I’m convinced the appeal of Moscow is visceral more than intellectual. That’s not meant to be a knock on the smart people in Moscow or attracted to Moscow. It is to say, however, that people are not mainly moving to Idaho because . . . Continue reading →
Ethics
Jesus’ Theology Of The Cross: Blessed Are The Persecuted
11Blessed are you whenever they mock you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you, lying against you. 12Rejoice and exult because your reward is great in heaven. For thus they persecuted the prophets before you. (Matt 5:11–12) During . . . Continue reading →
New Resource Page: On Pilgrim Theology
“Pilgrim Theology” is a broad category in which theological prolegomena (introduction to theology), the doctrine of God, Christology, and Christian ethics (the Christian life) intersect with eschatology (i.e., how we understand our current and future relationship to heaven and the final state), . . . Continue reading →
Bredenhof On Wilson: Mark And Avoid
I’m a Canadian living in Australia. I really don’t understand how difficult it should be to just categorically condemn American slavery as evil and move on. Why all the waffling? But in the United States there’s this phenomenon known as Neo-confederacy. It’s . . . Continue reading →
Bredenhof: Reasons Why Wilson Should Not Be Regarded As Reliable
…Wilson presents his [theonomic] position as something distinct from theonomists like Greg Bahnsen. However, as an OPC minister, Greg Bahnsen affirmed the Westminster Confession too. He too affirmed what the Westminster Confession says about “general equity.” He was a “Westminster theonomist.” What . . . Continue reading →
Dear Abusive Men In The Church
Dear abusive men in the church, I so often feel like berating you, but in what follows I actually want to give you a compliment of sorts. You are succeeding in changing hearts and minds about a key issue facing the church . . . Continue reading →
A Pastor Is Not A Bully And A Bully Is Not A Pastor
To the surprise of many, effective leadership goes hand in hand with loving gentleness. This isn’t a popular trait in our world today. You’ll find plenty of books in the self-help section on how to be more bold, assertive, or proactive. But . . . Continue reading →
Behind The Scenes Of Your Local Public School
We are being manipulated and intimidated by a divisive “woke” ideology that is creating a culture of contempt and disrespect. SMSD is fostering a toxic environment and requiring employees to attend Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) training and workshops centered around Critical . . . Continue reading →
A Catechism on Human Sexuality
The Western church presently lives in a time of much sexual confusion. Rev. Christopher Gordon has produced a helpful tool to assist Christians in becoming well-grounded in the biblical teaching on human sexuality. The New Reformation Catechism on Human Sexuality uses the time-tested method . . . Continue reading →
Hostility Against Churches On The Rise In The USA
On March 27, 2023, three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at The Covenant School, a private Christian school and a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. The assailant shot through glass side doors to access areas . . . Continue reading →
10 Ways Churches Should Respond To Sexual Abuse
After a few decades of publicity surrounding the issue of sexual abuse in the broader culture, one might think that churches have developed better ways of handling it. However, there are regularly reports that indicate otherwise. Especially churches without a Safe Church . . . Continue reading →
A New Aspect Of The Sexual Revolution: Castration
. . . Sidhbh Gallagher, a Miami surgeon who aggressively uses social media to promote the hundreds of “gender-affirming” surgeries she does each year, some on children, recently posted a video about castrating men who identify as eunuchs. As she explains, eunuchs . . . Continue reading →
UN Report Calls for Legalizing Sex Between Adults and Children
A disturbing new report from the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) adds to growing concerns about global leaders pushing to normalize pedophilia. The report “The 8 March Principles for a Human Rights-Based Approach to Criminal Law Proscribing Conduct Associated with Sex, Reproduction, . . . Continue reading →
Regarding Gambling
I do not write this out of any concern that gambling is necessarily a widespread practice among Christians, though I would not be surprised to find it so, since “Do not be conformed to this age” does not appear to be energetically pursued today. I write, instead, because I am surprised at the virtual silence on the question of the propriety of gambling among professing Christians. Continue reading →
SAET Interviews In Politics And Theology #10: R. Scott Clark
With regard to political action: American Christians (particularly evangelicals) must get over the microwave mentality. We need to think more in terms of camp fires and cook outs. It takes a long time to make a decent meal outdoors and it might . . . Continue reading →
Gay Christians?
Introduction Is it appropriate to speak of “Gay Christians.” Is it appropriate to speak of “Murderer Christians” or “Thief Christians” or “Idolater Christians”? When the adjective “gay” refers to homosexuals, the expression “Gay Christian” is an oxymoron. Remarkably, Millennials (18–34) may be . . . Continue reading →
The Cruelty Of Nominalism
Are Symbols Arbitrary? Recently there has been considerable controversy generated in a university classroom where the prof required students to create a sign with the word “Jesus” on it and then to step on the same. One student, a Mormon, refused and was . . . Continue reading →
The Necessity And Limits Of The Imitation Of Christ
There is no question among orthodox Christians, i.e., those who believe and obey God’s Word, who believe the catholic creeds, who have a substantial connection to the ancient church, whether Christians ought to seek to imitate Christ. The questions are how do we imitate . . . Continue reading →
Against the Theology of Glory
Introduction Many Christians today take it as an article of faith that God must deliver Christians from trials and tribulations. This is an age in which Benny Hinn’s ridiculous books have sold millions and he is but the latest charlatan selling health . . . Continue reading →
A Reformed Critique of Alcoholics Anonymous
Note: This article was first written in 1987. It was first published in the Reformed Herald in 1989. It appears here with only minor revisions. Since I first posted this essay on the web in 1999, it has generated more response than . . . Continue reading →