My URCNA ministerial colleague, Steve Swets, has weighed in on the “Nampa Critique” of the URCNA study committee report. You can read his comments here. His chief concern seems to be that if we adopt this report the costs will be too . . . Continue reading →
Edward Leigh on Defending the Gospel
Chris has it at the GK.
The Inquisition Isn’t Over, It Just Changed Clothes
RNS has a story about the Vatican’s policy of “pontifical secrecy.” Read the story. The approach Rome is taking toward the problem of sex abuse by priests reminds one of the policies followed in the inquisition. What was established for the preservation . . . Continue reading →
Refo500
Planning is under way for the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. I have my doubts about 1517 as the best date to remember (but apparently Protestants were talking about 1517 as the beginning of the Reformation in the 17th . . . Continue reading →
The Arminius Paradigm (The Basement Tapes)
In order to understand the FV controversy you really need to understand the tactics of the Remonstrants. Chris Gordon gets it. The FV have become our Remonstrants. They want to turn the church courts into debating societies. The Remonstrants also tried to . . . Continue reading →
Need a Cop in Dearborn?
Originally posted 22 June 2010. UPDATE 24 June 2010. The Thomas More Law Center is now representing those who were arrested (HT: Aquila Report)
Congratulations Are In Order
To Kevin DeYoung, who writes at the Gospel Coalition (with Justin Taylor, Tullian Tchividjian, Mike Pohlman and others) to Darryl Hart, who writes Old Life, and to Nick Batzig (and the guys), who writes at Feeding on Christ, for making a couple Zondervan’s . . . Continue reading →
David Bentley Hart is Disappointed with the New Atheists
Take, for instance, the recently published 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. Simple probability, surely, would seem to dictate that a collection of essays by fifty fairly intelligent and zealous atheists would contain at least one logically compelling, deeply informed, . . . Continue reading →
To the Jew First: Office Hours Talks to David Zadok About Jewish Evangelism
This week Office Hours talks to Westminster Seminary California alumnus David Zadok about Reformed evangelism in Israel to the Jews. David helps direct Ha Gefen. Here’s the interview. Subscribe to Office Hours in iTunes. Listen to all the episodes. Call Office Hours . . . Continue reading →
What if the "S Curve" Isn't?
Martin raises questions about the major premise behind the PCA’s proposed strategic plan.
The Anti-Canonical Spirit Of American Religion
A canon is a rule, a measure, an objective standard by which things are measured. A canon is also a limit. Americans have never been particularly fond of limits. We are a busy, restless people always pushing the boundaries. Every school child . . . Continue reading →
Westminster Weekend: What's Happening in the Church?
The generous folks at Lynden URC (Lynden, WA) broadcast a daily radio show, Abounding Grace Monday-Fri at 8:30AM, on 55 KARI AM in Blaine, WA share their friday program with us at Westminster Seminary California. We call it Westminster Weekend. Yesterday we . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Osiander
One of the more bizarre claims made about Andreas Osiander is that, for Calvin ” he was the only consistent Lutheran.” One would hardly reach this conclusion from reading what Calvin actually wrote about Osiander!
Beach Responds to Nampa URC
When it comes to the sorts of theological errors that the churches may legitimately subject to official adjudication, one need look no further than the “Form of Subscription”—a document to which every office-bearer in the URC affixes his name and pledges to . . . Continue reading →
Pray for Afghan Christians
This letter was published earlier this month by Afghan Christians in India. § Letter to the Body of Christ around the world, written by members of the Afghan Christian community on June 9, 2010: To the Body of Christ: This letter is . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck on the Categorical Distinction
Thanks to Brandon Wilkins for more good stuff on this essential biblical, Christian, and Reformed distinction.
What Does an Alcoholic/Addict Need?
The question came up recently about how Christians should think about the “12-Step” programs that treat alcoholism/addiction as a disease and that catechize alcoholics/addicts into deism. More than twenty years ago I began to try to address these issues in a paper. . . . Continue reading →
The Fall
Don’t Build It or Build a Bigger One?
A giant violation of the second commandment (that’s the one forbidding visible representations of God) burned to the ground yesterday near Cincinnati, OH after being struck by lightening (HT: Brad Lindvall).
Office Hours: Where Wisdom is Found
UPDATE: Here’s a brief update on the latest Office Hours contest and a look ahead to upcoming episodes. Be sure to subscribe to Office Hours in iTunes, via RSS, or Zune so as not to miss anything. § Office Hours this week . . . Continue reading →