“Religious ignorance and a general unconcernedness about divine things, together with the most profuse dissipation and a growing disregard of moral virtue, are the reigning characteristics of the present age.”1 So wrote Augustus Toplady in a letter to a friend in 1776. Although . . . Continue reading →
There have been many and varied books written on manhood and masculinity generally, and on Christian masculinity specifically. Many have come at the subject from different angles with different ends in mind. In the era post-COVID, this subject has arisen repeatedly. Many . . . Continue reading →
Pastors are sinners. This sentence is not overly pleasant to read or think about. But it is true that, like other people, pastors in Christ’s church are far from perfect. They stumble in many ways. Even the godliest pastor struggles with various . . . Continue reading →
That’s crazy! We say these words when we see something strange and amazing. The ball hit the right fielder in the head and bounced over the fence for a home run. That’s crazy! My neighbor’s dog can get onto the garage roof . . . Continue reading →
Like preaching, other elements in a church’s order of worship are included every week. Praying and singing, for example, are consistently included for the edification of God’s people. Seldom, if ever, do people think that these should be occasional components of a . . . Continue reading →
“Do little things with great love.” That statement has stuck with me ever since I heard it some years ago. Life is mostly made up of small choices and seemingly insignificant happenings. Although there is nothing wrong with pursuing and achieving big . . . Continue reading →
It’s all about politics. This statement is a generalization, but it is not an incorrect description of the United States cultural scene. Everything in our culture is politicized, from fast-food joints to wedding cakes to running shoes. I cannot even avoid politics . . . Continue reading →
In today’s age and culture, which eschews accountability in favor of the independent spirit, people often view the notion of church membership as constricting and constraining, an old-fashioned and passé practice of a more heavily institutional age. We often hear in contemporary . . . Continue reading →
Jesus Christ instructed his church to observe the Lord’s Supper until he returns. The church has not always agreed about how often we should observe it. Within the Reformed tradition, debates about the frequency of Communion remained a feature of sacramental discussions . . . Continue reading →
Pluralization and polarization are two defining features of Western culture. Pluralization refers to the coexistence of diverse viewpoints, practices, and beliefs among people with various backgrounds, customs, and ethnicities. Polarization manifests itself today in the “us versus them” attitude that sharply divides . . . Continue reading →
Divine grace is a beautiful thing. Though it is not a thing that we can hold on to or put under a microscope, it is a disposition of an Almighty God. What makes this grace of God so beautiful is that we . . . Continue reading →
Very few books, at least those that are uninspired, truly blow my mind and prompt immediate change in my lifestyle. Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, however, sent me spinning almost every time I sat down with it. What I learned not only . . . Continue reading →
Because darkness hates the light, Christ’s church has always gone through times of oppression and persecution. The Bible says Christians should not be surprised when the world’s animosity is directed toward them (1 John 3:12). Even if persecution has not always been . . . Continue reading →
While the legacy of old Princeton theologians remains alive and well in the memory of Presbyterians and Reformed in the twenty-first century, their cousins across the Atlantic have been generally neglected. This is a tragedy, as the pastors and theologians of the . . . Continue reading →
On-ramps are really important for merging safely and easily into fast-moving traffic. Where I live near Detroit, the merging lanes at the end of on-ramps are shockingly short, often leaving a sense of dangerous urgency to find a place to fit comfortably . . . Continue reading →
The covenant theology roundup continues with part 3. Continue reading →
It may be because I grew up reading Greco-Roman classics, but this book touched me deeply. At first, I thought it was one of the many books underlining the importance of reading the classics— and this book certainly does this. But it . . . Continue reading →
At the heart of Baird’s conception is the language of the public good. He finds it in the twenty-third chapter of the Westminster Confession, and it informs a logical syllogism that is the backbone of his argument. The confession affirms that God . . . Continue reading →
How do we understand the Bible? And should Christians not all agree about how to do so? Given Scripture’s clarity, we might think the answer is an obvious yes! The church’s history, however, tells a different story. The transition from the medieval . . . Continue reading →
I have perused this ensuing Dialogue, and find it tending to peace and holiness; the author endeavouring to reconcile and heal those unhappy differences, which have lately broken out afresh amongst us, about the points therein handled and cleared: for which cause . . . Continue reading →