[Written originally June, 2011] Students frequently ask the same questions when beginning their MA (Historical Theology) thesis. They are not certain where to begin. The prospect of a 30,000 word project itself seems daunting and then there is the problem of choosing . . . Continue reading →
Christian Life
Office Hours: Hywel Jones on Hebrews 8
The Christians to which the book of Hebrews was written were struggling with the temptation to leave that which is unseen for that which is seen, to go backwards in the history of redemption to those things that are described as “shadows” . . . Continue reading →
Machen’s Testimony before the House and Senate Committees on the Proposed Department of Education (1926)
The following is a transcript of the proceedings of the Senate Committee on Education and Labor, and the House Committee on Education, February 25, 1926, Congress of the United States, Washington D.C. — The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10 o’clock . . . Continue reading →
Just in Case You Know Someone Who Reads Danish
Just out: “Introduktion” in Heidelberg-katekismen af Zacharias Ursinus of Caspar Olevianus, ed. and trans. Silas Riisager Dahl (Denmark: Forlaget Latria, 2013). It’s available here. I’ll post the English version later.
Wisdom for Pastors and Elders on How to Stay Out of Civil Court
There has been a difficult and painful case in an URC congregation in Iowa. Recently, things have become even more complicated due to new legal action by members against some of the officers in the church. Mikel at Presbyterian Blues has been . . . Continue reading →
Is the Reformed Faith Just an “Accent”?
HB reader Joseph Grigoletti pointed me to an interesting article on the website of the Christian Reformed Church in North America that seeks to explain to visitors what it means to be Reformed. The article says, in part: Reformed Christians are a . . . Continue reading →
10 Reasons Not to Pope
Shane is, as they say on sports-talk radio (at least in Omaha and Lincoln), “doing work” at the Reformed Reader.
Resurgent Catharism?
In the 2nd century, the Fathers faced one of the greatest threats ever to confront the Christian faith and church: Gnosticism. The gnostics taught a hierarchical scale of being in which salvation meant being delivered from our status as creatures. Salvation was . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 11b: Reforming Worship, Confession, And Marriage
Rummaging around the old hard drive I found a lost episode of the Heidelcast from December 2009. Sam wrote to ask about whether and how to approach his church about reforming their worship service. He also asked about the degree to which . . . Continue reading →
Hide Your Pets
Yale University was founded by conservative congregational ministers in the early 18th century. For those who haven’t been looking much has changed at Yale since its founding. You can catch up a bit via William F. Buckely’s Jr’s 1951 classic, God and . . . Continue reading →
A “Not At This Time” Culture
7 minutes and 16 seconds. That’s how long nurses at Glenwood Gardens nursing home, in Bakersfield, CA, had to render aid to Lorraine Bayless. She was 87 years old and now she is dead. Perhaps you’ve heard the audio of the 911 call. . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Steve Baugh on Hebrews 7:18-28
Steve Baugh, Professor of NT at Westminster Seminary California, joins us for this episode Office Hours that takes a look at Hebrews 7:18–28. Does Hebrews teach that the Ten Commandments are no longer valid for Christians? What does “law” mean here? How did the old . . . Continue reading →
The Blood of the Martyrs Today
Rupert Shortt is Religion Editor of the TLS (Times Literary Supplement). In this 54-page synopsis of his case he takes the reader on a tour of global persecution of Christians. He begins in Egypt by contrasting current conditions with Egypt’s tradition of . . . Continue reading →
Biblical Theology Isn’t New—It’s In the Catechism
HC Q. 19 (Pt 1)
Go the reference room (virtual or real), find a encyclopedia entry on “Biblical Theology” and one will likely find an entry that begins in the 19th century liberalism. Depending upon which entries one reads, one might find reference to the Dutch Reformed . . . Continue reading →
And the #1 Reason for a Pastor Not to Appear on TV: “Because I’m Justin Bieber’s Pastor”
Less A Problem of What the Spirit is Doing and More a Problem of What We Say
Part 2
In part 1, I began to sketch a case that for a way between neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic piety and a sterile piety. Genuine, confessional Reformed piety is warm, Spiritual, and vital but we understand that the Spirit works through means (Word and sacraments). This . . . Continue reading →
Less A Problem of What the Spirit is Doing and More a Problem of What We Say
Part 1
Since the early 19th century American Christianity has been largely dominated by a revival of the original Anabaptist theology, piety, and practice. One can transpose much of what took place in the 19th century over the fist generation Anabaptists (1520s) and it . . . Continue reading →
Once More: Reformed and Charismatic?
A Response to Pastor Koleoso and DGM
Our friends at DGM have done it again. This time it’s a lecture by Tope Koleoso that has folks discussing the question of the relations between the charismatic movement(s) and Reformed theology, piety, and practice. This topic was covered on the HB . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE Pop-Up Ads in Mobile View
UPDATE 20 Feb 16:18 The technical wizard has done it! The ads should be gone. Adbegone. That’s a killer app. Thanks to my technical wizard we know what is causing the ads. The company that created the widget that allows the HB . . . Continue reading →
Of Grace and Second Chances
A Lesson Learned from a Missouri Farmer
Mark Sanford, former governor of South Carolina, is running for office again. He resigned his office in 2009, after his adulterous affair came to light. As part of his campaign Sanford has spoken of a “God of second chances.” This story caught . . . Continue reading →