… is to be tired of life. Most of those who know anything about Luther’s life tend to think of his appearance at the Diet of Worms in 1521 as the point at which he was most vulnerable — the isolated reformer surrounded by the massed forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic... Continue Reading

We distinguish among the three persons of the Godhead in terms of what we call the economy of God. It is the Father who sends the Son into the world for our redemption. It is the Son who acquires our redemption for us. It is the Spirit who applies that redemption to us. We do... Continue Reading

You find yourself in losing yourself. You find yourself in the midst of the mundane, in the simple service unobserved. It is in the quiet flourishing of gifts that go unheralded. Who are you? You are more than others see. You are the sum of your moments lived not for worldly accolades, but lived for... Continue Reading

 Some will tell you that the culture wars began in the 1960s battles over sex education or the 1970s abortion fights. I’m convinced that the origins of today’s red-versus-blue troubles lie in the theological feuds of the seventeenth century. That’s when the ancestors of today’s evangelicals developed a powerful—and intellectually hazardous—way to defend their interpretation... Continue Reading

Chivalry, on the other hand, had a POINT. And the point was deep and substantive. It was a point that rested on an understanding of human nature, and an earnest desire to battle our basest instincts. The point was never “subjugation of women” or “male dominance.” Quite the opposite, in fact. The point was love,... Continue Reading

Let us remember this today and give him praise for everything that happens to us. Let’s praise him for as much as we can. For every good thing and every bad thing. Someday we’ll see how Jesus’ divine genius worked them for our eternal everlasting good.   And we know that for those who love... Continue Reading

It is interesting that accepting discipline and advice, being careful with our words, and generosity to the poor have the most references of all on this list. It’s also important to note that there are more verses on speaking wisdom and truth than there are on keeping silent; perhaps it is not that we speak... Continue Reading

Another famous preacher has chosen a different way. In New York City several years ago, an Ivy League graduate approached Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church to thank him for not focusing on abortion from his pulpit. She added, “If I had seen any literature or reference to the ‘pro-life’ movement, I would not have... Continue Reading

There are three parts to what is said about confuting error in the church. The first is that it is incumbent on the minister(s) of the church to refute error “if the people be in danger of an error.” The shepherds are appointed by God to feed the sheep, to go after them when they... Continue Reading

One of the sad ironies in how this has developed is the question of animus. The Smith decision requires complainants to show actual animus towards them for their religious beliefs. On the gay question, however, federal judges and Justice Kennedy have held that religious opposition to gay marriage is on its face evidence of animus... Continue Reading