The practice of subscribing the confessions of the church is not new. Continue reading →
When I was a boy, my parents gave my siblings and me a big, round trampoline. That gift brought us and countless hours of fun, laughter, and exercise. So, when our children were old enough, Jordan and I decided to surprise them . . . Continue reading →
In other words, if we want to know why there are so many Reformed theological giants in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and comparatively few afterwards, a large part of it has to do with the later theologians adopting various forms of . . . Continue reading →
Last night was 2/3 of a full-Rogan (who hosts really long podcasts) with Darryl Hart, Wresbyterian, Brad (“Chortles Weakly”) Isbell, and Dr Clark as they discussed and dissected the recent re-publication, on the website of the National Partnership (the formerly secret organization . . . Continue reading →
The relationship between biblical authority and ecclesiology has always been interesting. The Reformed commitment to sola Scriptura was never biblicism, as if it were solo Scriptura.1 The Reformed tradition from its outset was at the same time devoted to the Bible’s ultimate . . . Continue reading →
Paul Helm is always worth reading, in part, because he is always reading and doing so well. The other day he posted Continue reading
For Christians who came of age during the heyday of Barthianism, the very words “natural theology” can send shudders down the spine. Barth himself went to war against natural law, natural revelation, and natural theology of all kinds. Modern Evangelicals have resonated . . . Continue reading →
As a pastor, I am frequently asked about the best resources available for growth in the Christian faith. We live in a time when there is no shortage of devotional books to help with personal and family piety. Part of the challenge . . . Continue reading →
Within wider Christianity, Presbyterians are often labeled—and sometimes dismissed—as traditionalists. This label may seem to explain some aspects of Presbyterian piety, but not all. When Christians outside of Reformed circles learn about the Presbyterian passion for singing Psalms, keeping Sabbath, and rejecting . . . Continue reading →
Jake Meador has published an essay arguing the “conversations”—a euphemism for debates that should be retired immediately—in the PCA surrounding same-sex attracted, celibate ministers (the so-called “Side B” approach to homosexuality) “should begin to move on to newer, better frames…”. He calls . . . Continue reading →
The Reformation was above all a doctrinal reform in the life of the church. Throughout the Middle Ages, calls for reform had primarily been concerned with the moral life of the church. The Reformation certainly resulted in profound moral and spiritual renewal . . . Continue reading →
Many of us were raised in broad evangelicalism. We left that for what we thought was an intentionally confessional denomination. We love confessionalism because it both guards our fidelity to Scripture and offers a firm foundation for unity. By definition, confessions of . . . Continue reading →
One of the most forgotten Elizabethan Puritans is Richard Greenham (c. 1542–1594). As an early Elizabethan puritan, Greenham’s influence in the late 16th century was second only to that of William Perkins. He wrote a very helpful catechism on the Christian faith . . . Continue reading →
David Cassidy says it is:
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Kathryn Post, writing for the Religion News Service (HT: Christianity Today), writes, “On New Year’s Day, 43 congregations of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) split from the national denomination, one of the oldest Protestant bodies in the United States, in part over theological differences regarding same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBT clergy.” This move, she says, “follows the RCA General Synod’s October decision to adopt measures for ‘grace-filled separation’ with departing churches and to appoint a team to develop a restructuring plan for those that remain.” These 43 congregations (so far) have formed The Alliance of Reformed Churches. Continue reading →
Introduction Americans are an independent lot. In the secular sphere (e.g., politics and economics) that can be an admirable quality which contributes mightily to freedom and prosperity. In the sacred sphere (e.g., in the life of the church, in our spiritual and . . . Continue reading →
Do you ever feel like other people are better Christians than you are? Maybe they read their Bibles more, give more money to the church, pray more for others, are involved in church ministry, do more good deeds, or never seem to . . . Continue reading →
In 2008, Mike Horton called attention to the phenomenon of a radically subjective turn in American evangelicalism, in Christless Christianity. Unfortunately, a single book diagnosing the deep sickness of American evangelical Christianity was not enough to turn the tide. In that volume . . . Continue reading →
We live in a day when those things that stand in the way of the prevailing narrative of the culture are canceled, banished out of existence as we once knew them. As much as we are rightly worried about cancel culture in . . . Continue reading →
Becoming Self-Consciously Confessional When I was introduced to Reformed theology, piety, and practice I do not think that very many people were talking about being “confessional.” Indeed, the idea of creeds (e.g., the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed etc) confessions (e.g., the . . . Continue reading →