Letter to the Editor: Book of the Month/May 2024 I received a copy of "Knowledge of the Holy" from your father back in the 1970's. He would bring a box of them to meetings. I think ...
May Letters May Come
Despite Numerous Protests
“Over the last number of years I have made clear that the covenant of grace is not undifferentiated between the elect and the non-elect and have done so more times than Carter’s got pills. I don’t know what to do anymore, so I will just stand here forlorn, arms hanging by my sides.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 717
An Apologetic for the Whiteness of White Babies
As I see that whiteness is in the news again, or perhaps still, it seems time once again to marshal some observations that might be helpful to some of my fellow pale faces. As I have also gathered that I am from time to time read by critics who have the discerning eye of a …
A Simple Distinction
“Is it legitimate in any way to say that non-elect members of the visible church are not part of the Church? Sure. Scripture is full of this kind of thing—a true Jew is one who is one inwardly, synagogues of Satan, you are of your father the devil, and countless more. Our whole point is that baptized covenant members are Christians, members of the Church, connected to Christ, etc. in some important sense, not that they are participants in these things in every sense. So, is there a legitimate way to say that non-elect members of the covenant are not part of the Church? Absolutely.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 714
Something to That . . .
Embrace the Doctrine, Don’t Just Affirm It
“We are justified by faith alone, apart from works of the law, and this includes the law that ‘thou shalt score 100% on the justification portion of your Westminster exam.’”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 710
Jet Fuel Mix
“I can see broader uses of the word election in Scripture without denying in the slightest the doctrine of decretal, jet fuel election, a doctrine which flies our Reformed fighter jets really, really fast, and which I like as much as anybody.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 707
On Shunning the Counsels of Denethor
I have thoughts a plenty about the splash that Rory made, and so I am just going put them down in the order that they occur to me, with perhaps some arrangement after the fact. The transitions between paragraphs may seem somewhat abrupt, and so if it seems that way to you, just say, “Ah, …
Scriptural Language and Technical
“What we are saying is that if ‘election’ means one thing one hundred percent of the time in Westminster (because it is being applied in a precise, theological way), and it means that very same thing seventy percent of the time in Scripture, a Bible teacher needs to be able to say what is going on exegetically that other thirty percent of the time. That is all, and it ought not to be controversial.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p.707
Rory Stays Put
I really do need to say something about my grandson, Rory, because when you are this proud of somebody, it is necessary to say something. As a number of you know, he is about to graduate from Columbia, and so he has been a close observer of all the recent tumult there. Last night, a …