IV. Nor ought it to be objected that Christ puts instruction before baptism and so speaks of adults, who can be instructed, and not of infants (“teach [μαθητεύσατε],” he says). Although Christ placed teaching before baptism, this must be referred to the . . . Continue reading →
Author Archives: R. Scott Clark
The Shifting Culture Of Christian Colleges
And what about Christian colleges? They should be in the business of educating evangelical citizens. Unfortunately, most of them have sacrificed civics, humanities, and liberal arts to professional programs, online classes, continuing education, and cash-cow graduate programs. Yes, evangelical Christian colleges still . . . Continue reading →
Resources On A Covenantal Approach To The Christian Life
Chris writes to the HB to ask about moving from the conversionist paradigm for the Christian life to the covenantal vision for the Christian life, how does a “covenantal” approach to the Christian life appear? This is an important question. Since the . . . Continue reading →
Archie And Meathead On Socks And Shoes
The Oxford Dictionaries’ Word Of 2016: “Post-Truth”
The BBC reports that the word of the year for 2016 the compound “post-truth.” Oddly, however, there is no entry in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) for “post-truth.” It does not occur in my computer’s Oxford American Dictionary. Nevertheless, apparently, in some . . . Continue reading →
New From D. G. Hart: Damning Words: The Life And Religious Times Of H. L. Mencken
My copy arrived yesterday. Looking forward to it. The publisher (Eerdmans) says: “H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) was a reporter, literary critic, editor, author — and a famous American agnostic. From his role in the Scopes Trial to his advocacy of science and . . . Continue reading →
The Reformation Was Not A “Modern” Event
It is widely held and assumed that the Reformation was a modern event. Reformation studies, where they still happen in state-funded universities, are nearly always categorized as “early modern.” Historians of the 16th and 17th centuries regularly describe themselves as scholars of . . . Continue reading →
Luther For Children (And Adults)
Quietly but wonderfully over several years Simonetta Carr has been producing a stream of high-quality, well-written, wonderfully illustrated children’s books. Her latest is a biography of Martin Luther (1483–1546) and it is no exception. It appears just in time for the 500th . . . Continue reading →
Let The Church Be The Church
I imagine, dear reader, that you and I were both distressed to see Secretary Clinton, as a candidate for the presidency, standing in the pulpit of a Christian congregation during this past election cycle but were we upset for the same reasons? . . . Continue reading →
An Undergrad Replies To Social Justice Warriors
But the SJW movement is so hopelessly confused and maddeningly fickle that the prospect of their rising powers of censorship is nothing short of terrifying. Not satiated by the traditional right-wing targets of progressive indignation, they eat their own: feminists who criticize . . . Continue reading →
Affirming Grace And Denying It In The Same Breath
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. 2 . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours Season 8: Reformation 500—How Martin Luther Became A Protestant
The medieval and late medieval Christian lived in a theological world in which salvation was merely possible and never certain either in this life or in death. It was never more uncertain than it was in the two centuries leading up the Reformation. Continue reading →
Super Moon 2016
Two Cities And Dual Citizenship In The New Testament
Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him . . . Continue reading →
Pacific Beach At Sunset
Abounding Grace Radio Now In Portland!
Chris writes: We are very happy to announce that the Abounding Grace Radio board unanimously approved to expand AGR to the Portland/Salem area. We will be airing AGR on KDPQ AM 800 out of Portland every day from 4:00–4:30 PM. This gives . . . Continue reading →
Jackson, “Unto” And “Toward” In Ephesians 4:11–12, And Every Member Ministry
American evangelical Christianity has both influenced and been influenced by shifts in American culture since before the founding of the Republic. One of the shifts, which has had lasting effects, was the turn toward a more radically democratic turn in politics at . . . Continue reading →
A New Definition Of Righteousness
Take note, therefore, of a new righteousness and a new definition of righteousness. For one usually says: “Righteousness is the virtue that renders to everyone his due.” Here it is stated that righteousness is faith in Jesus Christ or the virtue by . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Your Church Before Luther?
Josiah writes to the HB: Often when we think of the reformation we think back to 1517 when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis on the church door in Wittenberg Germany but we describe it in such a way that it’s almost . . . Continue reading →
It Is Almost As If Viret Were Reading Over Our Shoulders
Therefore it is not wholly without reason that some have raised the question: “which is more to be feared or desired: an evil ruler with good counsel, or a good ruler with evil counsel?” For if the counsel of the ruler is . . . Continue reading →