Molly Worthen on Mark Driscoll (and Calvin)

You should probably read Molly Worthen’s essay on Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill (HT: Justin Taylor). I don’t know if she gets Driscoll right. If (that’s a big condition. It means if the condition isn’t met then what follows is irrelevant) what she . . . Continue reading →

Calvinism Old and "New"

In response to the recent TIME magazine piece on the YRR, Mark Driscoll published a piece on the Resurgence contrasting the “new” Calvinists with the “old” Calvinists. It was followed up by a piece with a kinder, gentler treatment of the tired, . . . Continue reading →

The Catholicity of the Reformed Faith and Its Evangelical Counterparts

Recently Mark Driscoll and Gerry Brashears published a survey of basic Christian teaching. Martin Downes has been helpfully evaluating their account of the doctrine of Christ. It is interesting to see the way two ostensibly “Reformed” writers handle a matter of catholic . . . Continue reading →

Joel’s Not So Bad After All?

Mark Driscoll on Joel Osteen

UPDATED 14:02 5 Feb 2013 So says YRR (Young, Restless, and Reformed) leader Mark Driscoll in an interview (regarding his forthcoming book) published by the TGC: Q: You observe that “appreciated people” exchange grumbling for praying, competing for celebrating, bitterness for thankfulness, . . . Continue reading →

The “Calvin As Tyrant Meme”

For a fellow who has been dead since 1564 and for a movement that, socially considered, is little more than a demographic blip (about 500,000 people in North America) Calvin and Calvinism continue to receive a remarkable amount of attention in the . . . Continue reading →

The Ninth Commandment And The New Media (UPDATED)

The ninth commandment is still a part of the moral law of God. It requires that all humans tell the truth. It says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” As my dear friend Don Treick always says, “It’s in . . . Continue reading →

On Troubling The “Top Men”

. . . criticism of certain leaders of evangelicalism who seek to exert massive influence in the evangelical world but who eschew proper accountability to that world is not identical with criticism of God’s people tout court. It is specifically criticism of . . . Continue reading →

Maybe Darryl Had A Point? Driscoll v. Catholic Creeds

I don’t know why people are not debating whether Driscoll should even be writing books. —Darryl Hart, “Tribalists All” Second, the Apostles’ Creed [sic] defines the Son as “begotten, not made.” The point was that something begotten was of the same substance . . . Continue reading →

Fauxccountability?

What needs to be very clear is that the current by-laws of Mars Hill Church do not give the elders the authority to examine these charges. The Board of Advisors and Accountability is in charge of convening a group of overseers to . . . Continue reading →

Act Like Elders Nonetheless

While the current bylaws greatly restrict our authority, we believe we must act like elders none-the-less,” they write. “It is time to take responsibility for our church, regardless of how much our current bylaws prevent us from exercising that authority. —Sarah Pulliam . . . Continue reading →

It All Comes Down To Aesthetics

It is interesting that the crisis finally came only when the aesthetics flipped the other way, when Driscoll and his antics became more distasteful than the words of his critics. It is important to notice that it was not the embrace of . . . Continue reading →

Mark Driscoll 2019: Young, Restless, and Freudian

He Has Read As Much Freud As He Has Calvin

I think everybody’s view of God is a rejection or projection of their earthly father…Atheism says, ‘I have no Dad.’ Agnosticism says, ‘I never met him and I’m not looking for him. Deism says, ‘he used to be here but he went . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 142: When Pastors Abuse

And What To Do About It

Heidelcast

I am interrupting the series on the doctrine of God (again), I Am that I Am, to talk about a recurring problem in the church: abuse of the sheep by the shepherd. Recently Julie Roys featured audio from a public conference by . . . Continue reading →

Understanding The New Calvinists: Neither New Nor Calvinists

The New Calvinist movement is probably about 20 years old or so. Collin Hanson’s Young, Restless, and Reformed appeared in 2008, just before Recovering the Reformed Confession. Whether it is Reformed is a matter to be debated. In recent years, however, the movement has certainly shown itself to be restless. One prominent figure in the movement has publicly abandoned the Christian faith. Three prominent figures, James MacDonald, C. J. Mahaney, and Mark Driscoll, have been either been removed from their churches or resigned amidst scandals. One might think of them as elephants in the YRR/New Calvinist room. Continue reading →

An Illuminating Podcast From Christianity Today On The Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill

Christianity Today has released a new NPR-style podcast series hosted by Mike Cosper, “Who Killed Mars Hill?.” It is well done and deserves your attention. So far they have released a couple of trailers and two complete episodes. Cosper is sympathetically critical . . . Continue reading →