Mac Deaver Joins GraceConversation

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Jay F Guin

grace7Greg has had to step aside from the conversation for awhile, and it’s taken some time to find a replacement. But I’m delighted that Mac Deaver has agreed to step in.

Mac is Todd Deaver’s father and likely the most effective oral debater among the Churches of Christ. Todd and I always said we wanted to have a dialogue with the very best — and Mac will certainly be a top notch advocate.

I can’t wait!

About Jay F Guin

My name is Jay Guin, and I’m a retired elder. I wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace about 18 years ago. I’ve spoken at the Pepperdine, Lipscomb, ACU, Harding, and Tulsa lectureships and at ElderLink. My wife’s name is Denise, and I have four sons, Chris, Jonathan, Tyler, and Philip. I have two grandchildren. And I practice law.
This entry was posted in GraceConversation.com, Uncategorized and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to Mac Deaver Joins GraceConversation

  1. Royce says:
    May 21, 2009 at 10:12 pm

    I am eager to see the conversation continue.

    Royce

  2. Gary Cummings says:
    May 31, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    As I recall, the New Testament is not very pro-debate. “Where is the debater of this age.” Debate is not really a search for truth, rather a hardened defense of opposite entrenched positions. A mutual quest for truth and openness to the the Word of God and the Holy Spirit would serve a better purpose than any debate.

  3. Ben says:
    November 14, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    Excellent point, Gary, on emphasizing the value of a search for truth and openness to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit!

    Just a word of caution: be careful in citing 1 Corinthians 1:20 here. "Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?"

    If Paul means the Christian cannot debate, then he also necessarily means the Christian cannot be wise! But James 1:5 teaches that wisdom is something that all should have, and if they don't they should ask God for it. Therefore, Paul must not mean the Christian cannot debate. In actuality, Paul himself along with Barnabas engaged some men in serious debate in Acts 5:2, and the Scripture also says that Apollos "greatly helped those who had believed through grace. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 18:27-28). This is no doubt an approved example of public debate.

    Perhaps Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 is better understood as discussing two different types of wisdom and debate. James talks about two different types of wisdom, as well, one good and the other evil (Jas 3:13-18). Perhaps it is possible that Paul is referring to the one who is wise with the wisdom of the world, as opposed to the one who is wise in Christ (1 Cor 1:24-25, 30-31; 3:18).

  4. Ben says:
    November 14, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    Oops, meant to add at the end that perhaps it is possible that Paul is referring to debate based upon this human wisdom rather than upon Christ (1 Cor 1:22-25).

Comments are closed.