The good folks at Reformation Heritage Books were kind enough to send me a copy of William Boekstein’s latest, The Glory of Grace: The story of the Canons of Dort. Handsomely illustrated by Evan Hughes and published with a child-sized hardcover and . . . Continue reading →
Usually in a conference there is a period of time set aside for questions and answers (Q&A). It’s a good practice because it gives an indication of what people heard and indicates where things might need to be clarified. It also gives . . . Continue reading →
The audio from the Central Valley Conference on Reformed Theology at Zion Reformed Church in Ripon, California is online now (below). Thanks to Pastors Kevin Efflandt and Angelo Contreras and to everyone at Zion for their hard work in preparing for the . . . Continue reading →
Dennis Johnson is back in the studio for Office Hours to discuss Hebrews 2:1–13. Dennis is Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Seminary California. In this episode Dennis and I discussed the what it means to have a true human mediator representing believers . . . Continue reading →
Wisdom from Escondido URC pastor Chris Gordon: The peril of self-promotion in the Christian ministry is nothing new. Jesus himself had to deal with this problem on numerous occasions in his own disciples. The Son of God became a servant to seek . . . Continue reading →
In the previous post I tried to give some context to the claim that the USA is a “Christian” nation. There are ways in which that adjective is accurate and important ways in which it is not. Sometimes, however, when folk call . . . Continue reading →
Humans seem to be naturally drawn to niceness. Niceness is comfortable. To be nice is to be pleasant in manner, to be agreeable, to adhere to social conventions. We like to be around people who are nice at least in large part . . . Continue reading →
Every four years (and in the interim) the question of whether we should regard the USA as a “Christian” nation re-emerges. There are three ways in which this question might be considered, sociologically, historically, and biblically-theologically. Under each rubric the case for . . . Continue reading →
Chris Castaldo (HT: Justin Taylor) takes issue with R. C. Sproul’s claim: The indisputable fact is that Rome made a number of strong, clear theological affirmations at the Council of Trent. Because Trent was an ecumenical council, it had all the weight . . . Continue reading →
The latest Office Hours is just out. In this episode Office Hours talks with John Fesko, Professor of Systematic Theology and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California, about his new commentary on Galatians. We talked about the setting of Galatians (when, where, to . . . Continue reading →
Mike Horton, my colleague at WSC, spoke recently at Covenant College (Lookout Mt, GA) on the connections between a two-kingdoms analysis and the various neo-Kuyperian approaches to the relations between Christ and culture. Matt Tuininga was there and filed this report at . . . Continue reading →
Kathy Keller has reviewed the new book by Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood. Held Evans is frustrated with evangelical “complementarianism” so she set out to live as if there were no New Testament and as if Jesus’ hadn’t fulfilled . . . Continue reading →
Veteran readers of the HB may remember that I expressed concern in 2009 over a comment by William Evans, The Younts Professor of Bible and Religion at Erskine College, about what he called the need for a “decisive break with the ordo . . . Continue reading →
Part 3: Original Sin Perkins’ third point against Rome concerned the assurance of salvation. According to Perkins, the Protestants and Rome agree that: A man in this life may be certain of salvation; and the same thing does the Church of Rome . . . Continue reading →
Introduction Many Christians today take it as an article of faith that God must deliver Christians from trials and tribulations. This is an age in which Benny Hinn’s ridiculous books have sold millions and he is but the latest charlatan selling health . . . Continue reading →
That’s remarkable. I didn’t know he was still alive. All my copies of his books are decades old. When I learned this morning that he died yesterday I was ashamed of myself that I had read so little. Barzun is one of . . . Continue reading →
Part 2 Why is [Covenant] Nomism So Attractive? No one but God knows what’s is in the hearts of other people, so I’m not judging or speaking to personal intentions. We can, however, look at the history of Christian theology and draw . . . Continue reading →
Hywel Jones is a dear friend but more importantly he is a dear preacher of the Gospel. In chapel on Tuesdays he’s been preaching through Isaiah 55 focusing on the well-meant, sincere, offer of the gospel. Here’s a recent message. Here are . . . Continue reading →
In the first part we quickly introduced the basic doctrine of covenant nomism, namely that God has established a system whereby sinners are admitted to the covenant by grace and they stay in or they retain that status or they retain the . . . Continue reading →
Last season Office Hours went to the desert. The theme for the season was “Desert Island Books.” I sat down with each member of the faculty to talk about those five books each faculty would want with himself were he stranded on a . . . Continue reading →