Marie Durand — Part 3: The Indelible Legacy of the 1572 Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
The Fourth Religious War erupted from the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, which commenced on August 24, 1572. This tragedy needs special mention because of the deep mark it left on both the Huguenot psyche and Catholic-Protestant relations for many generations.
In August 1572, thousands of Protestants assembled in Paris for the marriage of Marguerite de Valois to the Protestant Henri III of Navarre. On August 22, Gaspard de Coligny (1519–1572), prominent Huguenot nobleman and Admiral of the French navy, was shot and wounded by a pro-Guise assassin. Coligny refused to leave Paris, putting Catherine and... Continue Reading
A Message to Church Leaders and Intercessors
Our exposure to the truth makes us far more vulnerable in God’s eyes. We need to pray for mercy often, and for the right reasons.
A key principle in looking at our situation is the way God holds cities (or countries) accountable based on the degree of knowledge they have about him and his will. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus condemned his own home-base town, Capernaum, saying that if the miracles done there had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, they... Continue Reading
Johannes Theodorus van der Kemp – An Unconventional Missionary
He was honored in his funeral and continues to be appreciated for spearheading a concept of cultural and racial appreciation at a time when it was still alien.
Van der Kemp moved to South Africa in 1799, settling in Kaffraria, a British colony in the south-eastern portion of the country. By appointment, he was to minister to the Dutch who had been the original colonists. But he couldn’t ignore the local population – the Xhosa who had become, in practical terms, servants of... Continue Reading
Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg—The First Protestant Missionary to India
His emphasis on Bible translation, cultural sensitivity, and establishment of an indigenous church provided a model for many to follow.
While not all Tamils share the same joy in the souls Ziegenbalg led to Christ, they are grateful for Ziegenbalg’s contribution to the development of their language and culture. In fact, even from a historical point of view, Ziegenbalg’s writings…are still one of the best sources for the study of South Indian history and traditions.... Continue Reading
Don’t Be Fooled By “Nice”
“Nice” tripped me up in high school and for a decade after. “Nice” took my friend down a dark path of deadly sin and apostasy.
“Nice” tripped me up in high school and for a decade after. “Nice” took my friend down a dark path of deadly sin and apostasy. “Nice” still threatens every one of us, our children, and even our good priests and bishops. The devil comes as an angel of light, wolves come in sheep’s (and shepherds’)... Continue Reading
Francis A. Schaeffer: A Lasting Influence Pt. 3
Three books serve as the foundation for all Schaeffer’s other books, forming a trilogy: "The God Who Is There," "Escape from Reason," and "He Is There and He Is Not Silent."
The Christian’s apologetic task, according to Schaeffer, is to show man where the point of tension existed between his false presuppositions and the way the world really is. Of course, this was not a game for Schaeffer and he urged the Christian always to give the answer as understood in light of historic Christianity and... Continue Reading
Spurgeon’s Parting Pastoral Words – Dec. 31, 1891
Now may the Lord cause the cloud of blessing to burst upon you in a great tropical shower. I am expecting this.
Spurgeon never forgot his own church. In his letters to them, we see the affection of a pastor for his people, his confidence in his elders and deacons, and his dependence on his people for their prayers. During his final trip to Mentone, Spurgeon committed to writing a weekly letter back to his people, updating... Continue Reading
Margherita Datini—The Wisdom and Faith of an Ordinary Medieval Woman
Margherita's letters afford the unique opportunity to hear the voice of an ordinary Medieval businesswoman and wife.
Margherita couldn’t have imagined that, 447 years after her death, her letters would be discovered and studied. And she couldn’t have imagined that, about 150 years after that, readers could sympathize with her challenges and draw from her wisdom. Church history books are beginning to devote more space to women. Treatments of Medieval Christian... Continue Reading
The Childless Woman & the Miracle Child
The dilemma of the barren or childless woman disappears with the genealogies.
The new creation mandate that Jesus gives to his bride is to go and make disciples of all the nations: it turns out that all along, the childless woman has been Eve, come again. Eve, the mother of all living. The barren one has become the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26,27). She is the... Continue Reading
Marie Durand — Part 2: Daughter of the French Reformation
Though she never refers to Calvin in any of her surviving letters, his Reformed teaching of the Scripture underpins her theology, and indeed her decision to endure decades of imprisonment rather than abjure her Protestant faith.
This is a brief sketch of the deep historical background to the life and letters of Marie Durand. She would be born in 1711 in Bouchet-de-Pranles into a community with a hoary past of linguistic, cultural, political, and religious autonomy. She was born into a church whose beliefs and practices were deeply rooted in the... Continue Reading
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