The Fork in the Road for the "New Calvinists"

Thanks to Darryl Hart for pointing us to this challenging essay by Dale Coulter, who self identifies as a “Classical Pentecostal” in the holiness tradition. He writes on the official blog of the Regent University School of Divinity. He favors the Edwardsean . . . Continue reading →

To Change the World: James Davison Hunter Challenges Transformationalism

Hunter develops an alternative view of culture, one that assigns roles not only to ideas and artifacts but also to “elites, networks, technology, and new institutions.” American Christians—mainline Protestant, Catholic, and evangelical—will not and cannot change the world through evangelism, political action, . . . Continue reading →

Are Conservatives Preparing the Next Generation of Liberals?

Listen to the latest episode of the White Horse Inn on the sufficiency of Scripture. About half-way through, before the break, Kim Riddlebarger makes a great point about the connection between legalistic, conservative evangelicals, and what I call the Quest for Illegitimate . . . Continue reading →

Presbyterians and Quakers Together

I see that Tony Jones has posted something critical of small/cell groups (I don’t know where and I can’t find it now. You’re welcome to post a link in the comments). Perhaps now that a leader in the Emergent Village has suggested . . . Continue reading →

Wilhelmus À Brakel On Pietism

Some years ago there was a sizeable movement among the Lutherans in Germany toward religiosity. Of some we believe that it was in truth, but with the majority it was but an illusion. This counterfeit religiosity has in some places also affected . . . Continue reading →

The Importance of Being More Than Earnest

Doctrine. Theology. For many evangelicals these words are as pleasant as the phrase, “impacted tooth!” That theology is irrelevant to Christian life has essentially become a received dogma. Nevertheless, as much as indifference about Christian truth reigns among evangelicals, to the same degree . . . Continue reading →

Why Did Arminianism “Win”?

Sometime back Howard wrote to ask, “How and when did Arminianism become the predominate view?” That’s a good question. First, we should distinguish between Jacob Arminius (James Hermanzoon) and the Arminians (or the Remonstrants). Relative to the conclusions Arminian/Remonstrant theology later reached, Arminius . . . Continue reading →

Yes There Is A Reformed Doctrine Of Justification

Recently I responded to John Armstrong’s post on the TIME magazine new Calvinist discussion. In his reply, John makes this startling claim: There is no monolithic Reformed voice on justification (especially re: imputation) and I would be very happy if we allowed a . . . Continue reading →

Sectarians: Socinians, Arminians, And Pietists

By the end of the seventeenth century, there was a sense that sectarian groups – a list that included Socinians and Arminians, as well as Pietists — were increasingly establishing themselves throughout Europe to the detriment of true Christianity. As Elisée Géraud . . . Continue reading →

Pietists And Rationalists Together

Some of the theologians of the era tended toward pietism or, among the Dutch Reformed, toward the Nadere Reformatie, and many evidenced affinities for the newer rationalist philosophies. Continue reading →

With Janet Mefferd On The Social Gospel

Here’s today’s episode of Janet Mefferd Today in which we discussed the “social gospel,” Walter Rauschenbusch, the emergent/emerging church movement and what it means that evangelicals seem to be heading back to this well for inspiration. We also talked about some alternative . . . Continue reading →