A Response To Rachel Held Evans Regarding Wilson And The Definition Of “Reformed”

Jonathan Merritt published a critique of Doug Wilson this morning on his Religion News Service. For younger readers, who might not remember the Federal Vision (FV) controversy, Wilson is the leader of the de facto denominational home of the FV, the Communion of . . . Continue reading →

“Calvinism” Is Hip Again (Again)

Just when one might have thought that the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement(s) might be waning—they aren’t getting any younger—comes a piece in last Friday’s New York Times by Mark Oppenheimer on the Calvinist revival among evangelicals. Of course it begins with TULIP . . . Continue reading →

Be Careful Little One Whom You Criticize

There is a fundamentalist ethos in [neo-Calvinism],” Olson says. “You get pats on the back and merits for criticizing outsiders, but not for criticizing insiders. There is a system where if you are young coming up in the ranks, you get points . . . Continue reading →

Don’t Just Stand There. Come On In!

Kevin DeYoung writes about a conference just held at his congregation with Collin Hansen. He makes a couple of points to which I want to respond. As a minister who has spent a fair bit of time calling people to Christ and . . . Continue reading →

An Interview With Evangelical Focus

Contrary to what you may have been taught, the world was made to be known and you were made to know it. Contrary to what you may have been told, the world around you, though corrupted by sin, is not an illusion and evil is not winning. Believe your eyes and ears but do not believe everything you read and hear. You can and should, however, trust that God’s Word is reliable and true, that Christ is the Saviour, that he really came, that he was really raised, and that he is really coming again to make all things right again. Until that time you and I have a great calling to trust Christ with all our heart and out of that confidence to serve him in this world by loving God and our neighbour. Find a true church where the gospel is purely preached, where the sacraments are purely administered, and where they love the people enough to practice loving, gracious discipline. Continue reading →

Why This Reformed Christian Will Not Be Charismatic In 2018

Recovering the Reformed Confession

Tim Challies has published a list of predictions for the “New Calvinist Movement” for 2018. It has understandably provoked discussion. He writes, In 2018 we will begin to see wider practice of the sign gifts among those who hold to Reformed theology . . . Continue reading →

Mark Driscoll 2019: Young, Restless, and Freudian

He Has Read As Much Freud As He Has Calvin

I think everybody’s view of God is a rejection or projection of their earthly father…Atheism says, ‘I have no Dad.’ Agnosticism says, ‘I never met him and I’m not looking for him. Deism says, ‘he used to be here but he went . . . Continue reading →

Distinguishing Reformed From Evangelicalism: Realism

As evangelicals become dissatisfied with the emphasis on personalities, annoying trendiness, and the shallowness of Modern evangelical theology, piety, and practice they begin to look around for an alternative. One challenge they face right away is that, in many cases, their religious . . . Continue reading →

Why Caution About Jonathan Edwards Is In Order

Jonathan Edwards (1703–58) is America’s most famous theologian and perhaps its most famous philosopher too. He is an important and influential figure and worth seeking to understand for those reasons alone. We should think about Edwards for other reasons, however, He is . . . Continue reading →

An Illuminating Podcast From Christianity Today On The Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill

Christianity Today has released a new NPR-style podcast series hosted by Mike Cosper, “Who Killed Mars Hill?.” It is well done and deserves your attention. So far they have released a couple of trailers and two complete episodes. Cosper is sympathetically critical . . . Continue reading →

New Resource Page: On The Young, Restless, And Reformed/New Calvinist Movement

Since the early 2000s, the so-called Young, Restless, and Reformed or New Calvinist movement has been one of the more significant movements in American evangelicalism. Its scope and influence was chronicled by Collin Hansen’s, Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the . . . Continue reading →

Former Mars Hill Elders Plead For Driscoll To Resign Over Continuing Abuse Of The Sheep

Kate Shellnut posted a story yesterday at Christianity Today revealing that 39 elders from the former Mars Hill church, from which Mark Driscoll was removed because he abused the staff and members, have published a letter calling for him to resign from . . . Continue reading →