Leviticus: "Book of Thud" or a Book That Speaks Anew in Every Age?

LEVITICUS: "BOOK OF THUD" OR THE BOOK THAT SPEAKS IN EVERY AGE?

Does the book really matter? Frankly, I've never heard sermons on this ever. I understand Mr. (Rev.) Danny Hyde in a Reformed Church, Oceanside United Reformed Church, CA, did a series;  I understand that Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Allen Ross, a solid Episcopal Churchman, has published an excellent volume on it; we will probably secure and review that.  I suppose there are some places that have considered Leviticus. But, largely, I can't remember it ever being read in divine worship. Can you?  Is it that unimportant? (rhetorical of course) Is it the "Book of Thud" or does it speak anew, afresh and with continuing force? (again, rhetorical)

Authorship: Moses, somewhere between 1446-1406 B.C. Throughout Leviticus, Moses refers to the “Word” or “Words” of God. As for larger issues of authorship, we’ll deal with that more largely elsewhere.

Most critical and liberal scholars put the authorship in the 6th century B.C., but that doesn’t fit the period, doesn’t reflect the Prophets, nor does it account for Levitical references in Amos (8th century B.C.) or Ezekiel (6th century B.C.), to mention a few.

Ergo, for the present purpose: Leviticus represents the ideals of worship and holiness from Moses (15th century B.C.) to 587/586 B.C., shy of one millennium.

Characteristics and Themes:

• Enshrines and teaches the theological loci of systematic theology: God, humanity (Israel and the nations), Christ, salvation (covenant of works/covenant of grace, justification by faith alone, repentance unto life, assurance of forgiveness), church (Israel, covenant) and eschatology (Messiah, New Covenant)

• Historically, Leviticus is anchored to Sinai in the wilderness; establishes instructions for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness

• God elects one nation and not all nations. He shall, as promised in the gracious covenant, dwell with His elected people on "His non-negotiated terms." It's not "worship-on-a-wing-and-a-fly." They're not Hillbilly ecstatic Babblers or invokers of departed saints. God is holy, perfect, and the Source and Focus of all life, love, instruction, pardon and forgiveness. All worship throughout Leviticus is "to the LORD." It's not about me, principally. God initiates and covenants to dwell with His people. By the way, there isn’t the slightest of any hint of invoking departed saints as Tractoes, Romanists and Greeks abominably practice; the ACNA is manifestly wicked for tolerating Misters Iker, Ackerman and other enablers--wicked and they need to repent.

• Mankind, including Israel, are universally depraved and sinful. This includes all, leaders and priests included. This theme is manifested since the fall and to Moses' times. In Deuteronomy, Moses notes that many Israelites will get worse too. While Israel holds the unique status as an elected and redeemed nation, others do not sustain the same redemptive relationship. If Israel and Israelites need atonement and reconciliation, quite inferably, by extension, so do the nations. But God did not elect them. Universal depravity is taught by Jesus and Paul (Rom. 3.9ff.), inter alia.

• Leviticus is a worship manual for the nation as regulated by ordained clerics: worship is ordered, regulated, disciplined and quite the reverse of “make-it-up-on-the-fly.”

• Necessity of atonement. A sacrificial system of offerings (1-7) governs, presided over by ordained priests (8-10; 21-22) along with weekly Sabbaths and national festivals (16; 23; 25). Israel, like all, is caught between sin and the holy God: atonement is essential; atonement is not optional and is not dismissible. It's not negotiable. It's judicial, real, and very practical. The Day of Atonement, not to mention the sacrifices, underscore this. Mr. (Bp.) John Ryle, Liverpool, wisely noted that this--atonement--is a "touchstone" or "benchmark" of fidelity. Waffle on this and other related doctrines fall or get diluted.

• Ethics: necessity of holiness. “Be ye holy for I am holy” (11.45). This encompasses a nation, varied dietary holdings, medical rulings, and more.

• Eschatology: the shadows, concrete symbols and liturgical acts teach and school the people; further, it hearkens backwards to the Protevangelium (and more), but looks forward; Levitical doctrines are presupposed in the theology of the New Covenant; Levitical shadows, with fulfillments in Christ, look forward to the New Heavens and New Earth. These shadows and doctrines give rise to New Covenant theology:

1. The Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (nations, ethnic groups), Jn. 1.29. Christ's atonement is co-extensive with His High Priestly prayer (Jn. 17) and consonant with unconditional election.

2. Christ the ransom for the sins of many (the elect), Mk. 10.45

3. Blood cleanses from all sins, 1 Jn. 1.7

4. The High Priest of the old Tabernacle/Temple (Lev. 16) gives rises to the High Priest, Christ, who ministers in the New Heavenly Temple (Heb. 9; 10)

5. Rending of the veil of the Temple—opening of the doors to God by Christ’s work to believers, Mt, 27.15; Heb. 10.19, 20

6. The same God of Leviticus is the same God in Christ, the Son of God, reconciling His people to Himself

Mere Anglicanism: 24-26 Jan 2013

http://www.mereanglicanism.com/

Mere Anglicanism Conference January 24-26, 2013

VISION: Mere Anglicanism’s vision is for a reformed, renewed orthodox Anglicanism within North America. We recognize that to achieve a restored and faithful Anglicanism, many battles must be fought, many lessons learned. Seminaries must be re-made with faithful, godly deans and teachers. Orthodox Anglicans must be re-connected with one another, and learn to work together strategically and tactically. Dioceses and parishes must develop the right conditions for re-growing believing, discipled Christians — including choosing the leadership of orthodox bishops and priests. Even our publications and media — magazines, web sites, journals, curricula, devotional guides, and more — must communicate truth with clarity, beauty, and a passionate gospel commitment.

Central to all of these efforts are educated, authentically discipled, active Anglicans — both lay and clergy — who are prepared and formed for leadership. And that is Mere Anglicanism’s purpose.

Mere Anglicanism is an event-oriented organization that provides the tools and resources to disciple, train, and educate lay and clergy leaders. We bring in thinkers and teachers who help people become informed, equipped leaders and who “take theology home with them”.

Mere Anglicanism does not take a particular stance on what tactics Anglicans should use to reform and restore Anglicanism. For this reason, we do not take a position on whether Anglicans must remain within certain church bodies — or must leave certain church bodies. All of us recognize, however, that whether inside or outside, we must develop discipled, educated laypeople and clergy who are prepared to play their part in the renewal of Anglicanism. We are about deep, intentional Christian formation in the Anglican expression.
LOCATION: The 2013 conference is located at the St. Philip’s Church at 142 Church Street, Charleston, SC 29403.

CONTACT: For further event information contact the Conference Administrator Kester Heaton at mereanglicanism@gmail.com or call her at (843) 693-1831 or (843) 696-7434.

Speakers

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he Right Reverend Dr. Paul William Barnett is an ancient historian and New Testament scholar and a former Anglican Bishop of North Sydney from 1990 to 2001. He is a prominent historical writer on the rise of Christianity and the historical Jesus. He is currently a fellow in ancient history at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and a teaching fellow at Regent College, Vancouver, Canada.

Bishop Barnett holds a MA Hons from the University of Sydney, a ThL from Australian College of Theology, a BD Hons and a PhD (London) on the interaction between the New Testament and Jewish history of the first century. His dissertation at the University of London was titled “The Jewish eschatalogical prophets A.D. 40-70 in their theological and political setting”. “ He is now a teaching fellow at Regent College, Vancouver, and is a respected classicist and historian.”

Barnett was ordained in 1965 and ministered at St Barnabas’ Broadway in Sydney and North Terrace in Adelaide before becoming the master of Robert Menzies College at Macquarie University from 1980. He was later the chairman of the New Documents Illustrating early Christianity project which is now in its 10th volume. The ninth volume was dedicated to Barnett and contains an introduction on his impact on New Testament ancient history by Edwin Judge.



Eric Metaxas is the author of the New York Times #1 bestseller, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, which was named “Book of the Year” by the ECPA. Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer also won the 2011 John C. Pollock Award for Biography awarded by Beeson Divinity School and a 2011 Christopher Award in the Non-fiction category. Called a “biography of uncommon power,” Bonhoeffer appeared on numerous 2010 “Best of the Year” lists and was featured in the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, The New Republic, Harper’s, Kirkus (starred review), NPR, FoxNews, C-SPAN’s Book TV, Christianity Today, The Weekly Standard, and First Things.

Eric Metaxas was born in New York City and grew up in Danbury, Connecticut, attending the public schools there, and graduated from Yale University. At Yale he made a literary splash as editor of the Yale Record, the nation’s oldest college humor magazine, and a subsequent literal splash. In addition to his theological writings, he is an acclaimed, award-wining children’s author. Metaxas has also been featured as a cultural commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and the Fox News. He is the founder and host of Socrates in the City: Conversations on the Examined Life, a monthly event of ”entertaining and thought-provoking discussions on ‘life, God, and other small topics”. Eric’s biography, Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery was published by Harper One, and was the “official companion book” to the feature film, also titled Amazing Grace.



BISHOP MICHAEL NAZIR-ALI
He was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He attended the Roman Catholic-run St Patrick’s school in Karachi and began attending Roman Catholic services and identifying as Christian at the age of 15; he was formally received into the Church of Pakistan age 20.

Bishop Nazir-Ali attended Saint Patrick’s High School, Karachi, read economics, Islamic history, and sociology at the University of Karachi (BA 1970) and studied in preparation for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge (1970). He undertook further postgraduate studies in theology at St Edmund Hall, Oxford (BLitt 1974, MLitt 1981), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (MLitt 1976), and the Australian College of Theology (PhD 1983). He has also studied at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. His particular academic interests include comparative literature and comparative philosophy of religion. In addition to teaching appointments in Australia and Canada, he has been a tutor in the University of Cambridge, Senior Tutor of Karachi Theological College, and Visiting Professor of Theology and Religious Studies in the University of Greenwich. He has been elected an Honorary Fellow of his colleges at Oxford (St Edmund Hall) and Cambridge (Fitzwilliam). From 1986 until 1989, while he was Assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Co-ordinator of Studies and Education for the Lambeth Conference, he was Honorary Curate of Oxford St Giles and St Philip and St James with St Margaret.

He was ordained an Anglican priest in 1976 and worked in Karachi and Lahore, and became the first Bishop of Raiwind in West Punjab (1984-86) — at the time, the youngest bishop in the Anglican Communion. When his life was endangered in Pakistan in 1986, Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury, arranged for his refuge in England. Nazir-Ali says, “…the reason behind some of the difficulties I was facing was removed when General Zia was killed – unfortunately for him, and I am now not doing the work that I was doing at the time with the very poor.” . He became an assistant to the Archbishop at Lambeth and assisted with the planning of the 1988 Lambeth Conference; he was General Secretary of the Church Mission Society 1989-1994 and concurrently Assistant Bishop of Southwark. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester, England in 1994, and in 1999 entered the House of Lords as one of the “Lords Spiritual” because of his seniority in episcopal office, the first religious leader from Asia to serve there. He ceased to be a member of the House of Lords upon his retirement in 2009. He presently serves as director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue.

Bishop Nazir-Ali’s published writings include the following: Islam: A Christian Perspective (1983); Frontiers in Christian-Muslim Encounters (1987); From Everywhere to Everywhere: A World View of Christian Mission (1990); Thinking globally, acting locally (1992); Mission and Dialogue: Proclaiming the Gospel Afresh in Every Age (1995); The Mystery of Faith (1995); Citizens and Exiles: Christian Faith in a Plural World (2000); Shapes of the Church to Come (2001); Understanding My Muslim Neighbour (2003); Conviction And Conflict: Islam, Christianity And World Order (2005); and many other articles in newspapers and journals.



Dr. Allen P. Ross is a professor of Old Testament and Beeson Divinity School at Stamford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies, Bob Jones University, Th.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D., University of Cambridge.

Dr. Ross joined the faculty in 2002 as Beeson Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew. He is the author of Introducing Biblical Hebrew and Grammar, Holiness to the Lord: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis, Recalling the Hope of Glory: Biblical Worship from the Garden to the New Creation, and A Commentary on the Psalms (Kregel 2012). He has contributed numerous articles to scholarly journals. Previously, he taught at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry and Dallas Theological Seminary, and served as director of the Christian Leadership Center, Tallahassee, Florida. With an earlier background in Baptist and Presbyterian churches, he has been associated with the Episcopal Church since 1979.

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The Reverend Dr David Wenham is a British theologian and author of several books on the New Testament. Dr. Wenham studied theology at Cambridge University before undertaking doctoral research under F. F. Bruce. After becoming the Theological Students’ Secretary with the UCCF he taught at Union Biblical Seminary in India before returning to become the Director of Tyndale House (Cambridge)’s Gospels Research Project. While in Cambridge he completed part-time ordination training at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, before moving to the staff of Wycliffe Hall in the University of Oxford. He was the tutor in New Testament at Wycliffe Hall from 1983 to 2007 and served under four different principals. He was dean and vice principal for several years as well as assisting with the ministry in the parish of Cumnor. In 2007 David was appointed as Senior Tutor in New Testament at Trinity College, Bristol.

He is particularly interested in questions to do with the origins and historical reliability of the gospels. He is involved in helping people to understand the first century context of Jesus and the early church, and to get students to be intelligently and responsibly excited about the New Testament and equipped to teach it to others. He has written many publications including “The Parables of Jesus” , a guide to the teaching of Jesus and his most recent book “Paul and Jesus: the true story” an introduction to Paul, looking at questions of history and theology in the book of Acts, Paul’s letters and the gospels.