The State of New Jersey and Gov. Chris Christie Have Declared War on the First Amendment, the Family and the Church
New Jersey has now declared acceptable what God has declared unacceptable
If a New Jersey parent is confronted by the ever increasingly culturally encouraged and predictable adolescent enhanced sexual confusion of their child they may do a number of things but there are some specific things they might have done in the past that they now can no longer do in the present. They will not... Continue Reading
Erskine Trustees Extend Christie’s Term as Acting President, Affirm Presidential Search Committee
Dr. Brad Christie’s tenure as acting president was extended while the presidential search committee continues its search
The board affirmed its historic relationship with the ARP, which echoed an affirmation the Synod made in June: “In grateful acknowledgement of the 175-year relationship between the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and Erskine College and Seminary, the Erskine College Board of Trustees hereby reaffirms Erskine as a valuable agency of the... Continue Reading
Understanding the Puritans
Republicanism was at the center of Puritan thought, both for the church and political government
But, as Michael Winship argues in this deeply researched book, “historiographical excesses” should not be held against the puritans. They had strong ideas about church polity, and the settlers of New England did envision their congregations functioning as “little republics.” That belief also shaped their view of the political order. The scholarly study of the Puritans has been... Continue Reading
The Presbyterian (PCUSA) Hymnal Controversy Around the Doctrine of the Atonement
Part 2: Irony and Lunacy
Instead of taking this reasonable approach, nine members of the committee decided to remove a song because they discovered that the single line reading “the love of God was magnified” originally read the very Reformed (and Biblical) notion that “the wrath of God was satisfied.” As the chair of the committee herself tells it, it was... Continue Reading
The Origin of the Soul
Our souls are as much of creation as is the body, both need nurture and care
Jewish-Christian thought, however, sees man as made up of two distinct substances that are not in conflict. Nor does the Bible view matter as being inherently evil. For the Christian, redemption is of the body, not from the body. The Christian doctrine of substantial dichotomy is not dualistic. Man is not a dualism but a duality. That is, we have a... Continue Reading
Checking In With the Righteous
God's work is imperceptible at times, and best seen from a distance
Psalm 37 is a telescoping of a lifespan, to get beneath the daily blur to the essence of the spiritual principles quietly in operation in the respective lives of the righteous and the wicked. The latter seem to be the lucky ones, and it may appear that way for years; the former seem to be the... Continue Reading
Two Opposing Views of Anglicanism now Dominate the Anglican Communion
The Archbishop needs to decide who he will support, the liberals or the traditionalist
The church cannot abandon its core beliefs. But the Episcopal Church has already done that. Where’s the new news there? The Episcopal Church has abandoned core doctrine over salvation, Jesus himself (Jefferts Schori called him “our mother Jesus”), and says the resurrection of Jesus is spiritual, not actual and physical. How much more blasphemy does... Continue Reading
Walking Wounded
The fight for orthodoxy is the fight for souls
We forget that religion devoid of the gospel starves, maims, and pummels those trapped in it so that when they are finally liberated, they walk out wounded. And just like the Allied Forces were shocked when they liberated the concentration camps of WWII Europe, we continue to be shocked when we encounter those who have... Continue Reading
How does a pastor determine whether he can/should conduct a wedding?
Boundaries to guide pastors in conducting a wedding
I am consistently asked about the circumstances surrounding weddings. What makes it permissible or not to conduct a wedding in ”this or that” situation? I am very aware that there are strong opinions and lively disagreements about whether an evangelical pastor should marry Christians, non-Christians, and everything in between. The debate does not end there. Then you have to determine... Continue Reading
Indiana Church Unilaterally Leaves PCUSA for EPC
Church Reaches Settlement with Former Presbytery
“We wanted to be part of a denomination led by Scripture, Reformed in its doctrine and Presbyterian in polity. With the changes that have occurred in the (national) church, we don’t think the PCUSA is any longer any of those three,” said Horner, adding that the new Form of Government (nFOG) touts universalism that is... Continue Reading