Too Legit, Too Legit to Quit
MC Hammer Called. He wants His Costume Back
Author: R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He is professor emeritus of church history and historical theology at Westminster Seminary California, where he taught for 29 years. He also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007 and the Heidelcast since 2009.
A “Not At This Time” Culture
7 minutes and 16 seconds. That’s how long nurses at Glenwood Gardens nursing home, in Bakersfield, CA, had to render aid to Lorraine Bayless. She was 87 years old and now she is dead. Perhaps you’ve heard the audio of the 911 call. . . . Continue reading →
Chicken of the Sea?
Reformed Churches have long posted a rooster-shaped weather vane atop their church buildings as a silent warning to their members not to deny Christ (Matt 26:34). The Church By the Sea in St Petersburg, FL is a congregational church founded in 1944. . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Steve Baugh on Hebrews 7:18-28
Steve Baugh, Professor of NT at Westminster Seminary California, joins us for this episode Office Hours that takes a look at Hebrews 7:18–28. Does Hebrews teach that the Ten Commandments are no longer valid for Christians? What does “law” mean here? How did the old . . . Continue reading →
What Reformed Confessionalists Can Learn From Orthodox Jews
Sports themes continue on the HB. The Blaze carries a story today about an Orthodox Jewish day school in Houston, TX. Last year they earned national attention when they were nearly disqualified from participating in the state basketball tournament because they refused . . . Continue reading →
A New Program for Hired Hands
In the fundamentalist-modernist controversy in the early part of the 20th century, one of the more difficult aspects was the question of whether the “modernists” really believed the faith any longer. The suspicion among conservatives was that in some, perhaps many cases, . . . Continue reading →
The Blood of the Martyrs Today
Rupert Shortt is Religion Editor of the TLS (Times Literary Supplement). In this 54-page synopsis of his case he takes the reader on a tour of global persecution of Christians. He begins in Egypt by contrasting current conditions with Egypt’s tradition of . . . Continue reading →
Biblical Theology Isn’t New—It’s In the Catechism
HC Q. 19 (Pt 1)
Go the reference room (virtual or real), find a encyclopedia entry on “Biblical Theology” and one will likely find an entry that begins in the 19th century liberalism. Depending upon which entries one reads, one might find reference to the Dutch Reformed . . . Continue reading →
And the #1 Reason for a Pastor Not to Appear on TV: “Because I’m Justin Bieber’s Pastor”
Lamenting Decline or Questioning Premises and Methods
It started with John Frame’s “Warrior Children” piece in 2003. In June, 2012 Anthony Bradley wondered about the decline of popular presbyterians. More recently Bill Evans has elaborated on theme of the decline of conservative presbyterianism. This morning I wake to find . . . Continue reading →
News From the Philippines and An Opportunity to Help
Pastor Nollie Malabuyo, pastor of Pasig Covenant Reformed Church in Pasig City, Metro Manila, writes to let us know of a couple of developments. First, Dr. Don Paauw (1926–2013), who played a key role in helping to bring the confessional Reformed faith . . . Continue reading →
Tesis Sobre la Teología del Pacto
1. Prolegómenos La teología del Pacto estructura la totalidad de la revelación Bíblica. La forma de los pactos revelados en la Escritura se tomó prestada del mundo antiguo del cercano oriente, se acomoda a él, y debe ser entendida en ese contexto. . . . Continue reading →
Less A Problem of What the Spirit is Doing and More a Problem of What We Say
Part 2
In part 1, I began to sketch a case that for a way between neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic piety and a sterile piety. Genuine, confessional Reformed piety is warm, Spiritual, and vital but we understand that the Spirit works through means (Word and sacraments). This . . . Continue reading →
Less A Problem of What the Spirit is Doing and More a Problem of What We Say
Part 1
Since the early 19th century American Christianity has been largely dominated by a revival of the original Anabaptist theology, piety, and practice. One can transpose much of what took place in the 19th century over the fist generation Anabaptists (1520s) and it . . . Continue reading →
Once More: Reformed and Charismatic?
A Response to Pastor Koleoso and DGM
Our friends at DGM have done it again. This time it’s a lecture by Tope Koleoso that has folks discussing the question of the relations between the charismatic movement(s) and Reformed theology, piety, and practice. This topic was covered on the HB . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE Pop-Up Ads in Mobile View
UPDATE 20 Feb 16:18 The technical wizard has done it! The ads should be gone. Adbegone. That’s a killer app. Thanks to my technical wizard we know what is causing the ads. The company that created the widget that allows the HB . . . Continue reading →
Of Grace and Second Chances
A Lesson Learned from a Missouri Farmer
Mark Sanford, former governor of South Carolina, is running for office again. He resigned his office in 2009, after his adulterous affair came to light. As part of his campaign Sanford has spoken of a “God of second chances.” This story caught . . . Continue reading →
Outstanding Resources for Understanding the Catechism
The folks at Logos asked me to let you know about these resources. Its the Baker Academic Heidelberg Catechism Collection (2 vols.) It includes the introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism edited by Lyle Bierma, Charles D. Gunnoe Jr., Karin Y. Maag, and . . . Continue reading →
A Romanist Responds to the Reformation
I’ve had a fair bit of response to the HB over the years. Some of it comes over the transom from anonymous writers (anonymous comments are generally forbidden on the HB) and it usually goes where anonymous correspondence should go. This one, . . . Continue reading →
Collision Avoidance Systems
Modern aircraft have collision avoidance systems that alert pilots when another aircraft gets too close. Some modern cars have similar technology. In my experience, it’s not just cars and aircraft that avoid collisions. Churches and Christian leaders also have a tendency to . . . Continue reading →