Christ and Culture

Between Pearls And Privatization

by on July 26, 2016 | 8 Comments

For Christians this is question of how to relate Christ and culture, or how to relate nature and grace. This is an ancient problem. The apostolic and early post-apostolic Christians faced this problem acutely. Our Lord commanded us to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Matt 22:21). The assumption behind the our Lord’s teaching is, of course, that some things are legitimately Casesar’s and some things are not. Our Lord drew a line in the sand when he informed Pilate that his “kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). The apostles faced this problem acutely when they were commanded to stop preaching the gospel. The Apostle Peter spoke for all of us when he replied, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Continue reading →

Three Messages To Millennials: Marriage, Church, And Work

by on July 26, 2016

Marriage On March 7, 2014, the Pew Research Center published the results of a new Survey:Millennials in Adulthood. Bradford Wilcox has a summary in the NRO. According to the study, Millennials have become disconnected from some basic institutions: marriage, church, and work—though not . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (16d): Defending The Faith (1 Peter 3:13–17)

by on April 26, 2016 | 1 Comment

The pagans have no frame of reference by which to understand what we are saying. The Christian faith is a mystery. We claim that a Jewish rabbi was crucified and raised on the third day, that he was and remain, in fact, God the Son incarnate. There is nothing about paganism that prepares them to understand that. Further. the pagans think about religion as a matter of works, as a matter of a quid pro quo. They think that the gods are powers to be controlled and manipulated. We make offerings and we perform duties and thereby, they think, we have obligated the gods to be good to us. That is not the Christian faith. We say that God has been gracious to us in that while we were sinners (disobedient and judgment deserving), God sent his Son to obey for us, in our place, and to die for us, as our substitute. We say that we are right with God not by anything we have done or can do but merely because God has credited to us who believe all that Jesus did for us. That is a supernatural religion. The pagan has a natural religion. He elevates nature (works) into a religion and seeks to use it to control the gods. Continue reading →

Coaches For Pastors: An Index Of The Identity Of American Culture And Evangelicalism

by on April 14, 2016 | 6 Comments

With the stench of decades of sweat fixed permanently in the air, its tile floor, and its fan-shaped basketball hoops mounted to the brick wall—the only protection against which being a thin, worn wrestling mat—the Community Center was the epitome of an . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (16c): Defending The Faith (1 Peter 3:13–17)

by on April 13, 2016

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15but in your hearts . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 99: The Noah Paradigm

by on February 6, 2016
Heidelcast

Christians in the USA live in an increasingly confused, confusing time. Hostility to the faith seems to be increasing. We seem to be witnessing a growing hostility even to the very idea that there is such a thing as nature with fixed . . . Continue reading →

SAET Interviews In Politics And Theology #10: R. Scott Clark

by on January 22, 2016

With regard to political action:  American Christians (particularly evangelicals) must get over the microwave mentality. We need to think more in terms of camp fires and cook outs. It takes a long time to make a decent meal outdoors and it might . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (13c): Living Among The Pagans (1 Peter 3:1–6)

by on January 19, 2016 | 2 Comments

1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3Do not let . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (13b): Living Among The Pagans (1 Peter 3:1–6)

by on January 7, 2016

1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3Do not let . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (13a): Living Among The Pagans (1 Peter 3:1–6)

by on January 3, 2016 | 1 Comment

1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3Do not let . . . Continue reading →

Presbyterian And Reformed Ambivalence About Christmas

by on December 23, 2015 | 13 Comments

The Christmas season is nearing its climax. As the shopping ebbs and the work schedule slows a bit (for some anyway—remember in your prayers your local police and firefighters as this can be a difficult time for them) it gives us opportunity . . . Continue reading →

Of Christian Plumbers, Unions, Meat Offered To Idols, And Tent-Making

by on November 28, 2015 | 32 Comments

Darryl Hart raises an interesting question about the adjectival use of “Christian” as applied to pursuits shared by Christians and non-Christians. This has been one of the most persistent and widespread questions facing believing Christians for the last century: how do Christians relate to . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (11): Silencing Critics Through Submission (1 Peter 2:13–17)

by on November 23, 2015 | 6 Comments

When, c. 64–66 AD, the Apostle Peter wrote to the churches in Asia Minor (the areas named cover most of modern Turkey) Christians were a small, minority religion in the Greco-Roman world. Nero was Caesar and his reign was shortly coming to . . . Continue reading →