So the eyes of the nation gave Montana congressional elections their fifteen minutes of fame yesterday. The Democrats have been yearning for a “”sea change win” in the various special elections held to fill vacancies created by Trump appointments, and once again came up short. That is one thing. The other is that in the …
The Odds Are Strong
When we gather together like this, we are gathering as the people of liberty. But two other l’s are constantly beckoning—those of legalism and license. Having the history we do, we have little trouble rejecting legalism, but in our emphasis on Christian liberty, we often—especially among our young people—veer into license. When this starts to …
The Classical Christian Option
In his next chapter, Rod Dreher spends a good bit of time singing a song I am very familiar with, and he says many good things. The cultural key is education, and what Dreher urges is, from one standpoint, very heartening. “This is why we have to focus tightly and without hesitation on education” (Loc. …
Book of the Month/May 2017
This month’s pick is The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson. That title is intriguing, but the subtitle—depending on who you are—is even more intriguing. It is Legalism, Antinomianism & Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. The Marrow controversy was an uproar in the early part of the 18th century in Scotland, and it was …
Christ Entire
Introduction: You may have picked up on “one of the things we say around here,” which is “all of Christ for all of life.” But what do we mean by that exactly? It may sound very spiritual, but if it doesn’t mean anything, it can’t mean anything very spiritual. Nonsense is not improved by interlarding …
Benedict or Billy?
In the next chapter of The Benedict Option, Dreher makes a number of shrewd observations about the role of community in resisting the encroachments of the Leviathan state. What Hillary Clinton famously said in promotion of that devouring Leviathan turns out actually to be true in another sense—“it takes a village to raise a child.” …
Review: The New Oxford Book Of Christian Verse
The New Oxford Book Of Christian Verse by Donald Davie My rating: 3 of 5 stars Some of the older selections were excellent, some of the modern ones, not so much. Still worth reading. View all my reviews
A New Kind of New/Easter 2017
Introduction: We have all heard about the new life in Christ. It is not possible to function in Christian circles without hearing that phrase. It is not possible to read through your Bible without realizing that Christ says that He makes all things new (Rev. 21:5). And if any man is in Christ, he is …
The Door Before
The Door Before by N.D. Wilson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Young fans of N.D. Wilson’s fantasy fiction, once they find out about the pending release of this book, will be jumping up and down with barely contained excitement. In some cases, it won’t be barely contained. It will be unbridled glee. In other …
Book of the Month/April 2017
So my selection for this month is Deeper Magic by Donald T. Williams. The subtitle brings everything into focus—The Theology Behind the Writings of C.S. Lewis. The book is a fantastic resource for those who are interested in the theological underpinnings of Lewis’s writings. What Williams does is take the standard loci of systematic theology, …