These statements from the Creation Study Report seem to take a different hermeneutical approach to Genesis than Dr. Collins. In the above quotes, there is no indication that the committee believed the Genesis account to be an “historical core” with “symbolism” and “imaginative elements.” A Review of C. John Collins, Did Adam and Eve Really... Continue Reading

This is a book that pastors, elders, and sessions should pick up and read. It is a book that worship leaders should read. It is challenging to say the least. The implications are far-reaching. The observations are astute and important. As I said at the beginning, book reviews are funny things. But with all sincerity,... Continue Reading

No doubt some of us will read the account as the record of the powerful work of the Spirit for which we long in our day, while others of us will see the roots of much that gives us misgivings about the church and Christian experience today. One of the binding chapters of the Directory... Continue Reading

This book should do untold good towards improving Reformed/Orthodox relations. Hopefully, it will go a long way in clearing up misconceptions that both sides have towards each other. Through Western Eyes—Eastern Orthodoxy: A Reformed Perspecive (Mentor, 2007) by Robert Letham is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant books on Orthodoxy written from a Reformed perspective... Continue Reading

Dr. Stewart does not believe Calvin’s developed view of predestination should be accepted as the standard view of the doctrine. He regards the developed view as less pastoral and more analytical than Calvin’s earlier treatment of the doctrine. To put it simply, Dr. Stewart wants Calvinists to hold to single predestination, not the objectionable double... Continue Reading

Warning: for those with a literary palate for mild evangelical fare, this book is Habanero hot. It’s a PG-13 kick in the pants for fathers trying to bring up righteous and rowdy girls in a XXX world. Book Review: ‘Raising Righteous and Rowdy Girls’ by Doug Giles, White Feather Press (March 29, 2011) Dads, when... Continue Reading

MacCarty and Pipa have much in common. MacCarty argues that the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) remains binding on the new covenant believer. Pipa holds a similar view, the primary difference of course being that he holds that the Sabbath has been moved to Sunday, the first day of the week Book Review: Christopher John Donato, ed.,... Continue Reading

David Murray, Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has written the most helpful, concise, and pastoral Christian treatment of this subject that I have encountered. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 out of every 10 adult Americans currently suffers from... Continue Reading

After 24 years in pastoral ministry I’ve realized there are some constant issues with God’s people: I’m going to have a certain percentage of people who seem to struggle with the assurance of salvation over and over again (I’ve seen some people agonize for decades). I’ve recognized that a (growing) number of marriages are chronically... Continue Reading

Stewart chides major personalities of the current Calvinist upsurge for thinking as though it “appeared Melchizedek-like, ‘without genealogy.’?” He names two heroes of the mostly 20-something crowd of new Calvinists, John Piper and Mark Driscoll, as culprits of this de-historicized vision of contemporary Calvinism. Type “Calvinism” into any web browser and you’re likely to find... Continue Reading