Calvinism Appearing in Unexpected (and Innapropriate) Places
I see no problem with Calvinists belonging to these denominations and even promoting Calvinism within them–so long as they do it fairly
To Calvinists in historically-theologically non-Calvinist denominations I say “Come out from among them and be separate!” Or, at least “Respect the historical-theological ethos of your denomination and don’t use your Calvinism to try to change it into something it never was.” I would say the same to Arminians in historically-theologically Calvinist denominations (if there are... Continue Reading
The Lord’s Day
Calvin and Luther on the Sabbath
No doubt, more examples could be given from the reformers in this regard, but these two examples are at least interesting to consider with regards to regaining a proper view of the Lord’s Day. They linked the significance of the Lord’s Day to both the principle and the precept of the Sabbath. Following the... Continue Reading
There’s A Good Chance God Will Almost Kill You
Will God give you more than you can handle? You better believe it
Why does God do this? Is he some sort of sick sadist who enjoys tormenting helpless men and women? No, not at all. God burdens us beyond our strength so that we will be forced to utterly and completely depend on him. God gives us way more than we can handle so that we’ll stop... Continue Reading
Stop Slandering Christ’s Bride
Has anyone ever really come up with a novel and legitimate concern that Christians have across the country have consistently ignored?
For years it was merely an overused rhetorical trope, a hyperbolic claim that followed a predictable pattern: Step 1: Take an issue of concern for Christians (e.g., abortion, sex trafficking, global persecution, the gospel). Step 2: Claim that no one in our churches is talking about the issue. Step 3: Assume the dual role of... Continue Reading
Two Is Better Than One—Who Knew?
The failure to marry dramatically increases the likelihood of poverty
Thompson directs our attention to this fact in order to make his larger point: our marriage crisis is making income inequality worse. Those who are getting married and staying married are, on average, moving ahead in the economy. In contrast, those who are not married are falling behind—fast. Add to this the fact that when... Continue Reading
Pastor as a Nursing Mother? You Betcha.
An “expert testimony” of sorts on what it means to be gentle like a nursing mother
When Paul describes the gentleness of a nursing mother, he’s not describing a passivity or assumed tenderness; he’s describing a gentleness that comes from a place of deep self-sacrifice, self-giving, and tireless commitment. Nursing an infant requires gutsy, down-in-the-trenches, hour-by-hour dedication. And it is motivated by the depth of love that a mother has for... Continue Reading
What’s Wrong With the World?
Frank Schaeffer believes the problem is the Church’s failure to adopt enlightenment thinking
What’s wrong with America? According to Frank Schaeffer, God is. In a recent post entitled “I Blame God for the Shutdown” he concludes that the real problem in America is religious delusion. Senator Ted Cruz and his cadre of grandstanding Republicans are not motivated by concern for the economy, but by deranged religious zeal. All... Continue Reading
Mind and Cosmos
A review of Thomas Nagel's book, Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False
The core thesis of Mind and Cosmos can be simply stated. Darwinian materialism has failed to account for several undeniable features of human existence: consciousness, reason, meaning, and moral values. The problem is not that the answers haven’t yet been found, but rather that the paradigm itself precludes any satisfactory answers. All attempts to explain the mental and... Continue Reading
God in My Everything
A review of Ken Shigematsu's book directed at helping Christians develop a full-orbed spiritual life
There were, to my mind two significant shortcomings to the book, that are related. The first is an real appreciation for the role of the church in the spiritual life of the individual. He does have a place for attendance at worship, but that seems to be the extent the involvement of the church. The... Continue Reading
Serial Choice? Hermeneutics and a High View of the Bible
Contemporary infatuation with choice dominates biblical interpretation
Historic confessions and creeds protect the Church from foolish “cereal aisle” autonomy. The Spirit who authored Scripture has through the years drawn the Church to understand it, and the great Church confessions greatly aid us in employing faithful hermeneutics. We are not advocating a paper pope, but a biblically grounded confidence in the historic analogy... Continue Reading