Mental illness can be difficult to recognize physically. It tends to lay hidden beneath the surface. Many people are ashamed to admit they struggle with a mental illness, and some may not even know they have one. This can be particularly painful . . . Continue reading →
Author Archives: Heidelblog
A Surprising But Godly Use Of The Reformed Confessions
As a pastor, I am frequently asked about the best resources available for growth in the Christian faith. We live in a time when there is no shortage of devotional books to help with personal and family piety. Part of the challenge . . . Continue reading →
Hart Reviews The Flag And The Cross
How pervasive is Christian nationalism in the United States? Before answering, a more pressing question is: What is it? Here the people paid to define our terms are all over the place. Christian nationalism can involve a national church like the Church . . . Continue reading →
Psalms, Sabbath, And Iconoclasm Are Not Quirks But Acts Of Confession
Within wider Christianity, Presbyterians are often labeled—and sometimes dismissed—as traditionalists. This label may seem to explain some aspects of Presbyterian piety, but not all. When Christians outside of Reformed circles learn about the Presbyterian passion for singing Psalms, keeping Sabbath, and rejecting . . . Continue reading →
Religious Freedom Watch: Third Circuit Allows Suit Against NJ On First Amendment Grounds
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision dismissing a New Jersey couple’s lawsuit against the state after it removed their foster child and suspended their license to foster parent. The decision relies on recent U.S. Supreme . . . Continue reading →
This Is A Good Book And Now Very Affordable
This is a fine little volume that makes a good entry point to the Reformation. Bob Godfrey published this several years ago. These chapters are based on his lectures, which he gave for decades as Professor of Church History at Westminster Seminary . . . Continue reading →
How Charles Discovered The Reformed Confession
After a great renovation project of the sanctuary-now-Worship-Center, the church began to hold large Christian concerts and special events. One such event was the Gospel Tour. Two pastors were coming whom I had not heard of, one of them, Matt Chandler. I . . . Continue reading →
Female Preachers In The PCA?
Presbyterianism is pretty simple. As the name suggests, presbyters (elders) are essential to the church. Congregations elect qualified men to ensure that the means of grace (word, prayer, and sacraments) and discipline are maintained. These men—one or more of whom is an . . . Continue reading →
Facts Matter But So Does The Framework Of Analysis: Deconstructionism Must Ultimately Dissolve Every Belief System
The facts recounted in any historical work are important, but so are the uses to which those facts are put, the tools used to analyze those facts, and the conclusions that are drawn from those facts. Accurate details can be both cherry-picked . . . Continue reading →
Facts Matter
When people’s average perceptions of group sizes are compared to actual population estimates, an intriguing pattern emerges: Americans tend to vastly overestimate the size of minority groups. This holds for sexual minorities, including the proportion of gays and lesbians (estimate: 30%, true: . . . Continue reading →
Lewis On Egalitarian Education: Will It Breed A Nation Which Should Survive?
Democratic education, says Aristotle, ought to mean, not the education which democrats like, but the education which will preserve democracy. Until we have realized that the two things do not necessarily go together we cannot think clearly about education. For example, an . . . Continue reading →
Baugh: No Evidence For A Feminist Culture In First-Century Ephesus
Up to this point, no one has established historically that there was, in fact, a feminist culture in first-century Ephesus. It has merely been assumed. Enter Richard and Catherine Kroegers’ I Suffer Not A Woman: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2:11–15 in Light of . . . Continue reading →
Conference Series At Christ Reformed In DC: Hart, Sasse, And Holcomb (Corrected)
The Spring Speakers Series begins next week (March 31, 2022) the series speaker is U. S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb), who is addressing “The Church As Heaven’s Embassy.” Sen. Sasse is a historian who has taught at the University of Texas and a . . . Continue reading →
Conference: May 13-14, 2022, Escondido URC—If The Foundations Are Destroyed
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What Does Jeremiah 29:11 Really Mean?
Perhaps one of the most common Bible verses found on bookmarks, in memory lists, and on social media posts is Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to . . . Continue reading →
Trueman: Expressive Individualism Is The Third “Great Awakening”
Years ago, Anthony Esolen pointed out that pedophilia and the free and easy attitudes toward sex in contemporary society share a common moral structure: both prioritize the sexual desires of adults over the welfare of children. The difference, of course, is that . . . Continue reading →
GRN Conference May 4–5, 2022 in Birmingham, AL: The Sufficiency Of The Gospel In A Secular Age
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What Is The “Judgment Of Charity” And Is It Relevant To The PCA Controversy Over Side B/”Gay Christianity”?
Historically the term judgment of charity has been used in discussions of the infant offspring of believers, especially regarding their reception of baptism or of eternal life (in cases of premature death). The former sense is the only way in which Herman . . . Continue reading →
Just As The Lord Delivered Us From Egypt
The author of Hebrews is concerned about an unacceptable attitude toward the Word of God in the Christian community in Rome. Due to the threat of persecution and hardship in the church, these first century Christians were giving up on their commitments . . . Continue reading →
Baugh: Hebrews 9:15–18 Is Talking About A Covenant
I corresponded with John Hughes recently and complimented him on a detailed scholarly article he wrote some years ago where he gave a most helpful treatment of Heb. 9:15-22. He mentioned in return that it was disappointing that his work seems to . . . Continue reading →