Historians are meant to deal in facts. Yes, facts are not brute and yes, they must be interpreted but that interpretation does not render them something other than facts. If there are no facts, there is no history but only politics and . . . Continue reading →
Penelope Soto is doing 30 days in a county jail because she needed to learn a hard lesson. The odd thing is that many are shocked by that reality. The reaction her case says something about where we are as a culture. . . . Continue reading →
In view of the Oregon case in which a baker faces prosecution for refusing to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple, it seemed like a good idea to re-post this. The original context was the challenge that there’s no good . . . Continue reading →
UPDATED 14:02 5 Feb 2013 So says YRR (Young, Restless, and Reformed) leader Mark Driscoll in an interview (regarding his forthcoming book) published by the TGC: Q: You observe that “appreciated people” exchange grumbling for praying, competing for celebrating, bitterness for thankfulness, . . . Continue reading →
He would sound a lot like this cat (HT: Rich Barcellos)
Originally posted 3 Feb 2013 15:53 UPDATE: New photos added
Just a quick notice to say that I’m looking forward to participating in ordination service for Trey Jasso at 6:00 PM this evening at New Life PCA in La Mesa. Trey is a graduate of WSC and military veteran about to enter into another sort of service. Ordination services are a bit like weddings. It’s hard for the ordinand to focus on everything but I hope that the service is edifying and serves Trey as well as my ordination service has served me over the years.
Pray for Trey as he begins his ministry of Word and sacrament.
Word came yesterday that a presbyterian church, in a NAPARC denomination, cancelled its Sabbath day service yesterday in order to allow its members to go out and spend time with sinners on and, only incidentally, watch the Super Bowl. We might call . . . Continue reading →
Dennis Johnson brings his expertise in the book of Hebrews back to Office Hours this week as we work through Hebrews 6:13–7:10. What did God promise Abraham? What does it mean that the pastor to this Christian congregation turned to Abraham to help . . . Continue reading →
Joel Beeke contacted me to ask me to let you know about an upcoming Reformation tour of the Netherlands and Germany. They have space for you. Here’s what the flyer says: Come with us on a journey through the heritage of the . . . Continue reading →
Aimee Byrd at Housewife Theologian asks a great question about what to do with ourselves after a baptism. How do you celebrate this moment? Let me ask you readers, do you clap in your church after a baptism? Our church congregation doesn’t. . . . Continue reading →
A few correspondents have contacted me to ask about the continuing controversy over the doctrine of republication. It seems as if it might be useful to try to put this discussion in some context. In its most basic form, the doctrine of . . . Continue reading →
One of the most confusing aspects of Protestant-Romanist dialogue is trying to determine “who speaks for Rome?” and trying to answer the question, “What does Rome believe?” One reason it can be difficult to answer these questions is that Rome likes it . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE January 30, 2013: This volume is now available at Amazon. It is tempting sometimes to think of the Reformation as a magical event. Luther re-discovered glorious truths and all of Europe swooned. Of course that’s not what happened. There was resistance . . . Continue reading →
James H. Gilmore has been on campus this week teaching the course, “Understanding Commerce, Culture, and Congregations.” Monday was commerce, Tuesday: culture, and this afternoon, congregations. Jim is co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP, a business consulting firm. It’s not what you might . . . Continue reading →
So there’s been a lot of discussion of John MacArthur’s recent comments at the Shepherd’s Conference. Kim Riddlebarger has replied and I’ve commented on the HB (see the resources below). I’ve promised to write something on Quistorp’s summary of Calvin’s eschatology. I’ve . . . Continue reading →
One of my favorite reads, the NTJ, is back in black (and white). As the Old Lifers explain, it’s in print for now but will be migrating to an online PDF. They’ve put the latest edition, Winter 2012, online as a PDF . . . Continue reading →
Mike Horton and Dave VanDrunen join Office Hours this week to discuss one of the more challenging passages in Hebrews and perhaps in the New Testament: Hebrews 5:11–6:12. I hope you’ll listen and share this episode with others. If you’re just joining the series, . . . Continue reading →
According to the Apostolic Fathers (from the early to mid 2nd century) Simon Magus (or Simon of Samaria) was the first heretic (Acts 8:18–24). Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he . . . Continue reading →
There are three great idols that all ministers must tear down daily cast into the fire for scrap: buildings, bodies, and budgets. These are the three things that almost invariably come up in conversation with pastors and, I must confess, I’ve too . . . Continue reading →
There is a good deal of talk in contemporary evangelicalism about the rise, nature, and effect of so-called “postmodernism,” a movement in architecture, literature, philosophy, and religion associated with a circle of French writers such as Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida. In . . . Continue reading →
