New Resource Page On Revivals And Revivalism

The nature, origins, and status of revivals and revivalism is a contested issue among scholars and popular writers on these topics. It is a question even whether revivals and revivalism are properly distinguished and if so how? There are narratives about revivals . . . Continue reading →

Why You Should Care About The Christian Past

Church History Is Family History

The value of church history is not always immediately obvious to everyone. In particular, Americans seem generally allergic to history. This is true of American Christians who are influenced by the American prejudice against history. Look at the History Channel (but only . . . Continue reading →

Ridley, Latimer, And Cranmer: The Oxford Martyrs

One of the most interesting bits of Oxford history is the story of the Oxford Martyrs and the statue by which they are remembered. The history of the monument itself is fascinating. In 1833, John Henry Newman (1801‑90), an Anglican priest, began . . . Continue reading →

The Lapsed Now And Then: What The Decian Persecution Teaches Us About Recovering From Covid

The Roman soldier handled Perpetua roughly. There was no question who was in charge. He took her before the Captain to be questioned and then to the Procurator. The procedure was simple. He asked her one question three times: “Are you a . . . Continue reading →

The Pragmatic Polity of the French Reformed Churches

In continuity with orthodox Christians since the third century, Reformed Protestants of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries confessed the centrality of the church: “Outside the church there is no salvation.”1 Despite this lofty view, Reformed churches never reached a common consensus on . . . Continue reading →

Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity

The footnote at the beginning of the Minutes of the Presbyterian Church in America states, “Unfortunately, the first leaf of the minutes of this presbytery is missing… The date of organization is generally accepted as 1706, in Philadelphia.”1 The absence of the . . . Continue reading →

The St Nicholas Of History (Sort Of)

After the recent Heidelcast episode on Christmas and Santa Claus, Brad Isbell reported that his better half asked something to the effect of, “but what about the real St Nicholas?” This is a great question and one that I have intended to . . . Continue reading →

“Play The Man, Master Ridley”

One of the most interesting bits of Oxford history is the story of the Oxford Martyrs and the statue by which they are remembered. The history of the monument itself is fascinating. In 1833, John Henry Newman (1801‑90), an Anglican priest, began . . . Continue reading →

For Evangelical And Reformed Folk Contemplating The Canterbury Trail

A number of Baptists some Presbyterian and Reformed folk have announced in the last year or so that they have become Anglican. Continue reading

In Defense Of Labels

Imagine going to a supermarket where none of the groceries was labeled and where none of the aisles was marked. For that matter, imagine trying to figure out which of the buildings in the strip mall is the grocery or telling one . . . Continue reading →

Lessons from the Synod of Loudun: Government Overreach in the Twilight of Toleration

Though the erosion of Protestant liberties had already begun, the sessions of the Synod of Loudun give us a window into the government over-reach that was beginning to ramp up and would eventually take away all liberties of French Protestants. Continue reading →

Heidelcast 163: Taking Calls On Choosing A College, Warfield’s Eschatology, Jesus’ Return, When the Roman Catholic Church Began, Sacraments, Rubicon Moments, Evening Services, And Church Discipline

Heidelcast

It is a little overdue but it is finally here: our latest call-in episode in which we take Heidelcalls from Arizona on choosing a college, on B. B. Warfield’s eschatology (was he really postmillennial?), from Chicago on what must happen before Jesus . . . Continue reading →