Social Gospel and Social Justice

Justification By Faith And Social Justice By Works (Part 3)

by on December 2, 2025 |
golden calf

The late German-American political philosopher Eric Voegelin (1901–1985) observed that history is marked by recurring attempts to divinize a fallen created order as a way of escaping the anxiety of fragile and finite existence. He identified in the early church heresy of Gnosticism a paradigm for understanding how private spiritual ambitions are transposed into public political projects—from Constantinianism and medieval Christendom to the totalitarianisms of the modern left and right. Continue reading →

Justification By Faith And Social Justice By Works (Part 2)

by on November 25, 2025 |
golden calf

The gospel can be turned into law—even into new religious laws, especially when sweeter fruit is available to stave off the bitter taste of judicial conviction. When fallen creatures turn down contracts with part or all of the moral law, the door invariably opens to various forms of religious innovation, new orders for spiritual justice. Continue reading →

So You Say You Want A Revolution?

Addressing The Impatience Of Our Age

by on November 9, 2022 |

In the wake of the disaster that was World War I, in which about 8.5 million military personnel died and an even greater number of civilians died, there developed in this country and in Europe a desire not only for a future . . . Continue reading →

Princeton Seminary Catches Up With Machen On Segregation?

by on August 20, 2021 |

Almost three years ago there was a controversy over the disclosure and publication of Machen’s hitherto unpublished letter to his mother in which he mentioned his objection to B. B. Warfield over the latter’s plan to integrate the seminary’s dormitory. Predictably, Machen was denounced by social progressives. They might have spoken too soon, however, since apparently PTS has come to agree with Machen in principle and practice. Continue reading →

Your Ethnic Identity Is Important But It Is Not Ultimate

by on June 30, 2021 |

Christians are not Gnostics. Against the Gnostics, Christians have, since the first quarter of the second century, affirmed the essential, inherent goodness of creation. Against the Gnostics and Marcionites we also affirmed the unity of the covenant of grace. Both of those truths help us to address the problem of ethnic tensions in Christ’s church. Continue reading →

The Gospel Is About Justice But Not That Kind Of Justice

by on June 24, 2021 |

In an article in By Faith Online (Feb, 2021) Megan Fowler writes, “Moses Lee believes Gen Z isn’t asking philosophical questions about epistemology [theory of knowing]. Gen Z wants to know that the gospel is beautiful and true, and that it is deeply concerned about justice.” Continue reading →

Payne: The PCA Is At A Crossroads

by on September 14, 2020 |

…Many of us are deeply concerned about the influence of Revoice doctrine upon our churches and surprised by the sympathy it has received from some in our ranks. Perhaps of even more concern is the growing ascendancy of critical theory and elements . . . Continue reading →

The Middle Ages Are Back

by on July 6, 2020 |

DiAngelo instructs us there is nothing to be done here, except “strive to be less white.” To deny this theory, or to have the effrontery to sneak away from the tedium of DiAngelo’s lecturing – what she describes as “leaving the stress-inducing . . . Continue reading →