Let us begin by addressing the real sin of Sodom. But what could possibly be meant by “the real sin of Sodom?” Isn’t it obvious? The sin of homosexual behavior draws its name from Sodom. What could be more obvious? And given the corruption of the times, shouldn’t we be suspicious of any attempt to …
The Crowbar of Events
“One might expect that a minimal level of rationality would require artists seeking a ‘meaningful’ alternative society to judge it by the same standards by which they judge their own. But this, alas, is one of their most consistent failings. They judge our society by the flaws and inadequacies they see all about them. But …
Schools for Show Poodles
“Far from teaching children to learn the nature of the world and how to occupy an appropriate station in it, they are what my daughter Rachel helpfully called classical schools for ‘show poodles.’ These schools make it easy for critics who oppose a truly superior Christian education (which necessarily includes the inculcation of humility) to …
Is Christianity Right Wing?
As the crisis in our nation deepens, we must recognize the culpable role of the Church in bringing this crisis about. Because we have not been people of the Word, the result has been no prophetic ministry to the world. As things get worse, the confusion in the Christian world only appears to be deepening, …
Getting A Theology of Kids
Over on the right hand side, on the bookrack, please note the safe arrival of The Case for Covenant Communion, just released by Athanasius Press. In all the “great-is-Diana-of-the-Ephesians” episodes of the last three years, there really are just a handful of root issues — and no, throwing dirt in the air is not one …
Baked Into A Loaf
It is no accident, and no coincidence, that the elements of the bread and wine here will in just a few moments pass over your lips and tongue. It is also no secret that we all fail in many ways, as James tells us, and not least with our speech. The elements of the sacrament, …
No Other Way
The worship of God is not to be considered an ongoing response to what are called “current events.” At the same time, our worship is not detached from the earthly visitations of the sovereign God in heaven. The only way to keep this in balance is to remember that true worship drives the course of …
A Worldview Wheel I
Introduction: “Worldview” language is very common among Christians, and particularly common among Reformed Christians. But what are we talking about? Where did this way of talking come from? And where is it going? The Text: “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, …
Preparing for Spiritual Battle
Introduction: The elders asked me to present a message to help keep the congregation “oriented.” Over the last few years, we have instituted a number of changes in our liturgy of worship. What is the trajectory of this? What is our goal for this congregation? What is our vision for what all this will look …
When Artists Abandoned the People
“The simple fact is that, until the French Enlightenment, Romantic movement, and the American and French Revolutions of the eighteenth century, the artist saw himself as a celebrant of this society and all its values, which to him—if not to aesthetes of today—were noble and heroic.” [Richard Grenier, Capturing The Culture (Washington, DC: Ethics and …