UPDATED GUIDELINES HERE (November, 2020)
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Grade Inflation And The Self-Esteem Economy
‘The median grade in Harvard College is indeed an A-,’ the school’s dean of education said today, according to the student newspaper. Even more stunning: ‘The most frequently awarded grade in Harvard College is actually a straight A.’ —Roberto A. Ferdman, “The . . . Continue reading →
Trust, Community, And Life (UPDATED)
For a long time I’ve sensed that something important has changed in our culture. It’s been hard to know, however, what to make of these perceptions and intuitions. When I was a boy, when someone came to the door, we invited them . . . Continue reading →
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Turley And Rosenkranz: The President Has Crossed A Line
People of good faith can clearly disagree on where the line is drawn over the failure to fully enforce federal laws. There is ample room given to a president in setting priorities in the enforcement of laws. A president is not required . . . Continue reading →
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Where We Agree With The Eastern Orthodox Against Mere Memorialism
One difference between Presbyterian/Reformed Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians concerns how we understand the elements. Eastern Orthodox Christians think that the bread and the wine function much like icons do in Orthodox worship, as signs that give access to what is signified, . . . Continue reading →
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Biblicists And Federal Visionists Together
In this systematic theology, Frame has not overwhelmed us with the scholarly apparatus characteristic of so much theological literature, and as he certainly is capable of doing. Instead, he has chosen to enter into conversation with his reader, showing how he has . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Hywel Jones On The Spirit Of Sanctification
Sanctification is a necessity. That cannot be denied. It is the clear teaching of Scripture: “be holy as I am holy.” It is clearly taught not only in the Old Testament (Lev 11:44) but also in the New (1Pet 1:15). Nevertheless, it . . . Continue reading →
Horses, Hills, And Planes In The Back Country
This gallery contains 10 photos.
Black Friday, Subjectivism, And Christian Liberty
On 24 November, the Roman Bishop, Francis, issued a document, Evangelium Gaudii which the Vatican classifies as an “Apostolic Exhortation.” It’s a book, a really long (217 pages) sermon. Rome is a complicated creature with seemingly endless categories offices, canons, decrees, laws, and . . . Continue reading →
Economics, Trust, Imputation, and Worth (Updated)
Shocking as it may be, courses in medieval history and theology do not always have immediate relevance to late modern society. There is a theme in medieval history and theology, however, that does illumine what is happening to the global economy. Since . . . Continue reading →
Samuel Bolton’s Survey Of Opinion On The Mosaic Covenant
My friend and colleague Mike Brown published a revision of his excellent MA (Historical Theology) thesis (Westminster Seminary California) in 2012 as Christ and the Condition: The Covenant Theology of Samuel Petto (1624-1711). As part of the background to explaining Petto, Mike . . . Continue reading →
What Is True Faith? (7): Its Object
In the previous installment we considered the role of Scripture in faith. Now we turn to its object. I think they’ve largely gone away but a few years back team-building “trust exercises” were all the rage. The producers even got the Duck . . . Continue reading →
Freedom From Religion Foundation v Lew: What Now? (New Links Added)
Links are being added below. Refresh the page for updates throughout the day. For elders and parishioners and not infrequently for ministers, clergy taxes are one of the more difficult aspects of ministerial finances. Those difficulties just became potentially greater last week. . . . Continue reading →
The Coffer Is Quiet…For Now
But it still exists. It’s still possible to support the Heidelblog—the coffer continues!—but now, when your cursor strays over the coffer and your sound is turned up, you won’t be scared out of your chair. It hasn’t gone away entirely, the sound . . . Continue reading →
Happy Birthday To The Shorter Catechism!
Thanks to Wayne Sparkman for his consistently excellent daily posts. From his keyboard comes a reminder that today is an anniversary of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. On this day in 1647, the House of Commons ordered the printing of the Westminster Shorter . . . Continue reading →
Dorothy Sayers On The Lost Tools Of Learning
By Dorothy Sayers (1947) That I, whose experience of teaching is extremely limited, should presume to discuss education is a matter, surely, that calls for no apology. It is a kind of behavior to which the present climate of opinion is wholly . . . Continue reading →
What Is True Faith? (6) Grounded In God’s Inerrant Word
Last time we saw that faith is a gift. The Evangelical Theological Society met in Baltimore this week. They discussed the inerrancy of Scripture. My former colleague and now frequent critic, John Frame, gave the plenary address defending the inerrancy of Scripture. . . . Continue reading →
November 22, 1963
Fifty Years Ago
Must We “Translate” the Gospel?
David Fitch says and assumes, “yes,” but I doubt it. The “missional” movements are not really fundamentally different from the middle-class, pedestrian “church growth” movements of 25 years ago. They all seem to assume that accommodation is something that we do as . . . Continue reading →