Wikipedia, that ubiquitous source of unimpeachable scholarship, defines “consolation” as “something of value, when one fails to get something of higher value….” That is precisely the opposite of what John Calvin (1509–64) meant by “consolation.”For Calvin, the consolation that Christ gives to . . . Continue reading →
In “Beware the Puritan Paralysis” Trevin Wax cautions us about a tendency to introspection. He makes a very important point: Too many times, we dress up our introspection with flowery terms like “accountability” and “mortification” and “gospel-centered change.” Even if all these . . . Continue reading →
In this episode Office Hours talks with Dr John Fesko, Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at WSC and author of The Fruit of the Spirit Is about the nature of the Christian life and especially about whether sanctification (growth . . . Continue reading →
A Heidelblog Classic from January 9, 2007: —— A Jewish critic of Dr Laura Schlessinger (for her public abandonment of orthodox Judaism) writes: “The late Yeshayahu Leibovitz pointed out that the quintessential symbol of Christianity is Jesus dying on the cross for . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE 30 JUNE 2010 Daphne wrote just a few minutes ago to say that Steve is now with the Lord. Thanks for your prayers but please pray for his wife and two sons and the rest of us who will miss him . . . Continue reading →
RNS has a story about the Vatican’s policy of “pontifical secrecy.” Read the story. The approach Rome is taking toward the problem of sex abuse by priests reminds one of the policies followed in the inquisition. What was established for the preservation . . . Continue reading →
The question came up recently about how Christians should think about the “12-Step” programs that treat alcoholism/addiction as a disease and that catechize alcoholics/addicts into deism. More than twenty years ago I began to try to address these issues in a paper. . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast: Does God Give Faith to the Living or the Dead? Dan writes to the HC to ask about the timing of regeneration (making alive by the Spirit) and faith but he raises the question of whether God gives faith to the . . . Continue reading →
Exposition of the Nine Points (pt 8)-Defining Grace and Faith We reject the errors of those: who teach that Spirit-wrought sanctity, human works, or cooperation with grace is any part either of the ground of our righteousness before God or any part . . . Continue reading →
Says Carl at Ref21.
The White Horse Inn has been walking through 1 Corinthians and their discussion of church discipline was very helpful. CD is the third mark of the church but it’s not what you might think. The second is Hywel Jones‘ ongoing series of . . . Continue reading →
Michael is a visitor to our congregation. He has a gift and zeal for boldness in witness. You may remember that, a while back, he was robbed. Well, he had another encounter with one of his robbers.
Melchior Leydecker and John Brown on distinguishing grace and works.
We live in the desert. It’s not the sort of cactus-filled desert where Snoopy’s brother Spike lives (that’s east of us a few hours) but it’s desert nonetheless. That means that water is at a premium and people respond by using rocks . . . Continue reading →
We live in the desert. It’s not the sort of cactus-filled desert where Snoopy’s brother Spike lives (that’s east of us a few hours) but it’s desert nonetheless. That means that water is at a premium and people respond by using rocks . . . Continue reading →
Note: Zacharias Ursinus was the primary author of the Heidelberg Catechism. The comments below come from his lectures on the catechism that were authorized by the Elector Palatinate, Frederick III. Happy Thanksgiving. § Having now considered the misery of man, and his . . . Continue reading →
Forget the gospel in the stars. Try the gospel in the seas… (HT: Kevin Efflandt)
In 1882 the Lutheran minister Joseph A. Seiss (1823-1904) published the provocative volume, The Gospel in the Stars, Or, Prímeval Astronomy (Philadelphia: E. Claxton & company, 1882). Evidently it found an audience and it has been reprinted as recently as the early . . . Continue reading →
The mystery of sin.
One of the great blessings of a new school year or term is a new series of messages from Hywel Jones. This one is no exception. Remarkably WSC simply gives these messages away gratis. See the link column to left and below.
