and the Cloud and explores the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter two. He challenges the notion of newness in Christianity and emphasizes the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Chris also addresses the history of supersessionism and the need to read the Old Testament with a healthier and more playful approach. He suggests that readers should approach the texts with humility, recognizing that the writers of the scriptures were ahead of us in discerning what God wants and how God works.

The conversation explores the approach to reading and interpreting scripture, emphasizing the need to recognize the artistry and skill in the biblical texts. It challenges the idea of inerrancy and highlights the importance of a true doctrine of inspiration. The conversation also delves into the concept of stability in the Bible and the need for humility, patience, and openness to differences in interpretation. It concludes with a discussion on the role of preaching and the importance of vulnerability and uncertainty in sermons.

Takeaways

• The arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter two challenges the notion of newness in Christianity and highlights the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

• Supersessionism, the belief that Christianity has replaced Judaism, has led to anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism. It is important to read the Old Testament with a healthier and more playful approach, recognizing the value of Jewish interpretations.

• Approach the scriptures with humility and recognize that the writers of the texts were ahead of us in discerning what God wants and how God works. Avoid arrogance and the temptation to fix or dismiss troubling passages.

• Recognize the tension between the synagogue and the church and the ongoing disagreement between Jews and Christians. Trust that God holds these differences together and be open to learning from one another.

• Read the scriptures with a childlike curiosity and a willingness to be formed by them. Approach the texts with a sense of wonder and allow them to challenge and shape your understanding of God and faith. Approach scripture as works of art and skill that nudge us towards change and obedience.

• Reject the doctrine of inerrancy in favor of a true doctrine of inspiration.

• Recognize the need for humility, patience, and openness to differences in interpreting scripture.

• Preaching should be vulnerable and embrace uncertainty to create space for growth and understanding.

Sound Bites

• "The spirit had not been given. No one had known the intimacy of the spirit."

• "What's new is what Jesus has renewed or recreated for us."

• "He's experiencing everything, but he's not changed. He's making changes."

• "These are works of incredible art, incredible skill that are meant to nudge us or draw us or propel us toward change and obedience and repentance."

• "A doctrine of inerrancy is much too small over against a true doctrine of inspiration."

• "The stability of the Bible as a book, as a product that sits on my shelf that I own with a clear beginning and end, neatly ordered, like that stability most Christians haven't known."