As a congregation we affirm the exhaustive and complete sovereignty of God. We have done so in an era when many within the church at large dispute it, and so many of us have been in debates on this subject. But men are not the only ones who might test or probe the depth of …
My Sane Baptist Friend
I recently had an email exchange with someone I shall call my “sane Baptist friend,” or SBF for short. He had some questions about the Auburn Avenue deal, and I thought our exchange might prove helpful to others. There are a couple back and forths here. For ease of following, my original words are underlined, …
Is Skulk a Great Word or What?
The word skulk just captures it, you know? For those who read this blog from other parts of the great wide world, I hope the posts on our local intoleristas have not been too boring. But it should really not be boring for anyone, offering, as it does, a window that gives us a view …
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
As we consider the context of this next blessing, we must understand that Jesus is not pronouncing an indiscriminate blessing on all forms of sorrow and mourning. Just as the previous blessing was reserved for those who are poor in spirit, so this blessing is for those who spiritually mourn. Christ teaches us: “Blessed are …
Words on a Page
One of the perennial frustrations in contemporary political discourse is caused by the linguistic dishonesty of the human heart. For example, the Constitution says certain very specific things about what can and cannot be done, and our current crop of solons blithely disregard such “words on a page” in order to do whatever it is …
Grease on the Nose
The only thing that is worse than pathetic behavior is pathetic behavior supplemented with pathetic excuses. Those who would violate the pastoral/church member relation (on a massive scale) in order to get material for their partisan mud-gobbing are pathetic. Those who would try to justify such a thing by pointing to what they thought they …
Dishonest Shamelessness
Two additional comments on the Christ Church minutes issue as they relate to Paul Kimmell. Those who have raised the question quoted those minutes as follows — “Doug Wilson reported that Paul Kimmell, in his role as County Commissioner, is open to oversight from the elders on certain issues.” Having being given the date by …
Jesus or Aristotle?
I have to begin by saying that it should be self-evident that logical fallacies exist, and that they should be avoided. Having the mind of Christ includes avoiding the kinds of confusions and mistakes in reasoning that are so characteristic of our time. I think it was John Stott who said that fuzzy-mindedness is one …
Sons of Shimei
Paul Kimmel is a member of our church here in Moscow, and also serves as one of the Latah County commissioners. His faithful public service has been conducted in all integrity, and naturally this has exposed him to the malice of a handful of discontents — whose idea of public discourse follows in the school …
Answering All the Questions
When trust breaks down, it is hard to say anything without the suspicious seizing upon whatever it is, and twisting it to suit themselves. This is just another way of saying that when trust breaks down, one of the first things that people forget is that affirmation of innocence until guilt is established and proven …