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My first interest is Christ, the unity of His Body and the growth of His Kingdom within, among and through us.
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Background
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The most important influences in my life and writing are:
1) My salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, who brought me to Himself on December 26, 1971.
2) My calling to ministry, of which I first became aware in 1974. Until the last few years, I have either understood this calling in conventional, "pastor or missionary" terms (for which I'm not well suited), or to actively ignore it, on the tacit assumption that God surely made a mistake! I now understand that the core of ny calling is writing and teaching.
3) My apparently largely congenital inability to intuit many social cues others pick up automatically, due to an entity my doctors have labeled Asperger Syndrome. This can be both a blessing and a curse. It has always made me somewhat of a social outsider, unacceptable in many settings even though I craved acceptance (and could not understand why I was excluded). This was painful. On the other hand, it has forced me to study social interactions others take for granted. This has been positive, and important to my writing. My ability to perseverate in study of obscure topics that interest me has also been important.
4) The support of my wife, her family, and several believers from unexpected places--from denominations or parts of the world very different from my own--in some major crises in my life.
5) My personal exposure to many different parts of a weak, divided Body of Christ that it seems ought to be united and strong.
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Birth Place
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Wichita, KS USA
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Accomplishments
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J.D., University of Iowa, "With High Distinction" (1982); M.A., History, University of Iowa (1984); M.S., Biochemistry, Iowa State University (1982); B.S., Chemistry and B.A., Linguistics, "Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Linguistics" (1976)
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Additional Information
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In the Fall Semester of 2011, I matriculated to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I did this on advice from several trusted advisers that it would make my writing more effective and open ministries to me that are closed to people without formal credentials. I fully believed it was God's will to move forward, and still do. I started with two online courses, Old Testament Survey 1 and 2, and finished both with A's. But I have been unable to continue for financial reasons. (Benefactors are welcome!)
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Contact Information
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1601 S.E. Maryland Ave.
Topeka KS 66607
USA
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Contact Author: Ian Johnson
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Favorite Links
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Some Biographical Material about Ian Johnson
Includes links to my resume, to the transcripts of the five excess degrees and one semester of seminary previously referenced, to pages about several important life events, and to online third-party reviews of "Our Oneness in Christ."
Place of Repentance
This blog contains both discussion of the subject of "repentance," as used in Scripture, and, in some of its older entries, information about me or about Kansas and Federal law. According to the masthead: "'Repentance,' as used in scripture, usually denotes a radical change in behavior and attitude, not merely apologies and feelings of regret for events in the past. This blog will discuss the concept of repentance, and passages of the Bible discussing and exemplifying it, with the purpose of promoting repentance." But some of the repentance in the blog is personal!
Christian-oneness.org
A web site I have maintained and have gradually built since 1995. Its title suggests its content. It includes the beginning of a non-divisive Christian systematic theology, among other things. I have now given its editing, growth and maintenance over to the care of a small committee, of which I am only one member.
Common Divisive Fallacies
Discusses a number of erroneous forms of reasoning that are used, often quite deliberately, to perpetuate division in the Christian church and in society at large.
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