WCF 25: The Church
The distinction between the invisible church and the visible church is an important one
“When we look upon the church, we can only see the outward appearance (those who profess faith and their children); however, when God looks at that same church, He can see not only the outward appearance, but also the true nature of His church – not only those who outwardly profess the true religion and... Continue Reading
An Intro to the Institutes
Calvin saw the Institutes as a handmaiden to his commentaries
“The Institutes as we now have it is the product of a lifetime’s thought and reflection by one of the greatest theologians the church has known. In part, as it grew from six to eighty chapters, it reflects Calvin’s own growth in his understanding of the Christian life.” The Institutes as we now have... Continue Reading
The History of Advent
A brief history of Advent.
Unlike modern Advent ceremonies, most celebrations of Advent in history had a twin focus. The Latin word adventus was the translation of the Greek parousia—a word used for both the coming of Christ in human flesh and his Second Coming. Advent, then, always tended to focus on both. Many churches lit the first of their Advent candles... Continue Reading
The Gentle, Evangelical Insider Religious Satire of The Babylon Bee
Most Babylon Bee newcomers are almost certainly be drawn there by social-media references to the site's popular items dissecting modern evangelical life
Take, for example, a “news report” about a new $90 million, 170-acre church complex with a petting zoo, seven bookstores, nine coffee shops, three restaurants, a baseball field and a monorail to the parking lots. But church leaders forgot something. Thus the headline: “Sanctuary Mistakenly Omitted From Megachurch Campus Design.” Anyone who visits a... Continue Reading
An Essential Key to Understanding the Development of the NT Canon
For anyone willing to search for it, the internet is packed with myths, mistakes, and misunderstandings about how the whole process really worked
“(1) there was a core canon from a very early time, (2) there was dispute about some of the smaller books that took some time to resolve, (3) Christians continued to find some non-canonical books to be orthodox and helpful, though not Scripture, and (4) some books were so theologically off the mark that they... Continue Reading
Confession and Theology: 5 Theological Affirmations Without a Wink and a Nod
Today theology has fallen on tough times and that includes confessional theology
“In this brief article I want to contend for five affirmations with which any confessional believer – let alone any gospel minister – would be happy. First, the historic confessions (Westminster, Heidelberg, Belgic, etc.) are safe. Now, I can just see the eyes of some begin to roll. But hear me out.” Today theology... Continue Reading
Confession and Theology: Digging Deep & Keeping the Boundaries
One of the many practical values of creeds and confessions is that they alert us to the places where we need to be especially careful and attentive in our exegesis and theological reasoning
“As we read the Bible and seek to grow in our understanding of God and ourselves, the best and clearest teachers from the past can show us the most biblical path forward. They can alert us to dangers, showing where there is space for creative thinking, but also where to be exceptionally watchful and cautious.”... Continue Reading
Indiana Demands Child Advocates Abandon Baby Box Effort
State welfare agency claims the Safe Haven boxes violate state law
In a letter sent in early June to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, the nonprofit organization that installed the boxes, Indiana’s Department of Child Services (DCS) said the boxes are not a legal way for mothers to give up their babies. Women who use the boxes could face child abandonment charges, the agency warned. But Safe... Continue Reading
The Declaration of Independence: ‘Systemically Racist’?
As inspiring as it is, the Declaration was a very human document
The greatest ideal animating the American experiment is here: the notion of equality by creation. In other words, whatever our social standing, we all stand equal before God as created beings. Earlier statements like the Virginia Declaration of Rights had spoken more vaguely of people as being “by nature” equal, but here Jefferson and his... Continue Reading
Confession and History: The Westminster Confession & the God of History
God is Lord of history even in the mundane affairs of this world
“God is sovereign over all history. Not just the religious parts. Redemptive history and post-biblical history are a subset of universal history. Understanding how economics, religion, politics, and social movements (like educational reform) operate in God’s world does not rule his existence and activity out of order.” The chapters on God and his relation... Continue Reading
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