Over at QC we’ve just released a long-form discussion on the identity of Jesus. This is not light listening. But I do believe it is important listening.
In recent years, so-called “biblical” unitarianism has gotten organised in its media outreach, leaving many Christians confused, unsettled, and unsure how to answer what can sound like very clever objections. And this is not merely an academic issue out there on the internet. It is going around churches. It is troubling congregations. It is reshaping how people think about Jesus, the gospel, worship, and salvation itself.
That is why we took the time to do this properly:
In this conversation, we piggyback on a recent debate between Dr Dale Tuggy (chair of the unitarian christian alliance) and Dr Michael Bird, our very own Aussie NT theologian. We carefully dissect:
- what unitarianism is
- the recurring strategies employed by unitarians
- how to make a robust, positive biblical case for the full divinity of Jesus
- why unitarianism and trinitarian Christianity are not just two flavours of the same faith, but fundamentally different religious commitments – one with a saving gospel, one without.
My genuine hope is that this discussion helps settle the issue for many people once and for all. Not because we shout louder. Not because we play theological gatekeeper. But because when all the smoke clears, the Jesus of Scripture is simply too big, too weighty, too glorious, and too worship worthy to be reduced to the smaller Christ offered by unitarianism.
This will be a commitment, and the nuance in the details really does matter. But there is truly no bigger question to ask and answer than Who is Jesus? Because it reaches right into the heart of the gospel, the church’s worship, the name we call upon to be saved, and the Christ we trust with our lives and our eternity.
So if this topic has confused you, if someone in your church has raised these ideas, or if you want to be better equipped to help others think clearly and faithfully, I’d really encourage you to set aside the time and work through this discussion.
If you or anyone you know struggles with this particularly insidious heterodox, please do reach out if I can be a help.
Peace.
