According to a December 11, 2009 story in USA Today a Gallup Poll shows that Americans’ views of the “honesty and ethics” of clergy have hit a 32-year low, with just half rating their moral caliber as high or very high….” We . . . Continue reading →
American Christianity
More Bad News For The Mainline
A December 7, 2009 report from the Barna Group details the continued slide of the mainline churches (i.e. the American Baptist Churches in the USA; the Episcopal Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Presbyterian Church (USA); the United Church of . . . Continue reading →
Could There Be A Connection?
In a post dated 2009 the Barna Group notes two trends. First, they note the growing acceptance of female ministers in (mostly) mainline (read liberal) denominations, e.g. the PCUSA, the ECUSA, UMC, UCC, etc. The number of female ministers has grown “substantially” . . . Continue reading →
WHI and the Wages of Spin
Two of my favorite entities, the White Horse Inn and Carl Trueman in one interview.
David Strain Interviews Darryl Hart
David is a Glaswegian in exile. He writes at Letters from Mississippi. Part 1 covers Old Side Presbyterianism (if you don’t know what that means, you should read this interview) and evangelism. It’s a nice follow-on to the Dever interview. There’s audio . . . Continue reading →
Transcript of WHI Interview with Robert Schuller Online
At the new WHI site. (HT: Cal.vini.st)
A Belated Happy Birthday to Machen
Thanks to Martin and Sean for the reminder. Machen was the original warrior child. The OLTS has a nice remembrance. And more at Geneva Redux.
The Presiding Bishop’s Over-Realized Eschatology
In her opening address to 2009 convention of the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) the most reverend the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding Bishop of the ECUSA, declared, The crisis of this moment has several parts, and like Episcopalians, particularly the ones . . . Continue reading →
Exporting Shallowness
The United States has a trade gap but one product we shouldn’t be importing is schlocky “evangelical” piety and practice.
Excellent New Resource: The Continuing Story
Wayne Sparkman, archivist at the PCA Historical Center (itself a terrific resource for anyone interested in the history of American Presbyterianism) and valued correspondent to the HB, has begun his own blog: The Continuing Story. I’m subscribed and I hope you will . . . Continue reading →
CRC and RCA: No Reason to Remain Separate?
That’s what Amway titan Rich DeVos said recently to the Grand Rapids newspaper. So he has plans to reunite the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America (HT: Presbyterians Weekly News). The columnist comments that no one remembers why the . . . Continue reading →
The Sabbath and the Small Congregation
Good stuff at the Reformed Reader.
Oh Wow! A Pow-Wow or And Now for Q. 96?
Now that Q. 80 is marginalized in the CRC perhaps question 96 is next? I ask because of this press release just received today (thanks to WSC student Mark Vander Pol) from the CRC. The lead paragraphs say: Planners for the inaugural . . . Continue reading →
Mainline, Sideline, or Borderline?
An unsigned editorial posted on Tuesday (12 May 2009) on the Christianity Today website analyzes the new ARIS (American Religious Identification Survey). The news isn’t new. The mainline is shrinking and, according to the CT editorial, “evangelicals” (whoever they are and whatever . . . Continue reading →
When Liberals Try to Be Hip
The results can be tragic. Carl writes: And then finally, the pièce de resistance, the moment to which the whole service had been leading, the climactic moment when the congregation was taken to the very gates of heaven: the service ended, not . . . Continue reading →
Out Now: Sober, Strict, and Scriptural (Updated)
The Calvinpalooza continues for 2009. Sober, Strict, and Scriptural: Collective Memories of John Calvin, 1800–2000 is a collection of essays considering how Calvin’s life, theology, and legacy were received in the modern period. Contributors include, in alphabetical order, R. Bryan Bademan, Patrick Cabanel, R. Scott . . . Continue reading →
New Edition of "The Creationists" by Numbers
Ronald Numbers has done terrific work on the history of the creationist movement in N. America. He has revised his earlier work to account for the intelligent design movement. Everyone on all sides of this issue should read this book.
Mouw Reviews Muether's Bio of Van Til
Hey Mikey, He likes it! You can order your copy from The Bookstore at WSC.
Mainline Escapades: Union Seminary VA Hosts the You-Know-What Monologues
WARNING: this is graphic. If you click on this link you are responsible for what you see. This is not an inducement to click on the link (HT: Classical Presbsyterian). For those who don’t click the nub is that a an old . . . Continue reading →
Surprise! Emergent Leader Embraces Pelagius
Tony Jones rejects Augustine, the North African church of the 4th century, the French Church of the 6th century, the entire medieval church, the Protestant Churches, and the Council of Trent (HT: Kevin DeYoung). Here’s one on which the confessional Protestants and . . . Continue reading →