The translation is here. The Heidelberg Catechism is also in Swahili now. Continue reading
2021 Archive
Defining “Evangelical” Is Already Difficult But This Makes It Impossible
…The second factor bolstering evangelicalism on surveys is that more people are embracing the label who have no attachment to Protestant Christianity. For example, the share of Catholics who also identified as evangelicals (or born again) rose to 15 percent in 2018 . . . Continue reading →
The 1619 Project Privileges Narrative Over Facts
According to a significant number of scholars of American history, one of the most serious weaknesses in the self-described 1619 Project, which argues that racism and slavery was a central motivation for the origin of the American Republic, is that it is factually inaccurate. Continue reading
Religious Freedom Watch: Tent-Making Pastor Threatened With Loss Of Realtor’s License
Warning. You don’t have to say anything reasonable people would see as “hate speech” to be sanctioned for “hate speech.” Missoula, Montana realtor Brandon Huber is a part-time realtor as well as the lead pastor of the Clinton Community Church in the . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Pastoring During The Pandemic
In the best of times pastoral ministry is a challenging vocation. After all, one of the first duties of a faithful minister is to announce bad news in public. Pastors are among the first to hear when something has gone wrong in the congregation, when someone has become seriously ill or died. Ministry has become even more difficult during the Covid pandemic. Continue reading →
Heidelcast 197—What Must A Christian Believe? (14): Christ Ascended
In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the sixth article: “He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.” It is never easy to be separated a . . . Continue reading →
Does Inerrancy Apply Only To The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts Of Scripture?
The final authority for Christian doctrine and the Christian life, as the Westminster Divines wrote, the Word of God in the original languages. This is why it is so important that our pastors and teachers receive a genuine education in the original languages and why we should expect them to continue learn and progress in their knowledge and use of the original languages in pastoral ministry. For centuries before the Renaissance and Reformation, most the ministers in the Western church lost the ability to read the Scriptures in the original languages. Indeed, to find an illiterate priest (one who could not read at all) was not unknown. In the Greek church, of course, they could at least read the New Testament but it was not until the Renaissance that the knowledge of Hebrew and Greek began to return more widely and to be taught again in the universities, where pastors were educated. The Reformed churches understood and appreciated the value of the knowledge of the original languages and expected the pastors to learn and use them. Continue reading →
What’s Going On Right Now: Sex, Race, Politics, and Power with Dr. W Robert Godfrey (3)
In this third session of Dr. Godfrey’s Sunday school class at the Escondido URC, he develops how Christianity fared under Christendom. He explains the trajectory of challenges Christianity faced as it became wealthy and influential and, sadly, moved away from the gospel. . . . Continue reading →
A PCA Ruling Elder Mulls Over The Significance Of The Presbyleak
Have you ever ended up at a party and felt as if you didn’t really belong? It may be that you had a right to attend that party. You had an invitation of sorts, but you didn’t really feel welcome and you . . . Continue reading →
Worth Reading To Connect The Dots
I found one minor error and the tenor of the piece is typically alarmist. Continue reading
In Defense Of Twitter
My friend and colleague, Carl Trueman, has published another thoughtful piece in First Things,“Lessons From the Reformation’s Pamphlet War.” In this essay he makes an analogy between Twitter and the Reformation pamphlets that were so widely published and distributed during the Reformation. He . . . Continue reading →
There Is A Confessional Reformed Church In Lithuania And Poland
Dariusz Bryćko writes, “After about two years of weekly Bible study and prayer meetings, on October 17 our church plant had the privilage to inaugurate regular public worship. Two Lithuanian ministers traveled to Warsaw to join us for this event, since we’ve . . . Continue reading →
This Is Not Reformed Theology (2)
Apparently there is a conference among Particular Baptists occurring this week. Someone at the conference tweeted this quotation
How The Spirituality Of The Church Can Address The Legacy Of Apartheid
As South Africa’s second-largest metropolis (after Johannesburg), Cape Town not only has a rich history but is also a melting pot of scenic views, cuisines, and skin colors. She boasts incredible beauty but also thrombotic veins of prejudice and inequality, which are . . . Continue reading →
Caspar Olevian And The Substance Of The Covenant Discounted To $10.00
RHB is now selling (for how long I do not know) Caspar Olevian and the Substance of the Covenant for $10.00.
Christ The Only Way, Doctrinal Confusion, And A Twofold Kingdom
A few years ago President Trump nominated Russell Vought to a post in his administration. Opponents of the nominee found an article written by Vought in which he criticized a Wheaton College professor for advocating a pluralist approach to salvation. During his confirmation hearing the ACLU bizarrely attacked Vought for denying religious liberty. The ACLU conflated Vought’s religious views with his policy views (perhaps because that is what the ACLU now does). Sen. Sanders of Vermont grilled Vought over his public, Christian conviction that faith in Jesus is the only way of salvation. Either Sanders was being cynical or he is incredibly ill-informed about a basic tenet of orthodox Christianity. Continue reading →
Heidelcast 196: What Must A Christian Believe? (13) He Was Raised From The Dead
In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the fifth article: “On the third day he was raised from the dead.” We live in the late or liquid modern world (so Zigmunt Baumann), at least . . . Continue reading →
Reformation Day, The Trinity, And The Culture War
Some objected to the critics of the Federal Vision that the social crisis is too great that to be arguing about the Federal Vision. That objection has resurface in recent days in the wake of a social media post in which a prominent member of the Young, Restless, and Reformed Movement and a Baptist theologian has argued, “The Father is the Father because he sends the Son. The Son is the Son because he submits to the Father’s will. The Spirit is the Spirit because the Father and the Son send Him. There is no Trinity without the order of authority and submission” (emphasis original). As one might imagine, this line of reasoning has prompted a considerable response. In response to the critics, some have re-stated the same argument made by the Federal Visionists and their enablers in 2008: “Are we really going to start arguing about ESS again? With all the other stuff going on in the world, this is the battle some of you want to fight? Again? I seriously do not understand some of you. Like, at all.” Continue reading →
Bob Godfrey On “What’s Going on Right Now: Sex, Race, Politics & Power” (2)
Bob Godfrey has been teaching the Adult Sunday School class in (what is now) the Escondido United Reformed Church for forty years. Some of that material has made its way into print and, in that way, perhaps you have benefited directly from . . . Continue reading →
How Nebuchadnezzar Helps Explain Our Moment
When Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams were interpreted by Daniel, a surprising prophecy was made that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would soon fall, and “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. . . . Continue reading →