Boutlon’s stated goal for the book is to present “a critical, constructive retrieval of Calvin’s reforming project, always with a view to how that project may be inherited and developed by Christian communities today.” He does exactly this, in my estimation, in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.   Life in God: John... Continue Reading

Films like “The Butler” can be good opportunities for a healthy consideration of our troubled racial history, but not if they persist with inaccurate portrayals. Rather than advancing a flawed portrait of Reagan on race, perhaps “The Butler” can start the process of getting Reagan right on race.   One cold evening in Dixon, Ill.,... Continue Reading

If the Jezebel stereotype on display on MTV isn’t enough to make a case for cultural regression, all over America, a group of progressive elites seem to have successfully convinced mainly black and Latino workers that they should be able to sustain a life and career working as adults in low-skilled jobs at fast-food restaurants... Continue Reading

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

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 Mother of the Reformation is an honest history of a 16th century woman: Kroker pieces together facts, outlines differing views where there are conflicting records, offers deductions where he can, debunks some urban Luther legends and admits a lack of reliable sources when he cannot tell his readers what he would like to.  ... Continue Reading

All throughout the history of the church there have been pastors—and you may well know some of them—who have sacrificed their families on the altar of ministry. Too many neglected wives and forsaken children can testify to men who time and time again chose ministry in place of family. Every pastor can testify to the... Continue Reading

Picking up a sub sandwich today, I saw a news report on CNN about Miley Cyrus’ performance at last night’s VMA’s. I was shocked, then sickened, then saddened.   For the rest of the day, I wondered: What kind of people are we? What kind of culture have we created? What do we want our... Continue Reading

The apostle Paul had the highest regard for the Old Testament’s origin, nature, power, and purpose (2 Tim. 3:16-17). But the Old Testament wasn’t only helpful for Christian living; it gave Christian life. When Paul assured Timothy that “the Holy Scriptures [are] able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ... Continue Reading

Books for children and teenagers are written, packaged, and sold by adults. It follows from this that the emotional depictions they contain come to young people with a kind of adult imprimatur. As a school librarian in Idaho wrote to her colleagues in my defense: “You are naïve if you think young people can read... Continue Reading