Bob Godfrey: What’s Going On Right Now? Sex, Race, Politics, And Power (10)—The Darwin Effect

by Heidelblog on February 10, 2022

In this session, Bob Godfrey turns his attention to the effect of Darwin’s theory. You might think of it chiefly as a scientific theory but it did not remain confined to science (e.g., origin of the species etc). Darwin’s theory occurred in . . . Continue reading →

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Perkins On “The Exclusive Particle”

by Heidelblog on February 10, 2022

Throughout his works Perkins objected to the idea that one was justified by a mixed faith. On the contrary, faith was to be regarded as an instrument “to apprehend and apply that which justifies, namely, Christ and His obedience.” Perkins saw justifying . . . Continue reading →

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Christianity Is A Public Faith Grounded In Fact Claims About History

by Heidelblog on February 9, 2022

Is Christianity private or public? Does the truth about Christ Jesus, who is the object of my faith, depend on my own private beliefs, or is there something verifiable that can be “fact-checked”? The reason I pose these questions is because we . . . Continue reading →

Podcast

Bob Godfrey: What’s Going On Right Now? Sex, Race, Politics, And Power (9) With Bonus Audio

by Heidelblog on February 9, 2022

In his next session, Bob Godfrey resumes his talks on what happened to Christendom and how the church should adapt to a post-Christian world. In this series Bob seeks to understand why this contemporary world seems so strange. In this session he . . . Continue reading →

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The Reformation Was Not As Radical As You Think: Calvin And Virtue Ethics

by Heidelblog on February 7, 2022

There is a widely held perception today—shared by ethicists, historians of ethics, and theologians—that the Reformation inaugurated a sharp break from earlier forms of eudaimonist virtue ethics prevalent in the medieval period (Rehnman 2012, 473–75, 490; Herms 1982). The assumption that the . . . Continue reading →

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Of Wickedness And Narratives

by Heidelblog on February 5, 2022

Narratives are funny things, but there’s a certain consistency to them from decade to decade, even from century to century. In the organizational world (including the visible church), those persons, departments, coalitions, or factions perceived as narrow, precise, and conservative are usually . . . Continue reading →

Book Review, HeidelQuote

A Review Of Boot: Were “The Puritans” Theonomists?

by Heidelblog on February 3, 2022

The book under review attempts to engage culture effectively using the past, especially the puritans. In what follows I will evaluate whether The Mission of God: A Manifesto of Hope for Society, is successful in its appropriation of puritanism as an antidote . . . Continue reading →

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A Brief History Of Secret Organizations In And Around The PCA

by Heidelblog on February 2, 2022

Every Christian ought to heed Paul’s warnings to “have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” (1 Timothy 4:7) and not to be found in “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” (2 Corinthians 12:20). Thus, we must be especially . . . Continue reading →

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Trueman: It Was Not Chrysostom’s Administration Of The Sacraments That Led To HIs Death

by Heidelblog on January 31, 2022

Years ago, when teaching at a seminary, I was responsible for the course on the ancient church. In every class I have ever taught, I have regarded it as my chief task to introduce students to the great primary texts on the . . . Continue reading →

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What Was Jesus’ “Playlist”?

by Heidelblog on January 29, 2022

Last summer, my daughter walked into the Apple Store in our local mall, and came out the proud owner of a new iPhone 12 Pro. In those first hours of set-up, one of her first priorities – as any teen will tell . . . Continue reading →

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Good News: Millennials Like Substantive Sermons

by Heidelblog on January 28, 2022

“And younger evangelicals are the ones most likely to want more in-depth teaching from their churches. Evangelicals under 40 are twice as likely as their seniors (39% to 20%) to want more substance from the pulpit.” Continue reading →

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Trueman: What To Do With Dead Sinners Redux?

by Heidelblog on January 26, 2022

Cancel culture shows no signs of abatement. The Spectator in Britain ended the year speculating on whether comedy itself will now be a thing of the past. Cancel culture is incompatible with comedy and humor. Meanwhile, the venomous reactions to those who . . . Continue reading →

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Engel v. Vitale (1962) Forbids Required Prayer In the Public Schools Including Social-Justice Chants To Aztec Gods

Critical Theory Is Not A Secular Theory

by Heidelblog on January 25, 2022

California public schools will no longer be teaching students Aztec and Yoruba prayers as part of the state’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.1 Thomas More Society attorneys obtained a settlement on January 13, 2022, in a lawsuit brought by parents and the Californians . . . Continue reading →

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Who Stopped Attending To The Due Use Of The Means Of Grace During Covid And Why

by Heidelblog on January 22, 2022

During his 21 years as lead pastor of Grace Church in Greenville, North Carolina, Mike Meshaw has seen many people come and go in the transient area that is home to East Carolina University. Before COVID-19 shut things down in March 2020, . . . Continue reading →

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There Is More To The Parable Of The Good Samaritan Than It Might Seem

by Heidelblog on January 21, 2022

The parable of the Good Samaritan is generally understood to be an ethical teaching of Jesus that challenges us to love our neighbor better. Most teachings on the parable are moralistic, leaving the impression that the imperative to “go and do likewise” . . . Continue reading →

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Pro-LGBTQ Strategy Within The Church: “Nobody Can Argue With Your Story”

by Heidelblog on January 20, 2022

To this end, one of the board members of A1B gave the audience a piece of advice: Do not use Scripture to convince your fellow CRC members of the beauty of full inclusion. Instead, rely on personal stories. “Everyone has a story,” . . . Continue reading →

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A Brief But Important Quotation By Mr Murray On Romans 2:13

by Heidelblog on January 18, 2022

Philippi’s statement is worthy of quotation: “Whether or not there are such perfect ποιηται του νομου [doers of the law] the apostle does not say in this passage, but only opposes the true standard to the false standard of the Jews, that . . . Continue reading →

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A Timely Reminder: James 2:24 Does Not Teach Justification Before God By Works

by Heidelblog on January 17, 2022

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”— James 2:24 It’s not uncommon to hear some people appeal to James 2:24 in order to argue that God saves people by faith plus works. In particular, some . . . Continue reading →

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PCA Ruling Elder Brad Isbell On The Future Of The Overtures And The PCA GA

by Heidelblog on January 14, 2022

PCA Overture 37 will fail to receive the requisite two-thirds vote of the presbyteries to bring it before the 2022 PCA General Assembly for final approval. And Overture 23 (which, like 37, concerns same-sex-attracted church officers) will pass or fail by a . . . Continue reading →

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The Main Purpose Of The ‘Rule Of Faith’ Is to Help Readers Identify Jesus As The One To Whom The Scriptures Point

by Heidelblog on January 12, 2022

Jesus Christ is not the solution to a puzzle, whether that solution is derived by means of a sophisticated homiletical method or a sophisticated hermeneutical method. Jesus Christ is God the Son in person. Someone, not something, is the central subject matter and scope of Scripture. Someone, not something, should be the central subject matter and scope of Christian preaching. Continue reading →