Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief by John M. Frame My rating: 4 of 5 stars When a systematic theology begins with a series of endorsements that are longer than certain other systematics, you know you’ve got either a goldmine or a naked emperor....
ChurchLife
Stephen Jones on Race at BJU
I appreciated these careful and gracious and scriptural comments from Dr. Stephen Jones. I was particularly struck by Dr. Jones' use of Titus 3:3, which I had never thought to apply to ethnic divisions: For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray,...
I Was Clearly Censored
I was censored. And as a blogger who has occasionally deleted comments (I generally contact the commenter to explain), I understand why. I did not read the commenting policy, and perhaps I would have adjusted my comment if I had. But over at Rachel Held Evans' blog,...
Stumblingblocks
In my personal experience, violations of the following Pauline command mostly tend to fall into one category. Let us ... decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. (Rom 14:13) That category is entertainment. In my own life nothing...
Review: Christ and Culture Revisited
Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson My rating: 3 of 5 stars Carson serves up reminder after reminder that the question of context is all-important both in the interpretation of scripture and in its application to our current situation(s). Where Niebuhr is a...
Charles Hodge on Roman Catholic Idolatry
I recently found some genuine insight, new to me at least, in Charles Hodge's Systematic Theology. I offer it here not merely so you can stack up some ammo for debate, ammo you may never get to use anyway, but so you yourself can by God's grace obey the second of the...
What Rap Means
I was the first to post on a thread that developed into a major blogosphere brouhaha, and I spent some time trying to write out my own thoughts for that thread. But I prefer the obscurity of my own blog to the harsh spotlight Scott Aniol is now under (see his...
Kevin Bauder on Institutional Lifestyle Rules
I have often thought that an incisive mind could come up with a genuinely helpful, edifying, and (I see now) "critically collaborative" take on the lifestyle rules at the various Christian schools I've attended. Why do those rules seem to help some Christian students...
James K. A. Smith on CCM
While doing a little Internet poking around on James K. A. Smith, I stumbled across this choice quotation from the pleistocine era of the blogosphere (namely about eight months ago). Sorry I missed it: Trevin Wax: How would you respond to the person who says the forms...
A Good Intro to the Neo-Calvinism vs. Two Kingdoms Debate
From an excellent, brief article on Neo-Calvinism vs. Two Kingdoms theology by David Koyzis: From my readings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, John Rawls and many other professed liberals, I have come to conclude that liberalism must be understood in terms of its...
ESV Reader’s Bible
Manifesto signatories, our voice has been heard! I'm super excited for the May, 2014 release! Crossway even used the title we suggested: "Reader's Bible." I'm going to try to figure out how this came about and whether our manifesto made any difference or was just...
A Few Thoughts on the Great Commission
Last night, my pastor offered a few arguments against the idea that the Great Commission was given only to the apostles, or to their generation: How could that generation reach "all nations" (Matt 28) when the Western Hemisphere was yet undiscovered? Why would Jesus...