I’ve written previously about a new brand of legalism advocated by Christian fitness enthusiasts, as though a certain definition of physical fitness were nearest to godliness. I write again here with a desire to question what the Gospel has to do with this and with other ongoing miscalculations about the physical body continuing to be… Read More The Self-Righteousness of Christian Physical Fitness (or Avoidance)
I have written previously about my disdain for a new legalism imposed by some Christians on our health and fitness pursuits, as though anything makes us acceptable before God other than the blood of Christ. My intent was to safeguard the Gospel and free people from thinking that they are lesser if they do not… Read More Pleasing God in Our Fitness, Part 2
Having established that mankind was created “very good,” in the image of God, overflowing out of the infinite joy of the Trinity, we must start to peel back the layers to understand why this does not square with our current experience, why the physical body often does not seem to aid our hedonistic pursuit of… Read More The Fall of Mankind and Consequences for the Physical Life -Toward a Theology of Health and Fitness, Part 5
The Goodness and Goal of Creation Before turning to the Fall’s impact on our theological discussion, we must pause to re-emphasize the inherent goodness of creation. Why do this? Because inherent to the theology of fitness and health is this realization. To establish the inherent goodness of creation is itself to lay the foundation for… Read More The Goodness and Goal of Creation – Toward a Theology of Health and Fitness, Part 4
Over breakfast this morning, two of my children were trying to come up with a strategic way of picking up household trash so that one would not do more than the other. I almost said something along the lines of, “What would Jesus do?” but instead I found myself telling a different story… “There once… Read More Our Hope Does not Lie in Hope Chests
Creation as Communication from the Trinitarian God In order to understand God’s purposes and designs for fitness and health, we must begin with the creation account, to glean all that we can from God’s purposes before sin entered the world. Just as when training for the medical field, it is important to understand the proper… Read More Fitness and Health in the Story of Creation – Toward a Theology of Health and Fitness, Part 3
Unfortunately (although now I can say with thanks), my wife and I have walked through many of these valleys (idolatry or avoidance of health, fitness, or food), which you may or may not care to understand. These experiences are the context in which I write. However, my aim and trajectory in this endeavor is inherently… Read More My Context and Aim of Writing – Toward a Theology of Health and Fitness, Part 2
Well … I’ve been wanting to write a book about the theology of fitness and health. So I figured releasing some snippets would keep me accountable and productive, especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I pray it would be fruitful, worshipful, and enjoyable. Before you read, I wanted to remind you that my… Read More Jeff’s Rejoinder: Toward a Theology of Health and Fitness
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities We have great reason to hope. Regardless of what we wake up to, regardless of what our day will or will not bring, we are commanded to hope in the Lord.… Read More A Bulimic’s Look at Psalm 130, Part 4
I would love to share a story of something that happened one bitter, chilly, spring morning when, as a teenager, I walked down to my sheep-pen, to feed and let out to pasture, my sheep. Hearing the pounding thunder of cracked corn hitting my empty, ten-gallon bucket, the sheep began to call out from their… Read More A Bulimic’s Look At Psalm 130, Part 1
Every Square Inch Fitness 