Now I am not opposed to the idea of trying to be an influence. The Christian community should not isolate itself from discussion with anyone or from common action with non-Christians where the faith is not compromised. Christians should hope, pray, and . . . Continue reading →
2020 Archive
New In Print: The Synod of Dort: Historical, Theological, and Experiential Perspectives
The Synod of Dort is one of the most important events in the history of the Reformed Churches. From 1618–16 delegates from the Reformed Churches the Netherlands, the British Isles, and Europe attended (or, in the case of France, were prevented by . . . Continue reading →
Manton: God Must Do Good To Your Children Too
It may press us to admire the grace of God to his children. He cannot satisfy himself in doing good to you, but he must do good to your children too. How should we entertain this with reverence! When God told Abraham, . . . Continue reading →
Doubts About Political Theology And The Church As A Lever Of Cultural Influence
Tish Harrison Warren, a priest in the ACNA (a denomination in the Anglican tradition), writes in Christianity Today, We have an impoverished and inadequate political theology. It took us generations to get here, and this one election, regardless of the results, will . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: On The Spiritual Care Of Seminary Students With Chuck Tedrick
Chuck Tedrick is no stranger to Office Hours. He first appeared on Office Hours in 2009, season 1, episode 3, as a student at Westminster. Then he appeared in season 8, episode 22. Before coming to Westminster he studied at BIOLA University . . . Continue reading →
It Is Not Edgy, Interesting, Or Lasting
There are socially conservative evangelicals who want to “take back America.” They are looking for a Christian version of the “Bad Orange Man” to critique the culture and to defend them from unbelief, feminism, and the social revolution. Like the social radicals, who are burning down businesses in pursuit of their eschatology, this evangelical apologist burns fields and pickup trucks.
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The Ninety-Five Theses: Did Luther Nail Or Mail Them (Or Both)?
It is Reformation Day 2020. As far as I know, magisterial (Reformed and Lutheran) Protestants have been observing October 31 as Reformation Day since the 17th century. Longtime readers of this space will may remember my critique of October 31 as Reformation . . . Continue reading →
Dear Academic Publishers: End Endnotes
Dear Academic Publisher,
Please stop using endnotes instead of footnotes.
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The Equality Act Is Back In Play: What It Means For Religious Liberty
The Equality Act adds the phrase “sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity)” to our nation’s civil rights laws that ban discrimination on the basis of race. This means the law would suddenly treat people as racists if they dare to dissent . . . Continue reading →
And Now For Something Completely Different: More Speech Suppression
Today I sent my intention to resign from The Intercept, the news outlet I co-founded in 2013 with Jeremy Scahill and Laura Poitras, as well as from its parent company First Look Media. The final, precipitating cause is that The Intercept’s editors, . . . Continue reading →
Fear And Power In Covidville
In the Watergate scandal two city-beat reporters for the Washington Post turned journalists into saviors. They saved us all from the evil Nixon. Covid-19 is a Watergate for hitherto obscure public health authorities. Mostly benched after WWII by vaccines and the wonders of modern medicine, the public health authorities have been like the Maytag Repairman, playing solitaire on their phones, until Covid.
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Do We Confess That The Preaching Of God’s Word Is God’s Word? A Text-Critical Note On The Second Helvetic Confession
Heinrich Bullinger (1504–75) was Hulrych Zwingli’s successor as the Antistes (Chief Preacher) in Zürich and an influential figure in the transition between the first- and second-generation Reformers. He wrote the Second Helvetic Confession in 1561 as a private document but at the request . . . Continue reading →
For Reformation Week 2020: Why Luther Was Right About “Alone” In His Translation Of Romans 3:28
Resources How To Subscribe To Heidelmedia The Reformed Churches Confess Luther’s Translation Of Romans 3:28: Allein Resources On The Reformation Solas
The 1619 Project Is Bad History And Boring
Thus to speak of America’s “founding” at all is necessarily to speak of what makes Americans a “people.” When Abraham Lincoln said that the nation was “conceived in liberty” four score and seven years before the dedication of Gettysburg Cemetery—that is, in . . . Continue reading →
Machen Contra Dispensationalism
But what ought to be clearly observed is that Covenant of Works or Covenant of Life did not offer “salvation.” The word “salvation” implies something from which one is saved. Adam was not lost when that Covenant of Life was given him. . . . Continue reading →
Are Good Works Enough?
Good works proceed from saving faith; faith that does not bear fruit is not saving faith (see James 2:19). James 2:24 is talking about works as fruit and evidence of saving faith, not meritorious works that save us. In fact, James reminds . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 161: As It Was In The Days Of Noah (8): The Good News Of Salvation Was Announced In One Covenant Of Grace
In this series we are considering the eschatology in 1 & 2 Peter, i.e., the relations between heaven and earth, between the end of all things and now, and life between the ascension of Christ and his visible, noisy, bodily return. Peter . . . Continue reading →
John Owen Defended Eternal Generation Against The Socinians
He Also Opposed Biblicism
Now, if Christ be not begotten of the essence of his Father, he is only a metaphorical Son of God by way of allusion, and cannot be called the proper Son of God, being only one who hath but a similitude to a proper Son Continue reading →
A. A. Hodge in Defense of Natural Revelation
An extreme opinion on this subject has been held by some Christians, to the effect that no true and certain knowledge of God can be derived by man, in his present condition, from the light of nature in the entire absence of . . . Continue reading →
Grammar Guerrilla: Lose The “Of”
“He is as good of a running back as you will see in the SEC.” One hears and sees the expression, “as good of” almost constantly now and it as defective as it is unnecessary. The first part of the problem is . . . Continue reading →