Not that preachers are called to spin homely yarns but preaching is a kind of story telling. We have a narrative (the history of redemption) in which people must locate themselves and with which they need to learn to identify. Ira Glass . . . Continue reading →
2009 Archive
Video: Selderhuis on Calvin
Last month Herman Selderhuis was in Orlando giving lectures on Calvin at RTS. You can see the video here. Thanks to LO for the video.
Mouw Reviews Muether's Bio of Van Til
Hey Mikey, He likes it! You can order your copy from The Bookstore at WSC.
Watch New WSC Video
It’s posted to the WSC Facebook page. The 11 minute video features Bob Godfrey, Mike Horton (among other faculty) and some notable WSC alumni.
Nunc Super Tunc
The title is Latin for “Now is superior to then.”1 It’s a shorthand way of getting at an attitude that is widespread among American Christians that whatever we think and do now is necessarily superior to anything that was thought and done . . . Continue reading →
How and Where Machen Spent his Parrothood
Of course there’s no such word as “Parrothood” properly but it get at what Machen said about his childhood education.
Spending, The Crisis, And Idols
In recent years there was a move to focus Reformed and evangelical piety on “The Idols of the Heart.” Of course as one of those who agrees entirely with Calvin’s dictum that after the fall the “perpetual disposition” of human beings is . . . Continue reading →
Could Instruments Be Idols?
re-posted from May 2007. In light of the discussion prompted by the brief snippet from Calvin on instruments this seems appropriate. — Friday, in the Medieval-Reformation course I gave a lecture on Calvin’s doctrine of worship during which a student asked about . . . Continue reading →
Blast From the Past: Cavett Interviews Updike and Cheever
Dick Cavett has a blog on the NYT site. He’s posted video of a 1981 interview with John Cheever and John Updike. Several things strike one about this interview.
Why Are You So Anxious?
One of the most valuable resources that I have found in the last 15 years is the Mars Hill Audio Journal (no connection to Mars Hill Church). Hosted by Ken Myers, each volume of the MHAJ is a collection of essays by . . . Continue reading →
Question to Podcast Listeners. Which is Better: Free Form or Scripted?
If a fellow were going to record a weekly podcast (not saying that he will but if) would a listener rather hear something extemporaneous or scripted? (all things being equal, that is).
Was the Reformation Necessary and Necessarily Grumpy?
Jason asks another provocative question at DRD. Clark responds:
MGK: Theonomy, Ethics, and Perspectivalism
At Matt’s Berit Olam.
Fesko Reviews Garcia and Billings on Calvin's Doctrine of Union
At Ordained Servant. Dick Gaffin replies. John Fesko is the new Academic Dean at WSC. He begins his duties on 1 July. John has recently published perhaps the most important single study of the doctrine of justification since the 19th century. He . . . Continue reading →
Mainline Escapades: Union Seminary VA Hosts the You-Know-What Monologues
WARNING: this is graphic. If you click on this link you are responsible for what you see. This is not an inducement to click on the link (HT: Classical Presbsyterian). For those who don’t click the nub is that a an old . . . Continue reading →
Sacramental Piety Reviews Caspar Olevian and the Substance
At Sacramental Piety. To order your copy of the book click on the icon (some icons are okay for some things!).
Why Pastors Need A Seminary Education
Over the years many things have changed at Westminster Seminary California (WSC). In the most important ways, however, the seminary has not changed. We still believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. We still believe the historic . . . Continue reading →
Was the Reformation a Big Misunderstanding? (2)
Part 1 Unlike our evangelical friend, our ecumenically minded mainliner received an education in church history at an Ivy League divinity school and is a little more cognizant of the problems of overcoming the Reformation but he’s also a member of the . . . Continue reading →
Surprise! Emergent Leader Embraces Pelagius
Tony Jones rejects Augustine, the North African church of the 4th century, the French Church of the 6th century, the entire medieval church, the Protestant Churches, and the Council of Trent (HT: Kevin DeYoung). Here’s one on which the confessional Protestants and . . . Continue reading →
A Few Words to Student Preachers
As a teacher in a seminary but as one who does not teach preaching classes—I’m a historian—I see and hear student preachers but I don’t get to do much about it.