Engaging With Keller

Many now regard only one aspect of criticism, that of the expression of disapproval or hostility. There is, however, a second aspect that is equally important: the friendly analysis and judgment of the merits and faults of a project. This volume is . . . Continue reading →

Bog Standard Evangelicalism Circa 1962

I’m cleaning out my office and clearing out a great lot of books One of the volumes I found is Carl F. H. Henry, Basic Christian Doctrines (New York: Holt, Rhinehart, Winston, 1962). Included in this collection of very brief entries are G. . . . Continue reading →

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 →

Joel’s Not So Bad After All?

Mark Driscoll on Joel Osteen

UPDATED 14:02 5 Feb 2013 So says YRR (Young, Restless, and Reformed) leader Mark Driscoll in an interview (regarding his forthcoming book) published by the TGC: Q: You observe that “appreciated people” exchange grumbling for praying, competing for celebrating, bitterness for thankfulness, . . . Continue reading →

Mark Galli Reviews Bell on Hell

Galli writes, “but in raising such momentous issues, he has raised crucial questions that also must be asked. If universal salvation is true, why does Jesus not showcase it? Why is Jesus’ teaching characterized instead by a relentless focus on the last . . . Continue reading →

Dare to Be on the Daniel Plan?

‘Dare to Be a Daniel” is one reason to adopt Mr Murray’s view that, in public worship, we should sing only God’s Word (I reached the same conclusion in RRC). Not only is the song itself tacky but its way of interpreting . . . Continue reading →

What Happens When You Don’t Have a Category for Wisdom or Nature

Introduction: Losing Our Religion When Andy Kaufman wrestled women in the late 70s and early 80s it was a gag, it was outrageous because, until he did it, it was unthinkable. Why? Because there is such a thing as nature (i.e.., the . . . Continue reading →

Colson Calls for Doctrinal Boot Camp: But Which Doctrine?

In 1994 Chuck Colson attempted to convince evangelicals that the decline of the culture was so precipitous that they needed to set aside the historic Protestant doctrine of justification in favor of an intentionally equivocal statement about how we are accepted by . . . Continue reading →

When Community Isn’t

The contemporary use of the word “community” has troubled me for some time. I couldn’t put my finger on it until today. It came to me during a drive across the vast wasteland that is Nevada. Folk routinely speak about the “online” . . . Continue reading →

QIRE, Syncretism, Kingdom Confusion, and Evangelical Niceness

Andrée Seu of WORLD Magazine made a boo boo. She’s supposed to say that, as an evangelical, she disapproves of Mormonism but the temperature of Glen Beck’s religious fervor is so high that it wins the day. She writes:

Review: Souls in Transition

Dale Van Dyke is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California and a pastor of Harvest OPC in Wyoming, MI. He has review today of Christian Smith’s latest. Myth: Young adults are into spiritually but not religion. This hoax has been promoted most . . . Continue reading →

RCA Prof Predicts Demise of the RCA (and the CRC)

Donald A. Luidens is a sociology prof at Hope College and he’s written a provocative and interesting essay in Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed Thought (which I think is descended from the old Reformed Journal) in which he argues that loss of . . . Continue reading →

CT Reports on Shifts within Inter-Varsity

When I was in college the BSU (Baptist Student Union) was the place to meet nice Christian girls, Crusade was for evangelistic-minded types, Navigators was for spiritual discipline, and Inter-Varsity (IV) was for intellectuals. IV was clearly associated with the historic, confessional . . . Continue reading →