Tim Dieppe - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern
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Papers by Tim Dieppe
Reformation Today, 2024
I discuss the argument of Jonathan Edwards' book "Original Sin" and its continuing relevance for ... more I discuss the argument of Jonathan Edwards' book "Original Sin" and its continuing relevance for today.
Foundations, 2019
There has been some discussion and controversy about whether Christians and Muslims worship the s... more There has been some discussion and controversy about whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. One argument used to support the same God idea is that Paul claimed the Athenians worshipped Yahweh in Acts 17. This paper examines this argument and the passage with some detailed exegesis. I concludes that there is no justification for saying that Paul claimed the Athenians were worshipping Yahweh.
The Areopagus address is frequently regarded as the classic example of how to communicate the gos... more The Areopagus address is frequently regarded as the classic example of how to communicate the gospel to a pagan, pluralistic culture. In this speech, Paul is preaching to gentiles with whom he can assume no knowledge of the Old Testament. This parallels our experience in post-Christian Western culture. He is in Athens, the philosophical capital of the ancient world, and is contending with the leading philosophical schools of the time. Making use of observations and quotations from the culture of Athens, Paul’s argument is well structured and is a pointed critique of the prevailing worldviews whilst also being a clear presentation of the distinctive features of a Christian worldview. I argue that Luke includes it in his account precisely because it is a model of how to present the gospel to a gentile audience.
Paul’s speech has rightly attracted a lot of attention from contemporary Christian apologists who have read it as supportive of their differing approaches to apologetics. Some see Paul as in direct opposition to the prevailing philosophical schools, while others believe that he is building on Athenian philosophy to present his message. I argue that Paul does make use of Stoic philosophical arguments whilst also undermining and sharply criticising their worldview. My thesis is that Acts 17 serves as a model for contemporary apologetics in various ways. I show how Paul’s apologetic approach contextualises the message, legitimises the use of natural theology and the use of pagan citations in apologetics, and presents a Judeo-Christian worldview in contrast to the Athenian worldviews he was critiquing.
This paper concludes that there is no Biblical warrant for excluding women from some forms of min... more This paper concludes that there is no Biblical warrant for excluding women from some forms of ministry.
This paper discusses what contributions Genesis 1-11 makes to environmentalism.
This paper seeks to highlight the key theological themes and the unifying message of Genesis 1-11
Reformation Today, 2024
I discuss the argument of Jonathan Edwards' book "Original Sin" and its continuing relevance for ... more I discuss the argument of Jonathan Edwards' book "Original Sin" and its continuing relevance for today.
Foundations, 2019
There has been some discussion and controversy about whether Christians and Muslims worship the s... more There has been some discussion and controversy about whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. One argument used to support the same God idea is that Paul claimed the Athenians worshipped Yahweh in Acts 17. This paper examines this argument and the passage with some detailed exegesis. I concludes that there is no justification for saying that Paul claimed the Athenians were worshipping Yahweh.
The Areopagus address is frequently regarded as the classic example of how to communicate the gos... more The Areopagus address is frequently regarded as the classic example of how to communicate the gospel to a pagan, pluralistic culture. In this speech, Paul is preaching to gentiles with whom he can assume no knowledge of the Old Testament. This parallels our experience in post-Christian Western culture. He is in Athens, the philosophical capital of the ancient world, and is contending with the leading philosophical schools of the time. Making use of observations and quotations from the culture of Athens, Paul’s argument is well structured and is a pointed critique of the prevailing worldviews whilst also being a clear presentation of the distinctive features of a Christian worldview. I argue that Luke includes it in his account precisely because it is a model of how to present the gospel to a gentile audience.
Paul’s speech has rightly attracted a lot of attention from contemporary Christian apologists who have read it as supportive of their differing approaches to apologetics. Some see Paul as in direct opposition to the prevailing philosophical schools, while others believe that he is building on Athenian philosophy to present his message. I argue that Paul does make use of Stoic philosophical arguments whilst also undermining and sharply criticising their worldview. My thesis is that Acts 17 serves as a model for contemporary apologetics in various ways. I show how Paul’s apologetic approach contextualises the message, legitimises the use of natural theology and the use of pagan citations in apologetics, and presents a Judeo-Christian worldview in contrast to the Athenian worldviews he was critiquing.
This paper concludes that there is no Biblical warrant for excluding women from some forms of min... more This paper concludes that there is no Biblical warrant for excluding women from some forms of ministry.
This paper discusses what contributions Genesis 1-11 makes to environmentalism.
This paper seeks to highlight the key theological themes and the unifying message of Genesis 1-11