Dustin Carpenter retweeted
I don't really respond to ragebait, but Star Wars is maybe the most Christian story in pop-culture outside of The Lord of the Rings, and it is among the most conscious in using both traditional mythologies and Biblical themes.
Lucas has said that Palpatine is Satan.
Anakin's fall represents Satanic temptation toward evil within each of us, as well as the possibility of redemption.
Anakin's fall is shown on a lava planet, obviously representing hell.
Falling further into darkness makes one less human ("he's more machine now than man").
There is actual good and evil ("dark" and "light"). Lucas did this intentionally, harkening back to stories like Flash Gordon at a time when other media had moved away from clear lines between good and evil.
Good will ultimately triumph over evil. Lucas's concept of "balance" is misunderstood, as it is not the persistence of both good and evil, but the defeat of evil. He has said this in several interviews.
The light is embodied in the virtue of self-sacrifice and love, even toward those who don't deserve it.
The end of the story is literally a good man sacrificing himself for an undeserving sinner to redeem him from evil.
The defeat of evil is prophesied, and it is accomplished by a virgin birth.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
"Tim Keller and David Platt ruined my life" is such a snowflake thing to say.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
I'm sorry but if your walk with Christ got derailed by one book or one pastor that's a you problem. There is always another book to read.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
Today we're releasing a brand new resource called The Faith Received.
It's a massive online library and research tool featuring nearly 20,000 primary sources across church history.
You can see it here: thefaithreceived.com
And read about it here: mereorthodoxy.com/announcing…
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
BREAKING: The Dodgers have acquired the Time Stone from Thanos and will be activating Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
There are three great Old Testament fall stories:
- Adam and the forbidden fruit
- Moses and the golden calf
- David and Bathsheba
Jesus resists 3 temptations:
- To eat
- To worship a false god
- To parade his royal power from the temple roof
— @AJWTheology
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
I've said it before but there is a whole theology in John 3:16:
-For God so loved: Theology Proper
-The world: Humanity
-That he gave: Incarnation
-His only begotten Son: Trinity
-That whoever believes in him: Soteriology
-Should not perish but have eternal life: Eschatology
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
We think that Paradise and Calvary,
Christ’s cross, and Adam’s tree, stood in one place;
Look, Lord, and find both Adams met in me;
As the first Adam’s sweat surrounds my face,
May the last Adam’s blood my soul embrace.
— John Donne
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
“If CS Lewis was alive today he’d be a Catholic!”
“No he’d still be Anglican”
CS Lewis: “I am quite fond of Dale Earnhardt Jr.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s wife Amy says she has held a grudge against Jessica Simpson for almost two decades. 👀 familytoday.com/relationship…
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
There is no evidence C. S. Lewis ever said this.
en.wikiquote.org/wiki/C._S._Lew…
brainyquote.com/authors/c-s-le…
lewissociety.org/quotes/
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
If you rest for 2-3 minutes between sets and read your Bible instead of scroll, that’s an extra 30ish minutes of Bible reading per day, let’s gooooooo
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
If you're looking to pre-order the full-year prayer book I've been working on — "The Lord is My Light: A Liturgy for Daily Prayer" — this is a good week to do so at Barnes and Noble.
Every pre-order is 25% off for members until Friday.
Link and pre-order code in the reply.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
“There is no way to validate or argue for the orthodox tradition without by reference to Scripture, since orthodoxy is nothing more or less than the ancient consensual tradition of exegesis.”
- Thomas Oden
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
If you are a pastor or ministry leader in an SBC church and/or you are heading to #SBC26 I would love to give you a free copy of my book I just published! Hit me up!
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
Christmas: Christ with us.
Good Friday: Christ for us.
Easter: Christ before us.
Ascension: Christ over us.
Pentecost: Christ in us.
Happy Pentecost Sunday!
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
Today were all Pentecostal Christians and that’s why we don’t need a second blessing to have the fullness of the Holy Spirit!
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
STOP BELIEVING THESE DISCIPLESHIP MYTHS.
❌ Myth #1: Every individual Christian must be able to make another disciple
✅ Truth: The whole church is involved in disciple-making. It takes a "body." It's not about "disciples who make disciples" (as if it's up to each individual). It's about disciples who play their part in making disciples.
❌ Myth #2: Your church needs a step-by-step pathway for making disciples
✅ Truth: Most people don't grow in a linear way. And many people have worked through the "steps" or "pathway" and are still pretty spiritually immature. It's not about a step-by-step plan. It's about a vision, framework, and ecosystem that allows disciples to grow over time.
❌ Myth #3: If we get people in small groups, they will grow as disciples
✅ Truth: Small groups are an extremely valuable piece of the discipleship ecosystem. But they are not a silver bullet.
❌ Myth #4: Our church needs a Discipleship ministry
✅ Truth: Your church IS a Discipleship ministry. The whole church with the whole gospel making whole disciples. If there's something your church is doing that doesn't contribute to that mission, it's worth revisiting.
❌ Myth #5: Discipleship is overwhelming
✅ Truth: It only feels overwhelming because you've likely not figured out how to explain it in a simple way that people can engage with.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
The main problem our heart has is not so much desires for bad things, but our over-desires for good things.
Dustin Carpenter retweeted
Should Pastors Coddle Heretics?
Will we follow the example of Smyrna or Rome? Polycarp knew Marcion was a heretic and would not allow him to teach in Smyrna. Rome happily accommodated the wealthy man then struggled with his heresy for centuries.
Heresy hurts souls. Reject them!