Given the chaotic and volatile nature of our culture, what should the church focus on in her teaching? This is one of the pressing questions of our day. The answer, of course, is “the whole counsel of God.” That is true but . . . Continue reading →
Christian Life
Perkins: The Use Of Sola Fide
This doctrine is of great use. First, we learn hence that a man is justified by the mere mercy of God, and that there is excluded from justification all merit of congruity,* all meritorious works of preparation wrought by us, all cooperation . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Christ Is Given To Us In Word And Sacrament
The third question is, how the obedience of Christ should be made ours? Answer. By the free donation of God. For Christ is really given unto us in the word and sacraments; and consequently the obedience of Christ is made ours, even . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Two Natures, One Christ
The second question is, how Christ could obey, being God, and satisfy for us, being man? Answer. Christ must be considered, not merely as God, or as man, but as God-man or man-God. For the Godhead does not redeem us without the . . . Continue reading →
Perkins On Self Love
Men’s hearts are so possessed with self-love, and they are so addicted to their own praise, that it is grief to them to hear any praised beside themselves; whereas love binds us as well to take care for the good name of . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Worshiping God Outside of The True Christ Is Idolatry
The Jew worships God out of Christ; and so does the Turk; yea and the papists worship God, but yet outside of the true Christ; for (as has been shown elsewhere) the Christ of the papists is a counterfeit Christ. And in . . . Continue reading →
More On Christian Nationalist Racism
Worldliness isn’t a leftist trait. It’s not just progressive “Christians” who can be deceived by unbiblical views on race. Satan is cunning. If he’s able to deceive Puritans into embracing white supremacy, he’s able to deceive conservative protestants into embracing Kinism. Kinism . . . Continue reading →
What I Learned Reading Difficult Books Very Slowly
So what did my days as a student look like? Really, I spent hours and hours each day just… reading. For variety, I did some studying with fellow students, but most of the work was done alone. All Classics majors got a . . . Continue reading →
How To Find The Meaning Of Life
. . . One of the challenges we face when coming to this question of the meaning of life is the sheer magnitude of answers that people have put forward. In one sense, it’s understandable that so many feel bewildered by it. . . . Continue reading →
Is the Pope a Protestant?
About once a week, the Bishop of Rome holds a “general audience” in St. Peter’s Square in which he gives instruction (catechesis) to Roman Catholics. In three of Benedict XVI’s (the late Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger) catechetical audiences voiced themes that might be . . . Continue reading →
New Resource Page: On Pilgrim Theology
“Pilgrim Theology” is a broad category in which theological prolegomena (introduction to theology), the doctrine of God, Christology, and Christian ethics (the Christian life) intersect with eschatology (i.e., how we understand our current and future relationship to heaven and the final state), . . . Continue reading →
Interpreting Scripture For Love: Augustine’s Threefold Hermeneutic (Part Three)
The final aspect of Augustine’s hermeneutic that we will observe is this: Augustine believed biblical texts could have more than one meaning or interpretation. Scripture, for Augustine, was not a one-dimensional black-and-white text filled with brute facts of history and bare propositions.1 . . . Continue reading →
Interpreting Scripture For Love: Augustine’s Threefold Hermeneutic (Part Two)
“Thou has pierced my heart with Thy Word, and I have loved Thee.”1 In the last article, we examined Augustine’s vigorous Christ-centered interpretation of Scripture. Another significant aspect of his biblical interpretation is love. For Augustine, the proper interpretation of Scripture leads . . . Continue reading →
Using Strength to Serve
We live in a time where it is thought that strength must be shown for it to be “strength.” Arguing online is the norm. Brash politicians are lauded. The bolder the talking head, the better. For men to be men they must . . . Continue reading →
Review: The Lord’s Prayer: Learning from Jesus on What, Why, and How to Pray by Kevin DeYoung
Most of us know that we should pray more often. We do not need a book to tell us this. We only need to consider our own daily prayers to see our failures. If we already know this, then why bother reading . . . Continue reading →
Laboring For The Spoils Of Scripture: Augustine’s Threefold Hermeneutic (Part One)
“Like fingernails on a chalkboard.” Sometimes that phrase captures my response to a bizarre interpretation of Scripture. For example, I recently read a modern commentary on the story in Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus heals a man with leprosy: “Jesus stretched out his . . . Continue reading →
Recovering The Art of Persuasion
“Of all things that human beings do,” Mortimer Adler once observed, “conversing with one another is the most characteristically human.” Unfortunately, in our day, we no longer have many opportunities for meaningful conversations. Virtual conversations abound—we watch talking heads on television or . . . Continue reading →
Christians and Social Responsibility
It is true, however, that Luther did not normally conceive of the Christian’s social responsibility as transforming the existing structures of society. While persons can be transformed by the gospel in the kingdom of God, institutions can only be reformed by the . . . Continue reading →
A Sketch of the Christian’s Catechism (Ames)
William Ames (1576-1633) plays several crucial roles in the transmission and development of Reformed Orthodoxy. As a student of William Perkins, he carried forward Perkins’ strong Reformed theology. At the same time, Ames ministered among leading theologians in the Netherlands, combining both . . . Continue reading →
Luther Was Not Just Another Moral Reformer
Yet that is exactly what Cardinal Walter Kasper would make of him (the original article is now only available to Times subscribers). There were a lot of moral Reformers before, during, and after the Reformation. Luther was not one of them. The . . . Continue reading →