Like the celebrants of Festivus, Reformed folk have historically had a lot of problems with both the ecclesiastical calendar, including advent, and Christmas. It is not because we do not heartily affirm the incarnation of our Lord—we do!—but because neither the Scriptures . . . Continue reading →
The debate last year over the overture by Evangel Presbytery to the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church in America (overture 12), which was adopted by GA, presented acutely the question of the spirituality of the church. Overture 12 asked GA . . . Continue reading →
The fourth of our five points of Christian citizenship is Legislate. Last time we considered briefly what it means to legislate, i.e., to draft and pass a law, but how does it happen? How does one become a legislator and how does . . . Continue reading →
Christianity Today Online has published a piece touting the virtues of online seminary education.1 I expected there to be, somewhere in the story, someone to present the other side opposing online seminary education, but I did not see it. Perhaps I missed it? . . . Continue reading →
One of the great errors of the American Christian Nationalists is that they have given up on the American project before they have actually attempted the act of citizenship. They complain endlessly about the so-called “post-World War II consensus,” which they never . . . Continue reading →
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (Matt 18:15) We have been discussing Christian rhetoric and theological discourse on the Heidelblog. This . . . Continue reading →
We do not need to convince the Christian Nationalists that they have a problem with racism. Some of them have recently published a statement on this very issue. They call it The Antioch Declaration. Continue reading →
I have been laboring over the middle rubric of the POPLL agenda, namely persuasion, because it is much neglected and yet central to Christian social engagement in a democratic republic like the USA. I am also laboring over it because it is . . . Continue reading →
Quem pode se juntar à igreja de Cristo e sob quais condições? Esta é uma pergunta que, às vezes, agitou a igreja. No período moderno, a maioria das igrejas, incluindo as igrejas confessionais presbiterianas e reformadas (P&R), tende a adotar uma posição . . . Continue reading →
Since most of us have grown up with the Thanksgiving Holiday, it is easy for us to assume that this is the way things are and should be, but it has not always been so nor is it necessarily so. The American . . . Continue reading →
One of the creepier aspects of both Romanist and Pentecostalist piety is their virtually indistinguishable credulity about alleged “miracles.” I use the pejorative adjective intentionally because, at bottom, despite the formal differences between them, both are peddling magic and superstition—and that is . . . Continue reading →
In this part of the series, we are considering the art of persuasion—that is, convincing our neighbors of views and policies that are for the improvement of the body politic. In order to persuade our neighbors, Christians need to make three distinctions: . . . Continue reading →
74. ¿Deben los niños también ser bautizados? “Sí, ya que pertenecen al Pacto y al pueblo de Dios, al igual que sus padres, y dado que la redención del pecado a través de la sangre de Cristo y el Espíritu Santo que . . . Continue reading →
The distinction between broad and narrow is very helpful here. Broadly considered, all of life may be said to be worship, but not narrowly considered. Continue reading →
Hay alrededor de 60 millones de evangélicos en Norteamérica. La mayoría de ellos asumen o mantienen una interpretación Bautista de la historia redentora, una hermenéutica Bautista (manera de leer las Escrituras), y por consiguiente, una posición Bautista de los sacramentos o signos . . . Continue reading →
Editor’s note: Since this essay was first published, the Crystal Cathedral really isn’t what it used to be. In 2019 it became Christ Cathedral, the seat of the bishop of Orange. § Christianity Today reports that the Crystal Cathedral is experiencing a . . . Continue reading →
On this date, on the old calendar, Augustine of Hippo was born. Hippo is not his last name. It is the city where he served as bishop. The name of the town is funny in English, but it makes sense in Greek. . . . Continue reading →
Who counts as a Puritan and what does that adjective mean? These are important questions that need to be investigated. Like the adjective evangelical it is widely used both in academic and popular literature but there is no consensus as to what it means or who belongs to that category. Continue reading →
The question not infrequently comes to me: “What about cremation?” This is an inherently difficult question because it touches a very personal and private decision: what to do with the remains of a loved one, or what should be done with one’s . . . Continue reading →
I can understand why evangelicals and others who do not have a covenantal theology would exile their children during public worship, but I do not understand why so many ostensibly Reformed congregations have adopted the practice of dismissing their covenant children from . . . Continue reading →