I was once asked a good and important question: who should go to seminary? The answer to this question is in two parts: anyone, but not everyone. First, anyone may go to seminary. Since I teach at a seminary (Westminster Seminary California), . . . Continue reading →
I realized recently that I have been neglecting my responsibility to save English grammar in America. My sincerest apologies, but the Grammar Guerrilla is back to observe and complain about the expression “too good of.” We hear it most often on sports-talk . . . Continue reading →
In Article X, under the heading, “On Nationalism and Policy Priorities,” the Statement says: WE AFFIRM that nations possess an inviolable right to establish justice and safeguard the peace and prosperity of their own citizens. We affirm that implementing Christian Nationalism in . . . Continue reading →
I am in the midst of an interesting discussion of baptism with a friend. This friend has Baptist convictions, yet he understands Reformed theology better than many of the Reformed. He is quite sympathetic to historic and confessional Reformed theology. For example, . . . Continue reading →
On 20 September 2021, T. E. Bunch et al. published what became a hotly (pun intended) controverted article, which claimed to have found evidence of a “Tunguska sized airburst” over Tall el-Hammam, a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near . . . Continue reading →
Late last month I had the pleasure of talking with Nick from the Guilt, Grace, Gratitude podcast about the covenant of redemption. This is an important, if neglected, aspect of Reformed theology. From all eternity the Father, Son, and Spirit loved a . . . Continue reading →
One of the unfortunate aspects of the intra-Dispensational argument—that is, the Lordship Salvation controversy—is that both sides appealed to the Reformation, but neither side represented the Reformation theology, piety, and practice. Dispensationalism is a nineteenth-century phenomenon. Its roots are in the holiness . . . Continue reading →
One of the biggest developments of the modern era of sports is the rise of the “free agent.” Under “free agency” an athlete is bound to a team only for a short period of time, at the end of which he becomes . . . Continue reading →
The Religion News Service (RNS) reports, “Whitworth University, a Christian school affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has revised its policies to allow for the hiring of faculty who identify as LGBTQ and to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination statement.” The . . . Continue reading →
The overarching theme of this series has been that the Lordship Salvation doctrine confuses the law and the gospel.95 Nowhere is that confusion more evident than in his handling of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16–22: And behold, a man came . . . Continue reading →
Cualquier cosa que merezca la pena lleva su tiempo. Malcom Gladwell dice que para realmente dominar una habilidad importante se necesitandiez mil horas. Podemos debatir si eso es cierto en todos los casos, pero la experiencia común nos dice que las habilidades . . . Continue reading →
About once a week, the Bishop of Rome holds a “general audience” in St. Peter’s Square in which he gives instruction (catechesis) to Roman Catholics. In three of Benedict XVI’s (the late Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger) catechetical audiences voiced themes that might be . . . Continue reading →
“Pilgrim Theology” is a broad category in which theological prolegomena (introduction to theology), the doctrine of God, Christology, and Christian ethics (the Christian life) intersect with eschatology (i.e., how we understand our current and future relationship to heaven and the final state), . . . Continue reading →
In Article IX, under the heading, “Spheres of Authority,” the Statement (version 2) says: WE AFFIRM that God has established spheres of authority such as the home, the Church, and the civil government. We affirm that God has given unique responsibilities and . . . Continue reading →
When Theodosius I (AD 347–95) took the throne in AD 379, no one knew how profoundly the next 1,500 years of Christian history would be affected (and effected) by his promulgation of the decree (AD 380) to make Christianity the state religion . . . Continue reading →
In Article VIII the Statement (version 2) says: WE AFFIRM that God’s purpose for civil government is to establish justice for His glory and the good of all people. We affirm that unjust laws harm people and that just laws reflect the . . . Continue reading →
The AP Stylebook was, until recent years, one of the most respected and influential authorities for American journalists. Undergraduate journalism students are regularly directed to the AP Style as the “bible” for journalists. It functions similarly to the way the Chicago Manual . . . Continue reading →
That is just one of a series of claims made recently by my friend Mark Dever, who is a devout Baptist. Rather than reading my summary of Mark’s claims, you should watch this brief video clip for yourself, to which I will . . . Continue reading →
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently convened to make some of the most significant rulings on religious freedom in recent years. The court held unanimously: “Title VII requires an employer that denies a religious accommodation to show that the . . . Continue reading →
WE AFFIRM that civil officials are God’s deacons of justice. Therefore, they must obey His commands and rule under His authority. We affirm that all human authorities, including civil officials, possess authority only as it has been delegated to them by God . . . Continue reading →