Some of his fan base may be unaware that C. S. Lewis believed in Purgatory Continue reading
Category Archives: Theology
Preface to the Frank Schaeffer you-tubes
The son of the L’abri founder Francis, when he was an angry young man, went by “Franky” Continue reading
Pipa on The Lord’s Day
The sabbath principle is explained using the analogy of a beautiful park. Continue reading
Book: T. David Gordon on Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns
The surprising thing about this contribution to the debate on worship is Continue reading
The Covenanters in America: A Brief History
This is a review of the mimeographed history by D. Carson Continue reading
Book. Schaeffer: How Should We Then Live? Part 2.
We have considered Schaeffer the philosopher in part 1, now we will consider Schaeffer the historian. Continue reading
Book. Schaeffer: How Should We Then Live?
C.S. Lewis once said that marking good essays and bad essays is easy, it is the those that fall in between Continue reading
Robert Preus, Justification and Rome
This is a brief yet surprisingly thorough and lucid treatment of the issues Continue reading
The Proposed OPC Directory for Worship
The OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian Church) is in the process of ratifying a new “Directory for Worship.” It is available on-line by clicking an appropriate link here. The purpose of this essay is to bring some arguments against the proposed revision to the church. Continue reading
Introductory criticism of Wilson’s “‘Reformed’ is Not Enough”
The book “Reformed” is Not Enough created quite a stir a few years back Continue reading
On Deacons Serving Communion
At issue here is a practice, reported in some quarters, of Deacons assisting in Continue reading
Keys of Church and Presbyterial Succession
Attached is an mp3 of a Sunday School on Heidelberg Catechism 83-85, Continue reading
Heidelberg Catechism and Paedo-communion
Attached is the mp3 of a Sunday School lesson I taught yesterday on Heidelberg Catechism 81-82, including a discussion of Wilson’s (and others’) paedo-communion doctrine Continue reading
MacGregor on the Future of the Catholic Church Reformed (HCC #4)
The author was a prominent Church of Scotland man Continue reading
N. T. Wright on the Resurrection
The thesis is that the “Easter belief” of the early Christians (a) refers intentionally to a literal, physical (not merely spiritual) raising of Jesus from the dead, and (b) the mode and breadth of this belief can only be explained on the hypothesis that that is what actually happened. The thesis is pursued in specific and detailed interaction with the Leben Jesu literature, most of which denies the resurrection. The characteristic emphasis that we would expect from Wright is Continue reading
Westminster Seminary and Pete Enns: Ten Observations
It behooves us to take an opening stance on the volcano Continue reading
Thoughts on Halloween
First, let’s lay out the landscape of the phenomenology of Halloween as it is experienced in America. Then, let’s analyze its propriety. There are two axes of analysis that I will highlight. Continue reading
Buchenwald Inmate #2491: Christian martyr
Paul Schneider was a German Reformed minister whose early ministry coincided with the ascendancy of the National Socialist movement in the 1930s. His critique of the folk’s movement in view of the Word of God as well as a series of stands for the independent rights of the church vis-à-vis the state led to continual conflicts with Party functionaries, and penalties of increasing severity. At length, the conflict culminated in consignment to the concentration camp at Buchenwald, where his life ended. Continue reading
Why I am not a Methodist
Everyone expects me to say “Predestination” or something. But that’s so far down the list that I’ll forget to even mention it.
There are three things that prevent me from becoming a Methodist. Continue reading
Roger Williams, Independent (HCC #3)
Roger Williams, because of his views of freedom of conscience and Continue reading
Book: Spener. Pia Desideria
Philip Jacob Spener wrote this initially as a preface to an edition of some sermons by J. Arndt; it became popular in its own right and subsequently was published by itself Continue reading
Is Independency possible? (HCC #2)
Whenever I meet a Baptist or other Independent in a context where Continue reading
Book: Arndt. True Christianity
Johann Arndt (1555-1621) was a Lutheran minister that was troubled by formalism or dead orthodoxy among the German people. He wrote this book, True Christianity (Wahre Christenthum) to counter this trend, arguing that mere assent to correct doctrines Continue reading
The Holy Catholic Church (HCC #1)
In many traditional discussions of the church, a host of definitional distinctions are brought out right away: the church invisible vs. visible; triumphant vs. militant; representational vs. lay; and so forth. All of these distinctions have their place, and in their place are very important. Here, however, I propose to start with the primary lexical meaning of the Hebrew qahal or Greek ekklesia as “the called,” which, in the biblical context, connotes a people called out of the sinful mass of humanity to be the people of God, to worship him in truth, and be constituted as the corporate body identified with the living and true God. Continue reading
Book: Barnes. Prophecy and Gnosis
Review of Robin Bruce Barnes, Prophecy and Gnosis: Apocalypticism in the Wake of the Lutheran Reformation (Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1988). BT 819.5 .B35 1988
Under the rubric of apocalypticism, this book weaves together a story about views of time and history, eschatology, astrology, magic and secret societies in Lutheran Germany in the century following the Reformation.
Prof. Barnes (of Davidson College) defines apocalypticism as a view of the future combining prophecy and Continue reading
Basics of Christian Just War Theory
In the comments section to a previous post, somebody asked if Continue reading
The Pulling Down of Strongholds: The Power of Presuppositional Apologetics
The following article is from the current edition of Faith for all of Life, the bi-monthly publication of Continue reading
Particular Redemption
The following is an letter I wrote to a friend who had questions about the reformed doctrine of “limited Continue reading
Metrical Time: where does it come from?
The relation of God and time has been a study of renewed interest Continue reading
Book: Neusner. A Rabbi Talks to Jesus.
In this book, Jewish Prof. Neusner interacts with Christianity Continue reading