Chapter 4 of Jason’s book is “The Power of Weakness.” In it, he points out, accurately enough, that Americans like underdogs just so long as they don’t have to be one. He also comments on a certain kind of evangelical body-builder posing down in the public square as evidence that we are more interested in …
Laughing at the Piltdown Man
I agree with Jason Stellman that after a rocky start, the discussion between the spearmen of our two tribal blogs is generally charitable. With him, I am grateful for this, and in that spirit am going to take it upon myself to start calling him Jason in these posts, thus inviting him to call me …
Councils and Councils
Book 4/Chapter 9 Truth and the councils (section 6) 1. How does Calvin handle the reply that while priests can err, councils of priests are protected from error? The condemnation of Christ (section 7) 1. By what means was Christ condemned, and why does it matter? Nicea and Chalcedon (section 8) 1. Does Calvin have …
Sharon Elizabeth Howell, R.I.P.
In Psalm 116, we see the deliverances of God in the midst of life, and we see the ultimate deliverance of God at the end of life. The psalmist is pressed by his troubles—the sorrows of death surrounded him (v. 3). He found trouble and sorrow, which everyone who is paying attention in this life …
Can the Word Depart?
Book 4/Chapter 9 Preface on councils (section 1) 1. What is Calvin’s attitude toward the ancient councils? 2. What does the fact that he thinks less of the councils (formally) than his opponents not mean? True and false councils (section 2) 1. In order for a council to have spiritual authority, what must it do? …
No Artificial Tweeteners
For those who are interested, I am now in the fascinating world of socio-cultural haiku — the world of Twitter. My link is here, for those so inclined. As I try to get my aged and aging mind around what this will involve, the best I can come up with is that it will be …
Saving the Remnant/Romans 35
INTRODUCTION: In order to understand Scripture rightly, we have to understand the flow of redemptive history. God’s revelation to us is progressive, and it unfolds over centuries. If we treat the Bible as the book that fell from the sky, we are going to have a terrible time comprehending it rightly. The works of God’s …
No Stinkin’ Geologists
We are going to get to some significant disagreements, I promise. But Chapter 3 was another pretty good chapter, with many trenchant observations about how contemporary Christians tend to look at the outside world. At least thus far, Stellman is great in stating and confirming his premises, and only off in what he thinks those …
Word and Spirit Together
Book 4/Chapter 8 The church not infallible (section 12) 1. What is referred to in the passage that says the church is the pillar and ground of the truth? Word and Spirit together (section 13) 1. Where should the church set the limit of its own wisdom? 2. How does the Spirit then lead the …
No Need for Shame
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). In a fundamental sense, no sinner is approved by God unless he receives that …