Simply put, any idea that posits racial superiority as a basis for church or civil social order is to be seen as out of bounds with Christianity as a religion and as a source of truth, and is sin. The Synod is . . . Continue reading →
American Presbyterianism
Presbyterian Signers Of The Declaration Of Independence
The almost mythical status the Declaration holds for many Americans is not the product of some twentieth-century PR spin either. From the beginning, whether from prescience or hubris, Americans believed that the founding of their new nation was an act of profound . . . Continue reading →
With Presbycast On Whether Revivalism Can Be Reformed
At the end of March Brad Isbell, Wilson Van Hooser and I discussed whether Revivalism can be Reformed. As usual, great fun was had by all. Here’s the video: Here’s the audio-only episode in the Presbycast Libsyn feed. Subscribe to the Presbycast . . . Continue reading →
The Little Steps That Led To Big Problems
The ordination of women in American Presbyterianism did not emerge overnight but through a long sequence of small decisions — in churches and eventually courts — that gradually reshaped the Church’s understanding of officers, ordination, their function, and authority. In my previous . . . Continue reading →
The Hanover Presbytery Rejected The Established Religion As Unamerican
The Memorial of the Presbytery of Hanover humbly represents, that your memorialists are governed by the same sentiments which have inspired the United States of America, and are determined that noting in our power and influence shall be wanting to give success . . . Continue reading →
Video: John Thomson And The Shaping Of American Presbyterianism With Stephen A. Fix
If you are looking for a deep dive into the history of early American Presbyterianism, you have come to the right place! Listen in as Kevin talks with pastor, scholar, and writer S.A. Fix—who goes by the name Fix (really he does)—as . . . Continue reading →
DeYoung On The “Soft Establishment” Of The American Revisions
Since publishing my article in 2024, several responses have argued that the difference between the two versions of WCF 23:3 is only a matter of emphasis and not an actual contradiction. Other ministerial colleagues in the PCA have argued that although the . . . Continue reading →
How Presbyterians Shifted On Church-State Relations
I am not suggesting that American Presbyterians of the eighteenth century would approve of the political arrangement of the twenty-first century. Surely, in many respects they would not. They assumed an overwhelmingly Protestant nation where Catholics and (more so) Jews could be . . . Continue reading →
PCA Christian Nationalism Study Committee Announced
Kevin DeYoung, moderator of the 52nd General Assembly, has selected the elders to serve on the Ad Interim Study Committee on Christian Nationalism. The committee will consist of three teaching elders, four ruling elders, and two advisory members. The committee members are . . . Continue reading →
The Incredible Shrinking Mainline
In 2008, I commented on a post by the Aquila Report: “The PCUSA continues its statistical decline. As a firm believer in Scottish revivals I might be tempted to take this as a sign of health but, in this case, it doesn’t . . . Continue reading →
The American Presbyterians Were Correcting The Tradition
I’ve written before about how Presbyterians changed their views on the civil magistrate and how this shift is reflected in the American revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF). When the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America adopted the . . . Continue reading →
Tennessee Valley Overture On Christian Nationalism
Whereas, the duties of Christian citizenship are often disputed and prove perennially difficult for both elders and church members to discern; and Whereas, confusion exists about the proper relation between church and state; and Whereas, due to recent movements, publications, popular teachings, . . . Continue reading →
Machen Was Right
The old mother kirk of American Presbyterianism holds treasures of the mind and heart that few have ever seen. She has lived through a Revolution with England; divided over Black slavery only to be united again; welcomed seceding (Associate and United) Presbyterians . . . Continue reading →
Defenders Of Orthodoxy Are Always Castigated As Mean
As early as 1925, Machenism was a codeword for BIG FAT CHURCH MEANIE-PANTS EXTRORDINAIRE . . . only two years after Christianity and Liberalism was published. It would seem that purveyors of clear and punchy polemic have never gone unpunished in the parlors of the . . . Continue reading →
Harrison Perkins—The Non-Insistent Pastor: Conscience And Submission In History, Theology, And Churchmanship (2)
This talk is part two of Westminster Seminary California’s Student Association 2025 Spring Convocation. RESOURCES Subscribe To The Heidelblog! Download the HeidelApp on Apple App Store or Google Play Browse the Heidelshop! The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The . . . Continue reading →
Harrison Perkins—The Non-Insistent Pastor: Conscience And Submission In History, Theology, And Churchmanship (1)
This talk is part one of Westminster Seminary California’s Student Association 2025 Spring Convocation. RESOURCES Subscribe To The Heidelblog! Download the HeidelApp on Apple App Store or Google Play Browse the Heidelshop! The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The . . . Continue reading →
Where Are All The Women?
We are very reliably informed that a recent visitor to a PCA church circled all the names of the church’s officers in the printed worship bulletin and wrote, “Where are all the women?” on the page, which he or she duly folded and dropped in . . . Continue reading →
Of Militants And Moderates
Darryl Hart (as always) has a provocative (in the best sense) article at Old Life.1 His use of the categories “militants” and “moderates” is very useful and helpful. To anticipate a criticism: yes, Reformed people can sometimes be jerks.2 Neither Darryl nor . . . Continue reading →
How the Americans Revised The Westminster Confession Regarding The Magistrate
The version of the Westminster Confession of Faith used by most Presbyterians in America is not identical with the version approved by the Westminster Assembly in 1646. Most of the differences between the historic text and the text used by the Orthodox . . . Continue reading →
A Question About Redeemer’s Multi-Site Model
In response to an article in USA Today on multi-site churches, in which Redeemer Presbyterian (NYC) was featured, Tim Keller offered a brief clarification of Redeemer’s version of the multi-site model.1 As part of that explanation he articulated a premise that strikes . . . Continue reading →