When I first began reading Webber’s book, which was written several decades ago, I was worried that it would be a bit dated, only in terms of its evaluation of the current attitudes and dynamics in Evangelical Protestantism. Turns out, most of his insights about church culture and worship practice are still very relevant.  ... Continue Reading

Although Christian is the protagonist of Bunyan’s allegory, Christ is undoubtedly the central figure.  Jesus is not only the Wicket Gate, but He is the Lord of the Hill, who was the topic of Christian’s discussion with the Virtues at Interpreter’s House, and He had preceded Christian and Faithful through Vanity Fair.  In fact, Christ... Continue Reading

To paraphrase Holy Scripture, specifically Paul in Galatians 2-3, the law does not give life; obedience does not bring justification; works do not earn the inheritance; the promise does not come by performance. Life, justification, and the inheritance come only by faith in the promise – in Christ alone.  To distinguish the law and gospel... Continue Reading

Frame, on the other hand, focuses primarily on using apologetics as a tool for evangelism, in line with his interest in the practical nature of theology. In this respect, Frame is willing to use logical proofs and evidences to commend the faith, similar to classical apologists (such as Ligonier Ministries). According to Barber, where Frame... Continue Reading

“You will note that not every book is old, of course, but these are the books that I believe have shaped and continue to shape our movement (assembled based purely on anecdotal evidence). Every carpenter has a set of trusty tools he must have in his workshop; these are the same tools for the maturing,... Continue Reading

“To be fair to Mr. Lucas, conceiving of the mystery of life in a dramatically plausible way is no small task.  The poets of old balked at it.  And yet like so many of his generation, modern technology has made the path of wonder look so easy, so mundane.  Technological advance has fostered the vain... Continue Reading

In past years, I’ve used Bibles that apportion the texts out for me. It makes it simple to just open and read without a lot of flipping between texts. However, I find this plan preferable because it allows me to read through the Bible in my own Bible. This fact also meant I can choose... Continue Reading

For all the drama, the artsy Grandma (rated R for language and some drug use) is emotionally arid. It seems writer-director Paul Weitz, who made his directorial debut in 1999 with the raunchy American Pie, put his energy into setting up several not-entirely-inaccurate Christian and traditional-value straw men and knocking them down. But instead of... Continue Reading

“A striking result of the rise of the popular leader was the displacement of the theologian from the place of preeminence in the evangelical movement. The new leaders of the movement were popularizers of the gospel message, revivalists, and Bible conference preachers. This tradition persists today; the theological leadership of the movement is provided by... Continue Reading

RE Bond deals with current errors creeping into the conservative Reformed denominations, including the mythical “objective covenant”, confusion on the sacraments, and final justification. He does so without naming names, although anyone who has been paying attention to the last 20 years or so can easily fill in the blanks. RE Bond clearly demonstrates the... Continue Reading