Archive for November, 2007
Sen. John McCain said recently just that. He kicked up quite a storm of controversy with his remarks.
He was asked about a recent poll that showed 55% of the American public believes that “the Constitution establishes a Christian nation.” McCain said:
I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of [...]
Samuel Miller wrote the following in the midst of the controversy between the Old School and New School elements in the Presbyterian Church in the 19th century.
There has been, and continues to be, misunderstanding as to what it means for an officer to “subscribe” to “the system of doctrine” of the PCA.
Below is from the PCA archives. It really is helpful. [Now amended to give summary paragraphs and a link to the article]
One of my favorite columnists is Walter Williams. Dr. Williams is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He is always insightful and very though-provoking.
I ran across a couple of his articles recently at TownHall.com and thought I would post a couple of them here.
The articles catching my eye have [...]
Another great installment from Al Baker. This article by Rev. Baker is dead on!
FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS, volume 6, number 48, November 29, 2007
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ, [...]
In case you were unaware, one of the most intense rivalries in college football was renewed last Saturday in Auburn, Alabama. Alabama paid a visit to the Loveliest Village on the Plains, their 38 million dollar coach in tow,
and promptly were defeated 17-10.That is six in a row.
Two years ago after the fourth consecutive [...]
John Piper has posted on his blog a response to Ben Witherington’s post on this subject. Witherington posted some comments about a forthcoming book by Thomas Schreiner on New Testament Theology. According to Piper Witherington says Schreiner’s book “calls into question “God’s essential moral character.” He [Witherington] cites Schreiner’s point that the most basic theme [...]
Finally I have reached the last of these delimmas put forth by Craig Brown in The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism,a book which I have been using as an outline for discussing Calvinism. The previous posts are listed under the Calvinism category at the bottom of my blog.
The last dilemma is the Dilemma of Mercy: If [...]
A sheriff in Colorado is under investigation for supporting Christmas. Yes, you read that correctly.
Larimer, Colo., County Sheriff Jim Alderden decided to place some Christmas symbols on the county jail property and has met with some stiff resistance. After a city “task force recommended white lights, as well as neutral and non-religious decorations such as
Craig Brown wrote The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism, a book which I have been using as an outline for discussing Calvinism.
He organizes his chapters as:
The Dilemma of Responsibility: If God is in complete control of everything, to the point of predetermining all human actions, how can man be held accountable for what he does?
The Dilemma [...]
Ever wonder how to avoid them?
All I can do is say head over to my good friend Randy Kirkland’s blog and follow the posts on this. You will not be disappointed.
Calvinism. It still elicits strong emotions. But, let’s try to clear our way through the emotional reactions and really try to understand what Calvinism is.
A couple of weeks ago I started looking at what author Craig Brown calls The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism. You can get his book at Ligonier Ministries. My posts here and [...]
Johnny Cash sang the following words in his Folsom Prison concert. The song was “Send a Picture of Mother.”
Won’t you tell the folks back home I’ll soon be coming
And don’t let them know I never will be free be free
Sometimes write and tell me how they’re doing
And send a picture of mother back to me
On [...]
Kirk Wellum over at Redeeming the Times has this to say about Moreland’s address at the ETS meetings recently (see the post below for what Moreland said):
I was fascinated to read how Moreland thinks that our over-commitment to the Bible is actually doing us evangelicals harm and holding us back. Fascinated because I am not [...]
Well, I was not at the recent Evangelical Theological Society in California. But, as I have said elsewhere, this blog is sometimes about what I read.
Witness this article in Christianity Today. In it, Ted Olsen writes about one of the sessions led by J.P. Moreland. According to Olsen, Moreland stated that Evangelicals are guilty of [...]
Lord willing, my family and I will be travelling to see family and will be offline for a few days. So, I want to pray that you and yours will have a blessed Thanksgiving. Do indeed give thanks to the Great God over all!
“…The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who [...]
My earlier post about who should occupy our pulpits was primarily a post dealing with the inevitable consequences of feminism in the church. It was not really about whether a woman should get a Masters of Divinity degree, though I see how the discussion went that direction.
Rick Phillips wrote earlier this year over at Reformation 21 a [...]
Last month I began some posts on the subject. In that post, if you stuck it out, Charles Hodge gave a thorough reckoning of what Presbyterianism is.This month, we move to a real live pastor of a real live (and I mean that in the truest sense) congregation. Mcilwain Presbyterian Church in Pensacola, FL is [...]
I have not seen the movie Amazing Grace, yet. We bought it and plan to watch it over the Thanksgiving holiday with extended family. But, I have read a book about this remarkable man.
John Piper has given a tremendous gift to the literary world in his relatively short book Amazing Grace in the Life of [...]
Pretty boys or pretty girls?
One thing about Doug Wilson: you will hardly ever wonder where he lands on important issues. Ordination of women is no exception. I congratulate him on not only his view, but on his no-nonsense, straightforward style!
Read below and see what you think. Let me know.
“The vocation of preaching is not just [...]
I am again indebted to Randy Kirkland over at FlockTalk for finding the substance of this post. FlockTalk is really an in-house blog for the benefit of our church small group ministry known as Flocks. But Randy keeps posting such good stuff that I need to refer over there more often.
The November 15 post is [...]
Rev. Al Baker pastors Christ Community Presbyterian Church (PCA) in West Hartford Connecticut. He is also author of Forget None of His Benefits, a weekly devotional. The devotional is available via email simply by going to the church website and signing up. I highly recommend it.
The latest installment deals with post liberalism and is well [...]
The governor, a Baptist preacher, issued the call a few days ago. They met in Atlanta and prayed.
The Atlanta Journal reported that Gov. Perdue called on people of all faiths: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. to join in praying to whoever their god is.
I like the idea of the governor calling on the people to [...]
I am continuing to look at five dilemmas often associated with Calvinism we come to numbers two and three.
The Dilemma of Motivation: If we are saved by grace and not by works, why should we do anything good? What purpose do good works serve? Are there rewards in heaven for what we do here on [...]
On My Mind, etc. has been retired. In blog years, he was getting old and really was not communicating what I wanted anymore. So, so long old friend.
The new name is reformation universalis. Why, well I like it better for one. ru, for short, still communicates my intent: to say what is on my mind, [...]
Seems like today, here and around the world, church folk have left the Bible behind in favor of personal opinion. What do people expect of their pastor? Look at this list from a survey in Scotland:
At a seminar at a recent Christian gathering the 50 people in attendance were asked what their top ten priorities [...]
The Golden Compass is set to premier in US theaters December 7. It stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Sam Elliott. It is sure to be widely attended by families all over the country.
The movie is based on the trilogy His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. Pullman, a self-described atheist, is an avowed C.S. Lewis and [...]
9Marks has put this question,
Does Scripture call the local church (by which we mean the local church as the local church, not as individual Christians) to the work of cultural transformation? For example, is a failing school system the responsibility of the local church?
to nine pastors and theologians. Good reading. See the roundtable discussion below.
Thabiti Anyabwile
Okay, [...]
Earlier I posted on man’s responsibility. I would like to recommend an excellent book on the subject. Our own Dr. Robert Peterson of Covenant Seminary, has written on the subject. You can get the book from Westminster Seminary bookstore for $10.49. Of course if you are here in St. Louis you can drive over to [...]
The other day, I linked over to Geoff Kirkland’s blog where he had posted the interview by Todd Friel with Doug Pagitt. Some were critical of the interviewer and Pagitt’s responses.
Rob Willman has typed a transcript of the interview and I post it here for you to read. Again I say, this kind of theology [...]
